Venue: Globe Arena, Stockholm
Hosts: Petra Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw
Green Room:
Date: Thursday 12 May 2016
N.B. Any use of "tonight" or "this evening" throughout this post means Thursday 12 May 2016. All times in this post are in BST.
The Opening
After the Eurovision ident and Charpentier's Te Deum, the second semi-final began with a film showing scenes from around Europe accompanied by seeds travelling to Stockholm to form the dandelion seed head logo for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. At 20:05 Petra Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw gave their opening speech. A few minutes later Petra Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw sang "The Story of Eurovision", which outlined the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. Backing dancers were also involved and the performance ended with pyrotechnics. An excellent start.The Songs
Eleven minutes after the start of the show (20:11 BST) it was time for the first song. Each song was introduced by a postcard film related to the appropriate country.Song 1: Latvia - Justs "Heartbeat"
It's always tough being first to perform, but anyway, I was somewhat swayed towards Latvia's song on the CD album, and I like the live performance even more tonight. It's a power ballad with a really strong chorus, and very well sung. This deserves a place in the final.Song 2: Poland - Michał Szpak "Color Of Your Life"
Another song I was slightly swayed towards on the CD. For some reason the first verse reminds me of Donny Montell's "Love Is Blind" from Lithuania a few years ago. Tonight's live performance was, in my opinion, better than the CD version. I liked the arm movements at various times, and the way some of the words light up in the background. Undeniably it's a rather sad sounding song, but it's very well sung. I wouldn't mind seeing this on Saturday.Song 3: Switzerland - Rykka "The Last Of Our Kind"
I was in two minds about this when listening to the CD, the first verse is a bit slow, but it's got a really catchy chorus. I like the live performance better than the CD version. It's well sung tonight, I like the spiral wave on stage, and the pyrotechnics towards the end. Why did Rykka go up and down on her knees on the first chorus though? Another song I wouldn't mind seeing on Saturday.Song 4: Israel - Hovi Star "Made Of Stars"
Yet another of tonight's songs I was swayed towards on the CD. I'll certainly have trouble making up my mind tonight. It's certainly a slow start, but I quite like it; the chorus is powerful and memorable. Tonight's live performance is, in my opinion, better than hearing it on the CD; it's very well sung live, I like the person in the hoop, and the falling pyrotechnics at the end. I think this one ought to go through to the final.Song 5: Belarus - IVAN "Help You Fly"
Was that a real dog on stage at the start of the song? I thought live animals weren't allowed on stage at Eurovision. I noticed the dogs in the background afterwards, presumably those were images on the video wall. There were plenty of other effects in the song, including the breaking up effect of the floor. This is another song where I think tonight's live performance is better than the CD version; I wouldn't mind seeing this on Saturday night.A short break followed at this point.
Song 6: Serbia - Sanja Vučić ZAA "Goodbye (Shelter)"
Now for one of tonight's songs that I felt less swayed towards on the CD. The chorus is quite catchyI like the background dancer. Do the vertical light beams have any significance, and was the brief stroboscopic moment really necessary? On the whole, I'm not overly keen on this entry and would rather it doesn't qualify.Song 7: Ireland - Nicky Byrne "Sunlight"
This is one of tonight's entries that I liked most of all on the CD album. Tonight's live performance is all right, but I fancy Nicky's voice isn't as powerful tonight as it was on the CD during the choruses. Are the stroboscopic effects at certain times really necessary? Based solely on listening to the CD this would have been one I most wanted to qualify tonight, but I'm not so sure now. Going by tonight's live performance alone, I still wouldn't mind seeing it Saturday.Song 8: F.Y.R. Macedonia - Kaliopi "Dona"
A song I felt unsure about on the CD. This has slow verses, but a rather powerful and memorable chorus – Dona Dona, Dona. I like the arm and finger movements, but I think the lead singer's voice is a bit overpowering at times. Was it really necessary for her to scream at the end? Based on tonight's live performance alone, I'm not very keen on this and would rather this doesn't qualify.Song 9: Lithuania - Donny Montell "I've Been Waiting for This Night"
Another song I was swayed towards on the CD, and I think tonight's live performance is better. The verses are a bit on the slow side, but the chorus is powerful and memorable. I like Donny's arm movements whilst singing, and the on-stage visual effects. Based solely on tonight's live performance, I quite strongly favour seeing this in the final.Song 10: Australia - Dami Im "Sound Of Silence"
Australia have managed to get in for the second year running, but unlike last year (when they were guaranteed a place in the final), they have to go through the second semi-final this year. I was somewhat swayed towards this song on the CD, and I like it more sung live tonight. This is another song where the verses are rather slow, but the chorus is really powerful and memorable. This definitely deserves a place in the final.Song 11: Slovenia - ManuElla "Blue And Red"
Now for another former Yugoslav country. Well let's start with the title; during my playgroup and primary school years, I remember mixing blue and red (as in paint) made purple. Back to Eurovision 2016, this is one of my favourite songs from tonight's line up on the CD album, and I like the live performance just as much tonight. Is there any significance to the man on the tilted pole? Another song I'd definitely like to see in the Grand Final.Withdrawn: Romania - Ovidiu Anton "Moment of Silence"
Romania was originally drawn to take part next, with Ovidiu Anton singing "Moment of Silence". Sadly on 22 April 2016 the EBU withdrew member services from Romanian public service broadcaster Televiziunea Română (TVR) following the non-payment of debts totalling CHF 16 million, and consequently Romania was no longer allowed to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. I still feel it was inappropriate to force Romania out at that time, having gone to the time and expense of selecting an artist and song. As far as I'm concerned, TVR should have been allowed to show this week's Semi-Finals and Grand Final, and Ovidiu Anton should have been allowed to sing "Moment of Silence" tonight (and Saturday if he qualified), on the grounds that a) member services would be withdrawn from TVR on Monday 16 May 2016, and b) in the event of Romania winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, another country would be chosen to host next year. All subsequent countries would have still performed in the order below, albeit numbered 13 to 19 instead of 12 to 18.Song 12: Bulgaria - Poli Genova "If Love Was A Crime"
Another song I was somewhat swayed towards whilst listening to the CD. I liked tonight's live performance, but based on the live performance alone, this is a song I feel borderline about. I wouldn't mind seeing this on Saturday, but I don't think I'd miss it if it's not there.Song 13: Denmark - Lighthouse X "Soldiers Of Love"
One of tonight's songs that I was less-swayed towards on the CD. Tonight's live performance is quite good, the chorus is reasonably catchy, but I'm still not all that keen on it. I wouldn't mind if this goes through, but I wouldn't miss it if it's not in the final.Song 14: Ukraine - Jamala "1944"
Now for a song I quite liked on the CD, and I like tonight's live performance just as much. It's a difficult-to-describe unusual style of singing; I've heard this sort of sound in previous Ukranian entries. It's got good use of arm movements, and excellent visual effects on the stage and in the background. Going by tonight's live performance alone, I hope this goes through.Song 15: Norway - Agnete "Icebreaker"
A song I wasn't particularly keen on during the CD. Tonight's live performance was reasonably OK by me, but it's certainly not among my favourites tonight. The chorus is quite powerful, but I thought the verses are a bit flat. I wouldn't mind seeing this Saturday, but won't miss it if it's not there. Put it this way, I won't be voting for this.Song 16: Georgia - Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz "Midnight Gold"
One of tonight's songs I liked the least on the CD, and I still don't like the live performance tonight. Granted I don't like this style of singing. Of course that's just my personal taste; I understand some may love it. I like some of the multiple images, and the chevrons, but were the strobes really necessary. Please, please, please, stay out of Saturday's final!Song 17: Albania - Eneda Tarifa "Fairytale"
Another song I wasn't overly keen on when listening to the album, I like tonight's performance better than the CD version, but based on tonight's live performance alone, I think I'd rather this doesn't qualify.Song 18: Belgium - Laura Tesoro "What's The Pressure"
The final song already, it's amazing how time flies! This song certainly has a good dance routine from the backing group, which would be fun to try and copy (in other words this is what I'd call an adult kids' Boogie Beebies big video). I also like the yellow / orange circles on stage and the background wall, but do they have any purpose? Apart from all that, the song itself doesn't impress me much. This is the Eurovision SONG Contest, not the Eurovision Dance Contest, and it's really the song that counts. In all honesty, I it's perhaps best if this doesn't qualify, in order to avoid wasting a place better deserved by other songs I've seen tonight.Back to the top
Televoting and Recap
After the songs finished, Petra and Måns reappeared to announce the start of the voting at 21:30 BST. A recap of the songs followed. The UK voted in tonight's final, and therefore UK viewers saw the voting numbers at the bottom of the screen during the recap.Back to the top
My Preferences
Here are my preferences based solely on all of tonight's performances:Definitely want to qualify: Latvia, Israel, Ireland, Lithuania, Australia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine.
Wouldn't mind qualifying: Poland, Switzerland, Belarus, Denmark, Norway.
Prefer not to qualify: Serbia, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Albania, Belgium.
Definitely don't want to qualify: Georgia.
So these are the ones I want to see Saturday night: Latvia, Israel, Ireland, Lithuania, Australia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, plus two (and no more) of Poland, Switzerland, Belarus, Denmark, Norway
The UK voted this evening; I voted for Lithuania, Australia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Ireland.
Back to the top
Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Semi-Final 2 Results
Here are the results, which were announced in a random order at 21:58 BST. Any use of "tonight" still means Thursday 12 May 2016.My desired qualifiers: Latvia, Israel, Ireland, Lithuania, Australia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, plus two (and no more) of Poland, Switzerland, Belarus, Denmark, Norway
Actual qualifiers (in order of announcement): Latvia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Australia, Ukraine, Serbia, Poland, Israel, Lithuania, Belgium.
Bold entries represent the actual qualifiers that match my preferences.
OUT: Switzerland, Belarus, Ireland, F.Y.R. Macedonia, Slovenia, Denmark, Norway, Albania
Firstly I am appalled and disgusted Georgia made it to the final as I really detested their song. In fact, I felt very angry and livid when Georgia was the second country to be called out. That said, I'm hardly surprised it qualified as there must be plenty of people out there who like that style of song. To a lesser agree I'm annoyed Serbia went through, I didn't think much of their entry and would have preferred some other country to have had the place they took.
I'm gutted and deeply upset Ireland didn't qualify. In some ways I'm not surprised it failed to qualify, as I thought Nicky Byrne's voice was weak on the choruses compared to the album, but nonetheless I still ended up wanting Ireland to qualify, to the extent that Ireland is one of the countries I voted for. I'm also disappointed Slovenia failed to qualify as I liked their song to the extent they got my vote. As far as I'm concerned, Ireland and Slovenia deserved the places Georgia and Serbia took.
I'm glad Bulgaria qualified because I quite liked "If Love Was A Crime". Based on the live performance tonight I felt a bit borderline about it, but I ended up voting for it (actually that was by accident when I was intending to vote for Slovenia, but I did vote for Slovenia afterwards). I'm glad I now "accidentally" voted for Bulgaria and am pleased to see it in the final. Bulgaria has only reached the final once before.
I'm delighted that Australia made it to the final, not because it's Australia who, somehow, have been allowed in for the second year running, but because I thought "Sound Of Silence" was among the best entries tonight. I'm also glad to see Latvia, Poland, Israel and Lithuania through as their entries are all good songs worthy of being in the final.
Once again the biggest nail-biting moment was waiting for the tenth country to be called out. Nine countries had already been announced, and the remaining nine were waiting that one last place. I most wanted that to go to Ireland, but against my wishes Belgium got that last remaining place. Fair enough, I didn't dislike Belgium, but it's certainly an entry to be valued more for the dance routine (which would be great fun to join in and copy) than the song itself. Oh well, at least that does mean there will be one adult kids' Boogie Beebies big video to enjoy on Saturday night!
Neither Denmark nor Norway reached the final. Fair enough, they were both borderline entries that I wouldn't have minded seeing Saturday, but don't mind them being absent from the final. Interestingly neither Finland nor Iceland qualified on Tuesday evening. It's certainly been a bad year for the Nordic countries, the only Nordic country on Saturday will be Sweden, which as the host country was guaranteed a place in the final anyway.
So the fun continues in the Grand Final on Saturday night. All 26 finalists are now known, and the new-style voting will be interesting. Roll on 20:00 BST Saturday night.
Back to the top
No comments:
Post a Comment