Eurovision 2019 is finally upon us, and the first round of performances have taken place at the semi-final in Tel Aviv, Israel, with millions of people tuning in to watch the world’s biggest singing competition.
This year’s winner is anyone’s guess, with frontrunners including The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain and Sweden.
Of the 41 countries participating in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest, 17 took the stage for the first semi-final but only 10 made it through to Saturday’s competition: Greece, Belarus, Serbia, Cyprus, Estonia, Czech Republic, Australia, Iceland, San Marino and Slovenia.
See our thoughts on each of the 17 performances, below:
Cyprus – Tamta with “Replay”
This is an upbeat, brassy electro-pop number, and Tampta is channelling Madonna tonight in a black latex outfit and wet-look hair with red lipstick. It’s pretty bog-standard to be honest, especially compared to the county’s offering last year, which ended up with second place. The performance itself is also fairly “meh”, with some cowboy backing dancers (we don’t know why either) and patchy vocals from Tampta.
Montenegro – D mol with “Heaven”
This one is actually worse than Cyprus. I’m getting gospel vibes but also some weird Celtic folk influences. It’s like watching a particularly disorganised church choir.
Finland – Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman with “Look Away”
Slightly better for production value than the first two acts, but remember this is a man who once admitted himself that he cannot sing. He wasn’t wrong.
Poland – Tulia with “Fire of Love” (Pali się)
Lot of shrieking on the intro there. Very dramatic red costumes, OK this is more like it. They’ve got a strong punk vibe, so the screeching works. And they’re singing mostly in their own language which is definitely a better choice than bad English.
Slovenia – Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl with “Sebi”
Slovenia were next with their eerie number “Sebi”, performed by Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl. It brought the mood down a fair bit, although the song wasn’t terrible. Definite The xx vibes.
Czech Republic – Lake Malawi with “Friend Of A Friend”
Rylan described Czech Republic’s entry – Lake Malawi with “Friend Of A Friend” – as The 1975 if they were on children’s TV, which is pretty spot-on. It’s a colourful pop number straight out of the Eighties, weirdly performed in cockney accents? They’re kind of irrepressible though, and that synth hook is infectious.
Hungary – Joci Pápa with “Az Én Apám”
A moving acoustic ballad, complete with a sparkly golden waterfall backdrop. A lovely performance, but a tad forgettable against some of the more dramatic or upbeat numbers.
Click through the gallery below to see the most bizarre Eurovision outfits of all time
1/10
Lordi made history in 2006 by becoming the first hard rock act and Finnish artist to win the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 with the song ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’.
Getty Images
2/10
In 2007, Andriy Mykhailovych Danylko represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest as his drag stage persona Verka Serduchka, finishing in second place.
AFP/Getty Images
3/10
Pop duo Jedward, who became famous after appearing on the sixth series of The X Factor, represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, having previously represented the country at the competition the year before.
AFP/Getty Images
4/10
The Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 opened with a fashion show that saw models donning unusual costumes made from what appeared to be toilet paper strut down the catwalk.
Getty Images
5/10
Six members from the band ‘Buranovskiye Babushki’ represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010 while wearing embroidered clothing handed down from generations of Udmurt women. They finished in third place.
AFP/Getty Images
6/10
Jamie-Lee Kriewitz represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 when she was 18 years old, performing her song ‘Ghost’.
Getty Images
7/10
Norwegian glam metal band Wig Wam performed as representatives of Norway at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, achieving ninth place.
Getty Images
8/10
In 2008, puppet character Dustin the Turkey represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest, only managing to reach the semi-final.
AFP/Getty Images
9/10
Lithuanian music group InCulto reached the second final of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010, announcing the splitting up of their band less than a year later.
Getty Images
10/10
Pop band Scooch were selected to represent the UK at the European Song Contest in 2007, performing the song ‘Flying the Flag (For You)’ while dressed as flight attendants.
AFP/Getty Images
1/10
Lordi made history in 2006 by becoming the first hard rock act and Finnish artist to win the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006 with the song ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’.
Getty Images
2/10
In 2007, Andriy Mykhailovych Danylko represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest as his drag stage persona Verka Serduchka, finishing in second place.
AFP/Getty Images
3/10
Pop duo Jedward, who became famous after appearing on the sixth series of The X Factor, represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2012, having previously represented the country at the competition the year before.
AFP/Getty Images
4/10
The Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 opened with a fashion show that saw models donning unusual costumes made from what appeared to be toilet paper strut down the catwalk.
Getty Images
5/10
Six members from the band ‘Buranovskiye Babushki’ represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010 while wearing embroidered clothing handed down from generations of Udmurt women. They finished in third place.
AFP/Getty Images
6/10
Jamie-Lee Kriewitz represented Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 when she was 18 years old, performing her song ‘Ghost’.
Getty Images
7/10
Norwegian glam metal band Wig Wam performed as representatives of Norway at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, achieving ninth place.
Getty Images
8/10
In 2008, puppet character Dustin the Turkey represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest, only managing to reach the semi-final.
AFP/Getty Images
9/10
Lithuanian music group InCulto reached the second final of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010, announcing the splitting up of their band less than a year later.
Getty Images
10/10
Pop band Scooch were selected to represent the UK at the European Song Contest in 2007, performing the song ‘Flying the Flag (For You)’ while dressed as flight attendants.
AFP/Getty Images
Belarus – ZENA with “Like It”
“Anne-Marie meets Zara Larsson.” Belarus’s contestant chose to sing in English which doesn’t really work given the lyrics make absolutely no sense. Good dancing though.
Serbia – Nevene Božović with “Kruna”
Not much to report with this one, which was perfectly acceptable but again, one of the more forgettable entries.
Belgium – Eliot with “Wake Up”
Surely it’s past this kid’s bedtime? A few pitchy notes here and there, definitely not the best. They’ll be lucky if they scrape though.
1/10 10. “Molitva” – Marija Šerifović (Serbia, 2007)
Let’s get down to business. Making their debut at Eurovision, Serbia later romped home as champions with this high-drama ballad. In an era when extravagance had well and truly taken hold, the staging was notably bare. The orchestra, the belting, the key changes, and the five backing singers dressed as a cross between beauty queens and security guards all make this feel like the climax of a modern opera.
Getty
2/10 9. “Hard Rock Hallelujah” – Lordi (Finland, 2006)
Has Eurovision ever seen anything like it, before or since? Finland’s first win after 45 years of participating came at the hands of a heavy metal band dressed in monster costumes – but this ranking is not based on novelty alone. Behind the growled vocals and pyrotechnics, “Hard Rock Hallelujah” is a pretty great song – even for those who ordinarily can’t stand this kind of thing. The backing vocals on the chorus are a particular high. It also provided a welcome departure from the high-octane pop-fest that many believe Eurovision to be.
Getty
3/10 8. “Hold Me Now” – Johnny Logan (Ireland, 1987)
The jewel in the crown of Ireland’s seven wins is this corker from Logan, who returned looking every inch the matinee idol in his pristine white suit. It’s the kind of big power ballad that fist-clenching was made for, and his big build on “I will always love you” should win another prize for the most ambitious key change.
Rex
4/10 7. “Fångad av en stormvind” – Carola (Sweden, 1991)
One of Sweden’s most popular entries, Carola is winning from the moment she bounds on stage and lets out that first “Woah-oh-oh!”. Her voice is flawless, the key changes are great, and who doesn’t appreciate a wind machine? Another slice of Scandi pop perfection.
AFP/Getty
5/10 6. “Making Your Mind Up” – Bucks Fizz (United Kingdom, 1981)
A high energy pop song with colourful young performers and fun choreography – “Making Your Mind Up” is the stuff that Eurovision is made of. The famous moment when the boys ripped off the girls’ skirts only to reveal shorter skirts beneath them is one of the competition’s most famous moments. A number one hit record across Europe that year, the song remains as infectious today as ever.
PA
6/10 5. “Ne partez pas sans moi” – Céline Dion (Switzerland, 1988)
Celine Dion was just 20 years old when she came to international attention with this performance. The song itself is excellent – a French chanson worthy of Edith Piaf, with a slightly twee drum machine stepping up the beat for a bop of a chorus. This all took place before Celine was transformed into an ageless power ballad queen (see the pageant-esque hair and outfit), but it’s thrilling to hear how her vocals were sheer perfection even then. Oh, and the arm choreography was well on its way too.
EPA
7/10 4. “Love Shine a Light” – Katrina and the Waves (United Kingdom, 1997)
The beautiful fusion of hammond organ, tambourines, hand clapping and the quasi-spiritual lyrics themselves make this feel like a glorious hymn – and Katrina really takes it to church. One of the highest scorers in modern times, this was the last time the UK won the competition, and it came the day after Labour’s landslide 1997 election victory. What a time to be alive.
PA
8/10 3. “Rise Like a Phoenix” – Conchita Wurst (Austria, 2014)
Conchita’s performance had everything you could want in a Eurovision performance. Elegant and fierce all at once, “Rise Like a Phoenix” could match the finest Bond theme, and is easily one of the most timeless of all the winners. The big band adds to the glamour of it all, and brings the goosebumps on that dramatic orchestral rise towards the final chorus. It was a powerful moment for LGBT+ visibility, too; the song’s theme of triumph over adversity secured it as an anthem for life’s survivors.
AFP/Getty
9/10 2. “Euphoria” – Loreen (Sweden, 2012)
It’s hard to pick any other recent winner that comes as close to contemporary chart toppers as “Euphoria” – a dance hit that many contemporary pop stars would kill for. Written by Sweden’s Thomas G:son – who has produced more than 90 songs for Eurovision competitors across multiple countries – “Euphoria” is built on clever pop formulas. The chorus itself is anthemic perfection, but when Loreen tacks on: “We’re going up, up, up…” it strikes gold. The Kate Bush-esque performance was an added bonus.
Getty
10/10 1. “Waterloo” – ABBA (Sweden, 1974)
ABBA burst onto the stage at the 1974 competition, kickstarting Sweden’s international reputation as masters of pop. Early adopters of the kind of kitsch which would come to typify the show, ABBA used their platform to offer a taste of the cultural phenomenon they would go on to become. From the opening piano build to the switch between a minor bridge and major chorus, to the catchy hooks littered throughout, “Waterloo” is a masterclass in how to write a hit, and the song rightly went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time. ABBA continue to influence Eurovision contestants to this day, and while you may have another favourite, “Waterloo” is a song on which most people can agree is a solid gold classic. We promise to love you forever more.
AFP/Getty
1/10 10. “Molitva” – Marija Šerifović (Serbia, 2007)
Let’s get down to business. Making their debut at Eurovision, Serbia later romped home as champions with this high-drama ballad. In an era when extravagance had well and truly taken hold, the staging was notably bare. The orchestra, the belting, the key changes, and the five backing singers dressed as a cross between beauty queens and security guards all make this feel like the climax of a modern opera.
Getty
2/10 9. “Hard Rock Hallelujah” – Lordi (Finland, 2006)
Has Eurovision ever seen anything like it, before or since? Finland’s first win after 45 years of participating came at the hands of a heavy metal band dressed in monster costumes – but this ranking is not based on novelty alone. Behind the growled vocals and pyrotechnics, “Hard Rock Hallelujah” is a pretty great song – even for those who ordinarily can’t stand this kind of thing. The backing vocals on the chorus are a particular high. It also provided a welcome departure from the high-octane pop-fest that many believe Eurovision to be.
Getty
3/10 8. “Hold Me Now” – Johnny Logan (Ireland, 1987)
The jewel in the crown of Ireland’s seven wins is this corker from Logan, who returned looking every inch the matinee idol in his pristine white suit. It’s the kind of big power ballad that fist-clenching was made for, and his big build on “I will always love you” should win another prize for the most ambitious key change.
Rex
4/10 7. “Fångad av en stormvind” – Carola (Sweden, 1991)
One of Sweden’s most popular entries, Carola is winning from the moment she bounds on stage and lets out that first “Woah-oh-oh!”. Her voice is flawless, the key changes are great, and who doesn’t appreciate a wind machine? Another slice of Scandi pop perfection.
AFP/Getty
5/10 6. “Making Your Mind Up” – Bucks Fizz (United Kingdom, 1981)
A high energy pop song with colourful young performers and fun choreography – “Making Your Mind Up” is the stuff that Eurovision is made of. The famous moment when the boys ripped off the girls’ skirts only to reveal shorter skirts beneath them is one of the competition’s most famous moments. A number one hit record across Europe that year, the song remains as infectious today as ever.
PA
6/10 5. “Ne partez pas sans moi” – Céline Dion (Switzerland, 1988)
Celine Dion was just 20 years old when she came to international attention with this performance. The song itself is excellent – a French chanson worthy of Edith Piaf, with a slightly twee drum machine stepping up the beat for a bop of a chorus. This all took place before Celine was transformed into an ageless power ballad queen (see the pageant-esque hair and outfit), but it’s thrilling to hear how her vocals were sheer perfection even then. Oh, and the arm choreography was well on its way too.
EPA
7/10 4. “Love Shine a Light” – Katrina and the Waves (United Kingdom, 1997)
The beautiful fusion of hammond organ, tambourines, hand clapping and the quasi-spiritual lyrics themselves make this feel like a glorious hymn – and Katrina really takes it to church. One of the highest scorers in modern times, this was the last time the UK won the competition, and it came the day after Labour’s landslide 1997 election victory. What a time to be alive.
PA
8/10 3. “Rise Like a Phoenix” – Conchita Wurst (Austria, 2014)
Conchita’s performance had everything you could want in a Eurovision performance. Elegant and fierce all at once, “Rise Like a Phoenix” could match the finest Bond theme, and is easily one of the most timeless of all the winners. The big band adds to the glamour of it all, and brings the goosebumps on that dramatic orchestral rise towards the final chorus. It was a powerful moment for LGBT+ visibility, too; the song’s theme of triumph over adversity secured it as an anthem for life’s survivors.
AFP/Getty
9/10 2. “Euphoria” – Loreen (Sweden, 2012)
It’s hard to pick any other recent winner that comes as close to contemporary chart toppers as “Euphoria” – a dance hit that many contemporary pop stars would kill for. Written by Sweden’s Thomas G:son – who has produced more than 90 songs for Eurovision competitors across multiple countries – “Euphoria” is built on clever pop formulas. The chorus itself is anthemic perfection, but when Loreen tacks on: “We’re going up, up, up…” it strikes gold. The Kate Bush-esque performance was an added bonus.
Getty
10/10 1. “Waterloo” – ABBA (Sweden, 1974)
ABBA burst onto the stage at the 1974 competition, kickstarting Sweden’s international reputation as masters of pop. Early adopters of the kind of kitsch which would come to typify the show, ABBA used their platform to offer a taste of the cultural phenomenon they would go on to become. From the opening piano build to the switch between a minor bridge and major chorus, to the catchy hooks littered throughout, “Waterloo” is a masterclass in how to write a hit, and the song rightly went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time. ABBA continue to influence Eurovision contestants to this day, and while you may have another favourite, “Waterloo” is a song on which most people can agree is a solid gold classic. We promise to love you forever more.
AFP/Getty
Georgia – Oto Nemsadze with “Keep On Going”
Everyone loves a man-bun, right? This was actually great, very “rock” with a male chorus thrown in for good measure.
Australia – Kate Miller-Heidke with “Zero Gravity”
Wow, Australia! Hands down the best production value of the night, the whole thing looks incredible and singer Kate Miller-Heidke is blowing everyone away with some powerhouse opera singing. It’s like Wicked meets Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Iceland – Hatari with “Hatrið mun sigra”
This is everything Eurovision should be: Extrovert, out there, absolutely insane. With loads and loads of fire. It’s our favourites, Hatari! The bondage-sporting Iceland group are dead certs for the Eurovision final this year and it’s easy to see why.
Estonia – Victor Crone with “Storm”
You’ve got to feel sorry for Estonia, having to follow the all-out spectacle of Hatari with a very paint-by-numbers pop ballad. Especially when he keeps missing the big notes.
Portugal – Conan Osiris with “Telemóveis”
So Portugal’s song is… interesting? Visually very interesting, but I’m not sure if the song cuts it. It’s missing the “oomph” of your classic Eurovision winner, whether that’s a big power ballad or an upbeat pop number.
Greece – Katerine Duska with “Better Love”
This is pretty good, and what the competition’s been missing until now: a really big, empowering pop ballad with some ear-splitting high notes on the climax. Definitely a fan favourite.
San Marino – Serhat with “Say Na Na Na”
You can see why Eurovision fans adore this absolutely bonkers number, performed by what appears to be Pitbull on the morning after the night before. The song makes no sense but we love it anyway.
And that’s it! 17 contestants performed in tonight’s semi-final but just 10 made it through.
The liveblog has now closed.
We’re going to wrap the liveblog for tonight but we’ll be back for more Eurovision fun on Thursday 16 May for the second semi-final. Thanks for following!
Czech Republic are through to the Eurovision final with their super catchy pop song “Friend of a Friend”. Australia make it through, of course. As do ICELAND! Our faves. And the final two joining these countries in the Eurovision final are San Marino and Slovenia!
Five to go…
And the third is… Serbia. It’s been 12 years since they last won in 2007. They will be joined by… Cyprus and Estonia!
Greece and Belarus are the first countries to go through to the Eurovision final!
Andddd we’re back and about to find out the 10 contestants going through to the final.
Scott Mills is currently trying to track down Madonna, whose performance is reportedly in doubt after organisers said she hasn’t yet signed the contract needed for her to take to the state in Tel Aviv.
“What a FABULOUS start to the contest! It’s almost a shame we have to send a handful of them packing. The crowd were really up for it and went nuts for Kate (Australia), Hatari (Iceland) and Serhat (San Marino) – it’s a party in Tel Aviv!” – our Eurovision correspondent Rob Holley in Tel Aviv
We’re now being treated to a rather special performance from former Eurovision champion Dana International, covering the Bruno Mars hit “Just the Way You Are”.
A reminder, you CANNOT VOTE tonight if you’re in the UK.
If you’re in the UK, DO NOT VOTE because it will not count for tonight’s performances but you may still be charged.
That was Serhat marking an end to tonight’s performances! Congratulations to all the contestants – but just 10 are going to make it through to the final on Saturday 18 May.
OK, so San Marino’s contestant is instantly iconic. Like a budget Pitbull.
This is pretty good, and what the competition’s been missing until now – a really big, empowering pop ballad with some ear-splitting high notes on the climax. Definitely a fan favourite.
We’re down to our final two performances, starting with Greece, who are competing with Katerine Duska and “Better Love”. She’s got a bit of a Jessie J thing going on, if I’m not mistaken.
So Portugal’s song is… interesting? Visually very interesting, but I’m not sure if the song cuts it. It’s missing the “oomph” of your classic Eurovision winner, whether that’s a big power ballad or an upbeat pop number.
The second Eurovision Song Contest semi-final takes place on Thursday 16 May (available on BBC Four), with the grand final on Saturday, May 18 (BBC One).