The second Semi Final promptly started at 10pm local time (9pm CET/ 8pm GMT). The opening act was a folk dancing medley of some of the winning songs in recent years from Greece, Norway, Sweden, Austria. 

 
 

Here is a video compilation I made of the opening. I love all the folk music interpretations of some of the winning songs (4 mins)
 
https://youtu.be/UlLkXSB71N0

The Second Semi Final is stacked with a lot of my favourites (Hungary, Belarus, Estonia)

First up was SERBIA. They are usually a powerhouse when it comes to Eurovision but this years song was nothing special.


Next was AUSTRIA. Again, the song was not that interesting previously. However for their live performance they made it much more enjoyable with a half moon the singer performs on making it much more upbeat then it previously had been. 

 

MACEDONIA was next. This song peaked early among fan polls and was top 5 at one point but the staging was quite ordinary. This often happens at Eurovision. What you may like before the competition they kill in the live performance, or the reverse. They bring a song you had no interest in completely alive with a stunning performance. 

 

Next was MALTA. Vocally she is quite good with her ballad but Malta has a sketchy track record when it comes to qualifying from the semis. Lyrically basically it is the song of a stalker breathlessly watching and following her object!

 

First of the crowd faves was ROMANIA. This was an upbeat yodelling song something more in character for Switzerland. The crowd was into it and they had brightly coloured scenery and graphics. 

 

Three sisters from NETHERLANDS was next. Vocally they are good but their track record and this song is hit and miss when it comes to qualifying. 

 
 

One of my big three favourites tonite HUNGARY was next. This was one of two songs tonight in their native language. The singer is of Gypsy origin and had an ethnic sounding gypsy rap song. I really liked it beforehand but I dont know if the fans and voting public would like something so ethnic. 

 
 

From the opening bar the crowd was completely into it, clapping along, loving they gypsy dancing and violin player. Here is there youtube rehearsal video but my video with live crowd reaction is at the end.     

Hungary rehearsal (93,000+ views!) https://youtu.be/BbE3D-96Lok

 
 

DENMARK and IRELAND were next. I like the opening bar of Denmark but the rest is just generic pop. Ireland had a strange gender neutral voice which could do very well though the song does nothing for me. 

SAN MARINO had a returning artist. This lady is at her 4th attempt, I dont think she has a full time job back home to go back to. It was very disco pop and I think voters are getting tired of her four attempts. 

 

The operatic voice of CROATIA is next. This is an odd song as the promo video doesnt even feature the singer, just text, so this song could have been written off. They really turned it around with an amazing performance culminating in violins and fireworks. 

Another surprise was NORWAY. This rap song was nothing special but the crowd was loving it with their light show and strange Star Wars style light mask of the keyboard player. 

 
 

SWITZERLAND was boring and doubtful to qualify. The second of my big favourites BELARUS was next. 

 
 

This was the second of two songs tonight not in English. They were singing in Belorussian a language that is trying to reassert itself. I was delighted that one of my favourites was going down well as polls had said this was borderline to qualify. Crowds were clapping along and very into their lively performance. 

 
 
































I was really excited for them based on crowd reaction. Belarus does not have a good track record at Eurovision so this could be their best night. 
 
Here is a youtube video of their rehersal (my video with live crowd reaction is at the end)     

Belarus rehearsal (16,000+ views) https://youtu.be/g-94yjGuZWM

 
 

LITHUANIA had a boring song I didnt expect to qualify. The last if my big faves ESTONIA was next. Crowds were whistling, cheering, and revving up for this performance.  
 
 
 
 




























 
I was glad my favourite of the three was going down very well with the crowd and a favourite to qualify. 
  
Estonia rehearsal https://youtu.be/amEqId7pzlQ

BULGARIA I seem to have skipped and ISRAEL was the final song tonight.

 
 
 
For the interlude while people are voting Verka Serduchka made a return in a brief video story. 
 
 
 

After the countdown to stop voting was the interval act. Then the singer from Macedonia was proposed to on live tv. She said 'yes' but I always want the person to get turned down on tv as that will make it more interesting!

The judges then confirmed the tabulation for the winners to be announced. 

 
 

Qualified - Austria, Romania, Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, Croatia, Norway, Belarus, Bulgaria, Israel - MY FAVOURITE ESTONIA DID NOT!!!! 

This is always the drama of Eurovision screaming what the hell are people thinking???! I'm glad Hungary and Belarus my two other favourites and ethnic songs in their language made it thru. I just went home downhearted that Estonia a song that really deserved to be in the final was not! 

They were both returning artists easily tipped to go thru with their pop love duet. What you see on tv is not what is happening in the venue so many of us were baffled when it went down so well in the hall. Even Estonia looked stunned left sitting in the Green Room. 

Here is my 15 min video compilation of all songs showing crowd reaction and wild excitement for Hungary, Belarus, and yes even Estonia

https://youtu.be/kdwKcEVf04Y

 
  


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