"Here we are back in Sweden. I know, don't blame me, I voted for Finland as well."
That's how Petra Mede and Edward af Sillén the scriptwriter decided to open the 2024 Eurovision song contest in Malmö. Just gotta love them both. And yes, today's news is Käärijä will perform in tomorrow's second semi-final besides giving the Finnish jury's votes in Saturday's final.
Another fun moment was the Grindr joke. If there's something good in Sweden's Eurovision it's Petra and Edward. This is Petra's third time (Edward has quite a few more) as host of the show. First alone in 2013 after Loreen won and the contest was in Malmö, sounds familiar? Then she did 2016 in Stockholm with Måns Zelmerlöf and after solo, with a man she's now trying a woman, actress Malin Åkerman and it works beautifully. Petra keeps delivering those little jokes here and there with stoned face and Malin plays the more serious role.
The scandal 1 of the evening is Eric Saade wearing the Palestinian black and white keffiyeh scarf around his wrist against all rules (No rules!) but then again he's half Palestinian so what's the big fuss. Let him. I didn't even notice it by the way. He did the opening number with other two well placed Eurovision evergreens with his own 3rd placed Popular from 2011. Ebu hasn't yet uploaded the video on their Youtube though....
Eleni Foureira opened with Fuego, her 2nd placed entry for Cyprus 2018 and Spain's Chanel did SloMo, her 3rd placed entry in 2022. A nice medley indeed but somehow isn't this a bit lazy from SVT?
The scandal 2 of the evening was Ireland's Bambie Thug confessing Ebu made them cencor the body painting writings that originally said "Ceasefire" and "Freedom for Palestine" in Ogham, an Early Medieval Irish alphabet.
Then we had the King of Eurovision Johnny Logan performing the Queen of Eurovision Loreen's Euphoria with strings and all. It is rumored (and denied by Loreen's manager but well... you know) it was supposed to be a duet and she even picked the song. Then it would have made sense. Now it was just poor Johnny singing a song that wasn't his, vocally or not in any other way. Again, a bit lazy? The original plan was great but if it fell through - some say only three weeks ago? - why didn't they let him do something else, I don't know, something like Hold me now, Why me or What's another year?
Finally we had Benjamin Ingrosso making mama Pernilla Wahlgren proud. He has certainly matured since his jury flop in 2018 ("Sweden, you have received.... 21 televoting points!") and is a big star and all round entertainer and show man. But then again, wasn't that a bit lazy, too? It looked all very unrehearsed and he certainly wasn't doing it for television or cameras but having a live concert. Nothing wrong with that but it was a television show and therefor it looked rather chaotic and unorganized. But good for him!
Finland certainly made the headlines and front pages of magazines and websites internationally the day after it seems. But let's enjoy it as long as it lasts, this is Finland's 4th final in a row. A new record! Only in 2006-2009 we have been in four finals in a row but that doesn't count as in 2007 we were the host and in 2009 we were picked by the jury as the 10th finalist. What a joyride this post-Covid has been! Even with 6th and 2nd place already!
Did I mention the graphics are great and colorful. The postcards are very anonymous. I don't think I remember anything from them, or even noticed really... The stage works wonders, it's pretty amazing I must say!
Last night we said sad goodbyes to Poland, the biggest surprise apparently by most, Iceland and Moldova as expected and then Azerbaijan and Australia, the two entries that traveled the longest way to Malmö. Let's enjoy them one more time below:
Tomorrow's another day. Israel is in, let's see how that goes.
And Käärijä. Let's see how that goes as well!
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