Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
Now for the 13 countries who failed to reach the final, but which will still vote tomorrow night:
OUT: Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Moldova, Portugal, San Marino, Switzerland, The Netherlands.
Now let's look at some country groups:
Baltic States (Ex USSR)
IN: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.After all three Baltic states failed to qualify for the final last year, they all made it to the final this year. I'm glad Estonia qualified as "Goodbye To Yesterday" was one of the best songs, and thus one of the entries I most wanted to qualify, in the first semi-final. Likewise I'm glad Lithuania is through as "This Time" was one of the songs I most wanted to qualify in the second semi-final. However I'm appalled and disgusted Latvia are through as I thought its entry was the worst song in the second semi-final. It's now quite likely they will award each other 10 and 12 points tomorrow night, and other ex-USSR countries will give them points.
Benelux
IN: Belgium. OUT: The Netherlands. (Luxembourg didn't enter yet again).What a disaster in Tuesday night's first semi-final! After Belgium and The Netherlands performed third and fourth respectively in the line-up, Belgium qualified and The Netherlands didn't. As far as I'm concerned, Belgium was one of the worst songs, which was among those I definitely didn't want to qualify on Tuesday evening. Conversely The Netherlands had one of the best songs, which was among those I most wanted to qualify that night. Of the two Benelux countries which took part this year, Belgium and The Netherlands, the wrong one went though and the wrong one was eliminated. I'd have preferred The Netherlands in and Belgium out, and I'm gutted that didn't happen. Of course The Netherlands can still give 12 points to Belgium, but Belgium won't be able to give its 12 points to The Netherlands.
Nordic area
IN: Norway, Sweden. OUT: Denmark, Finland, Iceland.This has been an unlucky year for the Nordic area, with only two of the five Nordic countries (Norway and Sweden) reaching the final. I'm still gutted and deeply upset that Denmark failed to qualify as I thought "The Way You Are" was one of the best songs, and hence one of the entries I most wanted to qualify, in the first semi-final. On the other hand thank goodness Finland failed to qualify as I thought its entry was the absolute worst entry of all the performances I saw not just Tuesday night, but both semi-finals put together. As far as I'm concerned "Aina Mun Pitää" shouldn't have even been chosen to represent Finland in the first place. I'm also glad Iceland failed to qualify as the live performance of "Unbroken" failed to impress me, and thus it ended up on my "prefer not to qualify" list in the second semi-final. Moving on to the two Nordic countries which qualified, I'm glad Sweden is through as Måns Zelmerlöw's "Heroes" was one of the best songs, and hence one of the entries I most wanted to qualify last night. Finally Norway was one of several songs I felt borderline about in the second semi-final; I didn't mind it going through but wouldn't have missed it had it not reached the final. So this will create an interesting situation when it comes to voting. Denmark, Finland and Iceland will all be able to give top marks to Sweden and Norway, but nothing to each other. Sweden and Norway will almost certainly award each other 12 points, but neither country will be able to give anything to Denmark, Finland or Iceland.
Greece and Cyprus
IN: Cyprus, Greece.I'm glad Greece and Cyprus both made it to the final this year, because both have excellent songs this year. Greece's entry was among those I most wanted to qualify Tuesday night, and Cyprus's entry was among those I most wanted to qualify last night (I even voted for Cyprus last night). One thing is almost certainly inevitable: Greece and Cyprus will automatically give each other 12 points.
Former Yugoslavia
IN: Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia. OUT: F.Y.R. Macedonia. (Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia didn't enter in 2015).I'm overjoyed Montenegro qualified as "Adio" is an excellent song; one of the best and one that I most wanted to qualify last night; I went so far as to vote for Montenegro. I'm surprised Slovenia went through, I thought Maraaya's voice live on stage last night wasn't as strong and clear as on the preview video. Nonetheless I'm pleased Slovenia are through, I just hope Maraaya will sound clearer in tomorrow night's Grand Final. It's good to see Serbia back in the Eurovision Song Contest after its 2014 absence, but I felt borderline about Bojana Stamenov "Beauty Never Lies" Tuesday evening. I don't mind Serbia's song in the final, but wouldn't have missed it had it not been there. Finally F.Y.R. Macedonia's entry was another song I felt borderline about Tuesday evening and am not too bothered about it having not qualified. So Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia will inevitably give each other high marks, and F.Y.R. Macedonia will be able to give high marks to Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia tomorrow.
`Founding Seven
By this I mean the seven countries which appeared in the very first Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano in 1956: IN: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy. OUT: Switzerland, The Netherlands. (Luxembourg didn't enter yet again).
As I said earlier, I'm appalled Belgium went through and disappointed The Netherlands didn't. I can only reiterate the wrong Benelux country went through Tuesday evening; as far as I'm concerned The Netherlands should have qualified and Belgium should have been eliminated. I'm disappointed but not surprised Switzerland didn't qualify last night. "Time To Shine" is a good song, and one that ended up on my "definitely want to qualify" list last night, but I didn't think Mélanie René's voice was strong enough at times. France, Germany and Italy, as Big Five contenders, got there automatically.
And Finally
Tomorrow evening's Grand Final certainly looks set to be a spectacular one, and I'm really looking forward to it. Most of the countries I wanted to qualify are in, and most of the ones I didn't want have been eliminated. I still think The Netherlands and Denmark deserved the places taken by Georgia and Belgium Tuesday evening; and that Ireland, San Marino or Switzerland should have had the place taken by Latvia last night. I now hope that Georgia, Belgium and Latvia all finish in the bottom three tomorrow night.
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