Eurovision line-up complete after second semi-final
Alyosha from Ukraine performs her song "Sweet People" in the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest.
The line-up for tomorrow's final night of the Eurovision Song Contest was completed last night when the second semi-final was held in Oslo.
The qualifying countries yesterday were Georgia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Ireland, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Romania, Armenia and Denmark.
Lithuania, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Croatia failed to clear the hurdle.
The final night will feature the winners of the two semi-finals, the big countries which fund the festival, and host country Norway.
The following is the line-up: Azerbaijan, Spain, Norway, Moldova, Cyprus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Belgium, Serbia, Belarus, Ireland, Greece, United Kingdom, Georgia, Turkey, Albania, Iceland, Ukraine, France, Romania, Russia, Armenia, Germany, Portugal, Israel and Denmark.
Malta took part in the first semi-final on Tuesday but failed to qualify. Viewers may still take part in televoting tomorrow.
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Jesmond Abela
May 28th 2010, 13:42
Dont vote for the EAST fullstop
alfred abela
May 28th 2010, 12:52
MALTA SHOULD VOTE FOR THE BEST SAFURA AZERBAIJANI DRIP DROP HOT FAVOURITE TO WIN.
Peter Korsten
May 28th 2010, 11:29
Looks like Ruslana is not the only good looking singer from Ukraine...
But people, really: "My dream" is at best a mediocre song with an uninspiring melody and predictable lyrics. Just because she's Maltese doesn't mean the song is any good. This has nothing to do with neighbour voting, because when was the last time that a rubbish song won because of neighbour voting?
Take my native Netherlands for example. Last won in 1975, and all the time until the eastern Europeans made their appearance didn't manage to win. Why? Because it's not taken seriously, and as a result the songs are all dull. Malta seems to be heading in the same direction.
If you want to know what makes a great song, listen to Serbia's "Lane moje". They came second (Ruslana in fur and leather came first), and that had nothing to do with neighbour voting, but everything with it being a stunningly beautiful song.
Ray Mangion
May 28th 2010, 10:24
Call me old fashioned but the Eurovision Song Contest used to be more professional having everything live, including an orcherstra. Nowadays I find technology, televoting and politics have much to do with the downward trend of the Eurovision. As far as Malta and its entry is concerned, it is not the singer that is the problem. Time and time again I have always said in my interviews that the talent in Malta is much higher that many other countries. There are two major problems with our representation in Europe: one is that the composers entering the Song for Europe in Malta are living in a cocoon and not moving forward with the times; they can only compose/write lyrics that are not modern enough to compete with. The other is, when we choose our winner, there needs to be a team around the winner which is not dictated to and prepare our winner without the red tape and politics. That is were the problems are. Thea has shown professionalism and dealt with the bitter side of showbiz extremely well. I wish she was around when my musical theatre company was alive. Well done Thea.
Agius T
May 28th 2010, 14:02
I totallly agree with the composer idea!! I recognize a sonf is from a certain local composers from the first few piano notes...they have been using the same signature since I was a child. our problem is the low level of SONGS used in song for europe contest. that's all.
Agius T
May 28th 2010, 09:19
I think that it is quite impossible for Malta not to vote..and it is quite childish to think that this is positive. If only 25% of the maltese people vote, there will still be points to give out as the votes are worked as a %. Our problem is that we have a low level of music in 'song for europe', although the bestsong is chosen when mixed with the other international songs our song will disappear. In songforeurope we hear a lot of rubbish, always the same music composition and similar to contest of the 1990's. I don't know why songs similar to the ones produced by IraLosco, WinterMoods and Airportimpressions aren't considered for eurovision. We can blame the committee, the neighbour votes, the singing line up BUT the main problem is the quality of songs being submitted in song for europe. The composers and song writers should think of something new not always the same piano notes by the same composers or we can think of sending a local succesful band as well.
Thea was great and song was nice but CANNOT BE COMPARED to the ones by Romania, Azerbajan, Germany and Gorgia, it is so obvious!
D. Mizzi
May 28th 2010, 12:33
Perfectly said!
m.farrugia
May 28th 2010, 09:18
Jiena ghada mhux se nivvota, ghax jekk naghmel hekk inkunqieghed nghin sabiex il-block vote jibqa. Jekk wiehed ihares lejn dawk li ghaddew issib li hemm erbgha block vote wiehed b'sahtu aktar mill-iehor. Din mhux kwistjoni ta sour grapes imma principju. Il-pakkett ta Malta ma kienx hazin li ma jghaddix mill-ewwel semi final.
d. borg
May 28th 2010, 09:12
I too shall boycot the Eurovision this year. This neighbour voting has been going on for some years now and nobody has done anything about it. It's not a fair voting and Malta has no neighbours so no vote this year.
Paul Borg
May 28th 2010, 09:09
It is not a matter of voting or not, without Malta's representation , I do not feel the urge to watch the show. It is a pathetic song festival out of which hardly ever anyone of them makes it in the international charts. Only rare exceptions.
P.Farrugia
May 28th 2010, 09:02
At least..,a good song like Ireland's was not left out! I am still going to watch the festival next Saturday as it is a nice show to see, but no vote from me for sure. NO THEA NO VOTE!!
D. Mizzi
May 28th 2010, 08:52
This is just my personal opinion. If we don't vote and encourage Maltese people not to vote tomorrow we would only be harming ourselves. The rest of the countries will see this move as being sour grapes rather than maturity.
Of course I am not saying that block voting is good and yes I do agree that things have to change if the Eurovision is to be a fair and equal chance to everyone but not voting will put us into the limelight of being sour grapes and may backfire in the coming Eurovision years too.
Nonetheless we also have to as Maltese start learning from our own mistakes to send a better package to the Eurovision. and for starters send not just a nice song but a song fit for "modern" Eurovision. If we keep on with the mentality that what used to work in the 90's will keep on working now then we have the perfect mixture for a bad result.
Jason Copperstone
May 28th 2010, 09:22
Although I agree with you wholeheartedly regarding the issue of the voting, i.e. that it can easily be interpreted as a case of sour grapes if we were not to vote just because Thea didn't make it, I believe - in my opinion - Thea's performance and her song were of a much higher standard and quality than many of the songs that did make it and it is rather an unfair comment to imply that it is one of our 'mistakes'. Thea certainly deserved to get through on Tuesday night, unfortunately other European voters disagree. But that is competition for you. In my opinion Thea did us proud regardless of the result.
Mario Scicluna
May 28th 2010, 10:44
Bir-rispett kollhu ta, jaf jimpurthom li cckejkna Malta ma vvuttatx! Daqs kemm jirrispettawna jew ituna gieh!! Bhala pajjiz, ahna DEJJEM hadnijha bis-serjeta, u genwinament naghmlu sforz biex mmorru tajjeb, u bhala Maltin ghadna nkunu kburin b'dak kollhu li hu Malti u mhux inpaxxu lil dawk li ma jitiffux cans sabiex izebilhuna u jumiljawna, qisna xi poplu bla mohh jew identita. Ahjar jaraw l-istorja VOJTA ta' pajjizhom jew imaqdru l-porkerija u shows banali li jaghmlu uhud. Intant il-parti ta' Jes raw zejjed? Mela hagu hiereg minn pjanu u bahnanati bil-maskri etc. dawk jghaddu???
Niehu ghalijja iva ghax ma jikkalkulawniex. Ahna pajjiz sovran b'nies kapaci li hares il-quddiem fil-progress, u li jekk ma' kienx in nazzjon taghna(mhux il-gazzetta) kieku dawk li jahsbu li huma Ewropej aktar minn haddiehor jisimhom Abdul jew Ahmed bit-turban!
Darren Mizzi
May 28th 2010, 13:00
I have to say that I do agree with your views too and yes since Thea did her utmost then she did make us proud. At the end of the day the song was nice and her performance we good too so I think she should be satisfied of herself.
The Maltese problem however does not lie with block voting but with the mentality to send a song we think is best for the Eurovision and not what the Eurovision really wants. Today the trend is clear that whilst ballads are becoming less popular a mixture of dance / gestures and crowd interaction as well as non-repetitive lyrics / non-repetitive music tone are key ingredients for a better song. For example taking Belgium’s entry - it has something different (1 person playing a guitar), different and non-repetitive lyrics, he used the out part of the stage and was gestured with his hands whilst stopping the guitar playing (non-repetitive music tone). That is what made it pass. We have to send a Eurovision song fit for modern times and not fit for what we think a Eurovision song should be.
Again not voting will not solve anything too.
R.Mario
May 28th 2010, 08:37
Our song was a very good one,and Thea did her best, Tomorrow I will not vote as my country is not there
D Cardona
May 28th 2010, 08:34
Good luck and well done to everyone but Azerbaijan will win .....