Well well well! Here we are again. Can't believe a year has passed since Moscow, now Oslo is really a pleasant suprise. Nothing over the top, just good old plain Eurosong Contenst, nice stage, nice movies. Everything is nice. Up to modest. I think after the bombastic contest in Moscow some modesty brings relieve.

Can't believe I missed this year's Eurosong party in Zaandam, such a shame! Hopefully there will be one again next year and I'll be able to attend!

Anyway, let's move on to the first semi-finals now.

Moldova: nice! A bit like "Tornero" from Romania a few years back. This is the kind of eurodance I like to hear on Eurovision. Very danceable and well sung. This might be a top 10 contestant.

Russia: I really don't get all this Russia bashing that is going on. I actually like this song! And I like the performer. This is soooooooooooooo much better than last year's Prixodko or even Bilan's winning performance. Let's be honest: Bilan should've won with "Never let you go", but not with "Believe me". Petr Nalitch is a great singer, with a great voice. Too bad most think that the poor lyrics are the result of his lacking knowledge of English. A trying to explain that's is all a set-up and the fun of this song.. oh well... nevermind. This entry is not a winner, it might end up exactly where it performs on Saturday: Nr. 20.
Nevertheless, I'm really glad Petr Nalitch is representing Russia this year and not some dead-beat producer's project like all the previous years!

Latvia: Aisha, Aisha, Aisha! What happened to your voice??? She can sing very well, I've seen her perform on the New Wave contest. But what happened yesterday... eeeeks. Not making the finals is no suprise after such a performance. A bit of a shame, cuz the song is pretty good.

Slovakia: This was my favourite song of the first semi-finals!!! And I loved the outfit. But WHY why why was it performed in such a ... dunno... strange, boring way? I'd rather see this song in the finals instead of, let's say Belarus or Portugal. Horehronie still plays in my head... pity, pity, pity!

Finland: The backvocals and dancers were funny. And the singer was pretty, the one without the accordeon. That's it. They had no chance getting into the finals. Not even if they had Pluchenko on ice with them.

Serbia: What's the fuss about his looks?? He looks like a regular Japanese teenager. Oooow.. he's Serbian??....Nuff said. Bregovic rocks, just not with this song. I think he wrote it in 5 mins and never listened to it afterwards. I honestly don't know why it made it to the finals. Serbia has done waaaaaaaaaay better in previous years. Guess I'm missing the point.

Estonia: My husband almost threw up, so I had to turn off the sound. WTF??? Is this guy the older brother of that creepy Belorussian boy who was singing about the magic rabbit???? Aaargh.... and it's not just the song. The whole guy is creepy and so are his backvocals. Are they all on acid? Cuz I had the feeling to be tripping badly while watching it...

Bosnia Herzegovina: I remember the title of the song. That's all I remember. So, why is it in the finals again?? Maybe it will impress me a bit more in Saturday, but for now, no Thunder and Lighting in the weather forecast...

Greece: Ah! I knew they'd get through. I like this song. Especially, when I'm not looking ant the singer. Though it's one in a dozen song, it's catchy and might be a top 5 song this year. I still don't think we're facing Athens 2011, unless something extraordinary happens.

Iceland: A bit like Moldova, good enough for the finals, but not as good as their last year's entry. And I'm still not over the fact that the most beautiful Icelandic ballad "Valentine lost" didn't make it to the finals a few years ago. Everything before that song and everything after that song is still nothing compared to "a tiger trapped inside a cage"...

Malta: What's with the wings? Or is it a tail? Maybe it's supposed to look like wings, but still looks like a tail. Poor Thea, she reminded me of a peacock. Apart from there, I remember her taking the high notes with an opera voice. She sings very well, too bad her song is not that sticky. Maybe that's why she didn't go to the finals. Anyway, Malta has been mistreated in the past, with a great song like "Vertigo" not going to the finals. This year I'm ok with the fact that they didn't make it.

Portugal: Well, if there's one country that is getting to the finals without actually deserving it, than it's Portugal. Again! There is absolutely nothing special about the song nor the performance nor the singer! Or am I missing the point again?

FYR Macedonia: Hm... can't say it's a bad song. Can't say it's good either. Hated the dancers, stop spreading your legs on the stage! Well, at least he sang in his own languages, many credits to the performer for that. Otherwise.... yawn.

Belarus: Oh nooo, what is that??? I could recognize Fadeev's song with my ears shut. I adore the gorgeous wings, but if they end up at the bottom on Saturday, these wings won't get them any higher. Well sung btw.

Belgium: Germany and Holland did this a few years ago. And where did it get them? It's nice, but it's nothing compared to "Oh Julissy" and if it makes the top 10... it'll probably be the bottom top 10.

Poland: Marcin has an amazing voice. But the outfits, the apples, the strangling, the semi-striptease.... I just don't get it. Couldn't he just sing his song with one backvocal and don't do anything at all? All that distracting stuff he and the girls were doing? I thought Poland would make it to the finals no matter what, but hey, even I am wrong sometimes.

Albania: The same category as Moldova and Iceland. These songs could get in each others way. A good candidate for the top 10, a performace that scores good in every aspect. We'll just wait and see what Saturday will bring.

Well, tomorrow the second semi-final, can't wait!!!

https://annalinchik.livejournal.com/59722.html