Ahead of the second semi-final taking place on Friday morning (Australian time), the Aussievision team has made their predictions...
16 of us picked the 10 acts we thought would qualify for the Grand Final and we've tallied the results.
16/16 votes
The countries that 100% of the team believe will qualify are (with the betting odd ranks of qualifying in brackets):
Bulgaria (2nd)
Iceland (3rd)
San Marino (6th)
Switzerland (1st)
All four have done well during rehearsals and despite Iceland not being able to perform live, the team is very confident they will all get through. Additionally the top three in the odds here are almost unbackable at $1.01 to qualify.
15/16
Finland (4th)
Greece (5th)
Finland brings a great rock package together that should work well with the televote and jury despite the genre struggling at times. Greece brings a really interesting staging concept and a strong performance that should see her through easily.
14/16
Serbia (8th)
The all female trio deliver a strong performance that will capture the crowd in the arena and home. The vocals and overall impression should also impress some jury members.
So, seven qualifiers here that the team all agree on very strongly.
Now this is where it gets interesting...
For our the last three spots we have seven songs in the running and we will have a team member vouch for its place.
11/16
Denmark (12th)
Making the case for Denmark, is Guy:
"Fyr & Flamme are going to close the second semi-final with a big feel-good party, and I’m feeling pretty confident that they will qualify. The song stands out for being unapologetically 80’s, the language is a draw card, the pair are super engaging, the outfits scream at you (in a good way), their dancing and smiles are infectious, and it all comes together into a package that works and makes the kind of feel-good Eurovision moment that viewers love. The audience could feel tired of seeing vintage pink neon LEDs by the time they're up, but I think people will see how well it suits this song and from the snippets we've seen, they are potentially the act who have used it the best. Jury votes may be a challenge, but I think they’re going to get a big bag of televotes from the Euro Fans and enough from the casual viewers to get them across the line."
9/16
Moldova (11th)
Explaining their vote for Moldova, is Hugo:
"I really like this song, it’s just fun and I can’t help but tap my feet when it comes on. The staging isn’t bad, but it doesn’t have much to do with the music video, which is a little bit disappointing to some fans (myself included). This may be a victim of other countries rising a lot with staging, and this one not reaching its potential.
Could get some televote love from other eastern countries in the semi, and it could be one of those ones which do better in the final than in its semi, when all the big eastern countries are voting. Borderline for me, but in at this stage."
6/16
Albania (9th)
Making the case for Albania to qualify is Liv,
"Generally there was very little hype for 'Karma' going into rehearsals - but I would say she has really built some momentum for herself the last few days. The staging is dramatic and Anxhela struts out looking like a Balkan warrior princess which suits the song well. Her running order is sandwiched between Georgia and Portugal which is a big plus - if you're not after a toned back ballad then she'll be something different to appease the senses.
The staging is fairly simplistic but striking at the same time - a lot of red but she is wearing this pretty little silver and diamante leotard that won't get lost on stage. The vocals are great and I wouldn't be surprised to see a little jury love for them. This year we've been lacking in the 'native language' department and generally they get a bit of love if deserving from the televote. I do think there is enough oomph going on for Albania to sneak into the grand final this year."
Austria (10th)
Fleur makes the case for Austria,
"I think that Vincent Bueno will qualify for Austria with 'Amen'. Intially I had this pegged as a non-qualifier, but after seeing the first and second rehearsals I have changed my mind and now think that this has a good chance of qualifying. The staging is simple and effective which is perfect for the song. Vincent has the vocal power to sell this. His musical theatre background is evident in his performance as he takes command of the stage. It is clear that he is a seasoned performer. I do not think that 'Amen' will win the competition but Vincent will do quite well for his country. This is going to do better than most people expect."
Czech Republic (15th)
Believing Czech Republic can get through is Wade,
"I think the key to qualification for the Czech Republic is the positive energy Benny Cristo will bring to his performance. He oozes charisma, has a natural stage presence, and seems very comfortable working the camera.
The song itself is quite distinct in the running order. It is among the most contemporary songs in the mix and may hook people in with its groovy bass guitar, and catchy chorus.
Snippets from the rehearsals show some dynamic camera work and a lot of stage movement by Benny, which should translate to a fun, entertaining and memorable performance."
5/16
Estonia (13th)
"Estonia has a chance to qualify this year because Uku Suviste’s song ‘The Lucky One’ serves as a refreshing palate cleanser after Senhit’s performance of ‘Adrenalina’, which has a lot going on visually and sonically, and before Benny Cristo’s uptempo ‘Omaga’, among other wackier entries in this Semi Final. Uku’s vocals keep improving with every performance, which is encouraging to see. Estonia’s staging looks professional and is engaging enough to keep people interested while not going too over-the-top and distracting from Uku and his performance. Plus, let’s be honest, there will be a sizeable chunk of viewers who will find Uku incredibly easy on the eye!
The song is radio-friendly enough for a more casual audience and some jury members to grab onto and enjoy. It stands out in the early section of the running order as being polished, straightforward, and easy to listen to and watch. Therefore, Estonia’s entry has a good chance of getting enough support from both the televote and the juries to land in the top 10 in Semi Final 2 and qualify."
Portugal (7th)
"There is not doubt about it The Black Mamba are qualifying! They are possibly even the dark horse for the jury vote in this semi final. The overall package of their performance is all class and elevates the song. I love the journey you go through with Pedro and the 60's inspired graphics with a woman in Amsterdam. He also delivers some great vocals moments especially at the end.
The juries are going to lap this up, they are going to get Portugal through to qualify with their first English song in Eurovision history!"
So which of four of those seven do you believe will qualify? It's all still very much to play for.
The other songs are below:
3/16
Latvia (14th)
Cooper backs Latvia,
"It’s been ten years in the making but finally Samanta Tina has hit the Eurovision stage and she hit it with a bang. The moon is rising is unlike anything else at the contest this year. The trap beats and insane vocal make this a stand out song. With the unique green and gold colour scheme of the staging paired with the striking outfits, there’s no way this song will not leave an impact on audience.
I don’t see Latvia winning the contest but I can absolutely see qualification for them this year. It’s a well presented original entry and Samanta is such a character which shines through the screen. Also being in the later half of semi-final two only betters Samanta’s chances of qualifying."
1/16
Poland (16th)
Ford still holds faith for Poland,
"Rafał's 'The Ride' feels like my dirty little secret - the guilty pleasure song I shouldn't admit I go out of my way to listen to. But I do, because sometimes a bit of trashy 80's-inspired Europop is just what the doctor ordered to hype me up a little. And, from the view of the first rehearsal, the staging of Poland's entry is also going to do just that.
The view of the first rehearsal did show that it needed a little bit of work, but so did the majority of the rehearsals that were shown, and that's why the rehearsals exist. Probably my 10th place in its semifinal, but so far I do see Poland qualifying for the final."
0/16
Georgia (17th)
Matching the odds here, no one in the team believe these songs can qualify.
Listen to our podcast episode talking through the potential qualifiers and going into more in-depth analysis here:
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