On March 21 we asked our readers to let us know who should win Semi-Final 2 of Eurovision 2016. They voted in droves, casting a total of 31,206 votes for their favourites. The majority of these votes were cast prior to the live dress rehearsals in Stockholm, and they could be seen as more of a judgment on the studio versions than the actual stage show. In any event, they offer an interesting barometer of where things stand.
Coming out on top is former Westlife star Nicky Byrne from Ireland. The “Sunlight” singer earned 4,520 votes, or more than 14% of all those cast. While we love Nicky and his song, we think it is unrealistic that he will win this semi-final. He’s not impressed our readers during our rehearsal polls, and he hasn’t made an impact with the bookies. This all suggests his votes here come down more to his army of fans than a legitimate shot at winning the semi. But hey — we are still feeling the “Sunlight”!
Finishing in second place in our poll — and just 75 votes behind Nicky — is Poland‘s Michal Szpak. The “Color of Your Life” singer earned 4,245 votes, or around 14% of all those cast. he has strong regional support in this semi. Germany, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus — all of which border Poland — vote in this semi. And so does Ireland the UK, which are home to large Polish communities.
Bulgaria’s Poli Genova finishes third here, with 4,204 votes. From her epic “chicken dance” to her edgy side part, she makes off-kilter feel mainstream and consistently wows with her vocals and energy.
The only other act to secure more than 4,000 votes is Australia‘s Dami Im, who finishes fourth with 4,119 votes or around 13%. This Asian sensation has consistently wowed us — vocally and visually — and we have no doubt she’ll do Australia proud tonight.
How did your favourite do in our poll? And who do YOU think is qualifying tonight? Let us know in the comments box below.
Who should win the second semi-final of Eurovision 2016?
- Ireland: Nicky Byrne “Sunlight” 14.48% (4,520 votes)
- Poland: Michal Szpak “Color of Your Life” 13.6% (4,245 votes)
- Bulgaria: Poli Genova “If Love Was A Crime” 13.47% (4,204 votes)
- Australia: Dami Im “Sound of Silence” 13.2% (4,119 votes)
- Latvia: Justs “Heartbeat” 6.13% (1,912 votes)
- Ukraine: Jamala “1944” 5.75% (1,794 votes)
- Norway: Agnete “Icebreaker” 4.47% (1,394 votes)
- Serbia: Sanja Vucic ZAA “Goodbye (Shelter)” 4.27% (1,331 votes)
- Belgium: Laura Tesoro “What’s The Pressure” 3.75% (1,171 votes)
- Switzerland: Rykka “The Last Of Our Kind” 3.41% (1,064 votes)
- Lithuania: Donny Montell “I’ve Been Waiting For This Night” 3.37% (1,052 votes)
- Israel: Hovi Star “Made of Stars” 2.63% (822 votes)
- Romania: Ovidiu Anton “Moment Of Silence” [Disqualified] 2.57% (803 votes)
- Denmark: Lighthouse X “Soldiers Of Love” 2.15% (671 votes)
- Belarus: Ivan “Help You Fly” 2.03% (634 votes)
- FYR Macedonia: Kaliopi “Dona” 2.01% (627 votes)
- Slovenia: ManuElla “Blue and Red” 1.08% (336 votes)
- Albania: Eneda Tarifa “Përrallë” (Fairytale) 1.05% (329 votes)
- Georgia: Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz “Midnight Gold” 0.57% (178 votes)
Total Votes: 31,206
where are the irish fans?
crying perhaps
Poland has votes from UK and Ireland beacuse of massive polish diaspora, sometimes Germany votes for them too. No neighbour kissing a-s-s typical for Eastern Europe, Balkans or Nordics
@ Mirek Maybe I will translate what Michael said so that you won’t mess in people’s heads. In Polish “Je?li kto? gada, ?e jestem gejem, czy transwestyt?, czy czymkolwiek innym, to… Jezus Maria, niech sobie mówi. Ja jestem Micha? Szpak” LITERALLY means: “If someone says that I am gay or trans, or anything else, so…Jesus and Mary, let them talk. I am Michal Szpak”. Where can you read between the lines that he is gay?! He just wants to say it’s none of your business. However, in some other interview he just said that he’s not gay, that’s just his… Read more »
@BoycotIsrael what a sad and lifeless creature are you.
@ Mirek
Jeszcze co?…nie rób siary cz?owieku. Schowaj si? w ciemny k?cik i szlochaj cichutko za swoj? Margaret?, która ?piewa? nie umie! Wstyd
@ Mirek
He said nothing
Cheering for Poland’s Michal Szpak! He is simply very good! He has it all: the voice, the looks and a great personality. Rock on!
Hovi good luck dear
I’m with you all the way 🙂
OMG Hovi and his fans are so histerical and annoying!
Poland gets very little votes from Ukraine because every year it fails to promote its singer/song in Ukraine. while Russians and other neighbors getting a highlight in the news, TV and radio channels, Polska does nothing.
please promote it and things will change. show that you’re interested, it will be rewarding for both of us.
@ @willyleeadams
i would like to report this user name : #BoycotIsrael he is writing here incitement things against Israel and against hovi star- and tell insults and incitement untruth story’es about Israelis people and about hovi star – just a few hours before the show began . i would like you to block that user name!
thanks
@#BoycotIsrael
You are idiot poor person.. i wonder why you write those lies about hovi and Israel… mmmm lets see u call your self “BOYCOTISRAEL” i hope all your life people will boycott you.. ;bitch!!
GO HOVI !!AND DONT LISTING TO HATERS YOU ARE AMAZING!
I’m yearning so much to see the results of this semi, and see that Ireland won’t qualify just to come back here and call out the imbecil*es who thought nicky birne would slay!
@Mei International
Yes, you should be bitter about Margaret – the poor “studio-version” girl CANNOT SING! And that’s why Michael Szpak’s vocals got appreciated. BTW, his eyes are probably green, not blue. I hope it won’t lower his chances of qualifying since you think it’s one of the crucial factors about Michael. 🙂
Who are these idiots voting for Ireland? That song is at best a warmed over turd.
Australia killed it! <3 Well doneeee!!
Can someone please explain to me what they see with Poland besides long hair, blue eyes and a date 90s ballad? I am still bitter about Margaret lol
If Macedonia qualifies I will eat crow.
Tonight I’m afraid that Ireland will be left with good old whisky and some jolly songs at the pub, some may take the memory lane to Johnny Logan. However semi-final 2 is doubtless unpredictable besides a few entries. Cheers!
Westlife, Michal and Dami.
First in wiwivision and now here, they are always on top. But the georgian fanbase have disappeared…
But I seriously like Michal’s song, my favourite in 2nd semi final. But my favourite(that is still in the competition while Estonia became eliminated this tuesday) is Italy,
@kris
give him a break. I am sure William has many other talents 😛
William 4245+75 does not equal 4520 :p
@San
Israel is not a guaranteed qualifier like you think.
that’s why every one who like’s Israel’s song should vote for Israel.
thanks 🙂 and good luck to all of the states today…
I must say that all of the singers at this semi (2) are very good personalities
( not like some of the arrogant singers from semi -1) so i really wish them all luck! i would be more then happy if all of them could be in the final !! 🙂
lol Irish song is the worst in the whole contest. I really can’t stand it
Talk about Poland being surrounded by friendly neighbors… I read the statistics on Wikipedia and Poland always has supported Ukraine in the ESC, and Ukraine never reciprocated… or Lithuania. I think Polish people would do better voting for Countries in Western Europe, at least people there vote for Poland…. Just saying.
Just Polish and Irish people vote like crazy….
@Mikolaj
Israel will vote for Poland, Michael is Awesome!!
Ireland? Seriously?
Poland, Australia, Ukraine, Israel, Latvia and Bulgaria are guaranteed qualifiers. The rest if the spots are open for capture. Ireland may be one to take the advantage. I wish he does well. He tries to raise the interest in his country towards Eurovision. Let’s help him. I will vote for Ukraine, Georgia and Ireland.
Australia? Poland? Norway? Serbia? Switzerland?… this semi is gonna suck…
Michal amazing voice…
@Mikolaj
I know, I met 2 Polish girls and they said Poland has really cold relationship with Russia and Belarus. I think we might get along better if we were neighbors, I notice some similarities in our cultures. I am from Croatia, btw.
I think many of you don’t know how the relations in Eastern Europe look like. Poland doesn’t vote for her neighbours. And our neighbours don’t really vote for us. Maybe except Germany. We are Slavs, but we do not really have many bonds and friendships with other slavic nations. I’m Polish by the way.
I think Belarus has the chance to qualify due to the help of his publicity since the past months. I see news of him almost everywhere especially when he decided to go full nude on stage with some wolves. I am not confident of him qualifying but I wish him well.
going to be a lot of disappointed respondents to your poll because I think Ireland is drawing dead on its chances of qualifying
Srsly, Ireland? His vocals are awful.. Song so primitive.. I would rather let Lithuania or Denmark go to the final
This would not ever happen….the two most fails in semi-final have the places 1,2??
No no no again no…Ireland will not qualify and Poland may happen (unfortunetly)but in places bettwen 8-10….
Ireland, Poland won’t qualify to the Final.
oh Georgia is underrated on every level possible 😀
it’s my favourite this year…I mean, I know it won’t qualify but it ROCKS!
and I don’t get what all the fuss is about with Poland…the song is very….cheeky and whiny
Go Switzerland
Giving Rykka some Love from Australia
As an Irish man I would love to see Ireland in the final, however sadly, I’m not expecting that to happen. All I can do is hope.
My predicted qualifiers are:
1. Ukraine
2. Australia
3. Bulgaria
4. Latvia
5. Serbia
6. Israel
7. Poland
8. Norway
9. Belarus (ugh)
10. Fight between Denmark, Lithuania and Ireland, with probably Lithuania taking the final spot due to having many neighbours, the song itself is pretty bad though.
Wow you don’t leave a chance to let Nicky Byrne down! You arranged the poll & the voters, whether they’re fans of Nicky or not voted & he won. So you should’ve shown a bit more respect to him. It’s not nice to say that same old “Not so good” things all the time. It’s Eurovision, you can never tell what’s gonna happen till the very end. Sometimes it’s better if you keep your mouth shut!
MACEDONIA C’MONN DONAAA!! KALIOPI BEST SINGER!!
Its not new that wiwi readers dont like Hovi Star… i really wonder why??
Any way this voting dont reflect any thing ..
Good luck to hovi today, he deserve to make it to the final 🙂
Bulgaria <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
My prediction who wili go to final from II semi
1.Ukraine
2.Australia
3.Israel
4.Latvia
5.Serbia
6.Poland
7.Belgium
8.Bulgaria
9.Belarus
10.Lithuania
out
11.Norway
12.Georgia
13.F.Y.R Macedonia
14.Albania
15.Denmark
16.Ireland
17.Slovenia
18.Switzerland
Maybe Norway instead of Lithuania but Lithuania have Latvia,Poland,Ireland,UK to vote for them plus other ex soviet republics Georgia (they love in past songs from Lithuania), Ukraine and Belarus. Norway have only Denmark and maybe UK, Ireland and Australia to suport their entry in high votes
Anyone who has an understanding of Music & anyone who understands about what a “Song” competition should sound like knows Dami should Win.
Serbia!! Sooo underrated by wiwibloggs! 🙁
Georgia have grown on me since I voted in that poll
Australia is gonna kill it. She’s incredible!! Greetings from Spain
Justs we love you! My winner!