Franko: After the first four there was a lunch break which gave me time to try one of the Belorussian ice creams and nip to the 24 mini mart (not realising there was a cafe with perfectly good hot food in the midst of the press centre – doh). The afternoon could be long…..
Here come Sweden . There are five backing dancers dressed in black against a green background who later hold up masks to their faces to keep in with the operatic theme. Our main singer is dressed in a long white gown with a dead swan at the bottom of it. She manages to nail the operatic notes but sounds horribly out of tune the rest of time. She’s not the prettiest woman in the world. Note quite Charlotte-esque hideous but certainly looking her age and shinning in the glare of the many lights on stage which isn’t attractive.
At best this is borderline qualification which I can see happening but it will totally bomb in the harsh reality of the final if it gets there.
Phil: Sweden are not going to be even close to qualifying. Her vocal is just too week, especially on the high notes which were more off-key than on. She looks very VERY scary in HD (and some say technological advances are a good thing!) and she screeches and literall scares the living bejesus out of me. The stage will be very green, but the general gasps of hideousness in the press centre are there for all to see.
The Juries are NOT going to be able to save this one!!