In life there are some things that will just never change, and in my household one of those thing is the routine of getting sucked in when Ireland competes in the annual madenss that is the Eurovision. Cheesy lyrics, whacky outfits, questionable dancing not to mention political voting - what's not to love?
Last night was the first semi-final which presented an opportunity to suss out the competition for our beloved Jedward. I found the majority of the performances were rather tame. Besides the usual power ballads, noisy rock performances and songs that reminded you of a holiday cabaret band – there was nothing too out of the ordinary. And this is why I think Jedward will knock the socks of the Düsseldorf Arena come Thursday night. Their outrageous outfits, infectious energy, twin magnetism and hair raising dos will ensure they will be the talk of Europe later this week (and yes for all the right reasons).
Serbia bagged the first places out of the ten on offer last night, and it came as no big shock. The uplifting retro 60s' vibe song was matched well by vibrant floral print dresses (although the swirling patterns on the background screen made me feel a little nauseous). It was entertaining to watch first time round, but I have a feeling it will have less of an impact on its second viewing.
My prediction of Lithuania getting through was a bit off. I was more mesmerized by Evelina’s beautiful white floor-length gown than the lack-lustre ballad she belted out. I can’t help but feel that Norway was more deserving of this place with the lively ‘Haba Haba’ (if ever there was a melody to conjure memories of The Lion King, here it is!).
I am still unsure what to make of Greece’s performance. It was an odd combination of rap, and dare I say operatic style singing. If you blinked for too long it would probably appear that you were watching two completely different performances. I imagine that if Rhidian from the X-Factor was mixed with Fred Durst's vocals, that it would sound something like this. For the shock I got when I first heard Stereo Mike’s deep voice, I will award this act two points.
My favourite performance of the night from Nikki (who is a JLo double) and Ell the Azerbaijan representatives. For me the Eurovision is all about those catchy little tunes that you find yourself humming along to - I would be lying if I said that something along the lines of ‘I’m running, I’m scared lalalala’ wasn’t rotating in my brain right about now. Top three? Yes please!
It was Georgia that sported the most off-the-wall attire at the semi-finals, with the lead female singer from the band ‘Eldrine’ giving Lady Gaga a run for her money on the style front. The green and black bin-liner looking dress wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, nor was the ‘Linkin Park’ sounding vocals. I don’t understand why Turkey didn’t get through instead of this ‘rock’ band – hello they had a freakishly flexible woman in a cage! For those of you that missed it, it’s definitely worth logging on to You Tube.
How did Switzerland get through with their entry? In my opinion it was one of the most boring, unmemorable performances of the night. Yes it was sweet and pleasant, but all it made me think about was how Taylor Swift hasn’t released a song in a while. I predict that this song will just float about the middle of the score board on the big night.
Ah yes the lady in blue Kati Wolf from Hungary, I suppose she couldn’t really go wrong with her typical Eurovision sound and lyrics. She played it safe and the people loved it. This has long been a hot favourite among critics – But can her dream come through to win the final? (Nah its highly unlikely).
How adorable was Axel Ehnström, the Finnish representative? (He is only 20 years old). He must be commended for being the first person of the night to go solo without any gimmicks, and this clearly worked to his advantage. The more I looked at him, the more I saw a resemblance to Prince Harry – anyone agree? Hopefully Axel and his guitar will make it into at least the top five!
It was a fun and entertaining performance from Russia with the handsome Alexey Vorobyov (that’s a mouthful) – and with Lady Gaga’s songwriter contributing how could it not be? It would have worked better if he had girls dancing behind him instead of guys, as it gave more of a boy band feel instead of a solo performance. At least if all else fails for this hunk he is guaranteed a modelling contract.
Finally, it was Iceland who obtained the tenth place with their ‘Take That’ sound and interesting array of instruments. They are a talented bunch, and their matching waist-coats didn’t go unnoticed (very dapper indeed), but the vocal weren’t exactly top-notch.
So there you have it, the ten acts that are guaranteed a place in Saturday’s final. Don’t forget to tune in on Thursday at 8pm for the second half of the semi-finals that will feature the only and only Jedward.
Good luck boys!!
Laura Delaney
