Eurovision 2022: First Semi

[passionpop]

With half a day or so to go before the first semi starts, here are all the performers with links to clips of their rehearsals. 



Albania - Ronela Hajati - "Sekret" (250/1) -  rehearsal clip shows hair flicks reminiscent of Montenegro in 2017

Latvia - Citi Zēni - "Eat Your Salad"  (250/1) - Trying to be the new Epic Sax Guy. Bright and colourful but there are too many novelty songs in this semi

Lithuania - Monika Liu - "Sentimentai" (300/1) - This is a chance to qualify as it is a quality song. I hope there are more close-ups in the final televised performance as Monika gets lost in the stage with that dress and the bright lights

Switzerland - Marius Bear  - "Boys Do Cry" (250/1) -  This is a surprisingly good song despite what seems like a lame title. Another one with a chance to qualify

Slovenia - LPS - "Disko" (300/1) - looking forward to getting dizzy watching this one. Bottom half

Ukraine -  Kalush Orchestra -  "Stefania" (Стефанія) (~7/4) - favourite to win mostly because of politics, which of course there is none of in Eurovision. Many people hope this does a Belarus in 2005, where Angelica Agurbash failed to qualify from her semi despite being favourite to win the contest

Bulgaria - Intelligent Music Project - "Intention" (300/1) - Probably a low end qualifier if at all. Very professional but softcockpoprock

Netherlands - S10 - "De diepte" (60/1) - Needs wardrobe that fits and a presence. hard with a dull song. 

Moldova - Zdob și Zdub and Advahov Brothers - "Trenulețul" (250/1) disappointing that they are not using the dance routine from the promo clip, still my favourite song of the night despite what the bookmakers think. 

Portugal - Maro - "Saudade, saudade" (100/1) - another performance that lacks presence. it is a pretty song, but pretty only gets you so far. 

Croatia - Mia Dimšić - "Guilty Pleasure" (250/1) - if she can stay in key there will be more pleasure, but really there is little from this semi that deserves to qualify. 

Denmark - Reddi - "The Show" (300/1) - this might qualify for the final on the strength that everything else is so weak. performance is weak though. 

Austria - Lumix feat. Pia Maria - "Halo" (300/1) - the backing singers are holding this one up, or at least trying to. Would be better than 300/1 is Pia could sing. 

Iceland Systur "Með hækkandi sól" (300/1) - this could get through because they can hold a note and they have a cute performance. boring as batshit though. 

Greece - Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord - "Die Together" (33/1)  another performance that doesn't fill the stage. Oh yes there are props, lots of props. Greece loves props. They just need a great song. Bring back Elena Paparizou

Norway -  Subwoolfer - "Give That Wolf a Banana" (45/1) the most annoying song in the competition but people like it. people are stupid, but then looking at what there is to choose from, this qualifying is a given. 

Armenia - Rosa Linn - "Snap" (250/1) Barbara Dex? I mean her outfit is not bad, it is just the jacket poorly sewn and it all looks very off the rack. Top fashion designers have designed outfits for Eurovision, Gaultier designed Dana International's outfits... Gaultier! This looks like it came out of KMart. 

This is really a dire semi and if you stay asleep in the wee hours in Australia you will not be missing much. it really needs a stage invader or something to make this semi good. 

Who will qualify for the final: 

bookmakers - Ukraine, Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Norway, - the 5 out of these 6 - Albania, Croatia, Moldova, Armenia, Switzerland, and Latvia

Me: Moldova, Switzerland, Lithuania, Iceland, Portugal, Denmark, Bulgaria, Norway, Ukraine (because no one else is trying to beat them), and maybe Slovenia.