On April 3 we asked our readers to name their favourites to win Eurovision 2017. In just eight days our readers have cast a staggering 26,017 votes. Their thirst for Eurovision is real — and it’s now clear which acts quench it the most.
Italy’s Francesco Gabbani has jumped into an early lead among our readers with 2,473 votes — or around 9.5% of all those cast. Buoyed by the bookies who have him down as the favourite to win, and spurred on by the nearly 90 million views he’s clocked up on his music video, he’s riding a wave of hype and expectation.
But he’s also been living up to all the talk on the preview party circuit, consistently wowing audiences with his energy, playful spirit and endlessly infectious track “Occidentali’s Karma”. That he’s done so with humour and good cheer only adds to his likability. Torino 2018?
Of course, the bookies’ favourite doesn’t always win. Just ask the many who have fallen before — including France’s Amaury Vassili and Azerbaijan’s Safura. If anyone is poised to spoil Italy’s victory celebration it may just be Bulgaria’s Kristian Kostov, who currently sits second in our poll with 1,830 votes — or around 7% of all those cast.
The 17-year-old star has the voice of a seasoned professional and the fresh face of a teenager. His insouciance and youth have served him well at the preview parties, as he seems completely unnerved by it all. Vocally he has been on point. In our recent interview in Amsterdam he said that he’s actually been battling illness. If he sounds this good ill, we can’t imagine how strong he’ll be once he recovers fully.
France’s Alma, another crowd-pleaser in London, Tel Aviv and Amsterdam, has climbed to third in our poll (even if the bookies have her down around 10th or 11th). She’s earned 1,765 votes, or nearly 7%.
Belgium’s Blanche, who was criticised for wooden performances in London and Tel Aviv, is in fourth with our readers, while Portugal’s Salvador Sobral, who has skipped the promo circuit, rounds out the Top 5.
Sweden, Poland, Macedonia, Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom complete our readers’ Top 10. On the other end of the spectrum, Malta, San Marino, Germany, Lithuania and Slovenia occupy spots 38 to 43. Slovenia’s Omar Naber is currently the only act with less than 100 votes.
Who should win Eurovision 2017? (00:01 on April 12)
- Italy: Francesco Gabbani, “Occidentali’s Karma” 9.51% (2,473 votes)
- Bulgaria: Kristian Kostov, “Beautiful Mess” 7.03% (1,830 votes)
- France: Alma, “Requiem” 6.78% (1,765 votes)
- Belgium: Blanche, City Lights 5.68% (1,479 votes)
- Portugal: Salvador Sobral, “Amar pelos dois” 3.94% (1,026 votes)
- Sweden: Robin Bengtsson, “I Can’t Go On” 3.69% (960 votes)
- Poland: Kasia Mos, “Flashlight” 3.67% (955 votes)
- FYR Macedonia: Jana Burceska, “Dance Alone” 3.59% (933 votes)
- Azerbaijan: Dihaj, “Skeletons” 3.27% (851 votes)
- United Kingdom: Lucie Jones, “Never Give Up On You” 2.9% (755 votes)
- Armenia: Artsvik, “Fly With Me” 2.83% (736 votes)
- Romania: Ilinca feat. Alex Florea, “Yodel It!” 2.74% (714 votes)
- Switzerland: Timebelle, “Apollo” 2.69% (701 votes)
- Denmark: Anja, “Where I Am” 2.6% (676 votes)
- Ireland: Brendan Murray, “Dying to Try” 2.56% (666 votes)
- Spain: Manel Navarro, “Do It For Your Lover” 2.32% (604 votes)
- Israel: Imri, “I Feel Alive” 2.19% (569 votes)
- Estonia: Koit Toome & Laura, “Verona” 2.08% (541 votes)
- Netherlands: O’G3NE, “Lights and Shadows” 2.04% (530 votes)
- Belarus: NAVIBAND, “Historyja majho zyccia” 1.91% (497 votes)
- Serbia: Tijana Bogicevic, “In Too Deep” 1.86% (485 votes)
- Greece: Demy, “This is Love” 1.77% (461 votes)
- Iceland: Svala, “Paper” 1.73% (451 votes)
- Finland: Norma John, “Blackbird” 1.73% (450 votes)
- Latvia: Triana Park, “Line” 1.72% (448 votes)
- Hungary: Joci Papai, “Origo” 1.68% (438 votes)
- Albania: Lindita, “World” 1.58% (411 votes)
- Norway: JOWST, “Grab the Moment” 1.58% (411 votes)
- Australia: Isaiah, “Don’t Come Easy” 1.56% (405 votes)
- Austria: Nathan Trent, “Running on Air” 1.39% (361 votes)
- Cyprus: Hovig, “Gravity” 1.21% (316 votes)
- Moldova: SunStroke Project, “Hey Mamma!” 1.16% (301 votes)
- Montenegro: Slavko Kalezic, “Space” 0.85% (222 votes)
- Russia: Julia Samoylova, “Flame is Burning” 0.78% (202 votes)
- Croatia: Jacques Houdek, “My Friend” 0.74% (192 votes)
- Georgia: Tamara Gachechiladze, “Keep the Faith” 0.73% (190 votes)
- Czech Republic: Martina Barta, “My Turn” 0.69% (180 votes)
- Ukraine: O.Torvald, “Time” 0.67% (175 votes)
- Malta: Claudia Faniello, “Breathlessly” 0.61% (159 votes)
- San Marino: Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson, “Spirit of the Night” 0.61% (158 votes)
- Germany: Levina, “Perfect Life” 0.52% (136 votes)
- Lithuania: Fusedmarc, “Rain of Revolution 0.47% (123 votes)
- Slovenia: Omar Naber, “On My Way” 0.31% (81 votes)
Total Votes: 26,017
You can still cast your vote by clicking here.
How many times can one watch an over-the-top performance involving an ape and gregarious Italian dressed in a Japanese kimono (or is it an Indian sari?), and shout ale, at the end of an average Italian song from the eighties, before the joke wears off?
Great to see Ireland so much higher than has been predicted for them in earlier polls/ betting odds. I really think we haven’t seen the best of Brendan, his vocals or the staging yet – this could really exceed people’s expectations – I hope so, anyway 😀
1. Macedonia has the biggest hit this year
2. Italy has the most suggestive song
3. Portuguese has the most emotional ballad
4. Malta has Claudia – Diva , with a wonderful voice
5. Ireland has the most pleasant surprise with the young Brendan
Good luck to all … let the best one win ! <3
Difficult for Bulgaria to be the runner up, but I strongly believe it Will get top 10 or even top 5.
I hope Portugal will blow our minds in May with a beautiful staging.
Belgium and France complete the top 5 here!
Italy for the win! Let’s go to the Meditterenean next year! Or to Paris! Also, France for the win, 40 years since 1977!
@2017rules
Sorry my post was intended to you, not Josh. oops
@Josh
I guess you have to deal with the fact the UK became an irrelevant nation in Eurovision and no one is to blame other than the UK itself. Let me tell you that the BBC was the leader in favor of introducing televoting in the first place, along with the free language. What we have today is the result of that.
I think anyone in the first 10 has a chance of winning, and details such as staging, dancing, clothing and such will make the final cut. I don’t see why Italy is so popular, just because he says karma and om here and there? Quite average otherwise. Bulgaria, Belgium, Macedonia are better and fresher than Italy. Portugal is also adorable. Sweden as always great song. Armenia has a huge potential. If Italy wins, i can see in the next years we will have youtube comments for all of the other songs “this is so underrated” and “how could have this… Read more »
People saying that the UK won’t be i the top 10 shut up i’m from the UK and i believe we will either get in the top ten or twenty even William and Deban are saying it but because you lot are cough * televoters* cough all you’re gonna think about is visuals and Brexit, are past two entries have been terrible and we’ve gotten bad results 24th with 5 points (2015), 24th with 62 points (2016) then we come with an entry that can really improve are chances then you lot have to get on the bad side and… Read more »
After a 3-weeks-long poll to determinate 26 finalists, you can now vote in our Grand Final and determinate YOUR winner!
You can vote, find the finalists and more informations from now here:
https://goo.gl/forms/xBPGcMSwy3xI0Yb33
@filip
you are adorable, really!… (with no irony…)
@L’oiseau
If you talk about a song, why are you surprised that others are talking to you? Is a comment section and fans talk. You like to play the victim…so passive-aggressive. You said about Marcia at that article with the top of songs that didn’t won, I’m not somebody else in case you think that.
@filip (or should I say @yri ?)
LOL!!! You actually made be laugh out loud! Great sense of humor. Thanks for that. It seems I have a loyal follower. Take care and good luck for Romania, even if I DO not like the song (actually there are worse, believe you me, I was just shocked by a wave of violent and bullying comments I received when I expressed my opinion the first time!)
PS: Márcia makes me very very happy all the time.
@L’oiseau the more I am picked at by the likes of you, the more I will shout about my dislike of this song…
”Just shout it baby” – a lyric from Yodel It
I understand that lullaby singer Marcia is not enough to make you feel happy so you need to bully people online. Is fine with me.
I would like France to win. 2. Azerbaijan 3. Cyprus/Romania
@fillip “As a romanian I’m not used to hear anybody speaking so much about my country like you do, just because he/she doesn’t like a song.”
Well, then you should consider yourself be lucky and honored… because I am not Romanian and I would never hide it. But, the more I am picked at by the likes of you, the more I will shout about my dislike of this song… (NB “song” not “country”, OK??!!) And your analogy with gay homophobes is just silly at best. Love from Belgium
I’m not mad about the 1st to 6th, but the 7th to 10th shouldn’t really be there
@Kai – “never underestimate Sweden” lol for God sake they are crazy about Esc and they got mad when they didn´t reached the final…”
Is that wrong? I can’t see anything wrong in that. 🙂
Agree with sentence- never underestimate Sweden.
This poll is clear representation of voting for your favourites, none of this won’t happen in Kyev. I think In the end struggle for 1st place will be between Italy and Sweden.
To be honest, I’m already tired of “Occidentali’s Karma” and Francesco… But I get why it is the favorite.
I’m still hoping for Bulgaria and I think they could do it. Other possibilities are France and Sweden.
Jury’s music tastes change every year . maybe this year they like something different timeless song to win.who knows
It would be great for Portugal to make some rustle amongst top 5. I don’t even know any news about preparations and how to find them 🙂
Portugal is hard to predict they can be in TOP 5 or flop in semi. How will react tv viewers and juries. We saw that Salvador don t won televote in Portugal in fnal (2 nd in televote) and semi (3 rd in televote). If he cant won televote in Porugal , chance to win televote at Eurovison is imaginary. How juries will react (old members juries in Portugal react well) but how wili react juries in 42 countries. If they react well he can be in TOP 10 even int TOP 5 with juries, but if they think that… Read more »
spain 16º? hehe… haha… HAHAH!! MWAHAHAHAH!!!! with just that data you can tell this poll have no sense.
My prediction in final TOP 10
1.Sweden
2.Belgium
3.Italy
4.Bulgaria
5.Denmark
6.Russia
7.Portugal
8.Armenia
9.Romania
10.The Netherlands
TOP 5 with juries 1.Belgium (like Australia 2016) 2.Sweden (like Ukraine 2016) 3.Denmark 4.The Netherlands 5.Australia 6.Bulgaria…
TOP 5 with televote 1.Italy 2.Bulgaria 3.Sweden 4.Russia 5.Romania
@L’oiseau And after all the Yodel is not doing so great after all… hehehe Reading comments I notice you use every opportunity to say something negative about Yodel. Romania is not an important country of Europe, usually when somebody hates our song/or country itself, just doesn’t spend so much passion to show the hate like you do. The fact that you can’t ignore the Yodel makes me think that you are romanian (just like many homophobes are gays in denial). As a romanian I’m not used to hear anybody speaking so much about my country like you do, just because… Read more »
Israel ofcourse!
My absolute favorite is PORTUGAL and I am really happy it is doing well in almost all the polls. For me it should definitively win, because it would be one of nicest additions to the ESC winners and I like it when a country that has never won before actually wins. That said, I don´t think it will and might even fail to get it in top 10. My guess is still SWEDEN, because it is the most consensual. A dark horse might be ARMENIA, very catchy and arty song and lots of sympathy from Eastern Europe. I still don´t… Read more »
OIK, never once did I say I hate Portugal cause they don’t send Swedish pop. Where did that come from? Don’t come up with sentences claiming them to be mine. All I said was that I think Portugal won’t do as well. That doesn’t mean I hate it. The song is good but it’s borderline. And yes France always does worse than expected. That’s not hate. Last year everyone thought it would be a contender for the win, but only ended up 6th. The staging is waht made it flop. France always disappoints with the staging and thinks that the… Read more »
R O M E 2 0 1 8
Unfortunately i think Sweden will finish in top 5…again. The propaganda is very obvious and people have been easily brainswashed. I already said many many times about the one that should win the competition. Portugal has a inspiring, magical entry that move us into another world. That’s what i call art. GO PORTUGAL!!
All participants, who are afraid to speak the truth about the dictatorial Ukraine and protect the other person are the losers.
I still think Sweden will finish Top 5 but not win—it’ll be interesting to see how juries score it since the song is only elevated with its staging; personally, I don’t care for the song and although he sings well throughout the promo circuit, it’s not the same without the staging. Whether or not they can pull off the staging is another story re:the organisers, but I can see it finishing top 5 with the televoters. However, with Bulgaria, Belgium, The UK, France, and Macedonia, we don’t know what to expect with their staging and how much their entries will… Read more »
Poland in 7th place! Wiwiblogs jury only rated 5.74. I think fans like Kasia more than you like….
wiwibloggs’ s gurus are the bookies, they live for the bookies, they believe only bookies, it’s a religion, even if the results of the poll is different,
Come on Blanche, kill the stage in Kiev! We believe in you! Bring the party back to Belgium! Everyone is welcome! ?
@to all jealous, go to cry but not here, bouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh my favourite is underrated, booooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuhhhh this country is overrated……………..you ARE the most pathetic people in the world, get a life
@anonymous91, in each comment session you are here to tell that your favourite is Romania, we have all understood, but we don’t care “yodel it” your masterpiece lol is not a song….
As much as I love Italy’s song, I just don’t think it’s going to beat Sweden, the performance is so slick. I also think Finland is being completely underestimated in this poll, and that the juries will be all over it (I, like a lot of people, wrote it off before UMK, but it’s jaw-droppingly good live and stands out for its simplicity).
I must be missing something with the popularity of Poland’s song, it does nothing for me, but then again I felt the same about their song last year and was completely wrong about where it ended up.
Finland or Hungary might win. My country is Romania, hope for the best, but my secret wish is for O Torvald to win.
@wim, blinded by your favourite, you have forgotten that FRANCE is 3rd here, you don’ t know read maybe , or you’re just stupid………
@flynn , change your job , you should do fortune telling…….. but you wouldn’t make much money because of your ridiculous predictions
there are a lot of entries i like this year
but for me i love Romania, Hungary and Norway, but Yodel It is my number 1 fave 🙂
@ern you’re just completely stupid,
@ denis , the biggest fan of sweden, go to hide you bengston don’t kwow to sing in live, you are so ridiculous, boooooooooooooo
@denis , “france always worse than expected” !!!!!!!! it’s a joke? go in hell pathetic jealous…………….GO IN HELL
https://youtu.be/0_v-sQGeaB0
top 6 are my favorite.
Imagine Parque das naçoes-Meo arena host Esc .Amazing
https://youtu.be/uE6TCoXtZ7Y
//youtu.be/0_v-sQGeaB0
Italy, Portugal, Belgium winning would produce millions of eurorgasms… but honestly, I have the feeling that the winner will be SWEDEN AGAIN. Växjö 2018 Lol
Maybe do a poll “Who do you think will win Eurovision 2017?”
I’ve had this feeling stuck in my head that Portugal is going to win. The song isn’t even in my top 10 though.
2015 ESC Italy win?
2017 ESC Italy win? No No No 2017 ESC Bulgaria win. Sofia 2018