After seeing all the semi-finals plus the big 5 performances, the Aussievision team has made predictions on their top 3 for the Eurovision 2022 Grand Final and a further prediction on the results.
We run through each team member in alphabetical order:
Alana
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
Ukraine will take out the competition based on a really strong Tele-vote and some jury points.
A big part of this is due to the Ukraine war but it is a great song in its own right.
A beautiful song about a strong mother it combines modern and traditional elements, language and instruments. The staging is intricate with blue and yellow both having a strong presence. It’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of this song.
Cooper
Top 3 prediction:
1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
It really is Ukraines to lose at this point. ’Stefania’ is an entry that fits in with the current zeitgiest and would be a deserving winning song. The song is authentic and feels so personal to Kalush Orchestra which has been a trend with successful entries at the contest in recent years. The current political climate that Ukraine faces has forced all eyes on Kalush Orchestra and will no doubt help boost their score on top of an already incredible song. It’s all depends on what the Jury’s score Ukraine on whether it will be our next champion.
Further prediction:
The Czech Republic have elevated ‘Lights Off’ so much! I’m predicting We Are Domi to finish in a top 10 position. The staging is incredible, the camera shots are sharp and most importantly the audience is hooked right in.
Dale
Top 3 prediction:
1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
Despite a bit of doubt creeping in, I think Ukraine has enough to take the crown. The song is quality enough to get a solid jury score and the televote will be overwhelming for them. I think Sweden will do well in both jury and televote for an impressive 2nd place and UK will be solid in both (4th/5th) to sneak a 3rd.
Further prediction:
Moldova is in a prime televote slot and could be Top 5 with the public, plus Spain will get their first Top 10 since 2014 and the jury and televote scores will be wildly, wildly different this year.
Emma
Top 3 prediction:
1st - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
The United Kingdom were just out of my top ten before the contest but now I believe ‘Spaceman’ has all the ingredients of a Eurovision winner! Firstly it’s a well crafted song with a great hook that allows you to pick up the lyrics quickly and sing along. Secondly, it has epic staging that really sets the tone of the performance. Sam really does look like a spaceman (minus the helmet), it all ties in really well together. Last but not least is Sam Ryder himself. His vocals are huge...I’ve never heard him sing a bad note. And could he be any more charismatic or down to earth?! I challenge you to find anyone on the planet who does not warm to him straight away and this persona comes across in his performance.
This is going to be one hell of an act that should appeal not only to juries but to all demographics in the televote as well. He has a great position in the running order (22nd) and there’ll be plenty of voters who would love to see the United Kingdom get its first win since 1997.
Further prediction:
Despite being heavy favourites, Ukraine will not win. They will receive a huge number of televotes as a means of support and that is to be expected. ‘Stefania’ is a great song and they have staged it beautifully.
But there’s some factors working against it. Firstly coming earlier in the line-up (12th) means it may be overshadowed by second and third favourites the United Kingdom and Sweden. ‘Stefania’ will also be relying heavily on the televote rather than the jury. The Grand Final features a lot of jury friendly songs this year...and I can think of more than 10 that would likely score higher with juries than this one. There’s also a number of voters who won’t vote for them on principle as they want the best song to win, regardless of what country it comes from.
Estelle
Top 3 prediction:
1st - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
2nd - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
3rd - Italy: Mahmood and Blanco - 'Brividi'
I’m the first to admit that I’m deeply on the UK hype train, at this point I’m driving the train. Sam Ryder has it all, the song, the voice, the stage presence, the staging, the right attitude…he is the whole package and I believe that he can take the UK to the no.1 spot. I think that Ukraine will take the highest public vote, but not the top jury vote, leaving the top spot open for the UK. As a British fan I’ll honestly be delighted with a left hand side of the board result, but I truly believe that we are in for more than that.
Further Prediction:
I think that Moldova will absolutely smash their live performance, the crowd will go wild for it and it will translate right through the screen for an easy top 10 result, maybe even top 5.
Fleur
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Poland: Ochman - 'River'
2nd - Spain: Chanel - 'SloMo'
3rd - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
I have a gut feeling that Poland won the second semi. I suspect that Ochman placed first with the jury and did enough in the televote.
From this we can deduct that he has a good overall package. The Polish diaspora is huge, so I am expecting a lot of big votes here. Again he will do well with both sets of votes. The other favourites, I feel will do better with one or the other.
Further prediction:
Serbia to go top 5. Given Konstrakta’s place in the running order, I believe that she won the televote in the semi final 2. ‘In Copore Sano’ is doing extremely well on streaming services. There will enough jury love also, so I think that this is the dark horse for 2022.
Guy
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - Italy: Mahmood and Blanco - 'Brividi'
Ukraine look set to take out the contest this year, which will be an important show of solidarity for Europe. Stefania is well deserving and will make a great winning song on its own merit, and when you add the sentiment on top, it makes it a special and historic song. The guys in Kalush Orchestra have done an exceptional job in every performance and in the way they have represented their nation. I think the song will win the televote and be in the top 5 for the jury.
Further prediction:
Second and third place are really hard to predict this year, but my money is on Sweden just nudging into second place, with Italy coming in third. I think out of the two, Sweden will be a little more popular with the public, and Italy will be a little more popular with Jury.
Hayley
Top 3 prediction
1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
I just don't think anyone can beat Ukraine this year - huge love towards them by the voting public.
Hugo
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
2nd - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
3rd - Italy: Mahmood and Blanco - 'Brividi'
Sweden has been my favourite since it was chosen. I think out of the contenders, this has the most amount of appeal for both jury and televote, so it might do a Jamala type thing and not win either but come out on top overall
Further prediction:
For the jury - Italy Australia Sweden Greece and UK to make the top five in the jury in no particular order
Televote - Ukraine Moldova Norway Spain Sweden all to be top five in no particular order
Belgium to come last. Belgium and Germany both 0 televote points. Azerbaijan less than 20 televote points
Kyriakos
Top 3 prediction 1st - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
2nd - Spain: Chanel - 'SloMo'
3rd - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
I really think we might be heading to a big surprise finish in the Grand Final results. I really see the United Kingdom taking this out with Spain heading for great televote result and top 5 jury. Ukraine may not do as well with the jury as we expect finishing 6th to 10th place.
Further prediction:
Australia finishes in the top 10! Go Sheldon!!
Laura
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Spain: Chanel - 'SloMo'
2nd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
3rd - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
These three performances are either on another level compared to the rest or, in Ukraine's case, have a lot of public good will behind them but the jury vote could tank them (I am expecting a Sergey Lazarev style treatment).
Further prediction:
My prediction is that Sweden finishes in 4th place in the top 5.
Liv
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Spain: Chanel - 'SloMo'
3rd - Italy: Mahmood and Blanco - 'Brividi'
I think this is a rusted on win for Ukraine, not just because of the climate but because this is a CRACKING entry with some of the best stage design of the year. Ideally it wouldn't be in the draw so close to Spain for some breathing room but it probably wouldn't matter what slot this was performed from for the televote.
Mike
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
3rd - Spain: Chanel - 'SloMo'
I really can’t see Ukraine being beaten this year. Kalush Orchestra deliver an excellent package to the stage and with the additional layer of the current situation in their homeland they could well get a record televote score and virtually render their Jury score immaterial.
Further prediction:
With most of the Big 5 bringing excellent entries this year, we won’t be seeing a repeat of multiple acts receiving 0 points from the Televote, like we did in Rotterdam. Only Germany could be in danger, but they should receive some votes from a couple of neighbouring countries. All the other weaker entries have proved themselves in the Semi Finals and should poll some votes come the Grand Final.
Ruby
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Italy: Mahmood and Blanco - 'Brividi'
3rd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
I personally can’t see any other country this year winning but Ukraine. Whilst the song isn’t my personal favourite, it certainly has the broadest appeal of the favourites, with a collection of genres, and carries an emotional tale that will compel televoters in droves. It may come unstuck with the jury, but I can’t see that an Il Volo situation happening here.
Further prediction:
It may not be too controversial, but I foresee a Top 5 result for Greece and a Top 10 for Moldova.Greece has remained as a favourite for me since its release, and with the staging and running order, I believe Greece is set to bring home a strong result. Moldova, contrastingly, has remained well outside my personal Top 10, but has demonstrated its mass appeal through their reimagining of the song from the music video to the stage in Turin.
Steve
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
3rd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
I can’t see how any act can beat the Eurovision 2022 juggernaut that is Kalush Orchestra’s 'Stefania'. The more exciting competition will be for this year’s silver medal, and I believe that Cornelia Jakobs 'Hold Me Closer' has the edge over Sam Ryder’s 'Space Man'.
Further predictions:
Four of the Big Five (UK, Italy, Spain and France) will make the Top 10. Sam Ryder will win a Marcel Bezençon award.
Ted
Top 3 prediction:
1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - United Kingdom: Sam Ryder - 'Spaceman'
3rd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
This isn't a normal Eurovision year. Whereas normally we can look at the packages in front of us and try to make guesses about audience/jury appeal, the situation in Eastern Europe right now will inevitably colour how people perceive events in Turin and will almost certainly shape voting patterns as well. That doesn't mean that "Stefania" is a bad song (it would easily make the top 10 in most other years as well), or that it will win on "sympathy votes" (which is reductive and understates the work Kalush Orchestra have put in). Rather, I am saying that to win the Eurovision Song Contest, you need to capture the mood of a continent at a particular moment - and in this particular moment, to represent Ukraine on the global stage is to capture the mood of Europe. I would be shocked if this doesn't win the televote by some margin, and I suspect it will get a better jury score than many are predicting as well. And frankly, if you've got a good song that captures Europe's attention for whatever reason, why shouldn't that song win?
Further prediction:
I think this will be the first year since 2013 where last place doesn't go to a pre-qualified entry (big 5 or host). Germany's rehearsals look emotive and authentic, and I can see him picking up enough jury points to keep him off the bottom. And as for the other four... well, you don't need me to tell you how much hype there is around them.
Tim
Top 3 prediction: 1st - Ukraine: Kalush Orchestra - 'Stefania'
2nd - Spain: Chanel - 'SloMo'
3rd - Sweden: Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer'
I think I’ve come to terms that Ukraine has probably had a huge televote in the Semi and this will continue in the Final. I imagine this could get a record number of ‘douze points’ and will deservingly win with a strong enough jury vote to get them over the line. Spain, I believe, will come second in the televote and Sweden to win the Jury.
Further predictions:
Sadly, I see either Belgium or Germany finishing last. Both have good songs but I don’t think have got the legs to be too competitive. I also think that Czech Republic will get in to the top 10, it will also be popular with the televote.
Check out our video on our thoughts on the Grand Final including predictions here:
Watch the Eurovision Grand Final live on May 15 at 5:00am (AEST) on SBS and SBS On Demand.
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