Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final 1 Insights

Credit: Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

The first semi-final of Eurovision 2024 has concluded with ten countries making it to Saturday evening's Grand Final (Sunday morning in Australia).

There are some interesting trends and details from these results so let's take a look!

There will be spoilers below!

Semi-final as a whole

Before we look at each country let's look at the semi-final as a whole.

Every entry that was 100% in a language other than English qualified (Serbia, Slovenia, Portugal and Lithuania).

The first five songs in the running order all qualified for the first time in Eurovision semi-final history.

Now, let's look at each country individually.

Cyprus

Cyprus are now on a qualifying streak of two and both have been Australians. Cyprus has been remarkably consistent qualifying for eight of the nine Contests it has participated in since 2015.

It is a remarkable achievement for a nation of 1.2 million.

Serbia

The Balkan nation has now qualified for six straight Eurovision Song Contest in a row. All six of those entries has featured the Serbian language with the last non-qualifier an English song in 2017.

Lithuania

Lithuania qualified for their fourth straight Eurovision for the first time in their history.

Silvester Belt's song 'Luktelk' is only the second Lithuanian language song to compete in the semi-finals and both have qualified. Monika Liu made it through in 2022 with 'Sentimentai.'

Ireland

Bambie Thug prevented Ireland from non-qualifying for a fifth straight year. This will be the first time the nation is in the Grand Final since Lisbon 2018!

Ukraine

Ukraine kept their 100% record with their 14th straight qualification from the semi-finals.

It will be their 19th Grand Final in a row, they have made the Top 10 the last three Contests.

Poland

Poland was on two qualifications in a row which unfortunately came to an end for Poland.

They will be hoping it doesn't go on to equal their worst run of three NQs in a row (2005-2007, 2009-2011 and 2018-2021).

Croatia

After non-qualifying four times in a row and eight times in 10 contests, Croatia is now on a run of two qualifications straight.

The nation has not made the Top 10 since 2001 and will be hoping for at least that and more come Saturday.

Iceland

After three qualifications in a row between 2019 to 2022, Iceland has now NQd two years straight. They will be hoping they don't fall to their worst failure rate of four years straight between 2015 and 2018.

This was Hera's second appearance at Eurovision after making the Grand Final in 2010.

Slovenia

Raiven has helped Slovenia equal their best qualification streak since the introduction of semi-finals: two in a row!

This is only the third time they have done this with the other 2014-2015 and 2018-2019. Performing in Slovenian has been working for them as four of the last five entries in the language have qualified!

Finland

Finland are now on the longest qualification streak in their history!

Windows95man has sent them to the final for the fourth year in a row starting with Blind Channel in 2021.

Moldova

Moldova had qualified for three Grand Finals in a row between 2021 and 2023 but that unfortunately came to an end. This was the second time Natalia Barbu competed after she finished 10th back in 2007.

Azerbaijan

After qualifying for the Grand Final in their first nine attempts, Azerbaijan has now been left in the semi-finals three out of the last six years including two years in a row.

Australia

Unfortunately, Australia missed the Grand Final for only the second time in nine attempts. This was the first time Australia had non-qualified while performing live in the arena (Montaigne previously missed out when taking part remotely).

Portugal

Portugal qualified for the Grand Final for the fourth straight year - their best-ever streak! She is the third solo female to qualify in a row.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg now join Ukraine as the only other nation with a 100% qualification streak - one out of one!

They last competed in 1993 when there weren't official semi-finals to compete in. It was also the first-ever entry from Luxembourg to feature English.

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