EUROVISION 2024: SEMI-FINAL ONE

EUROVISION 2024: SEMI-FINAL ONE - THE DAY AFTER

"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!

Comments

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o

ESC 2013: PETRA MEDE IS THE ONE!

Great to come to home to these wonderful news: Petra Mede! Did anyone ever mention her name? No. Somehow I knew SVT had something in their sleeve so I was pretty sure it wouldn't be Sarah Dawn Finer nor Måns Zelmerlöf or any of the other mentioned. I remember Petra from Melodifestivalen 2009 and I just adored her! She's the lovechild one Lena Philipsson and Christer Lindarw and surely will be having some surprises a la Lill Lindfors! I can't wait to see her in action! :-)

Summer songs: Kylie Minogue - On a night like this

This is one of the songs that make me think of sweaty summer nights, humid air and being slightly drunk... I wonder where that all comes from? Anyways. Kylie Minogue recorded On a night like this, maybe not first but better than Pandora or Anna Vissi . And Lord which is actually great!

GREECE: HELENA PAPARIZOU HITS AGAIN WITH HAIDE

Eurovision song contest 2005 winner Helena Paparizou has been enjoying Top-5 hits every year since 2003 with the exception of 2010 and 2014, this latest one being already her 27th! And Haide is charting also in Bulgaria and Finland, of all places. The catchiness of her hits has changed less over the years than her face.... Here's the English version , below the Greek version.

CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

Update! Another thing got Swedes talking last night: Carola's boobs when she was giving away an award. This is not the first time her boombs cause headlines; her misfortunate adventures in the 80's in Japan wer explained with her boobs being too big for Japanese market. Ok.... Or was it the song ? Anyways, Carola apologies and says she thinks the dress is stylish and elegant (even her friends said so) and she's a mature woman in her 40s, not a 16-year-old girl and looks like one. The Swedish Oscars, Guldbagge awards were given out last night. Carola was there as a guest star to sing Barbra Streisand's The way we were when honoring the movie stars who passed away during 2012. However, the cameras were too much on Carola, not on the stars showed in photos in the background and that upset many viewers as that part of the show was to celebrate them, not Carola. Oh well... The producer of the show tells in Aftonbladet the part of the show was made the sam

EUROVISION: HOW TO SCORE A BIG FLAT ZERO

It happened again. A big flat zero point. This year it was quite unexpected and surprising one: Olly from United Kingdom and his Dizzy. Zero points from the televote. I don't think anyone was expecting that! But how often we do get zero points scoring entries these days? Last year we had two in semi-finals: Romania and San Marino in televoting. Two years ago Azerbaijan scored zero from televoting in the semi-final and but qualified anyways! In the final Germany scored a zero from jury, Switzerland from televote. Then we come to the crazy year of 2021. Where to start? United Kingdom scored a big flat zero from BOTH the jury and the televote! Now try to repeat that! But also Spain , Germany and the host Netherlands all scored a zero from televote in the final. As that wasn't enough also Czechia got a zero in televotes in the semi-final.... In 2019 Austria scored zero in semi-final with televoting. Germany did it again in final's televoting while Israel did it wit

DIANDRA ....COMING UP!

Just like that. Out of the blue. For some reason I want to post about Diandra. The winner of Idols 2012 who's got an important vocal couch these days, American David Lee Brewer who has promised to make her a world star in two years or something, just like Beyoncé Knowles. They've been working in Berlin recently and maybe sooner than we think we may hear some results.... One can only wonder where the collaboration leads to and what steps there will be along the way.... Meanwhile, here's I will always love you and I have nothing from Idols, and here's her hit single Outta my head . Update: YLE admits the leak: Diandra is one of the UMK artists!

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Search This Blog