Eurovision 2023: And these are the last 10 finalists
Overall, the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday was a quieter affair than the first on Tuesday, where nearly every act appeared to be having a party on stage.
For the second event, more solo artists performed, with no dancing or special effects other than lighting and visual projections.
Audiences seemed to prefer the stage party mode, however. Calmer songs had more difficulty, with the exception of Alika from Latvia, who played and sang a ballad on the grand piano. It was written by Wouter Hardy, a songwriter also involved with the 2019 winning title “Arcade”. With a voice that can range from silky smooth to powerful, Alika is in Saturday’s grand finale.
For Armenia, Brunette won the hearts of the audience with a ballad that ended in a rap, along with some expressive dancing.
From house to ethno pop
Cyprus opted for a typical Eurovision ballad, sung languidly by Andrew Lambrou – a pyrotechnic-heavy act that made it to the final.
Gustaph from Belgium delivered a timeless vocal number with dance interludes, an approach that is obviously popular with a number of artists this year. The audience liked it, so Belgium will be on stage again on Saturday.
Poland put singer Blanka in the running with a typical summer hit and a bit of Britney Spears attitude. She may also compete again on Saturday along with her dance ensemble.
The audience also enjoyed the number by Albina & Familja Kelmendi. Albanian ethno pop song features traditional singing and drumming.
Get ready for indie rock and progressive rock
Joker Out performed for Slovenia, and the crowd liked their mix of alt-pop and electro so much that the band is also in the final on Saturday.
Monika Linkyte from Lithuania performed a ballad that culminated in the soulful harmonies of a gospel choir – another song voted for the final.
For Austria, Teya & Salena sang and danced their beautiful staged song about Edgar Allen Poe. The audience knew the words and sang along; the duo will be on stage again on Saturday.
Australia’s Voyager also had a song worthy of the final (see the photo above, with the car on stage). Its powerful progressive rock music sounds almost like a rock opera.
Australia and the Eurovision Song Contest have a 40-year history. The competition has been broadcast there since 1983. Australia began participating in the contest in 2015, as an associate member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes the music contest. This year could be the last time, as the contract between Australian Television and the EBU is about to expire.
Grand finale now has 26 acts
The 10 acts voted in on Thursday will compete alongside 10 from the first semi-final.
Artists from the so-called “Big Five” – England, France, Italy, Spain and Germany – do not need to rank, as these countries are the biggest financial contributors to the event.
Last year’s winners Ukraine are also scheduled for the final with the Tvorchi duo. Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine made it impossible to host the competition there, so the UK, who came second last year, stepped in to host the event on Ukraine’s behalf.
An audience of around 11,000 people can follow the grand finale live at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool. Tens of thousands are expected to watch on screens set up across the city, and around 180 million people are expected to tune in worldwide.
Reunion with the stars of Eurovision
The program surrounding the current contest is impressive.
The Kalush Orchestra, winners from Ukraine last year, will be there, as well as some Eurovision celebrities from previous years, including Duncan Laurence (winner in 2019), Ukrainian stars Jamala (winner in 2016) and Verka Serduchka (runner-up in 2007), Mahmood (2019 runner-up) and Israel Netta (2018 winner).
German fans also have something to look forward to this year, as German entry Lord of the Lost looks likely to break the zero-point “curse”, with a chance of at least enough points for midfield.
Source: DW
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