The producers at Denmark’s state broadcaster DR have revealed the Eurovision semi-final running order. As at the 2013 contest, the producers allocated countries to the first or second half of each semi during a random draw back in January. However, they have taken the liberty of deciding who will sing when within their half of the semi. It’s all about producing an interesting show—and preventing seven ballads from singing in a row.
As we’ve discussed countless times before, running order does play a role in the final results. And countless Eurovision fans believe that the EBU gently nudges juries about the countries it wants to see host. Based on the order below, you may be able to glean a bit of insight into who the EBU is hoping will win.
First Semi-Final Running Order
1. Armenia: Aram Mp3 with “Not Alone”
2. Latvia: Aarzemnieki with “Cake to Bake”
3. Estonia: Tanja with “Amazing”
4. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen with “Undo”
5. Iceland: Pollapönk with “No prejudice”
6. Albania: Hersiana Matmuja with “One Night’s Anger”
7. Russia: The Tolmachevy Twins with “Shine”
8. Azerbaijan: Dilara with “Start a Fire”
9. Ukraine: Maria Yaremchuk with “Tick-Tock”
10. Belgium: Axel Hirsoux with “Mother”
11. Moldova: Cristina Scarlat with “Wild Soul”
12. San Marino: Valentina Monetta with “Maybe”
13. Portugal: Suzy with “Quero Ser Tua”
14. Netherlands: The Common Linnets with “Calm After the Storm”
15. Montenegro: Sergej Cetkovic with “Moj svijet” (My World)
16. Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders with “Running”
- Producers have put Aram Mp3, the runaway favourite, in starting position. A lot of y’all are surprised by this. The curse of performing first—hey Natalia Kelly!—won’t be lost on Eurovision fans. However, Armenis has such momentum producers likely understand that performing first won’t hurt him, and that he’ll make sure viewers are on their sofas and tuning in on time.
- The lineup is generally quite varied, though there does appear to be a ballad/power-ballad section from 10 to 12 with Belgium, Moldova and San Marino. Portugal’s Suzy will snap us out of it with her samba in position 13
- Sweden’s Sanna is sandwiched between two upbeat numbers. Her mellow number will stand out!
- San Marino’s Valentina Monetta had to perform second in her semi-final last year, and then narrowly missed a spot in the final. Are producers making up for that this year?
- Montenegro placed fourth with the public last year, but then had a dismal showing with the juries. Eurovision fans were angry. Is performing next-to-last the producer’s way of saying, “You were done wrong”?
- There’s a lot of buzz around Hungary’s Kallay-Saunders, and producers have looked kindly on him. Do they want to keep a fan favourite for the end? Is this a sign there is support from the powers-that-be to promote Hungary as much as possible? They certainly deserve it following the success of their A Dal selection series
Second Semi-Final Running Order
1. Malta: Firelight with “Coming Home”
2. Israel: Mei Finegold with “Same Heart”
3. Norway: Carl Espen with “Silent Storm”
4. Georgia: The Shin with “Three Minutes to Earth”
5. Poland: Donatan and Cleo with “Slavic Girls”
6. Austria: Conchita Wurst with “Rise like a Phoenix”
7. Lithuania: Vilija Mataciunaite with “Attention”
8. Finland: Softengine with “Something Better”
9. Ireland: Can-linn feat Kasey Smith with “Heartbeat”
10. Belarus: Teo with “Cheesecake”
11. FYR Macedonia: Tijana Dapcevic with “To the Sky”
12. Switzerland: Sebalter with “Hunter of Stars”
13. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. Riskykidd with “Rise Up”
14. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovach with “Spet/Round and Round”
15. Romania: Paula Seling & Ovi with “Miracle”
- Malta has the indiginity of opening this semi. This does not bode well. Their song isn’t a huge favourite, and forcing them to go first may signal death.
- Norway, one of this year’s favourites, will present its somber ballad after a electro dance number. Talk about a scene change!
- Given all the technical difficulties that Poland faced when opening the show back in 2011 (the last time they participated), we knew there was no way they’d be opening again. They’ll sing fifth.
- Romania’s Paula Seling & Ovi, who placed third back in 2010, were already locks for the final. Performing last suggests how much producers believe in their song. They want viewers to stick around until the end, and stay interested during the interval / voting period.
Related Links
- READ: Running order of semi-finals decided (Eurovision.tv)
- VISIT: The official Eurovision blog of DR (DR)
You can keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.
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Malta and Azerbaijan my favorite<3
Once concern of the Semi Final format is that several countries rarely make the final and they will find it is no longer worth the expense to participate if they never make the show with high viewership. A 43 song final is too long but having Switzerland, Netherlands or Latvia almost never making the final will eventually push out long time participants.
I like that they forced songs that are likely qualifiers to be in the 1st spots. Just wish Latvia didn’t get stuck going 2nd, and that they didn’t put such obvious qualifiers in the last spots. Save that for San Marino or other countries with poor geopolitical support.
András getting the pimp spot on Day 1? He’s almost certain to make the final. So will Paula and Ovi with the pimp spot on Day 2.
Azerbaijan will win !
Dilara Kazimova – “Start of Fire ”
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Now that the playlist is available I have been able to both semis in order and have my preference not to advance (not my prediction unfortunately).
1st Semi Final
Armenia
Albania
Russia
Belgium
San Marino
Netherlands
2nd Semi Final
Norway
Georgia
Austria
Lithuania
Macedonia
I had to cut down my list on the 1st and had trouble identifying acts to not make the final on the 2nd.
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Haha I hope so NargizAZ. ,otherwise I will feel like I am watching another Robin Thicke.
@ Dan
I dont think that Belarus will get so much points from televoting, and I am almost sure that juries will place it at bottom. Even if they will get Top 5 with televoting (strongly doubt it), jury voting will not let them to qualify (Montenegro 2013)!! 🙂
@NargizAZ. Kinda agree with you .But Belarus hmmm ..some people find it catchy song ..I am afraid they will vote for it . However, who knows within 10 years they have only qualified for 3 times , not so good results .
I listened all the songs in this order and now I think that from first semi Latvia, Iceland, Portugal, San Marino, Albania 🙁 , Moldova won’t make it to the final, and from second semi Belarus, Switzerland, Lithuania, Slovenia and Macedonia will not pass!
Armenia and Malta will be memorable enough in the recap. They’ll be fine.
Estonia helps Sweden.
Belgium suffers after Ukraine, but helps Moldova.
Portugal has a decent setup.
Netherlands helps Montenegro.
Austria suffers between Poland and Lithuania.
After that it gets too confusing for a quick impression.
Not impressed that Malta is going first, however, if they sing it well on the night they should sail through to the finals…. I love the Maltese entry this year, the more you listen the more you love…
I don t know why we have in first semi final second part 11.Moldova 12 San Marino 13.Portugal 3 female singers in row and on the end of show 2 male singer 15. Montenegro 16.Hungary
@Adrian Lacoste – I remember that. Sirusho was actually one of the hot favorites with the bookies ( I think second favorite to win). Then #5 happened lol
If Armenia gets first half of grand final they will place high but will certainly not win just like in 2008.
Israel qualified from a 2nd position spot at the first semi-final in 2008 and from a 3rd position in the second semi-final in 2010. Austria, Russia, Armenia, Iceland, FYR Macedonia and Estonia qualified from a 2nd position in recent years. The most notable cases where early favorites failed to qualify from a 2nd position were Norway 2011 (Stella Mwangi) and San Marino 2013 (Valentina Monetta). There were several cases over the last 5 years where countries positioned first and second on the same semi-final managed both to qualify. So this so-called 2nd position ‘curse’ is not what it seems: Actually,… Read more »
@Leon exactly .That’s why I think it was organized.I (and not only I)do not even remember 2011 winner song so it was not EVEN good. And agree Boom boom was not good I noticed that Armenians did not like it too.I see that they are kinda objective nation.They did not like Emmy ,Dorians entry so did not really support that much but they like and support Sirusho and Aram mp3.But still the fact that Armenia and Turkey did not qualified same time was of course strange and as I said later was clear why and entries had nothing to do… Read more »
I’m so happy that Armenia’s first to go 😀 Not surprised Romania’s the last.
My TOP 37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPJEzLFh5_I
Out of all the countries I didn’t want to be beside in the running order, Finland, Greece and Romania topped the list. So of course, who do we get? Finland. Great. That is slightly countered by the fact Belarus follows us. I still think we will qualify. Poor Israel. Their best song in years gets a terrible placing. I really do hope that they still qualify though. Hopefully the juries will like Mei, and they get a fantastic placing in the final. Poland also have a brilliant placing. The weirdness of Georgia and the slow tempo of Austria will really… Read more »
I don’t believe that by Malta being placed 1st is going to hurt us that much. Just call me crazy but I think we may do well this year in the ESC..
And if we don’t go through to the Grand Final at least we are going to have Gaia representing us there 🙂
@Dan – I agree. Especially considering the fact that Armenia was left out by a single point (although I didn’t think it deserved to qualify), but if they did, Russia, Georgia, and several other countries that gave their 12 to Azerbaijan, would have given it to Armenia.
@Leon I do not want to talk about 2011.It was weirdest ESC .Turkey and Armenia have not qualified and Azerbaijan won , it was very strange as nobody expected that .Then later ESC dirt came up and we understood why they had won. Just think if Armenia and Turkey had been qualified it would not have been easy for Azerbaijan to win.So everything was organized .So I do not count 2011.I hope ESC will be fair like before so talented one will win.
The second semi in particular is becoming even more hard to predict! The first two slots have definetely hurt Malta and Israel, and from core qualifiers, theyre down to borderline. Although I especially expect Malta to do well with juries, I think the televoting will push them way down… Norway and Romania given two stellar spots, they should cruise through without any problems, with Norway possibly winning the semi. Slovenia and Austria also have increased their chances of qualification, and I expect Conchita to crack to Top 4 of the semi. Belarus and Georgia are still doomed, and despite all… Read more »
Interesting… In Semi 1, I can still say that Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Belgium, Sweden and Estonia are almost sure qualifiers. For the remaining two: Latvia has no chance. Netherlands also. Moldova has quite a lousy draw, with a weak song. Montenegro, though lonely, has enough jury appeal, i think, to squeak through at 9th-10th place. Albania is a tricky one. The song isnt bad, but i cant say its a comfortable qualifier. The same with San Marino, although SM has a much better draw, and I believe this will be their year! Meanwhile, Portugal is quite unappealing, and… Read more »
@Dan – I don’t know about Russia, but in 2010 Armenia did not qualify so that’s not always the case. And generally speaking, these countries tend to send very strong entries, especially Azerbaijan though I must say, I think their entries are largely overrated as far as their placing in the final.
@Eugene UK – I know. I’m really surprised. I think Armenia overall is actually ahead of Denmark’s last year’s bet even when the contest was around the corner. I think their bets are almost as high as Sweden’s were in 2012 which is really interesting.
Attention ! Suzy from Portugal is NOT singing samba ! It’s PIMBA a genre from Portugal not Brazil. For god sake.
I must say, – I´m possible the only ESC fan on earth – I love Malta´s entry this year. Previous year too, actually. So… don´t kill me if I say that Malta hopefully will be in the final this year (A)
And I love my country´s ranking order this year. I hope it works 🙂
QwaarJet, I do hope Ireland will qualify, but I’m not sure after watching the running order
Former Soviet Union countries like Armenia ,Russian ,Azerbaijan will qualify ,does not matter when they sing.In 2006 I remember Armenia also was first but they qualified. They probably put Armenia at first because they probably want people to turn on tv on time ,It is people’s favourite after all xD I am afraid The Netherlands won’t be in final this time , or maybe it will be ?
This article says that Malta is nowhere near to being favourite. I beg to differ, it is currently 5th in betting odds to win semi 2, beating the likes of Poland and Ireland. It may not be a fan favourite, but it will certainly be a favourite with juries (last year Malta came first with jury) and non-Eurovision fans voters.
In terms of the no. 2 death spot, I can imagine Israel qualifying and Latvia missing out.
i actually don’t think israel will make it 🙁
Lio, you are delusional if you think Ireland aren’t qualifying.
Apparently, 7 out of 10 acts that perform first do NOT qualify. Following those statistics either EBU wants to change the statistical data by placing Armenia as the opening act or wants to keep Armenia in the semi-final. I also think that Sweden’s entry was more compatible to be the opening act.
Interesting draw.. We’ll see in May then
This is SOOOOO strange, as if the producers don’t know anything about past years. Israel. If I remember correctly, it’s their zilion time going in 2nd spot of the running order. Is is considered as the “doomed” spot, however back in 2009 they did manage to qualify from that spot. Shame on you DR!!! I’m happy my country is last in semi-final 2. YES!!! Good for you DR!!! Malta, Slovenia, Ireland, and Swiss- sorry, but you’re doomed!!! Poland- auwful song (in my opinion), BUT coming after Norway and Georgia is very promising for them. If you need help from friends,… Read more »
My Top 5 for 1st semi (in random order)
Hungary
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Sweden
Montenegro
My Top 5 for 2nd semi (in random order)
Norway
Israel
Austria
Greece
Finland
@ Robyn .. Yea armenia and Azerbaijan like two irritating spoilt arrogant children with serious mental issues ..
I think this order is ok.
I kind of like the running order….
My top 37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPJEzLFh5_I
Poor Malta 🙁 They’re a country that needs to go late in the running order to do well. SO ANNOYING!!!! WHY EBU?!?! WHY DR?!?
This is rather unusual and unexpected turn of events and order. 🙂
So happy that Montenegro will perform 15th,now we have a chance to qualify 🙂 🙂 🙂