During the Semi-Final Allocation Draw in January, the acts competing in the Eurovision 2017 semi-finals were assigned to a semi-final — 18 in the first, 19 in the second. They were also assigned to perform in the first or second half of each semi.
And on Friday producers finally revealed the semi-final running order, which they devised to make the most entertaining show possible — aka, let’s not put depressing songs back-to-back-to-back!
Interestingly, Russia’s Julia Samoylova remains in the running order and is set to perform third in Semi-Final 2 after Serbia and Austria.
Semi-Final 1 Running Order
- Sweden
- Georgia
- Australia
- Albania
- Belgium
- Montenegro
- Finland
- Azerbaijan
- Portugal
- Greece
- Poland
- Moldova
- Iceland
- Czech Republic
- Cyprus
- Armenia
- Slovenia
- Latvia
Sweden’s Christer Björkman, this year’s content producer, is responsible for the look and feel of the 43 acts on stage. And clearly producers love what he’s done with his own contestant, as Robin Bengtsson will open proceedings with his spectacular treadmills and suited-and-booted backing dancers.
From his upbeat funk we move to ballads from Georgia, Australia and Albania. Belgium, who performs fifth, will stand out with her electro sound, and then Montenegro will open the first can of crazy with “Space”.
Of all the ballads crammed into the first half of the show, Finland and Portugal have been put the latest, suggesting producers want to help them get through.
Latvia’s Triana Park — known for their wild and raucous stage shows — have the honour of closing out the show.
Semi-Final 2 Running Order
- Serbia
- Austria
- Russia
- FYR Macedonia
- Malta
- Romania
- The Netherlands
- Hungary
- Denmark
- Ireland
- San Marino
- Croatia
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Belarus
- Bulgaria
- Lithuania
- Estonia
- Israel
Serbia’s Tijana will open Semi-Final 2 with her drum ‘n bass number “In Too Deep”.
Ireland, which hasn’t made the final since 2013, have been given the latest possible slot in the first half, which might help their chances of qualifying again.
On the flip side, San Marino’s Valentina Monetta and her singing partner Jimmie Wilson have been placed as early as possible in the second half.
In spots 13 to 15 we have a series of groups —JOWST, Timebelle and NAVI from Norway, Switzerland and Belarus.
And, perhaps hoping to pick up everyone’s energy before the interval and voting reveal, producers have put Israel’s Imri last. Dance, dance, baby!
@blondboybc: “dated ballads” and “recycled Euphoria-EDM-wannabes” … because gay club music is still not the type of music to be address as masterpiece worthy. If ballads all sound the same, you will never believe how alike all these uptempo rubbish sounds like … once you manage to turn on your brains and ears.
All very interesting….but Italy is near unassailable. none of this changes the prospect of a near certain Italy triumph 13 ,MAY .
The first half of Semi Final 2 is a worse bloodbath than the 74th Hunger Games.
Here’s what I think the qualifiers could be like:
Semi-final 1
Sweden
Australia
Belgium
Finland
Azerbaijan
Portugal
Poland
Iceland
Armenia
Latvia
(Greece if Portugal doesn’t.)
Semi-final 2
Serbia
Russia
Macedonia
Romania
Hungary
Denmark
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Estonia
Israel
(Austria if Russia doesn’t.)
If so many hate and are so f…king irritated on Sweden don’t vote on our songs then. Vote on ex, Italy or Portugal. And stop watching melfest to. Everybody happy Then? Happy happy Sweden Lose, come last. Yippie!! It can be the last year with Sweden in esc, if you wan’t us out, bye bye!
Not surprising they’re going with dance bangers to close each semi, so it’s a boon to Israel and Latvia! This order also favours Portugal and Ireland as they close out the first half of each semi. Not looking great for Georgia and Austria in the nearly fatal # 2 from each. Sweden and Serbia opening? They can thank Bjorkman for that! Overall, it’s a good mix considering how many boring, dated ballads there are,! 😀
I think #4 for Macedonia is really great place. Even we are after Russia.
BTW,Am I the only one who thinks that Running Order won’t affect the result? xD
There is recap tho
@ AberSam
You will sleep peacefully and live your entire life peacefully. When you die, I can assure you that this song will survive … We are more than a month from Kiev and the Portuguese song is already a classic. A song so timeless it happens once in every generation.
There are people to whom ART always passes by … It is a sad fate.
Cheers and love from Greece
Lol Russia is performing very early at 3rd. Ok now I want them to participate but I still feel like they’re gonna come 1st in televotes.
In SF1, has anyone else noticed this curious little sequence?:
6. Montenegro (safe gay sex song)
7. Finland (funeral song, basically)
8. Azerbaijan (necrophilia song, possibly)
I wonder what was going through the minds of the organisers there. :S
I feel like I’m one of those few people who literally don’t care about the Portuguese entry. I fall asleep every time it’s on ????????
I find it bewildering how randomly the word ballad is used and overused here every time …it’s like that one mosquito you wanna get rid of because it’s interfering with your need for 24/7 EDM entries to keep the party on … for no reason … but that party .. though this is a song contest … and not “let’s make sure we have out gay nightclub on heavy rotation” .. are we really celebrating diversity …. or just celebrating the music “that matter only me”? Not every slow tempo song here is a ballad … but … who is… Read more »
SF1 Sweden will get an easy pass to the final, performing before THREE ballads!!! At least the ballads are different, but it hurts Australia the most. Georgia is dead here. This helpes Belgium and Montenegro, but especially Montenegro, performing after 4 serious songs. Finland wasn’t going to qualify anyways, and Azerbaijan being sandwiched between two classical songs will help them A LOT. The rest of the draw is great, but I don’t like Cyprus and Armenia performing next to each other, two mid- tempo songs. Slovenia and Czech Republic are also dead, and Latvia moves from 90% to 100% sure… Read more »
@nikos I don’t think a country ever opened twice in the same contest. If Sweden goes to final, he’s probably perform right after the “commercial break” like we did in 2015 when Måns projector was put in stage
My faves in each semifinal regardless of running order: SF1: Sweden, Australia, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Portugal, Moldova, Iceland, Cyprus, Armenia, Latvia SF2: Austria, Russia, FYROM, Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Israel, Switzerland I kinda feel SF2 as weaker because of the presence of joke acts & things masquerading as songs. So it was relatively easy to choose the 10. For SF1: i would have added Czech Republic & Greece. For SF2: if I didn’t have to choose 10, I would drop Switzerland & Denmark I like a mix of current sounds with a couple of nostalgic songs, and not overly gimmicky… Read more »
@ Jocelyn. *sorry (It comes before…)
@ Jocelyn. Portugal this year hold on any sandwich… Besides, it comes the advertising.
Really don’t understand the hype about Sweden’s song. I find it so cheap and average. Also Romania’s entry is awful.
@Jocelyn, don’t worry, Salvador has such kind of song that he will be sandwiched if they put him everywhere 😀 People who love it will vote for it no matter what, I really hope he will make it through the final.
Portgual sandwiched between Azerbaijan and Greece 🙁 This isn’t looking good for Salvador…
that’s the best what can happen. Salvador has better songs than that ESC one :))
Man I love reading all this running-orderology thing you guys have going on, keep it coming.
Kudos to the producers, there’s a really obvious pattern they decided to follow for the order of the songs and it works quite well. I’m only slightly worried for Austria, who is already boderline. Hopefully he can still make it.
SF1) I was expecting Sweden to open due to the backstage lead up and I think that was a good choice. But will Sweden open the grand final as well? Has any country opened twice? Australia may shockingly not qualify. Albania will overshadow and knock out Australia and Georgia. I thought Latvia would struggle but closing will help push it into finals. Good spot for Portugal. SF2) Denmark gets a great spot, and that will likely hurt Ireland right after. Serbia and Israel get easy passes to the final now. Borderline Austria isn’t looking good. I agree with others that… Read more »
@AngieP
about Romania, yeah records can break but i find Ilinca and Alex really likeable, and the song is really catchy, different from other songs this year, and like you said it helps coming after Malta and before the Netherlands, so i hope for the best for my fave, and i am voting for it, if other people like it, please vote and don’t be overconfident about yodel it 🙂
Well, it already has merit Portugal for making me interested in Eurovision and know that there are websites like Wiwibloggs.
It may not win Eurovision but it has already won the hearts of many people. It’s a classic before even competing.
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Don’t get the fascination with Portugal. The entry, like every Portuguese entry, is borderline qualifier. Even if it qualifies it will struggle to reach top 10, like every Portuguese entry that qualified.
As some of you suggest a possible top 10 in each semi, I’ll also share my own thought with you:
1st semi final: Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Belgium, Sweden, Australia, Portugal, Azerbaijan, Finland, Moldova
Georgia is out for me. Albania will struggle, as well as Montenegro and Finland. (though I love “Blackbird”)
Iceland and Slovenia also out.
Chzech Republic will struggle, though it may be a dark horse.
2nd semi: Estonia, Israel, Bulgaria, Serbia, Denmark, Russia, Switzerland
Belarus, FYR Macedonia, Hungary
Lithuania, Malta, San Marino, Croatia, Norway: OUT
Austria, Romania,The Netherlands, Ireland: Potential qualifiers but I’m not sure.
@Kris yes, in 2015 Australia qualified automatically, but to be honest their entry deserved to be in the final anyway. I think it’s more like Australia’s entry isn’t on the same level as the previous two, which is true. I mean it’s not a bad song, but nothing to write home about.
1st semi: Sweden first? I didn’t expect that! I have to say though it’s a great song for oppening the show! Apart from that, maybe it’s first because of the staging demands (treadmill etc) We see balance. Up tempo songs between a series of ballads as always. It makes it more interesting and less boring. Belgium has a good position, stands out for sure! I’m not sure for Finland performing after Montenegro and before Azerbaijan. Dijah and Salvador have an advantage performing at the half of the semi. I’m glad Portugal isn’t ignored, they could have put it from early… Read more »
I won’t say much as most of them had been covered in the previous comments, but in my opinion:
1. I’m afraid Netherlands won’t qualify, as it is sandwiched between 2 of the most unique entry this year, Hungary and Romania.
2. Australia is not in a good position as it is performed after another ballad (Georgia)
All the ESC production knows that Portugal takes to tender a song at the level of “Take Five”, “So What”, “Take The a Train”, “The Girl from Ipanema”, “Moon River”…
Eurovision urgently needs to regain prestige and to regain a more discerning audience in musical terms. Nothing better than a victory for a timeless and unique song like “Love for both of us” (“Amar pelos Dois”).
Thank you Portugal for such beauty.
Hugs from Goteborg | Karlek vinner alltid over hat
Cool, I couldn’t imagine better opening act than Robin, I’m telling you that as Gabbani supporter- the fact is that Sweden has great staging, good choice 🙂
OMG Latvia closes!!! They have a good shot at the final!!!
Perfect spot for Latvia, hope it’s the same in final.
They are desperate for Portugal to get back to the final thus giving them a late draw in the first half of SF1. Personally I hate it and I also don’t like Latvia and Israel, but going last is a big plus for them. It is so tough to guess who’s going to the final this year, particulary semi final 2
C’mon Sweden and Switzerland!!!????????????????
@anon91: yeah right, you shouldn’t quote others unless you’re sure. I might agree Malta did not make the right choice (I wanted Kewkba)… But Breathlessly is not the worse and it is being very much underrated online and in polls…
@FACT
and i only want to add, last year i supported Malta, so i have nothing against the maltese people i just don’t trust their jury, and i usually like ballads which have lots of passion and emotion, but this year i want something unique and different, and for me Romania and Hungary tick those boxes 🙂
@FACT
there were reports that the maltese jury were bribing other countries, i’m just saying what i hear from some other people
and if they would take it serious, they would’ve sent Brooke to Kiev, now they are stuck with a song where i will fall asleep with i guess lol
Estonia is going to flop, while Lithuania is going to be in the final.
@Guys saying will Australia not qualify for the first time?
Well they have qualified only once tbh….so its not a complete out of the blue thing but seems unlikely to me still.
@DDRaven
Stop being so down on your own country!! He has a distinct song and is for sure up in the mix.
@Guys saddened by Austria’s position
I’m sad too. 🙁
Hope Nathan pulls in the unexpected televotes like Zoe did. But Zoe was way more cuter and younger but Nathan ain’t bad either and his song is feel good.
@ Grace
I agree, a song that is meant to qualify will qualify from any position in the draw. However, there are many borderline qualifiers (especially this year) and I do think that the draw has an effect on their chances of qualification.
@anon91: Who is Malta bribing? You as a “eurovision fan” should be in favor of Malta participating. Malta is a small country who takes ESC as it should be taken. If you don’t like the song just shut up but don’t throw dirt 🙂 And if you think Malta’s song is dull at least it is not cheap 😉
Brilliant closing and opening choices imo, although everyone should calm down. If a song is destined to go on and win, and it’s THAT GOOD then running order really doesn’t matter.
@Daan
Malta has a very bad draw i think, that’s karma for them, boring song and after that we have catchy songs from Romania, Netherlands and Hungary wow that’s what you get for bribing Malta lol
of course a draw says nothing if your song is strong enough 🙂
The draw is not that crucial in semifinals for qualifying. Yet, it might be important because you need to win or be second in your semifinal if you want a good draw in the final.
Oeh sweet! 7th place for NL! Lets hope thats enough for the girls to qualify
Sweden has the best draw. First and with a great and special stage show.
Sweden will win semi 1
in my opinion,everything will be depend on the song,singer and stage,numeration will not determain country’s qualification:)
My opinion on performing 2nd in the semifinals this year:
1st Semifinal: 02. Georgia (Tamara Gachechiladze) = NON Qualifier
2nd Semifinal: 02. Austria (Nathan Trent) = NON Qualifier