Eurovision Semi Final 2 - No Spoilers

[RedToothBrush]

Welcome back! Time for more Eurovision…

I bring good news; after last year’s absence the key change is back! Whoop! (See if you can spot it)

Tonight has folk, fairytales and well No Limits. No. No. No. No. No. No. Limits. Theres lots of circles

This year is a bit different to previous years. The BIG FIVE plus the HOST all perform like the other contestants at all three semi final performance as part of the main show to try and level the playing field. France, Spain and Italy will perform in Semi 2.

Don’t miss: Bookies 2nd Fav Switzerland, Spain, jury tempter Italy and roof-raiser Netherlands. There’s a few other half decent songs tonight too to please Eurovision fans. It WILL be better than Tuesday!

Out of the other 16 entries, only 10 will go through to the final. The semi-final is TELEVOTE ONLY.

After the conclusion of Semi 2, the qualifying finalists will be drawn into THREE lots. Four will draw ‘First Half’, Five will draw ‘Second Half’ and the remainer will be ‘Producers Choice’ and can be placed anywhere in the show. Sweden has already drawn their order for the final and will perform 1st. The Big Five also have already been drawn - UK and Germany got first half. France got second half. Italy and Spain got producers choice. The producers will put out the running order for the Final in the early hours of Friday morning (it’s usually before 1am UK time). The Final is TELEVOTE AND JURY VOTE.

DON’T FORGET YOUR SUBTITLES

EUROVISION Semi 2 Running Order
1 MALTA Sarah Bonnici - ‘Loop’
2 ALBANIA Besa - ‘Titan’
3 GREECE Marina Satti - ‘Zari’
4 SWITZERLAND Nemo - ‘The Code’
5 CZECHIA Silia Kapsis -’Liar’
FRANCE Slimane - ‘Mon Amour’
6 AUSTRIA Kaleen - ‘We Will Rave’
7 DENMARK Saba - ‘Sand’
8 ARMENIA Ladaniva - ‘Jako’
9 LATVIA Dons - ‘Hollow’
SPAIN Nebulossa - ‘Zorra’
10 SAN MARINO Megara - ‘11:11’
11 GEORGIA Nutsa - ‘Firefighter’
12 BELGIUM Mustii - ‘Before the Party is Over’
13 ESTONIA 5Miinust & Puulluup - (nendest) ITALY Angelina Mango - ‘La Noia’
14 ISRAEL Eden Golan - ‘Hurricane’
15 NORWAY Gåte - ‘Ulveham’
16 NETHERLANDS Joost - ‘Europapa’

Dutch press (this is new - only just published in the last few mins)

Dutch media reports that a complaint against Joost has been filed and that he was interrogated late last night by the police.

The police further reports it's about an incident that occurred with a female television production worker.

The case has now been handed over to the Swedish public prosecutor, who will determine what will happen. The settlement of the case "could take weeks."

https://nos.nl/collectie/13971/artikel/2520034-joost-klein-na-klacht-verhoord-door-politie-deelname-aan-finale-nog-onduidelijk

It is unclear what this means for his participation in tonight's Eurovision Song Contest final. NPO boss Frederike Leeflang is having a meeting this morning with broadcaster AVROTROS and the EBU about Klein's participation. She arrived at Klein's hotel in Malmö this morning. That visit had already been planned, but has now taken on a different meaning.

Thats the head of the Dutch Eurovision broadcaster.

Thanks op!

It sounds like a very wound up atmosphere there at the moment. It's a bit jarring with all the 'camp fun' Eurovision. I agree the EBU have handled this whole thing badly. On Digitsl Spy they are saying that an Israeli company (Moroccan Oil) is a major sponsor of Eurovision, so the Israeli broadcasting association have been allowed to get away with things like abusing participants who have expressed pro Palestinian views like Olly Alexander, Joost and I think the Spanish contestant ( haven't read all the threads and wasn't following that closely) when other broadcasters woukd have been kicked out for it. That may explain the tensions this year. It can't just be nerves, as its no different to every year.

The Spanish was a journalist yesterday
tjey shouted free Palestine and 3 Israeli journalists harassed them , took pics and videos and shouted at them and tried to removed their accreditation

What a shit show - literally!

I think the Aurora might be a better watch later and I'm a huge lifelong fan of Eurovision.

https://eurovision.tv/mediacentre/release/statement-dutch-participation-eurovision-song-contest
Joost disqualified

Oh wow! They’re going ahead with 25 entrants.

Oh blimey .

This could all be a big mess.

Oh no. This is going to be an uncomfortable watch, I think.

That's a great shame.
It was a bop.
Top 5 possibly.
It also feels like proclaimed Guilty before due process - what has he actually been charged with?
All that said, you can't promote unity/coming together, if it comes out that you have threatened a woman doing her job.

As I said on another thread my understanding of Swedish law in this area is that unlawful covers everything from really bad to something someone British (or Dutch) would think 'is that it?' Which makes it difficult too as there could also be a culture issue.

The artists have clearly been put under extreme pressure this week.

I genuinely don't know. But it's going to make for a long afternoon for the EBU I suspect.

how might clicking on a jewish news article trigger people? Please do explain.

I know - I'm not even sure I want to any more. I was so looking forward to this evening as well.
It's all just tainted now. Contestants must by gutted. 😞

I'm giving the whole thing a miss this year, for the first time ever.

It sounds like a twisted, unpleasant mess and I can't see how things can improve by tonight. I hope there won't be any nastiness tonight but I expect there will be - I bet the Swedish TV and presenters are wishing Käärijä came on top last year!

Aurorawatch in the Fibre household tonight

Many on here don't like unbiased sources and won't click on links like the Daily Mail or The Sun. Clicking on The Forward which sends me articles all the time (I'm on their mailing list) will undoubtedly upset those who don't want to read a source that is going to have a pro-Israel leaning (despite declaring itself to be independent). Same as some wouldn't want to click on Al Jazeera.
I read from both. Same as I read both tabloids and broadsheets.
I think you get a better sense of how people feel that way rather than issues being black-white formulated.

thanks for your explanation @CaraDeLaVagine but when you say unbiased sources, I suspect most just won't click on Jewish sources. But thanks for responding.

No worries. I thought it was an interesting article.
She also sings the cover well.
I'm also not sure how I feel about censorship at all.
There have been other entries in the past with political lyrics.
I also think 20 is so, so young and vulnerable and even though Eden went in with her eyes wide open, the whole idea of being effectively under house arrest and not being able to party with kids her age is sad.
I don't think the victims should be forgotten.
I think staging with empty chairs and October Rain as a title would have been a legitimate expression of pain for those families.

However

Two wrongs don't make a right. Anyone wanting to sing about or protest from a Palestinian perspective should also have that right. It's a shame the Icelandic entry was not the Palestinian Bashar Murad. His song could have brought a Palestinian voice and redressed the balance.
I also think censorship of clothing/pins/labels/ribbons and flags is not sensible either as it causes resentment.
Interestingly, wiki states that Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya and Tunisia have broadcasters that are members of both the EBU and the Arab States Broadcasting Union, so could participate if they chose to. From that Forward article though, it says that Egypt and Syria quit the EBU when Israel joined.

Controversially, like a pp, I'd have also allowed Russia to continue to compete despite Putin's actions, as he doesn't define a country or his people. I'd have been just as concerned for any Russian musicians participating, in terms of the reception to them, but if the contest is apolitical and about music without borders and as a unifying power, then yes, I'd have accepted Russian entries too. Belarus left the EBU but had they not, I'd have said the same - let the music override the politics. We know there have always been alliances and trends in voting for neighbouring countries.

A good song is a good song.
Peace and love
xxx

It is a shame. I did like the message if his song and his performance.
I am still watching it.

will there be a show?

It is being reported here that four nations are in discussions about whether or not to perform tonight: Ireland, GB, Portugal and Switzerland.

How true that is, I don't know.

Ireland have complained

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2024/0511/1448614-bambie-thug-angry-at-israeli-eurovision-commentary/

Also this

Norway's Jury Spokesperson, 2023 Artist Alessandra Mele, will no longer be giving the points from Norway. According to NRK.

Oh no!
I really hope they can figure it all out before tonight. Come on, it is a contest for all these countries to come together and I am loving the performances. That stage is really cool.

Everyone knew Israel were competing well before today. They could have threatened withdrawal weeks ago if they were reslly that angry about Israel. What has happened this week that so much has gone wrong? If its all kicked off because the Israeli delegation have been baiting other contestants they should be kicked out. Why has the Norway presenter pulled out?