Thirty nine acts came to the Eurovision Song Contest, but tonight only 26 will have the chance to win your televote in the grand final. Over the past two weeks Team Wiwi have attended more than 80 rehearsals, two semi-finals and the jury final. Now it’s time to let you know who’s on top—and who’s gonna fuh-lop. As the contestants slip into their tighest pants ahead of tonight’s live show, you can read our country-by-country preview below. We’ve included the results of our fan prediction poll and rankings from the Wiwi Jury. To read our more in-depth song reviews, click on the country’s name.

Read this ahead of the show, or follow along as the contestants take to the stage tonight at 21:00 CET. Consider this our pre-recorded commentary. Love, Team Wiwi

France's Amandine Bourgeois
France’s Amandine Bourgeois

1. France: Amandine Bourgeois with “L’enfer et moi”

Memorable lyrics: “I’m gonna give you hell”

Vive la France! Amandine has been done wrong, and that is what makes this song so right. She comes off as sick and twisted as she rails against an ex. “You made me cry with burning tears/ My neck still carries your brand/ Skin to skin, fear to fear.” The rage she exudes on stage suggests she’d like to cut off his wang and pour wax into the wound. On the close-ups you’ll notice that her crucifix earrings resemble daggers. Throw some points her way or puppies will die. We love the crazy—and the conviction.

Poll Ranking: 23     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 9

Lithuania's Andrius Pojavis
Lithuania’s Andrius Pojavis

2. Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis with “Something”

Memorable lyrics: “If you don’t know, I’m in love with you”

Andrius has some of the bushiest eyebrows in this year’s competition (see our video here), but if you can look past them you’ll realize there’s something about “Something”. A quiet sweetness elevates this beyond a bad cover of The Killers. The song is more chatty than melodious. That gives it real accessibility, as do the lyrics which all y’all can relate to. “If you don’t know, I’m in love with you/ When summertime falls, it becomes untrue/ Because of the shoes, I’m wearing today/ One is called love, the other is pain.”

Poll Ranking: 20     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 12

Moldova's Aliona Moon
Moldova’s Aliona Moon

3. Moldova: Aliona Moon with “O Mie” 

Memorable lyrics: “Go away! Now, I’m done.”

Moldova may be Europe’s poorest country, but they still invested an un-Godly sum into Aliona’s ballgown, which needed to be flown separately to Malmö and stretches nearly three metres. It provides the dramatic focal point to the act by changing color several times over the three minutes. When a platform raises the singer into the air you realize that the gown is bigger than a Christmas tree. The 1980s back-up dancers in white denim need to go. But the song’s unbelievable bridge gives it one of the biggest climaxes of the night.

Poll Ranking: 17    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 15

Finland's Krista Siegfrids
Finland’s Krista Siegfrids

4. Finland: Krista Siegfrids with “Marry Me”

Memorable lyrics: “I’m your slave, and you’re my master”

If a nuclear bomb ever want off in Las Vegas, the aftermath might resemble Krista’s stage act. Her high-octane number pops with pink garter belts and purple tuxes, and a wedding veil that looks pretty fierce when unfurled in front of a wind machine. Some have called this act “trash” and compared Krista to a cat in heat. This isn’t fair: It’s not her fault she looks like a porn star. After interviewing her in AmsterdamLondon and Malmö, Team Wiwi have totally bought into this act that parodies the lengths women go to in search of a man. The lesbian kiss at the end of this compelled Turkey to pull its broadcast of Eurovision. This message of equality deserves to be shared with 120 million viewers tonight. When Krista says “Marry me” we can’t help but say, “We do!”

Poll Ranking: 15   Wiwi Jury Ranking: 16

Spain's El Sueno de Morfeo
Spain’s El Sueno de Morfeo

5. Spain: El Sueno de Morfeo with “Contigo hasta el final”

Memorable lyrics: “Let us go without fear”

This song is so middle-of-the-road that the Spanish might as well paint a white line down the middle of the stage. The Celtic opening is pleasant enough. But just like inoffensive wallpaper you quickly forget that it’s there. In our Wiwi Jury review we were more taken with the lead singer’s ability to ride a horse in her official music video than we were with her knack for songwriting. This is bargain bin material a desperate housewife would play during a bubble bath.

Poll Ranking: 19     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 25

Belgium's Roberto Bellarosa
Belgium’s Roberto Bellarosa

6. Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa with “Love Kills”

Memorable lyrics: “Through the consequence of fire comes the burn”

We have a strange feeling that Roberto’s back-up dancers took a bit too much ketamine earlier this week. They manage to dance in-sync, though we question whether they would repeat these moves after a good night’s sleep and some water. The song has an incredibly weak bridge, but the chorus more than makes up for that. We’ve been impressed with Roberto’s steady growth since he unveiled his song earlier this spring (aided, no doubt, by a week-long boot camp to Finland to work with the songwriters). In March we said that “Love Kills” deserved an early death. Today we’re convinced that this 18-year-old could become one of Belgium’s best digitally re-mastered artists. (He’s also looking for love in Malmö. Watch our interview here).

Poll Ranking: 22      Wiwi Jury Ranking: 26

Estonia's Birgit
Estonia’s Birgit

7. Estonia: Birgit Oigemeel with “Et uus saaks alguse”

Memorable lyrics: “We need the night so the day can bring us light”

We haven’t spent much time reviewing this one, and it ain’t a coincidence. All week we kept forgetting that this song was in the contest until Team Wiwi saw Birgit turn up at parties with a microphone.  Bad sign. Despite the Wiwi Jury’s reservations, Birgit has made her way to the final by deploying a black-and-white camera shot, and by hitting one long extended high note during the bridge. Honestly, there isn’t much more to this than that. To her credit she’s five months pregnant and rocks her maternity wear like no other. And after seeing this during the semis, we have to admit that it’s a grower. We no longer blame her morning sickness on the song. It must be the baby.

Poll Ranking: 25      Wiwi Jury Ranking: 22

Belarus' Alyona Lanskaya
Belarus’ Alyona Lanskaya

8. Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya with “Solayoh”

Memorable lyrics: “A rush of excitement flowed into my ears”

Belarus is about to take us to Planet Solayoh—a place where “the sun is always shinin’ on ya” and where we “play-oh, play-oh to the rhythm of a cha-cha.” The Belarusian never leaves home without her giant disco ball, which her dancers use to wheel her on the stage. The staging is on point and this sizzling number should burn a path straight into the Top 10. We’ve said it about a million times now, but her singularly silver costume may or may not represent one-party rule. If this beauty had been around in the late 80s, maybe Communism would have survived.

Poll Ranking: 10     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 13

Malta's Gianluca Bezzina
Malta’s Gianluca Bezzina

9. Malta: Gianluca  Bezzina with “Tomorrow”

Memorable lyrics: “Risk assessment is his investment”

Malta relies heavily on audience participation. Not a clever idea considering that most of that audience looks pretty indifferent to this. Gianluca is really lovable, and he will be remembered fondly as ESC’s Mr Amity. Sadly, it may stall there. The back-up singers on the bench scream Sesame Street, underscoring the amateur nature of all this. The opening lyrics are easily the worst in the contest: “His name is Jeremy, working in IT.”

Poll Ranking: 6    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 14

Russia's Dina Garipova
Russia’s Dina Garipova

10. Russia: Dina Garipova with “What If?”

Memorable lyrics: “What if we aimed to stop the alarms?”

I’m surprised the postcard for this one doesn’t feature Dina cooking macaroni & cheese, because this sh*t is OVER THE TOP with the schmaltz factor. She sings about peace and harmony, but we seriously doubt she would sing this if stationed at Tsandryphsh (the border town between Georgia and Russia). Towards the end of the song she and her back-up singers hold hands and throw two blue balls into the audience. Sorry, people, but this song needs to go. Like we’ve said a number of times, this ain’t a Coca-Cola commercial from the 1970s…it’s Eurovision 2013! (Read about the plagiarism allegations facing this act by clicking here).

Poll Ranking: 16     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 11

Germany's Cascada
Germany’s Cascada

11.  Germany: Cascada with “Glorious”

Memorable lyrics: “Found a love that eyes cannot see”

In her postcard lead singer Natalie Horler wears a sweater with an American flag. But Cascada’s front woman was actually born in Germany to British parents. No wonder she translates so well across borders. This act consistently receives some of the loudest applause in the press centre….but that may just reflect the fact everyone in this room is a gay man. She spends the first two minutes stomping it out on the top of a glass staircase and then works every inch of the runway shouting “we are young and wild and free.” It’s as glorious as the title suggests.

Poll Ranking: 9     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 7

Armenia's Dorians
Armenia’s Dorians

12. Armenia: Dorians with “Lonely Planet”

Memorable lyrics: “Who can save you?”

In their effort to find something deep, the Dorians have delivered something utterly shallow. These lyrics make no sense. “Who can change the night and day? Who’s the one with clever face? That can tell us what is in the space? Playing games that none can play.” Whatever game they are playing, they are running foul of good taste and inspiration. This is easily Armenia’s worst-ever entry, and that includes its various efforts at Junior Eurovision. The Dorians have a good message, which they were all too happy to tell us about earlier this week. But the staging adds no value and climaxes with some fireballs. Let’s hope they aren’t wearing hairspray.

Poll Ranking: 26    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 24

Holland's Anouk
Holland’s Anouk

13. The Netherlands: Anouk with “Birds”

Memorable lyrics: “No air, no pride”

Those Armenian fireballs lead us to a more sombre number from Holland. Anouk, one of her country’s most established musicians, plays with darkness in this Skyfall-esque ballad. Throw yourself into it and you’ll quickly realize this isn’t pop—it’s poetry. The lyrics suggest that the end of love is akin to the end of the world (hence all the dying birds). But Anouk finds meaning beneath all the feathers. “If being myself is what I do wrong then I would rather not be right/ Hopes turn into fear with my one wing I can fly.” (Watch her kinky bondage video here.)

Poll Ranking: 4    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 1

Romania's Cezar Ouatu
Romania’s Cezar Ouatu

14. Romania: Cezar Ouatu with “It’s My Life” 

Memorable lyrics: “It’s my life and I know it’s not forever”

One of the world’s foremost countertenors, Cezar sings most of this song in falsetto. Given that he doesn’t like to shave, the casual viewer might mistake him for a bearded lady. Cezar stands on a tower throughout this song, perched above what appears to be a bloody placenta (in reality a red tarp that gives birth to several interpretive dancers). And while this may scream kitsch, it can also read as a celebration of life and renewal. “Love is so deep and it makes my life complete,” he says. “Like a mountain in the sky love is high so high.”

Poll Ranking: 2    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 16

The U.K.'s Bonnie Tyler
The U.K.’s Bonnie Tyler

15. United Kingdom: Bonnie Tyler with “Believe in Me”

Memorable lyrics: “You never see the rainbow, you just curse the rain”

Bonnie Tyler attempts to take Eurovision to Nashville with her number “Believe in Me”. Sadly Tennessee fits into Eurovision about as well as vegetarian at a meat convention. Bonnie is an icon, and this song is simply beneath her. Making her sing “Believe in Me” is like telling an Oscar-winning actress that she’ll be starring in the Canton, Ohio production of Cats. Song aside, Bonnie’s voice has taken an even raspier turn and we’re pretty convinced that she’s been going heavy on the cigars. And her dancing makes her look like a reanimated corpse. Thank God for the platform that raises Bonnie up at the end of the number. It’s the only thing that gives this song lift…

Poll Ranking: 11    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 21

Sweden's Robin Stjernberg
Sweden’s Robin Stjernberg

16. Sweden: Robin Stjernberg with “You”

Memorable lyrics: “Isn’t it crazy? Isn’t it crazy?”

Sweden obviously can’t afford to host Eurovision for a second year in a row. That’s the only way to explain why they’ve put their singer in a hideous khaki jumpsuit with white asymmetrical cape. His voice cracks more than the polar ice caps in the summer, and not even the bizarre dancing can take our attention off of that. However, we want to applaud Robin for his dramatic weight loss. We hope he keeps off that weight! P.S. He claims that the “You” he is thinking about are his family and friends. Ain’t no romance here.

Poll Ranking: 12     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 8

Hungary's ByeAlex
Hungary’s ByeAlex

17. Hungary: ByeAlex with “Kedvesem” 

Memorable lyrics: “She plunges into the deep sea and dances up on top of clouds”

When you’ve had too many barbiturates, then it’s time to take some downers. Enter Alex, aka Lorazepam. The best thing about this act is the hunk on the guitar that we don’t see enough of. This song is a meditation on love and Alex croons about his lady who, it sounds like, has her own prescription drug habit. “My sweetheart is a girl who is torn by wacky dreams/ In the mornings her messy hair/ Is braided by winds, this is why she’s different/ She’s my sweetheart.”

Poll Ranking: 21    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 20

Denmark's Emmelie de Forest
Denmark’s Emmelie de Forest

18. Denmark: Emmelie de Forest with “Only Teardrops”

Memorable lyrics: “No shooting star to guide us”

Of all the songs at Eurovision this year, “Only Teardrops” is the one that will play well in the most markets. It has East-West appeal, is radio-friendly and actually has a story to tell. Themes of division and unity apply to love, politics, and the environment—and cut across all cultures. The tribal drumming taps into our most basic instincts and would have stirred a reaction in the first homo sapiens, the mandarins, and Enlightenment thinkers, just as it will in today’s bright young things, super models, and fans of pop. This song will age well as it’s timeless and has no borders. Mature lyrics with a spiritual delivery. A musical orgasm. A perfect ten. Look out for Emmelie’s crazy stalker eyes at about 30 seconds as she stares at the stunningly handsome flute player.

Poll Ranking: 3      Wiwi Jury Ranking: 2

Iceland's Eythor Ingi
Iceland’s Eythor Ingi

19. Iceland: Eyþór Ingi Gunnlaugsson with “Ég á Líf” 

Memorable lyrics: “Don’t think about anything until the following day”

When Eythor Ingi thrusts his hands outward at the climax of this number, you might mistake him for a blond Jesus on the cross. As he told us in a recent interview, he wants to connect witty all y’all on an emotional level.  “I am alive, I am alive/ I glide above every hardship/ I am alive, I am alive.” The camera focuses on him for the first two minutes. A backing choir comes into the frame towards the end. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was this song, so stick with it. We totally get why his girlfriend has succumb to his charms and why she accompanies him on romantic walks to the grocery store.

Poll Ranking: 18    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 18

Azerbaijan's Farid Mammadov
Azerbaijan’s Farid Mammadov

20. Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov with “Hold Me”

Memorable lyrics: “We’ve hit overload, about to explode”

At the beginning of his number Farid says that “we’ve hit overload, about to explode.” That’s appropriate given that he’s the star of plenty of wet dreams here in Malmö (see this shirtless picture if you need proof of this). Fortunately you won’t actually need a towel for tonight’s broadcast, but you may need a tissue. This emotional number conveys the pain of a man who misses his woman, and the torture that ensues as he realizes that she’s “given up on the one [she] loved.” His team convey his inner torment by encasing a dancer in a glass case who initially mirrors Farid, but ultimately comes unhinged. Azerbaijan has invested its oil money well: This act looks expensive but still has a soul.

Poll Ranking: 1    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 5

Greece's Koza Mostra
Greece’s Koza Mostra

21. Greece: Koza Mostra with “Alcohol is Free” 

Memorable lyrics: “Alcohol is free”

During our recent live chat on Google Plus with Koza Mostra, the band explained why they wear kilts on stage and in their official music video. It’s all about bridging the divide in Europe by uniting the kilt, which comes from Scotland, one of the westernmost places in Europe, and Greek music, which was obviously born in the East. Plenty of folks say that the song itself doesn’t ever take flight. It’s monotonous and lacks a worthy payoff, leaving it as bankrupt as Greece’s economy. But the song’s clever political message—which you can deduce from the lyrics—make me like this. So does the party atmosphere and spirit of fun that colours every bar of this. In a time of austerity we all need to chill out.

Poll Ranking: 7    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 23

Ukraine's Zlata Ognevich
Ukraine’s Zlata Ognevich

22. Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich with “Gravity”

Memorable lyrics: “Something happens and it seems like a strike of thunder”

The team from WiwiBloggs.com has spent a lot of time with Zlata this year. First we interviewed her live on Eurovision.tv. Then we caught up with her in Amsterdam. Both times she was absolutely charming and proved that some people don’t need to be PhotoShopped because they really are that beautiful. The same could be said of her song, which needs absolutely no digital re-mastering. Zlata is the voice of Eurovision 2013 and she has enough firepower to make us forget about the occasionally ridiculous lyrics and the fact that her song sounds like the soundtrack to a National Geographic documentary on hippos. As part of her fairy tale she has flown in Igor Vovkovinskiy, the tallest man in the United States, who stands 7ft 8in and lives with gigantism. He carries her on to the stage and, as Ognevich explains, “into the circle of life through the magic forest”. Good luck unpacking that.

Poll Ranking: 5      Wiwi Jury Ranking: 3

Italy's Marco Mengoni
Italy’s Marco Mengoni

23. Italy: Marco Mengoni with “L’essenziale”

Memorable lyrics: “I annihilate your every single pain”

In case you’re wondering what colour suit to surprise your husband with, this is not it, folks (even if it is Salvatore Ferragamo). Rumour has it that with each vote for Italy a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a fund to buy Marco Mengoni a comb. Now, Marco is a very successful singer — he actually won Italy’s celebrated San Remo competition. But I don’t think he ever learned that looking into the camera from time to time can help convey his message, especially when he’s singing in a language that very few people understand. This is a good song but it never really takes off. Maybe that’s why Marco never really appears to be ‘there’ when he is on stage.

Poll Ranking: 14     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 19

Norway's Margaret Berger
Norway’s Margaret Berger

24. Norway: Margaret Berger with “I Feed You My Love” 

Memorable lyrics: “Bring the fire, I don’t care if it hurts”

This song proves to us all that understanding the lyrics doesn’t necessarily mean you will grasp the meaning of the song. Margaret Berger sings about ‘feeding us her love’, and even though I have no clue what that really means, I want some of it asap. The staging is dramatic, with a deep blue backdrop, a white hips-don’t-lie dress, and robotic gestures throughout. That’s so now. As for the song, it’s modern, classy and sophisticated. If you’re looking to vote for a contemporary song, this is the one for you, folks!

Poll Ranking: 8    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 6

Georgia's Sophie & Nodi
Georgia’s Sophie & Nodi

25. Georgia: Nodi & Sophie with “Waterfall”

Memorable lyrics: “Feels like I’m flying like if I had wings”

The Georgian postcard is totes amaze, and sets the romantic tone beautifully. This is a lovely ballad performed by two lovelier people. Some say it’s yet another ballad that just gets louder and louder, but such a reduction misses the point. As Nodi and Sophie pump up the decibels, they take us all higher. With Western voters split between Denmark and Norway, this could sneak in and cause a real stir at the top. We’re still not sure why they end this with fire shooting into the air. Perhaps their waterfall dried up?

Poll Ranking: 24    Wiwi Jury Ranking: 4

Ireland's Ryan Dolan
Ireland’s Ryan Dolan

26. Ireland: Ryan Dolan with “Only Love Survives”

Memorable lyrics: “So let the world collide, don’t be afraid.”

Filling Jedward’s shoes is really difficult, and Ryan Dolan does his best. He may be straight, but he knows how to appeal to a gay fan base so he brought in gratuitously naked back-up drummers/dancers to spice up his act. The song itself is good enough, even if it will suffer from cannibalization against Belgium. And you may be too aroused by the dancers to actually pay attention to the song.

Poll Ranking: 13     Wiwi Jury Ranking: 9

Photos: Thomase Hanses and Sander Hesterman (EBU)

You can read our song reviews on the Wiwi Jury page. Then read the lyrics to this year’s entries on our contestants page. And then vote for your favourite contestants in our various polls.

28 Comments
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daniel
10 years ago

i@ redarrow iam voteing for malta you are right such a cute song and a very smile from the singer so my 12 points going to malta

redarrow
10 years ago

i hope europe will vote for th maltese song . whats wrong with the begining of the song? oh oh oh ooh hes name is jeremy working in i.t i find it quite cute and as the song go along it gets more cute so pls vote for malta thank you europe good luck

Winnie
Winnie
10 years ago

Norway & Denmark have really good songs and are surely the top 2. Also rooting for Malta this year…they deserve a good placing with this song and in my opinion it should make it to top 10, if not 5.

Sally
Sally
10 years ago

I’m from Serbia and trust me, we’re all going to vote for Denmark. I’m sure that same thing will happen in other Ex-Yu countries… So DENMARK IS WINNER!!!

Anna
Anna
10 years ago

*was boRn in Germany and hAs lived there all her life.

Sorry, I’m not wearing my glasses.. 😉

Anna
Anna
10 years ago

I think referring to Cascada’s Natalie Horler as “a British-born singer” is a tad misleading. Her parents are British and she has a British passport, but she was bon in Germany and his lived there all her life.

Onur
Onur
10 years ago

I personally think that UK will be in top 5 for sure.. as her singing is very amusing and fantastic over all. However, this years Eurovision was tremendously awful.

michael
michael
10 years ago

Romania is the best !

Deanna
Deanna
10 years ago

Personally I really like Bonnie’s song ‘Believe in Me’. I think we need to believe in her I think she could do really well.

Mark Dowd
Mark Dowd
10 years ago

Response to Sal…this “political voting” thing to overdone. All winners have to get together a wide coalition of votes from different countries. Azerbaijan won in 2011 with only three full 12 pts votes, pulling in votes from everywhere. Every song that has won in recent years, I’d say, has been a worthy winner. Broad appeal across ages and nations is what wins you Eurovision – not “fixing.” Finland was always laughed at for their “nul pts”, so how come they could win in 2006? Lordi was a class act. And novel. Rock songs rarely win Eurovision. Bring it on!!

hutsgobat
hutsgobat
10 years ago

Of course Anouk from The Netherlands has to win this. A Original and beautiful, quite melancholic song, sung without any strange dresses or other parafernalia. Pure, right-out from the heart and moving as hell.
It’s about music folks!!!!! And that’s in the stunning performance of this georgeous MILF

MOON-FLOWER
10 years ago

MY FAVOURITE COUNTRYS: AZERBAYCAN & MALTA MUMBER ONE <3

MOON-FLOWER
10 years ago

<3 CANIM AZERBAYCANIM <3

ines
ines
10 years ago

alyonaaaaaaaaaaaa <3

Sal
Sal
10 years ago

This competition is no longer a singing contest for quite some while…you may as well bring 39 countries, shave the list for 26 entries in “who has the smelliest fart” and call it Eurovision song contest!
It is all about who will vote for whom and why, as if it were some kind of a stretegic board game (just read some of the comments here to realize that it is no longer about the song but alliances and neighborhoodships).

Sorry to say but winning is no longer the honor people may think of it, as it is not properly earned..

Giorgi
10 years ago

I personally think Georgia has a good chance of wining. i have read a lot of tweets and many people from caucasus region support Georgia, also Latvia and Belarus as always will give Georgia 12. Its comes as a little surprise but even Russian Fans like Georgian songs based on Youtube comments and Twitter posts, so they may give 7-8 points ( add to that political situation) add to that 3-4 points from western and norther European countries and Georgia will sneak into the top. Denmark may be a favorite because most of the bookmakers are from western europe but… Read more »

Rafa
Rafa
10 years ago

I really hope Denmark wins, but yes, Im worried because all Scandinavia are in the finale and all of them are quite good. So of course the votes are not gonna be clear for one of them in particular, If I’m not wrong, Denmark could have 12 points from Sweden and Iceland (Or 10 If you count that Norway is a strong contestant as well)… Let’s see what happen in a couple of hours.

Toxotis
10 years ago

With the current crisis in Europe the last thing we want to hear is sad and soulful ballads which heighten our own personal anxiety. Hopefully the votes will go to a lively, fun song from Greece to lift our spirits.

David Thielen
10 years ago

If the vote divides big time in both Scandinavia and the ex-USSR countries, then I predict that Romania takes it. Cezar has got something unique. It takes time to sink in so I think it depends on how many saw the semi final. But if enough did, it could bypass the two split groups.

Keep in mind there’s a difference between ex-USSR (strong cultural affinity across them) and eastern block (controlled by Russia for decades but different culture).

Jess in London
Jess in London
10 years ago

Hahaha: “Rumour has it that with each vote for Italy a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a fund to buy Marco Mengoni a comb.” Can someone get him some shampoo too?

Kiera
Kiera
10 years ago

In 2011 Azerbaijan won and only received 12 points from 3 countries.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
10 years ago

Jerry: You’re probably thinking what I’m thinking. The Scandinavian countries are going to collide for all the big points and clash with the East Europeans, leaving the possibility for Ireland to pick up a lot of stragglers who might put them 2nd, 3rd or 4th on their card, maybe even a 12-pointer or two. Those 6-to-10-pointers do add up. I would not be surprised if the Irish steal this title without getting a single 12-pointer. Has any country ever come close to doing that in the past?

Paige
Paige
10 years ago

Denmark’s not going to win, first off ALL Scandinavian’s are in the final, and Norway is close second, and thats going to cause a clash of votes (I wouldn’t count out Finland either). Norway also has a later running order, therefore more remembered. Also, Ukraine and Russia are going to simulate A LOT of points ex-Soviet countries, since all but Latvia are in the final. Also Greece could win, because guess who all of the ex-Yugoslav countries will be voting for? Greece! And do you know why? Maybe because people couldn’t send any of the good Balkan countries into the… Read more »

Jamaraqueer
Jamaraqueer
10 years ago

blah, blah, blah. farid has the body. ukraine has the face. denmark has the staging. I HATE TO TELL EVERYONE BUT GEORGIA HAS THE SONG! TBLISI ’14!!!

Jerry
Jerry
10 years ago

It’s IRELAND baby! The dancers are only part of the spice 🙂 Screw the oddsmakers!

Ronaldo
Ronaldo
10 years ago

It’s Azerbaijan and Georgia vs Denmark and Norway. Cold War II. It’s gonna be HAWT.

Stacey K
Stacey K
10 years ago

This Hungary comment cracks me up: This song is a meditation on love and Alex croons about his lady who, it sounds like, has her own prescription drug habit. “My sweetheart is a girl who is torn by wacky dreams/ In the mornings her messy hair/ Is braided by winds, this is why she’s different/ She’s my sweetheart.”