Week one of Eurovision 2018 rehearsals is drawing to a close. This morning, the last four acts from semi-final one completed their second rehearsals. That means all 19 semi-one acts have now taken to the Altice Arena twice.
But before anyone had set foot in Portugal, we asked y’all to vote for your favourite act in semi-final one. And the pre-rehearsal results are in. A massive 43,210 votes were cast since 16 March.
Israel regularly faces an uphill battle when it comes to qualification. But not this year. Netta won The Next Star For Eurovision and now you’re pegging her for victory in the first semi-final… or at least you were pre-rehearsals.
“Toy” went down a treat in both Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. It amassed 4,575 votes or 10.59% of all votes cast. Could the famous glass microphone share pride of place alongside her looper?
Netta “Toy”
Eugent Bushpepa sings “Mall”, and it’s clear a whole lot of you are yearning for him to rescue Albania from the doldrums. He occupies second place with 3,787 votes or 8.76% of all votes cast.
Eugent Bushpepa “Mall”
Greece is one of the few countries to skip all the preview parties. But that doesn’t appear to have dented Yianna Terzi’s appeal. “Oniro Mou” has collected 3,540 votes or 8.19% of all votes cast.
Yianna Terzi “Oniro Mou”
Finland’s Saara Aalto went from hot favourite to also-ran with the bookmakers. But despite the UMK staging hiccup, she remains a firm favourite with our readers. “Monsters” sits in fourth spot, receiving 3,410 votes or 7.89% of all votes cast.
Belgium rounds out the top five. Sennek has parked her day job at IKEA for the moment, jetting out to preview events in Tel Aviv, Amsterdam and Madrid. The sultry songstress is sweeping up support from all over Europe, with 3,278 votes going the way of “A Matter Of Time”.
Based on the poll rankings, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Czech Republic and Croatia will take the remaining five spots in the final.
At the other end of the poll, Iceland’s Ari Olafsson sits in last place. “Our Choice” has received just 252 votes or 0.56% of all votes cast.
WHO SHOULD WIN THE FIRST SEMI-FINAL OF EUROVISION 2018? POLL RESULTS
- Israel — Netta, “Toy” 10.59% (4,575 votes)
- Albania — Eugent Bushpepa, “Mall” 8.76% (3,787 votes)
- Greece — Gianna Terzi, “Oneiro Mou” 8.19% (3,540 votes)
- Finland — Saara Aalto, “Monsters” 7.89% (3,410 votes)
- Belgium — Sennek, “A Matter of Time” 7.59% (3,278 votes)
- Bulgaria — Equinox, “Bones” 6.71% (2,901 votes)
- Cyprus — Eleni Foureira, “Fuego” 6.49% (2,806 votes)
- Estonia — Elina Nechayeva, “La Forza” 6.41% (2,770 votes)
- Czech Republic — Mikolas Josef, “Lie to Me” 6.23% (2,694 votes)
- Croatia — Franka, “Crazy” 4.88% (2,108 votes)
- FYR Macedonia — Eye Cue, “Lost and Found” 4.86% (2,102 votes)
- Austria — Cesar Sampson, “Nobody But You” 4.11% (1,778 votes)
- Belarus — Alekseev, “Forever” 4% (1,730 votes)
- Switzerland — Zibbz, “Stones” 3.18% (1,373 votes)
- Lithuania — Ieva Zasimauskaite, “When We’re Old” 3.02% (1,306 votes)
- Azerbaijan — Aisel, “X My Heart” 2.46% (1,063 votes)
- Armenia — Sevak Khanagyan, “Qami” 2.06% (889 votes)
- Ireland — Ryan O’Shaughnessy, “Together” 1.96% (848 votes)
- Iceland — Ari Olafsson, “Our Choice” 0.58% (252 votes)
Total Votes: 43,210
VOTE IN ALL OUR EUROVISION 2018 POLLS.
Photo: EBU
No, they are my least favorite.
Haters will hate. I still think Israel this year introduces something fresh and new. I am aware that Estonian song is beautiful and dress is beautiful, but I disagree to see Estonia as a winner. I am sorry but I agree with people who say that opera should not be part of eurovision. Any opera singer can sing that way. There is nothing special about it. The only special thing is LED dress, which I think is unfair as LED lights are prohibited. I believe in Netta and in people who will vote for a young artist, someone who should… Read more »
Wow, a lot of trolls don’t like her? I like her because she’s not afraid to be herself, be out there, be different. She has such a new, unique sound. True to herself, confident, brave, despite trolly critics. That’s what makes a winner. That’s what makes Donald Trump so awesome, dominant, legendary 😀 ….(watch the negative votes pile in by the rainbow brigade) Haha 😀 GO NETTA! Australia loves you!
This song is seriously growing on me. So catchy. The sound, the singer, the style reminds me of ‘Operator Please’ an Australian Group, they sang a song about ping pong 😛
and she’s still our favorite (the people throwing hate here never liked netta from the start)
Many small people are jealous of Netta here … just unbelievable !! So go eat your heart – Neta goes to win and there is nothing you can do, just sit at home and cry
Netta, the sumo fighteress
madame-monsieur: the duo who pretends to care about refugees in order to win esc
I wouldn’t be surprised if Netta falls out of the Top 10. No shade or hate, I just don’t think it’s *that* strong.
Can you name a time in the history of the betting odds that this has EVER happened? I can’t. Your prediction is statistically unlikely.
2011.
Which 2011 song are you referring to? Hungary?
Also, while I don’t think she will necessarily win, I do think Netta will still be in top 10 – a bit like Russia 2016 or Italy 2017
France was number 1 with betting odds in 2011.
I don’t understand why this song its so overrated ? Can you explain me ? It’s nothing special ..the lyrics are awful for example (my barbie say hey hey hey) oh my God !! Her vocals are ok..I dont like at all..There are many better songs with qualitative lyrics that deserve to be in final ..Anyway this is my opinion and i dont to offense someone
Good luck to all participants in eurovision !!!
Ok, watch Moldova 2017
In fact, that’s only 10,59 % of people who have really bad taste.
First Israel have to pass to the grand final and this is not very easy. Only quaranteed semifinalists are Estonia, Cypros and Bulgaria at the moment.
This is a crazy notion. Never in the history of the competition since we started recording betting odds and having semis – did a frontrunner to win the whole thing not qualified. Its statistically inconceivable what you’ve just said.
Betting odds prediction is about money- if you like you can bay first place in betting odds 🙂 This year might be realy big schok and 1st betting odds country does not pass to the Final. Because this song in LIVE version is realy quite bad- I dont know anybody who likes this LIVE version.
But cross your fingers on Tuesday- everythng can happen.
I like this live version – nice to meet you too! And with all due respect at this time last year we saw dramatic shifts in the betting odds in light of the live performances – a completely new top 10 and top 3 emerged exactly three days before semi finals 1. If Israel sucks so much that it will not even qualify – this would have been reflected in the odds.
Yes- Eurovision is unpredictable. But I hope Israel get into tihe final because whole contest will be more exited 🙂
The Top four in the grand final (in no particular order) will be France, Bulgaria, Israel, and Estonia. As for the fifth spot – either Spain/Cyprus/Sweden/Norway or the Czech Republic. Who wins will depend on the quality of the performances on the night. But you can take this prediction to the bank.
I dont understand why a lot of people like Toy or Netta. To be honest it’s too overrated but I have confidence in the juries and also on the fact that because it’s too hyped up it will lose more interests
I would put Lithuania now from bottom top5 straight to top top5
Eugent 😀
Our boy.
Can sing.
Yes- and now after rehealsals I have made a lot of corrections in my personal TOP 10. For example Israel, Belgium and Finland are not in TOP 10 anymore – all 3 were big dissapoitment but some songs just are not good LIVE (only radio frendly). So winner will be Estonia, France or maybe Cypros ? We will see……. 🙂
I think that Saara Aalto probably will qualify!! 15th in the semifinal, and people will remember her. But maybe not a 60 year old women votes for her 🙁
I think Saara will qualify- she need some luck.But ina same borderline are Israel, Croatia, Austria as well
I have a feeling that the televoters will think Belarus’ song is the best.
Tey have to be very drunk in this case 🙂
I’ll stay sober to make sure I give him all 20 votes!
I agree, that Belarus will be high in the televote – his performance is really memorable. It kinda reminds me of Azerbaijan 2013, and it came 2nd then.
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I consider it cringy
I think those on top 10 here are the qualifiers of semi 1! But Israel is not going to win the first semi, neither the final!
I guess it will change much after the rehearsals. Netta has good catchy song, but she lacks stage presence and charisma – maybe it’s because she’s still young and relatively unexperienced . Or maybe it’s just something you are born with. Anyway the rehearsals show that some performers can lift up a mediocre song just with their performance and charisma.