Eurovision Song Contest 2013 Semi-Final 2

Host country: Sweden (SVT)
Venue: Malmö Arena
Hosts: Petra Mede
Date: Thursday 16 May 2013

N.B. Any use of "tonight" or "this evening" throughout this post means Thursday 16 May 2013.

The Opening

The second semi-final opened with an assortment of dancing, followed by cyclists on a ramp, and finally a projection of a laptop computer on the floor (keyboard) and ramp (screen). This included bits of the Eurovision anthem Charpentier's Te Deum prelude "Marche en rondeau" thrown in for good measure. Quite an odd opening to say the least!

The Songs

Eight minutes after the start of the show (20:08 BST) it was time for the first song. Each song was introduced by a postcard film related to the appropriate country, which included a flying butterfly in the appropriate flag design..

Song 1: Latvia - PeR "Here We Go"

Two men dancing around in a similar manner to Jedward the last two years, whilst singing an upbeat song. This was one of my least liked songs on the ESC 2013 CD album. Despite my liking for Jedward's entries for Ireland in 2011 and 2012, I didn't like "Here We Go" performed live tonight. Altogether no match for Jedward's "Lipstick" and "Waterfall" the last two years. I'd rather this stays out of Saturday's final.

Song 2: San Marino - Valentina Monetta "Crisalide (Vola)"

Now for one of my most liked songs on the ESC 2013 CD album. After her Social Network Song last year, which failed to reach the final, Valentina returned to try again this year. This year she went for a ballad, with some gentle and some upbeat sections. The introduction and certain other bits of the tune sounded somewhat like the tune of "Windmills of Your Mind". Altogether an excellent performance of a beautiful song, much better than her Social Network Song last year. This definitely deserves to be San Marino's first ever appearance in the final this Saturday night. See you Saturday!

Song 3: F.Y.R. Macedonia - Esma & Lozano "Pred Da Se Razdeni"

This starts with a male soloist singing what I'd call quite a good ballad. Sadly midway through some ladies come on and start singing a strange and somewhat awful mish mash. That totally ruined what could have been a decent male solo. On balance, I hope this stays out of Saturday's final.

Song 4: Azerbaijan - Farid Mammadov "Hold Me"

Two years ago Azerbaijan achieved their first ever win with "Running Scared". This year Azerbaijan entered another excellent ballad, slightly more upbeat than "Running Scared" It also had the gimmicks of Farid singing on top of the box at the start, and someone else going inside the box part way though. I particularly liked the style of singing for the first half, but the way he sang during the middle eight was slightly inappropriate for this type of song. Nonetheless this is still one of tonight's songs I'd most like to see on Saturday evening.

Song 5: Finland - Krista Siegfrids "Marry Me"

Now for something a bit more upbeat, with the gimmick of the backing group lifting Krista part way through. The backing group also perform some dance moves which would undeniably be fun to join in and copy. Other gimmicks include placing the veil over Krista's head, and the kiss at the end. The song itself is below par, and definitely one to be valued more for the dance moves and gimmicks. I'd rather this stays out of Saturday's final.

A short break occurred at this point.

Song 6: Malta - Gianluca "Tomorrow"

Another song I particularly liked on the ESC 2013 CD album, this features a male singer with a drummer and others behind him. The lyrics appeared on the background screens in a variety of styles. Quite a catchy folk style song, but not as outstanding as Norway's "Fairytale" in 2009. Nonetheless it's one of the better songs in tonight's second semi-final, and I'd like to see this on Saturday night.

Song 7: Bulgaria - Elitsa Todorova, Stoyan Yankulov "Samo Shampioni (Only Champions)"

What on Earth is this? To me it sounds like some Chinese / Japanese style song, with drumming and bagpipes thrown in for good measure. Naturally a lively song like this would not be complete with a bit of dancing around, including some from the lead singer, which would be fun for Eurovision fans to join in and copy. A borderline entry, I'm not sure whether or not this merits a place on Saturday night.

Song 8: Iceland - Eythor Ingi "Ég Á Líf"

Now for one of my favourite songs on the ESC 2013 CD. A beautiful, soothing ballad from Iceland, all the better for it being sung in native Icelandic. Or to put it another way, the adult kids' version of the CBeebies Goodnight Song (lullaby), which is just what Saturday's final needs and deserves. A first class performance of an excellent song, this is the one I most want to see on Saturday night. See you Saturday Eythor!

Song 9: Greece - Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis "Alcohol Is Free"

Now for something completely different. The last few years Greece have entered some good songs which I've been glad to see reach the final. In stark contrast, this year they've gone for some nauseating trash which sounds as though it's being sung by drunken yobs. This sort of thing doesn't belong in a semi-final, let alone a grand final. Please stay out of Saturday's final, try again with your usual stuff next year!

Song 10: Israel - Moran Mazor "Rak Bishvilo"

Israel have entered many Hebrew songs over the years, and 2013 is no exception. This was another of my favourites on the ESC 2013 CD, and I like it just as much sung live tonight. Very well performed, this is another song which definitely deserves to be in Saturday night's final.

Song 11: Armenia - Dorians "Lonely Planet"

A power ballad from Armenia. Not bad, though some bits were a bit overdone. Thank goodness it's not the Eurovision Dress Contest, the lead singer was rather scruffily dressed; his jeans had holes in them which surely doesn't create a good first impression. Based on the song alone, I wouldn't mind seeing this Saturday.

Song 12: Hungary - ByeAlex "Kedvesem (Zoohacker Remix)"

This year Hungary have gone for what sounds to me a roly poly sort of song. It reminds me of a song that was in the UK hit parade in the late 1970s, but I can't think for the life of me what. Another borderline song I wouldn't mind in Saturday's final, but am not overly desperate to see there.

Song 13: Norway - Margaret Berger "I Feed You My Love"

A female soloist performing a power ballad, enhanced by her intermittent arm movements and the drummer. Were the wobbly background noise and stroboscopic effects at the start, and certain other points, really necessary? I'd rather not see this on Saturday night.

A short break occurred at this point.

Song 14: Albania - Adrian Lulgjuraj & Bledar Sejko "Identitet"

Now for a rock song, featuring singers, electric guitars and a drummer. Not my cup of tea, I'd rather this stays out of Saturday's final.

Song 15: Georgia - Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani "Waterfall"

Last year Georgia entered "I'm A Joker", which I detested and was glad it didn't reach the final. This year Georgia have gone for something light years away, a decent duet ballad. Very well sung, with the added enhancement of the pyrotechnic waterfall. Another semi-finalist which deserves to be in Saturday's final.

Song 16: Switzerland - Takasa "You And Me"

Now for Switzerland, who won the first ever Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and again in 1988. This was another of my most liked songs on the CD. Quite a good song, with a catchy chorus, enhanced by the group's on-stage instruments (which included a side drum, trombone and double bass). Although I think I prefer the CD version to tonight's live performance, I'd still gladly welcome this on Saturday night.

Song 17: Romania - Cezar "It's My Life"

The last song of the night, and it's only an hour and ten minutes since the first song. It's amazing how time flies! This starts as an upbeat ballad, before morphing into popped-up opera, which is a somewhat bizarre combination to say the least. Cezar pitched really high on the middle eight, well done him. It has some dance moves which one could enjoy copying at home, and a clever formation viewers daren't attempt! Quite frankly, I think it's best if this stays out of the final.

Televoting and Recap

At this point Petra reappeared to announce the start of the voting. A recap of the songs followed. The UK was unable to vote in tonight's final, and therefore UK viewers saw a message "UK viewers do not vote in this semi-final" at the bottom of the screen during the recap.

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My Preferences

Here are my preferences based solely on all of tonight's performances:
Definitely want to qualify: San Marino, Azerbaijan, Malta, Iceland, Israel, Georgia, Switzerland.
Wouldn't mind qualifying: Bulgaria, Armenia, Hungary
Prefer not to qualify: Latvia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Finland, Norway, Albania, Romania.
Definitely don't want to qualify: Greece

So these are the ones I want to see Saturday night: San Marino, Azerbaijan, Malta, Iceland, Israel, Georgia, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Armenia, Hungary.

Had the UK been voting in this semi-final, I would have voted for San Marino, Iceland and Israel.

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Eurovision Song Contest 2013 Semi-Final 2 Results

So here are the results. Any use of "tonight" still means Thursday 16 May 2013.

My desired qualifiers: San Marino, Azerbaijan, Malta, Iceland, Israel, Georgia, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Armenia, Hungary.

Actual qualifiers (in order of announcement): Hungary, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, Norway, Iceland, Armenia, Finland, Malta, Greece.

Bold entries represent the actual qualifiers that match my preferences.

OUT: San Marino, Israel, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Latvia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Albania.

I'm gutted and deeply upset that neither Israel nor San Marino reached the final. Both were excellent songs which deserved to be in the final. At the other extreme, I am appalled and disgusted that Greece made it through. As far as I'm concerned their entry, which sounded to me like trash sung by drunken yobs, didn't deserve its place in the final. Israel or San Marino deserved the place taken by Greece. I feel Greece should now finish last with nul points on Saturday night, but that won't happen as they'll almost certainly be guaranteed 12 points from Cyprus who will still be voting on Saturday after being eliminated Tuesday. I'm also disappointed (albeit to a lesser degree than San Marino and Israel) that Switzerland failed to qualify as I liked their song "You And Me" with its catchy chorus. I'm not particularly bothered that Bulgaria didn't qualify; I saw it as a borderline song that I wouldn't have minded qualifying, but then again I don't mind it not reaching the final. I'm also displeased that Norway, Finland and Romania are through, albeit to a much lesser extent than Greece. Norway, Finland and Romania were all on my "prefer not to qualify" list as their songs weren't up to much in my opinion. Israel, San Marino and Switzerland were all more deserving of the places they took.

I'm extremely overjoyed that Iceland reached the final, and I became really excited when Iceland was the sixth qualifier called out. Eythor Ingi's "Ég Á Líf" is a beautiful, soothing ballad (or should I say lullaby?) which deserves its place in Saturday's final. I'd now like it to become their first ever win since their debut entry in 1986. I'm also glad that Azerbaijan, Malta and Georgia made it through as they were all good songs which deserved places in the final.

I'm glad Latvia are out; despite the resemblance to Jedward's entries of 2011 and 2012, I thought it was a rather poor one and was not at all keen on the song itself. I'm also pleased F.Y.R. Macedonia and Albania are out, because I was not impressed with their entries. So now that means there's no former Yugoslav country in the final. One interesting question remains: who will the five ex-Yugoslav countries (Croatia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia) plus Albania now vote for on Saturday night? They won't be able to vote for each other like they tend to.

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