Norway’s Alexander Rybak fingered his fiddle. Sweden’s Benjamin Ingrosso channeled Michael Jackson inside a tubular display of lights. And Ukraine’s Melovin served Gothic high fashion as he portrayed a haute vampire…resting inside of a two-tier piano. And in the end all three of them qualified from Semi-Final 2 of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

This semi-final, generally regarded as the weak of the two, still made for compelling viewing. And it certainly wasn’t any easier to predict than the first. Russia and Romania, who had qualified for every Eurovision final since they started participating, were both eliminated this evening. And Poland suffered its first elimination since its return in 2014.

Their losses were other’s gains. Slovenia, which hadn’t qualified since 2015, sashayed into the final with their urban track “Hvala ne,” while Hungary continued its streak of qualifications. They’ve now made it back eight years in a row — that’s every year since they returned to the contest in 2011. Serbia returns to the final after two straight eliminations.

Eurovision 2018: Semi-final 2 results

Semi-Final 2 Qualifiers

Serbia: Sanja Ilic & Balkanika – “Nova deca”

Moldova: DoReDos – “My Lucky Day”

Hungary: AWS – “Viszlát nyár”

Ukraine: Mélovin – “Under the Ladder”

Sweden: Benjamin Ingrosso – “Dance You Off”

Australia: Jessica Mauboy – “We Got Love”

Norway: Alexander Rybak – “That’s How You Write a Song”

Denmark: Rasmussen – “Higher Ground”

Slovenia: Lea Sirk – “Hvala, ne!”

The Netherlands: Waylon – “Outlaw in ‘Em”

Eliminated acts

Latvia: Laura Rizzotto – “Funny Girl”

Poland: Gromee feat. Lukas Meijer – “Light Me Up”

Malta: Christabelle – “Taboo”

Russia: Julia Samoylova – “I Won’t Break”

Montenegro: Vanja Radovanovic – “Inje”

Romania: The Humans – “Goodbye”

Georgia: Ethno-Jazz Band Iriao – “For You”

San Marino: Jessika feat. Jenifer Brening – “Who We Are”

Semi-Final 2 reaction video

Do you agree with tonight’s results? Did the best acts make it through? Which eliminated act was the most wronged? Let us know in the comments box below?

601 Comments
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Jonas
Jonas
5 years ago

Hmm. If norway got 7 in the running order. Does that maby tell us that it didn’t do as good in the semi as the odds predicted? I think so.

drag kvinna
5 years ago

I’m not your pork, stupid dork!

Puccibaba
Puccibaba
5 years ago

Melovin needs to improve his pronunciation game. Love his energy and voice, oooh and the confidence! But. The. P-R-O-N-U-N-C-I-A-T-I-O-N. Melovin honey, I believe in you but pleeeeeeease… I swear I heard him sing “anus” at one point during last night’s performance.

kirk
kirk
5 years ago
Reply to  Puccibaba

Yes. Sad but true.

Beth
Beth
5 years ago
Reply to  Puccibaba

“Curtains down im laughing in the trail, helping to unravel. Tangle up my anus sense inside, pain is to be severed”. Oh boy.

Puccibaba
Puccibaba
5 years ago
Reply to  Beth

Oh yeah, that was it! Anus sense inside

Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga
5 years ago

Is it me just me or many performers in the 2nd semi sound like they are losing their voices and they looked tired. EBU should revisit filming the rehearsals or making it available to people because the artists feel that each take they need to give all their vocals. Then on the show that matters, they sound hoarse & tired. Like pop stars when they go on tour, they do not perform all out during their rehearsals, only at certain takes to preserve their voice. And people here are hyper critical for the vocals during rehearsals. I’d rather have bland… Read more »

Anita
Anita
5 years ago
Reply to  Lady Gaga

so true!

Duncan
Duncan
5 years ago

Malta please, next year try to choose a different type of song than your usual. Richard Micallef would have been perfect for this year. Those type of songs always do great at Eurovision. Just look at Gianluca and how well he did. Nothing wrong with Taboo… just that DIFFERENT sometimes is better than a simple GOOD song. Anyways good luck to all performances…. ukraine and denmark are incredible by the way. Completely original and brilliant !

Gabriel
Gabriel
5 years ago

Holland
.norway and hungary so boring songs. It is a pitty to leave out to malta and poland.

Raisa Winter
Raisa Winter
5 years ago

Denmark is still very much my favourite from all of the songs however I have to admit after that great performance yesterday Melovin has definitely got my attention. We had never had the pleasure of such a mesmerizing, gothic and romantic show on stage at Eurovision <3

esc
esc
5 years ago

The reason that people to find to explain why poland is out is because he had “weak vocals”. Did you hear australia?

JEFFERSON
JEFFERSON
5 years ago
Reply to  esc

Really, Jessica horrible in live.

esc
esc
5 years ago

Nothing’s a surprise except for serbia and slovenia in; poland and malta out.

Gtyhygf
Gtyhygf
5 years ago

This semi was so sad to watch. I guess ebu wanted australia and sweden to go through. They should have mixed stronger songs between the semis. Ebu it so corrupt it’s appalling

JEFFERSON
JEFFERSON
5 years ago
Reply to  Gtyhygf

VERY WELL noted friend!

Nico
Nico
5 years ago

“Serbia returns to the final after two straight eliminations”

No, they’ve been in the final in 2016. They only failed 2017.

frals
frals
5 years ago

Very weak semifinal. I was very surprised to see Australia qualifying with such a weak and badly sang song. If it was not Australian but i.e. Polish or Latvian entry it would have ended up last. Europe really needs to stop this hype around Australia and grant them place in the final no matter what they send at the expense of other non-privileged European countries with better songs (see Romania or Latvia this year). I also believe Norway only qualified because of the charming Alexander and Scandic block voting, the song was just mediocre, there were plenty better ones with… Read more »

Lazarevfan95
Lazarevfan95
5 years ago

Russia clearly didn’t want to qualify. They treated her disgustingly and only sent her to not look bad for breaking their promise and after this i will never vote for them even if they have Sergey representing them. Compare her staging to Polina’s and she shouldn’t of been singing in a language she can barely speak.

At the same time i am glad that people didn’t vote for her out of pity and sympathy that would be ableist

AngieP
AngieP
5 years ago

I expected Russia and Romania not to qualify. There were stronger songs, Now, only Ukraine and the newcomer Australia hold their qualification record. Slovenia was a surprise for me but they deserve it. Great performance! I also thought Montenegro would go through instead of Serbia. The announcement is supposed to be in no particular order, but it’s obvious they kept the suspence. The announced Serbia first and everything we expected was deleted. A little later they announced the obvious ones ( Hungary, Sweden, Ukraine, Australia) and at the end they left Waylon waiting. I have to say I was confident… Read more »

JEFFERSON
JEFFERSON
5 years ago

Congratulations Serbia for the qualification. Congratulations Romania for the show, I loved it! Congratulations Russia and Malta and Poland, and Montenegro as well. This is not quality contest, it’s fast food and imitate famous bad singers.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
5 years ago

Here is how I ranked the performances in this round:

9.56 Denmark+
9.53 Hungary+
9.51 Georgia
9.51 Norway+
9.49 Sweden+
9.42 Moldova+
9.42 Serbia+
9.40 Romania
9.40 Malta
9.38 Ukraine+

9.36 Netherlands+
9.35 Montenegro
9.31 Australia+
9.28 Slovenia+
9.25 Latvia
9.24 Poland
9.21 San Marino
9.11 Russia

Who would have thought that Russia and Azerbaijan would BOTH be eliminated in the same year?

Nora
Nora
5 years ago
Reply to  CookyMonzta

Romania eliminated for the first time too. I am shocked lol

Simon
Simon
5 years ago

Montenegro,Georgia was very dated.
Latvia is last i think because no one remembers it. Romania was very bland also
San Marino,Russia,Poland didnt sing good att jury rehearsel or on the night.
And finally the crime: Malta, there are always one that miss because of hard competition.
Thats why i think they missed.

Switzerland,Belarus would NEVER missed if they were in semi 2. sad….

Sam
Sam
5 years ago
Reply to  Simon

Next time Latvia should send a handsome looking gay, the same like Ukraine, Norway and Sweden did. Then they would have better success.

Gtyhygf
Gtyhygf
5 years ago
Reply to  Simon

“San Marino,Russia,Poland didnt sing good att jury rehearsel or on the night.”
I dunno man, there were a lot of performances with bad vocals that got throuh to the final – like Greece and Australia in 2017, or Denmark today. San Marino has always been great vocally. And as for Poland, in 2016 and 2017 they had perfect and outstanding vocals and still the juries ranked it very low.

Paula
Paula
5 years ago
Reply to  Gtyhygf

@Gtyhygf Juries never ranked Poland low.

filipko54
filipko54
5 years ago

very sad day for Russia, they’re not in the final for the first time and they lost for the first time in hockey championship 2018 against us (Czech Republic) 😀

AniLorak
AniLorak
5 years ago

If there is more tasteless performance than Moldova’s, I haven’t seen it.

Well well
Well well
5 years ago
Reply to  AniLorak

It was the same director as Ani Lorak in 2008

esc
esc
5 years ago
Reply to  AniLorak

Moldova’s song is outdated but the performance was creative. So I guess that’s the reason why they went through the final.

Mel
Mel
5 years ago

Hungary was AMAZING. This is the true dark horse in my opinion.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
5 years ago

I have questions about Serbia and the Netherlands making it. But Slovenia is there too so I won’t complain! Feeling sorry for Romania, Malta and Poland.

Nora
Nora
5 years ago

That’s what you get for not choosing Esamiba, Latvia. Hopefully it was a good lesson.

Andi
Andi
5 years ago
Reply to  Nora

Esamiba wouldn’t have qualified either…

YourMan
YourMan
5 years ago
Reply to  Andi

Esamiba would be in Top 15 in the final. That’s for sure. Latvians made a wrong choice with choosing Funny Girl. I knew it stood no chance since the beginning.

Matty
Matty
5 years ago

Slovenia and Serbia were the biggest surprises this year! I never thought they would qualify for the final, but I am so happy Russia failed! This year it didn’t deserve the final at all!

Plum
Plum
5 years ago
Reply to  Matty

Every year some countries lose and others win. In the previous years Sergey, Polina, Tolmachev sisters, Dina Garipova – they all passed semifinals and it was absolutely deserved. Julia didn’t pass – and it was deserved too. That’s all. Nothing special. I see no reason for being HAPPY or unhappy about Russian failure since it won’t change your life neither to the better nor to the worse.

Ted
Ted
5 years ago

Yes, great performance Serbia! Nothing worse than sore losers. Disgusting behaviour by some people here.

Artip
Artip
5 years ago

Iam sad about Malta and Poland 🙁 Malta was great for me she was the best last night.And i was suprise about Romania.I dont like studio version but live was great.Malta,Poland,Romania,Grecce,Macedonia :(:(:(
And people dont say bad about Serbia.They make good work to.
I hope Bulgaria win this year.

Otto
Otto
5 years ago

Haha yeah was thinking the same thing watching yesterday. Clearly big budget and the song was clearly written by a hitmachine. Unfortunately she wasn’t the right person to deliver it. Her voice and appearance didn’t match the song somehow.

MaryJane
MaryJane
5 years ago

I would have somehow changed Serbia with Romania.. Both songs are mediocre, but at least Romania had a show.
After this, Romania should really consider scraping the whole national selection process with countless semifinals and do an internal selection. I mean every year most of the songs are really, really poor. If they do a contract with some good singer or composer, something good can come out for sure.
However, if Feli would have been the Romanian representative, Romania most probably would have flown to the final with no issue.

AurelianTamisan
AurelianTamisan
5 years ago
Reply to  MaryJane

It’s the first time Romania is not reaching the final, so you can’t say that Selectia Nationala had such bad results so far. It is an idea with the internal selection too, it’s true, but that would mean maybe some money lost by TVR without a televised show. The big problem is, in my opinion, the low interest from the public and here I agree with you, with a national selection where just 5000 people are voting, the results might not be conclusive, which is the case this year. And of course, if they change it to an internal selection,… Read more »

MaryJane
MaryJane
5 years ago

I guess they lose more money with the shows than with the internal selection.. 🙂

Ally
Ally
5 years ago

Has anyone mentioned great Walyons’ vocals? Impressed! Flawless performance.

obvilivion
obvilivion
5 years ago

i feel happy for serbia…what an amazing night

obvilivion
obvilivion
5 years ago

russia will not be involved next year

obvilivion
obvilivion
5 years ago

boring

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
5 years ago

With Russia, Romania and Azerbaijan out for the first time ever, we no longer have a country with a 100% qualification rate except the Big 5. This is such an interesting year for Eurovision. So disappointed on Malta and Montenegro missing out though but congrats to Slovenia well deserved. That staged music glitch was perfect! Almost had me there. Talk about being hoodwinked 😉

blondboybc
blondboybc
5 years ago

Actually, that’s not true. Australia and Ukraine still maintain their untarnished qualifying streak, so they are now a very unique couple! 🙂

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
5 years ago
Reply to  blondboybc

Cool! I hope they keep it up 😉

AurelianTamisan
AurelianTamisan
5 years ago

Ukraine and Australia are still having a 100% rate.

Nathan
Nathan
5 years ago

“Serbia returns to the final after two straight eliminations.” It’s actually only one (2017).

Dnado
Dnado
5 years ago

10/10

Ohhannac
Ohhannac
5 years ago

I love these stats – give me more as I love all of this analysis! On top of the stats in the Popbitch guide every year it is so interesting to see patterns – as a person who only places bets on Eurovision every year I love using this info alongside my own feelings about songs. I’ve managed to pick some outsiders on an each way for my brother in law a couple of times based on stats and press reaction.

Nicola
Nicola
5 years ago

I’ll try and comment about every songs or just groups of songs: MY TOP 3 were: 1. Ukraine (12p) 2. Hungary (10p) 3. Poland (8p) P.S: I really struggled to do this! OTHER COMMENTS: – As Australia could vote in this semi, I decided that I was only going to vote for 10 songs, once each. These were (in running order): Norway, Denmark, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Sweden, Slovenia and Ukraine. – I am angry and pi**ed about Poland not qualifying (as you can see from above). I would easily swap this song with Serbia as, in my… Read more »

taco
taco
5 years ago
Reply to  Nicola

I can understand that when a favorite act does not get through you are disappointed, but to be fair, Poland did not perform so well. The song is quite light and commercial to begin with, and that should not be a problem if every aspect of the performance was spot on…and that was not the case. Totally out of tune for at least half the song. The build up of the song was not in line with the pyro and camera angles and so on. Shame but I can understand Poland is not through.

Realist
Realist
5 years ago
Reply to  Nicola

“The song was boring.”

If that’s the only critique you have, that just means the genre is not for you, which is fine. But Poland and Malta, who’s songs are great studio tracks, had live vocals that were TERRIBLE. Absolutely terrible.

Australia also suffered from terrible live vocals (again, good studio track) and lackluster staging. They did Jess dirty that way. I don’t know how it qualified. It would have never made it out of semi-final 1.

Tuvddtgccj57g
Tuvddtgccj57g
5 years ago

Semifinal 2 was such a nordic-block-voting fest

Eric
Eric
5 years ago

Sweden will win

Susan
Susan
5 years ago
Reply to  Eric

Dream on!

David
David
5 years ago
Reply to  Susan

Sweden is rising like a rocket on the bettings lists. Norway is dropping….

So yeah I dare to dream baby

Ann
Ann
5 years ago
Reply to  David

Haha, Sweden is rising because it’s Sweden and juries are swedophiles. But normal people are sick of this “ooh, aaaah, Sweden, great, oh yeah!”

Susan
Susan
5 years ago
Reply to  Ann

I don’t take betting odds seriously this year. It’s open field, when here a lot of people are confused, who is going to win, then why you think odds have a clue. You can see, how ridicolously they change all the time, after rehersals started 😀 I truly believe, that the winner is chosen, when we have seen the last performance. You know, the running order and how artist does this year, has a huge impact saturday. Some fail to deliver, look at Jessica for example, poor girl have lost hee voice already and with rehersals and singing to juries… Read more »

Nuuq_GL
Nuuq_GL
5 years ago
Reply to  David

Did you know btw that you have the same avatar by the nickname Eric, after your ip-address or email, so keep on praise Sweden but it is making you ridiculous as you have to do it from two different signatures to make it look like there were more of readers who like S. Ingrosso’s annoying singing and style.

Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago

Should waste more on the songwriting camp.

Peter
Peter
5 years ago
Reply to  Jo.

It is not about songs… It is about countries.

Emma
Emma
5 years ago

Great show again tonight…loved seeing the hosts involved in a bit of song & dance this time around. Made for a much more interesting show than Semi Final 1. My thoughts – Norway – Loved this song since the first time I heard it and the visuals elevate it perfectly. Preferred his performance at Melodi Grand Prix but there he was performing in front of an arena of screaming Norwegians and had the luxury of being able to have more performers on stage with him. Still a great start to the show and a deserved place in the final. Romania… Read more »

Rosie66
Rosie66
5 years ago

Wiwibloggs,please! The true europeans are attacking your Website! Bring in the Vikings .

Caliopecaliope
Caliopecaliope
5 years ago

Interesting. There is always a first time, but it is an indication how well the songs did in the semi final

Magpie
Magpie
5 years ago

Holy wow just like the first semi, 6 countries in the first half qualified for the final.

GermanQR
GermanQR
5 years ago

Please don’t ever let Australia lose faith, best thing to happen to EV ever. Stellar level, in every single one of their appearances. I’m with Bulgaria this year, but please! Do these guys down under know their sh*t or what? Top 5 again

albert
albert
5 years ago

lol actually it’s kinda funny now that you mentioned it

Caliopecaliope
Caliopecaliope
5 years ago

Am I the only one that liked Serbia? I thought it was so nice. Liked Romania too, sad for you guys. She has a very nice voice

Emanuel
Emanuel
5 years ago
Reply to  Caliopecaliope

Yes, you are!

Dnado
Dnado
5 years ago
Reply to  Caliopecaliope

no

Darth Thulhu
Darth Thulhu
5 years ago
Reply to  Caliopecaliope

Well, they qualified for the Final, so quite clearly SOMEONE other than you also liked them, or they wouldn’t have had the points to qualify ; )

Unknown
Unknown
5 years ago
Reply to  Caliopecaliope

Great performance by Balkanika. Thumbs up

Geeky Monky
Geeky Monky
5 years ago

Yulia and the girls representing San Marino didn’t deserve all that was thrown at them. Yulia did her best and it was her dream. I’m glad she’s got to see the ocean and hope she had fun despite everything. The girls did actually very well. Was an entertaining performance and I hope neither they nor San Marino gets demoralized. I found it disrespectful they put her atop of a “mountain”. Why couldn’t she be in a cool wheelchair and a long gala dress for instance? Would be more humane. Maybe they only meant well, but that’s what I think about… Read more »

Dnado
Dnado
5 years ago
Reply to  Geeky Monky

true.

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
5 years ago
Reply to  Geeky Monky

I think the hate she received from local and international press got to her team. I know she’s just trying to avoid the ‘sympathy card’ yet look at Poland in 2015. I guess there was pressure for her because she had to follow up on Sergey Lazarev’s performance in 2016.

AurelianTamisan
AurelianTamisan
5 years ago
Reply to  Geeky Monky

All the respect to Russia, which respected their artist and let Julia participate this year after last year’s episode. And I think they were aware about this possible result. It is what Romania didn’t do with Ovidiu Anton after 2016.

StannyB
StannyB
5 years ago

RUNNING ORDER FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVENT SEEN IT YET

01. Ukraine
02. Spain
03. Slovenia
04. Lithuania
05. Austria
06. Estonia
07. Norway
08. Portugal
— break position
09. United Kingdom
10. Serbia
11. Germany
12. Albania
13. France
14. Czech Republic
15. Denmark
16. Australia
— break position
17. Finland
18. Bulgaria
19. Moldova
20. Sweden
21. Hungary
22. Israel
23. The Netherlands
24. Ireland
25. Cyprus
26. Italy

Geeky Monky
Geeky Monky
5 years ago
Reply to  StannyB

Based on that… France is going to win.

Danny
Danny
5 years ago
Reply to  Geeky Monky

LOL, aha

Geeky Monky
Geeky Monky
5 years ago
Reply to  Danny

Based on the positioning. 13th place.
And regardless, they have high chances, they are one of the favorites. And Israel and Cyprus by being two “fast songs” might anihilate each other.
Right now, this is my guess as to what will happen.

If they win let’s see if then you’ll also be LOLing.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
5 years ago
Reply to  Geeky Monky

Not only that; Finland is in the second-half with Cyprus. A diva clash might break them both as one cannibalizes the other both ways.

And who might benefit from this? IRELAND! Ryan sings before Eleni; and then we’ve got Italy to do even more damage as they get to close out the show.

Don’t be surprised if something less than 500 points wins this year.

sabine Monrosi
sabine Monrosi
5 years ago

its gonna be fun saturday!

Azaad
Azaad
5 years ago

Russia’s more or less in a proxy war with the EU and yet they still participate so this is just a dumb rumour