OK, here we go. Very tricky to call this one. After getting nine last time, I don’t think I’ll be as lucky this time.
But here they are (in draw order):
Serbia
Netherlands, The
Malta
Ukraine
Slovenia
Sweden
Georgia
Turkey
Estonia 😉
Lithuania
There’s one country I’d love to put in there, but I don’t think Europe will get it. I might tell you later on what it is.
Riigi x
So i have two definate non-qualifiers
Croatia
Georgia
And four definate qualifiers
Serbia
Sweden
Norway
Ukraine
Then i need six from the rest, so i am going for
Malta
Turkey
Netherlands
Bosnia
Belarus
Slovakia
Leaving the six following just missing out
Estonia
Georgia
Slovenia
Macedonia
Lithuania
Portugal
But i am truely terrible at predictions – i would have done just as well with my first semi predictions if i’d just picked ten songs at random
If i was in charge of the whole thing (which i really think i ought to be) i would swap Bosnia and Serbia for Macedonia and Portugal
Also as a small asside i’m not sure why Slovakia isnt more highly rated. Its a good (and perhaps more importantly credible) rock song. Max seems able to perform it, there aren’t any other rock songs tonight and Georgia qualified last year with a rock song, which was not as good, or as instant i think, as Dont Close Your Eyes.
Okay, so i’m just gonna give up on making predictions. In my diffence i deliberately hadnt watched any of the rehersal videos so i didnt completely appreciate how some songs would come across. Particularly Estonia, which, if any evidence was needed, showed how a stunning vocal can lift anything into the final.
I’m really happy that Macedonia qualified (and when i televoted Norton did say ‘Macedonia’ and not ‘FYR Macedonia’). I personally think she completely overshadowed Zeljko, and with that draw may well get Macedonia’s best result in the final
I’m with you, Stan. Very, very happy to see Kaliopi, who is one of the nicest people you can meet, get Macedonia into the final. And I was extremely chuffed too that when televoting Graham Norton dropped the ‘FYR’ crap and just said ‘Macedonia’.