Norway (Semi-Final three) - T.J

On Saturday, 27 January, NRK hosted the third and final semi-final for Melodi Grand Prix (MGP), the Norwegian national selection for Eurovision 2024 in Malmö.

The semi was stacked with 6 songs, each with high production value, vying for the final 3 spots in the 3 February final in Trondheim.

Opening the show was Vidar Villa with his song Mer, an upbeat pop song in native tongue (the sole entry of the evening), which gave us competent vocals and a staging package reminiscent of Czechia 2019, with multiple camera angles depicted in separate squares on screen. 

Second was Mistra with Waltz of Death, a low tempo ballad of sorts. Although the guitar man’s face was painted on theme with week 1 qualifier Gothminister, there was generally no rock sound to this song at all, and no guitar solos to speak of. The plastic sheet staging was giving fumigation zone, or Dexter 2.0. It was not giving the level of “umph” we’ve come to expect from Norway. 

Third was Thomas Jenssen and Take Me to Heaven, a flashy, europop dance number with outfits straight out of hola mi bebebe, and fabulous choreography. The vocals were possibly the weakest of the evening, but was still a memorable entry with a catchy hook. 

Fourth, we saw Annprincess and Save Me. The performance came with the best choreography of the night, along with some pre-chorus lyrics that possibly unintentionally gave a nod to Ariana Grande. A current, easy listening pop song with captivating staging. 

Fifth was a performance of Green Lights by MIIA. This was a mid-tempo ballad with powerful vocals and a performer who used the full stage to her advantage. An excellent overall performance. 

Finally, can we say BUDGET? Fan favourite and returning group KEiiNO closed out the show with their third MGP foray, Damdiggida. Going into the semi, the trio had received some flack from the fandom for not living up to the “standard” they set with previous entries Spirit in the Sky and Monument, however this performance had the best staging of the evening. The group is always upbeat, delivers fantastic, powerful vocals, and provides a fun experience to the viewers. They know how to deliver the full package. 

The final result was the same as the second semi-final, with the third, fourth, and fifth songs moving on to the final.

Will Annprincess, MIIA, or KEiiNO win Norway’s ticket to Malmö in May? We will find out on Saturday, 3 February!

Norway (Grand Final) - Evan S

Norway chose its 2024 Eurovision representative on February 3 during the Melodi Grand

Prix final in Trondheim. The night opened with last year’s winner, Alessandra, reprising her

song “Queen of Kings” in dramatic fashion that saw her hoisted dozens of feet into the air,

silhouetted against the skyline of the city. Fredrik Solvang and Marion Ravn hosted. The

winner was determined by a voting system of 60% televote and 40% international juries.

Nine entries competed, the top three from each of the three semi-finals. Eurovision 2019

fan favorites KEiiNO were the first act, performing their hyper-schlager entry

“Damdiggida” with two breakdancers. Annprincess showed off her soulful voice during the

lively and beautifully-staged “Save Me.” Gothminster dressed as every child’s worst

nightmare during his spooky metal-pop number, “We Come Alive.” Ingrid Jasmin’s “Eya”

bridged Scandinavia and the Mediterranean, serving ‘Andromache realness.’ Arguably the

best vocal of the night came from MIIA, whose “Green Lights” was a lovely modern ballad.

Norway’s Eurovision 2013 entrant Margaret Berger also returned with “Oblivion,” a

brooding synthpop number with a soaring hook. Dag Erik Oksvold and Anne Fagermo

brought a sweet country duet with “Judge Tenderly of Me.” Gåte offered up a witchy rock

song “Ulveham” whose opening string arrangements suggest a midnight pagan ritual. And

the final act of the night, Super Rob and Erika Norwich tapped the zeitgeist with the

tongue-in-cheek “My AI,” featuring a man in a robot suit and KPOP influences.

After the performances, the televoting began while international juries shared their results.

The juries favored KEiiNO, with 98 points to Gåte’s 76. As the televote continued, there was

an all-star Eurovision medley, with 1985 ESC winner Bobbysocks performing “Waterloo,”

2021 MGP winner TiX performing “Heroes,” 2020 MGP winner Ulrikke singing “Euphoria,”

2009 MGP and ESC winner Alexander Rybak singing “Diggi-loo, Diggi-ley,” and 1991 ESC

winner Carola singing “Främling” and “Fångad av en stormvind.”

It was then the moment of truth. In the televote, Gåte made up the margin they’d lost in the

jury vote, nipping KEiiNO and winning a berth to Eurovision by six points, 250 to 244. We

will see “Ulveham” in Malmö in May!

Spain (Semi-Final one ) - Angel A

On January 30 th , the first semifinal was held, the first 8 contestants participated, chosen from a total of

827 entries for this year’s competition.

The stakes were at all high, with amazing talents, there were awesome surprises and the favorite of the

Spanish fans to win this year competition (Sofia Coll) participating in this first semifinal.

The four with the highest points will advance to the final on Saturday night.

This year’s show was hosted by Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Caldero and Ana Prada.

In order of appearance:

First the talented duo of “Lerica” with their fun song “Astronautas” got a lot of the fans singing.

Second was the young singer “Noan” with his fair pop rock song “Te hecho de” doing an ok

performance.

Third was the super talented composer” Sofia Coll” performed her pop song “Here to stay” with an

amazing choreography and fine voice.

Fourth we got the group of talented solo performers “Mantra” singing in great harmony their very

catchy pop song “Me vas a ver”, amazing voices.

Fifth the indie pop band “Miss cafeina” did a great job performing their song “Bla bla bla”

Sixth the Musical theater-oriented youngster “Quique Niza” did great with his ballad “Prisionero”.

Seventh the Emmo girl “Angy Fernandez” surprised everyone with her amazing voice and dance moves

performing her super catchy pop rock song “Se quien soy”.

And Finaly the pop duo “Nebulossa” made everyone sing their super fun song “Zorra” with a super fun

choreography.

The final vote results were as follows, with the 4 higher ranking passing to the final.

Lerica 82 points

Noan 96 points

Sofia Coll 116 points

Mantra 98 points

Miss cafeina 105 points

Quique Niza 81 points

Angy Fernandez 137 points

Nebulossa 149 points

The show was fantastic with amazing staging, reminiscence of a Eurovision competition.

I can’t wait to follow this competition and you should too,

Happy Eurovision to all.

Spain (Semi Final two) - Julian O

In Benidorm's second semifinal, hosted by the fabulous Ruth Lorenzo, we had a blast with eight fantastic participants showing off their unique styles. The rules, involving a 50% jury vote, 25% demoscopic vote, and 25% public votes, caused a bit of a stir in the first round because, well, opinions clashed.

So, let's meet the gang! María Peláe brought some Spanish flair, giving us Blanca Paloma vibes. Dellacruz, the "Beso en la mañana" maestro, brought electropop with a side of half a car on stage. Marlena, inspired by Maneskin, mixed electropop with an 80s disco vibe. St. Pedro, straight out of Miami, treated us to a Cuban bolero with shadows of dancing ladies. Jorge González, turned up the heat with "Caliente," showcasing some dance moves that usually belong to the ladies. Yoly Saa, YouTube cover sensation, gave us "No se me olvida" with a Celtic twist. Roger Padrós, singing in Catalan, brought us some Arcade vibes with a piano in the shadows. And of course, Almacor, the night's darling, brought "Brillos platinos" with urban beats and some snazzy visual effects on his clothes. 

After some lively interviews and charming vote requests, the amazing Sergio Dalma joined the party as a musical guest. The jury decided St. Pedro was their main squeeze, the demoscopic vote went all in for Jorge González, and guess what? The public also swooned over Jorge Gonzáles. 

So, our fab four finalists are St. Pedro, Jorge González, María Peláe, and the crowd-pleaser Almacor! 

Spain (Grand Final) - Juan O

Spain - Benidorm Fest - Final

The program begins with Ruth Lorenzo, the host of the show, singing the song with which she represented Spain in Eurovision 10 years ago, "Dancing in the Rain." The other two festival presenters, Ana Prada and Marc Calderó, display the trophy: a bronze microphone. Additionally, they explain the breakdown of the voting: 50% jury, 25% demoscopic, and 25% televoting. The jury consists of 4 national and 4 international members.

The participants are as follows:

1. María Peláe - Remitente: Flamenco presentation of the night with a grand stage setup and 4 dancers. Wonderful voice but reminiscent of the previous year's song due to the flamenco influence.

2. St. Pedro - Dos Extraños: Beautiful bolero with echoes of Cuban music. Simple stage setup with shadows of dancers in the background. Receives a great ovation from the audience. The favorite in the betting.

3. Angy Fernández - Ahora Se Quién Soy: Emo is back! Actress and singer who was very successful in Spain in the early 2000s in the Emo-Neopunk genre.

4. Jorge González - Caliente: Third attempt to go to Eurovision for his country. This time with a song and a voice reminiscent of Ricky Martin. Semi-naked dancers and an impeccable voice. I didn't like the dance break moment with "torero" moves.

5. Nebulossa - Zorra: Feminist protest song with cabaret staging and two dancers in corsets and heels. Great enthusiasm from the audience, who sing along throughout the song. Much better voice than in the semifinal. The song names is a spanish slang that could be translated into "slut", but the official translation chosen was "vixen".

6. Sofía Coll - Here To Stay: Song in English, Spanish, and Catalan. Schlager style song that reminds the one with wich Latvia won in 2002.

7. Miss Caffeina - Bla Bla Bla: Indie pop as an alternative proposal that sounds like The Roop.

8. Almácor - Brillos Platino: Latin music with overlaid effects on the screen. Sings off-key a lot but this music somewhat recalls Bad Bunny, a singer very successful in Latin America and the USA. The presentation had some flaws in the screen effects and fireworks that didn't work.

Voting opened, and the interval act was Abraham Mateo, an urban flamenco style singer, very successful in the country. He performed "Clavaíto" solo, a song he originally sings with Channel, who was not invited to the festival.

Later, Ruth Lorenzo apologizes for the presentation flaws of Almácor. The audience demands a repeat performance, but it doesn't happen.

A group called Camela performs too, and during their presentation, voting closes. The results were as follows:

Jury (50%)

3rd: Angy Fernández (63 pts)

=1st: St Pedro and Nebulossa (86 pts)

Demoscopic (25%)

3rd: Nebulossa (30 pts)

2nd: Angy Fernández (35 pts)

1st: Jorge González (40 pts)

Televote (25%)

3rd: Angy Fernández (30 pts)

2nd: Jorge González (35 pts)

1st: Nebulossa (40 pts)

Combined (100%)

1st. Nebulossa (156 pts)

2nd. St. Pedro (139 pts)

3rd. Angy Fernández (128 pts)

4th. Jorge González (124 pts)

5th. Almácor (99 pts)

6th. María Peláe (86 pts)

7th. Sofía Coll (73 pts)

8th. Mis Cafeína (48 pts)

Thus, Nebulossa is declared the winner of the festival and will represent Spain in Eurovision with the song "Zorra." Blanca Paloma, the winner of the previous year's festival, gives them the bronze microphone trophy, after which they perform the song again with great enthusiasm from the audience, who sing along from start to finish.

Finland - Sean S

It’s time to accept all cookies because Windows95Man is heading to Malmö!

On February 10 th at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland showed Europe how capable they are of hosting

Eurovision. UMK began with Kuumaa and one of the evening’s hosts, Benjamin, singing a mashup of

their UMK 2023 entries Ylivoimainen and Hoida Mut. After, we met our other hosts, Pilvi Hämäläinen

and Viivi Pumpanen.

Our first performer was Sini Sabotage with Kuori mua. Sini Sabotage began cosplaying as Kris Jenner.

Throughout the onion-themed song, she shed her layers to reveal her true, long-haired self. Though the

performance wasn’t technically smooth, Sini started the show with a bang!

Cyan Kicks hit the stage running. For a band with a colour in its name, they sure love their black and

white staging. Dancing with Demons was an explosion of energy and rock! This must be what a Cyan

Kicks concert feels like.

Can Jesse Markin follow me around when I need some positivity? Glow lit up the stage with its afro-

house dance beats and masterful lyrics and rapping. I wish I could move like his dancers, but the only

thing I can pop and lock are my knees.

Mikael Gabriel X Nublu started their performance of Vox Populi on larger-than-life podiums as if

preparing for debate, but all they ended up doing was tossing money and breaking my screen with an

imaginary ball. Effective staging—but I won’t be voting for their ideals.

Sara Siipola brought all the drama to her staging of Paskana, a powerful ballad about grief. She poured

her soul out while a glowing ball circled her. I’m gonna need Jesse Markin to lift me back up after being

wrecked by Sara Siipola.

Sexmane’s song Mania shared his battle with mental health. This idea was reflected through bungee

cords that tugged at him throughout his performance. While rough around the edges, Sexmane had us

cheering for him as he pulled against his restraints.

Finally, we had Windows95Man with No Rules! A classic story: young hatchling, Windows95Man,

emerges from his jean-covered egg to search for his jorts. The staging masterfully conceals his “nudity”

with clever comedic bits until he triumphantly retrieves his jorts and celebration ensues. This

performance is not to be taken seriously but not to be taken as a joke either. Every moment is carefully

crafted.

As voting started, so did the interval acts. Host Pilvi Hämäläinen was first, followed by the Finnish Radio

Symphony Orchestra’s version of Käärijä’s Cha Cha Cha, then Katri Helena who represented Finland at

Eurovision twice. Käärijä and Erika Vikman performed their new song Ruoska before Käärija brought the

house down with Cha Cha Cha.

Now: the results. Finland is big on the voice of the people, so the results were 25% international jury and

75% televote. While the jury favoured Sara Siipola, the televote was crushed by Window95Man, who

went from last in the jury to first overall.

I now suggest you update and install Windows95Man for the Eurovision stage in Malmö.

Germany - Asher S

On February 17, Germany selected their Eurovision entrant with their selection show, “Das deutsche Finale 2024”. As has been standard for Germany for the past three years, this selection only had a single televised show, with no semi-finals. Eight songs were selected initially, out of 693 applications. However, unlike last year's TikTok wildcard, this year had a different wildcard format, called Ich will zum ESC ("I want to go to Eurovision"), where artists without songs auditioned and performed cover songs over five shows, before performing a new song assigned to them in the final. The winner of that contest, Floryan, joined the eight previously selected artists, for a total of nine songs in the competition.

Few of the participating artists had extensive musical careers behind them, although a few were connected to Eurovision: Max Mutzke (who represented Germany in 2004) and Marie Reim (the daughter of Michelle, who represented Germany in 2001).

Unlike some national selections, there wasn't too much attention on any of the songs from the fandom, outside of some disappointment when "Ich Kundige", a three-minute song by German electropop act Großstadtgeflüster, was revealed to not be participating because the group hadn't entered. There were lots of people who took issue with Germany not including “hard” music in their national selection, as that’s the music a lot of Germans listen to and “hard” acts make up some of Germany’s main musical exports. Indeed, the closest the selection got to any distinctly German music was Marie Reim’s song, a schlager.

The fandom favorite, "Oh Boy" by Ryk, finished in 3rd place, getting 5 points from the jury and 8 points in the televote. However, the selected song, "Always on the Run" by Isaak, received a unanimous 12 points from both groups, sending it to Eurovision for Germany. To my ears, Isaak won because he absolutely delivered his song with conviction and energy. Nobody expects him to win Eurovision this year, but if he can keep Germany out of the bottom 5 - that'll be more than enough for many people.

Denmark - Chris Z

Danish sandcastles!

SENSATIONAL SABA SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE DANES IN MALMӦ!

By Chris Zeiher (twitter @chriszeiher, Instagram @chriszeihertravel)

On the evening of February 17, 2024, Copenhagen’s DR Koncerthuset hosted the 54 th (what now?)

staging of the Danish international selection competition Dansk Melodi Grand Prix to determine its

participant for the Eurovision Song Contest. Let’s be frank, there’s been very little to get excited

about in the Danish selection in the last half decade and their results at Eurovision have been woeful.

Where other Nordic nations internal selection processes have become much improved (see Finland

and Norway) the Danes have been left wanting.

Could this year see a reversal of fortune? Would any of the eight acts competing in this year’s

internal competition break the run of successive non-quals? And, with Malmӧ hosting the glittery

grand event again, could one of these ditties even go on and win the entire competition (hold on…let’s

not get ahead of ourselves!).

So, who was in the running?

1. Saba – “Sand” – rousing pop anthem with nods to Loreen

2. Stella – “Sign Here” – radio-friendly power girl rock

3. CHU CHU – “The Chase (Zoom Zoom)” – alt dance (is that a thing?) which was weirdly

familiar (*cough - Triana Park *cough - Line)

4. Basim – “Johnny” – dance-pop about aged care and assisted living (um, yep)

5. RoseeLu – “Real Love” – pure power pop

6. UBLU – “Planetary Hearts” – alt pop/rock verging on “novelty act”

7. Janus Wiberg – “I Need Your Love” – the obvious gravelly man-ballad that the Danes

inexplicably love.

8. Aura Dione – “Mirrorball of Hope” – folk pop from an award-winning and much-loved artist

The Danish public were granted early access to voting and had all week to cast their votes via the DR

Grand Prix app. These votes, along with those captured by SMS and App voting on the night of the

show, were collated to reveal the Top 3 artist moving into the superfinal.

Prior to the competition Aura Dione, the most well-regarded artist in the lineup, and model-actor-

singer Saba, who’s struggles with mental health had been subject of a documentary in Denmark,

looked to be the two to beat.

The show opened strongly with Saba’s “Sand” setting the tone for the event as the deserved favourite

delivered a delicious performance executing her vocals brilliantly. Denmark’s 2014 representative

Basim proved the perfect showman for his high energy pop-track whose subject matter does not quite

match the styling or delivery. RoseeLu’s dancers wore near floor-length UNIQLO padded jackets

ultimately distracting from a half-decent pop song. And Aura Dione sat atop a massive Mirrorball

dressed as a mermaid (thank you Ms Dione).

Malta - Rodrigo E S

Sarah Bonnici clinched the title of the 39th representative of the Maltese archipelago at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with her track "Loop."

Televixin Malta aired the 11th edition of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest live from the PBS studio in Gwardamanġa, Pietà. The event was hosted by Carlo Borg Bonaci and Angie Laus, while Jamie Cardona and Dorianne Mamo provided commentary from the Green Room alongside the finalists. The 2024 edition of the National Selection boasted 64 square meters of LED screens, showcasing a meticulously designed stage with cutting-edge technology.

The Maltese National Selection consisted of four semi-finals held between October and November 2023. Prior to this, the Songwriting Camp in June 2023 produced 18 songs, which progressed to the demo stage. From there, artists had the option to refine their compositions for MESC 2024. A total of 36 songs vied for the coveted spot in the final, with only 12 making it to the Grand Final, which premiered via video clips last Thursday:

1. Pop musician Ian Vella (Janvil) with "Man"

2. 19-year-old singer Haley Azzopardi with "Tell Me That It’s Over"

3. Girl band Erba' with "Sirena"

4. Youngest performer Nathan Psaila with "Ghost"

5. XFactor runner-up Lisa Gauci with "Breathe"

6. Gozitans singer Sarah Bonnici with "Loop"

7. Maltese drag queen Greta Tude with "Topic"

8. R&B/Soul singer Miriana Conte with "Venom"

9. X-Factor winner Ryan Hili with "Karma"

10. Singer/songwriter Gail Attard with "Wild Card"

11. Dancer, singer, and circus performer Denise Mercieca with "Mara"

12. Busker saxophonist Matt Blxck with "Banana"

The winner was determined through a combination of votes from a seven-member jury panel (7/9) and a public televote (2/9). "Loop" emerged victorious with 79 points from the jury and 23 points from the televote, totaling 102 points. "Banana" and "Karma" secured the second and third spots respectively, with scores of 80 (51 + 29) and 71 (54 + 17) points.

During the final show, Yulan Law, the young Maltese representative at Eurovision Junior 2023 in Nice, France, and "The Busker," the band that represented Malta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, UK with the song "Dance (Our Own Party)," performed as interval acts.

Despite significant investments by the broadcaster to enhance the quality and competitiveness of the entries, the Grand Final only attracted half of the 265,000 viewers from the previous year. Some performances drew comparisons to notable Eurovision entries, such as the similarities between "Loop" and "SloMo" from Spain in 2022, which sparked discussions on social networks.

Sarah Bonnici will perform her entry "Loop," written by Kevin Lee, Leire Gotxi Angel, Michael Joe Cini, Sarah Bonnici, and Sebastian Pritchard-James, in the first half of the second Semi-Final in Malmö on May 9th.

Ukraine - Victoria B

Following another spectacular edition of Ukraine’s national selection competition Vidbir, the duo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil with their song “Teresa and Maria” have been chosen to represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024! 

Vidbir 2024 was broadcast on Saturday, February 3rd. For the safety and security of all involved, the show was filmed a day ahead of time at an undisclosed location (with live voting intended to be opened following the broadcast). That did not stop Ukraine one bit from putting on an amazing show with high production value full of great performances from not only the competitors, but also other Ukrainian Eurovision icons. The show introduction included Ruslana singing her 2004 winning song “Wild Dances” and last year’s representatives TVORCHI peforming a beautiful orchestral rendition of their song, “Heart of Steel”. 

Eleven acts competed to represent Ukraine this year. The winning song “Teresa and Maria” is an ethnic pop + rap song with an amazing vocal performance by both women. Jerry Heil has an ethereal voice with a deep emotional quality, and Alyona Alyona’s rapping is so on fire that it makes you wonder when and how she takes a breath. Other standout performances included returning Eurovision artist Mélovin with “Dreamer” who also gave a great vocal performance and had a unique use of lasers in his staging, and Yagody with “Tsunamia” who had a powerful folk electronic song and wore intricate masks and outfits true to their folk band nature. 

The full list of performances:

1. Yaktak - “Lalala”

2. Ingret - “Keeper”

3. Nazva - “Slavic English”

4. Anka - “Palala” 

5. Drevo - “Endless Chain”

6. Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil - “Teresa and Maria”

7. Mélovin - “Dreamer”

8. Skylerr - “Time is running out”

9. Ziferblat - “Place I call home” 

10. Yagody - “Tsunamia” 

11. Nahaba - “Glass” 

The interval acts consisted of more Ukrainian Eurovision artists. Kalush Orchestra performed their 2022 winning song “Stefania”, Jamala (2016 Eurovision winner) and Tina Karol (Ukraine 2006) performed new songs. In tribute to this year’s hosts, Sweden, Verka Serduchka (Ukraine 2007) performed her new song called “Swedish Lullaby” (wearing, for some reason, Dallas Cowboys uniforms). Ukraine’s Junior Eurovision 2023 song “Kvitka” was performed by Anastasia Dymyd and Svitlana Tarabarova. 

Finally, it came time for the results, or so we thought. Voting had been opened to Ukrainian citizens through the Diia app, but everyone soon found out that the large volume of users trying to vote at one time caused the app the crash. Thus, once the app was fixed, it was decided to allow voting to remain open until the following day in which the show would be re-broadcast followed by a live results segment. 

In the end, Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil emerged victorious in the televote by an astounding margin of 700,000+ votes out of over one million total votes cast, along with placing second with the juries. Ziferblat won the jury result and came second overall, with Mélovin rounding out the podium placing third in both juries and televote. 

Huge congratulations to Alyona and Jerry, wishing them success in Malmö this year! 

Ireland - Niall D

Once again, the Irish Broadcaster, RTE, held the national final, Eurosong, in the less-than-ideal

format as a special episode of the Late Late Show.

Six songs were selected and announced in January 2024 and the running order was as follows:

1. Let Me Be The Fire – Isabella Kearney

Isabella was born in Australia and has written for songs for Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy.  She

is currently signed to Sony as a songwriter and lives in Nashville.

2. Doomsday Blue – Bambie Thug

Bambie Thug’s music is a mix of different types and styles. The Cork-born musician who identifies as

non-binary and uses they/them pronouns has created their own genre which they call “Ouija Pop.

Starting off their career as a ballerina in Ireland, Bambie Thug moved to the UK to study a degree in

musical theatre. And from there they moved on to songwriting and performing.  Their songs have

been featured in major publications as The Gay Times and Rolling Stone UK.

3. Judas – JyellowL feat. Toshin

JyellowL wis from Nigeria and is one of the most ambitious rappers on the Irish music scene. His

debut album received the nomination of Irish Album of the Year at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize.

4. Go Tobann – Ailsha

Ailsha started out her career as a make-up artist and cruelty-free beauty blogger as a way to have a

steady income.She then graduated from a course in video games music composition at Griffith

College in Dublin. Among her video game music credits is the soundtrack to the Big Brother video

game.  Her music a mix between rock, metal and classic Celtic elements.

5. Love Like Us – Next In Line

Next In Line is Louis Walsh’s current boyband project. After Westlife Boyzone and HomeTown, the

Irish producer has gathered a new group of boys from across Ireland. Their song to represent Ireland

at Eurovision is their first single.

 6. Love Me Like I Do – Erica Cody

Erica-Cody is a rising star in the Irish music industry. She has already released two albums and has

appeared on RTÉ’s popular programme Dancing with the Stars. Her music mixes pop, hiphop and

R&B. 

After each performance, it was over to the expert studio panel to provide their thoughts. The panel

consisted of Dancing with the Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian, singer and 1993 UK Eurovision entrant

Sonia, RTÉ radio presenter Louise Duffy and comedian Gearoid Farrelly.

The voting format was confirmed as 33% international jury, 33% national jury and 33% Irish public.

The results were as follows:

International Jury Vote

12 Points - Next in Line – Love Like Us

10 Points – Erica Cody - Love Me Like I Do

8 Points – Bambie Thug – Doomsday Blue

6 Points – Ailsha – Go Tobann

4 Points – JyellowL – Judas

2 Points – Isabella Kearney - Let Me Be The Fire

National Jury Vote

12 points – Bambie Thug – Doomsday Blue

10 points – Ailsha – Go Tobann

8 points – JyellowL – Judas

6 points – Erica Cody - Love Me Like I Do

4 points – Isabella Kearney - Let Me Be The Fire

2 points – Next in Line – Love Like Us

Public Vote

12 points – Bambie Thug – Doomsday Blue

10 points – Next in Line – Love Like Us

8 points – Ailsha – Go Tobann

6 points – Erica Cody - Love Me Like I Do

4 points – JyellowL – Judas

2 points – Isabella Kearney - Let Me Be The Fire

The winner was Bambie Thug who will be flying the flag for Ireland in Malmo with their song,

Doomsday Blue.

The overall ranking was as follows;

1. Bambie Thug – Doomsday Blue – 32 points

2. Next in Line – Love Like Us – 24 points

3. Ailsha – Go Tobann – 24 points

4. Erica Cody - Love Me Like I Do – 22 points

5. JyellowL – Judas – 16 points

6. Isabella Kearney - Let Me Be The Fire – 8 points

Live Performance of Doomsday Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA2fKlT8Khw

Luxembourg - Rowan Q

Luxembourg's triumphant return to the Eurovision Song Contest after a 31-year hiatus has proven to be a beacon of promise for the nation. The national final, reminiscent of Australia Decides, unfolded in a charming arena with a capacity of 2,800, boasting an LED stage that echoed the grandeur of the contest itself.

The evening commenced with enchanting performances by Eurovision legends Anne-Marie David and Vicky Leandros, each showcasing their winning songs. Guiding the audience through the event were four hosts—Désirée Nosbusch, Melody Funck, Raoul Roos, and Loïc Juchem. Nosbusch, a familiar face from the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest, effortlessly blended English and Luxembourgish, contributing to the impeccably polished production.

To cater to the global audience, thoughtful efforts were made, as evidenced by pre-performance postcards featuring English subtitles. Commentary by Melissa Dalton and Sarah Tapp added context without overshadowing the hosts, enhancing the overall viewing experience.

The national final introduced an international jury from eight countries, ensuring commendable audio balance that elevated vocals while maintaining harmony with backing tracks. Joel Marques delivered an up-tempo ballad with a visually captivating performance, while Edsun brought Milli Vanilli vibes in a striking red suit, compensating for vocal nuances with charisma and a dynamic routine.

Sixteen-year-old Naomi Aye impressed with a soulful ballad, showcasing remarkable vocal prowess. Angy and Rafa Ela presented an up-tempo ballad, seamlessly blending light choreography with outstanding vocal harmonies. The collective performance of "One Last Time," a rock ballad featuring all participants skillfully wielding instruments, showcased musical prowess despite a slight vocal setback.

Krick commanded the stage with confidence in a solo ballad, complemented by an enchanting LED display. Chaild, with a song penned by seasoned Swedish songwriters, delivered a compelling performance with 80s-inspired visuals, though the song evoked a Melodifestivalen reject vibe. Tali, with an upbeat dance number, emerged as a crowd favorite, delivering a polished performance that secured her victory.

Interval acts featuring Katrina Leskanich, Charlotte Perrelli, Ruslana, and the ageless Alexander Rybak entertained the audience. Vicky Leandros joined Rybak for a rendition of "L'amour est bleu," aligning with the expected style and caliber of these seasoned artists.

The voting process, taking 40 minutes, included crossovers to the international jury and green room interviews. The folk punk ska band Scheppe Siwen showcased excellence, potentially being a strong contender. Ultimately, Tali emerged victorious with her song "Fighter," standing out among the competition and marking Luxembourg's return to Eurovision with a promising win.

Albania - Matt McD

Albania's national selection was once again done in an interesting way. The 11 jury members were 100% responsible for the Festivali i Këngës official results while televoters were 100% responsible for who Albania would send from there to Eurovision. Perhaps most bizarre was that an act eliminated in the semifinals could have been chosen for Eurovision. However, that ended up not happening.

 The quality of the performances improved throughout the week. The first semifinal's overall quality just wasn't good, in my opinion, which is so atypical for FiK. And the performance that I thought was the worst of that night ended up winning the entire thing, Mal Retkoceri with his song, "Çmendur." (I thought the song was good but that his singing wasn't.)

 However, he did perform better, more controlled and polished, in the final. Here's that performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SfaOSRVE-Q

 Regardless, he won't be going to Eurovision. In fact, the televoters chose an act to represent Albania in Malmö that didn't finish in the top three. (As is usual for Albania, only the most basic information was released on the results, in this case, the top three official placings and the televote winner.)

 Besa Kokëdhima will perform at Eurovision with her song, "Zemrën n'dorë," which translates as "Heart in hand." Although not one of my personal favorites at FiK 62, she does show off impressive vocals, and I feel that this entry does have potential to do well at Eurovision.

 Historically, Besa has a No. 1 hit within Albania, a 2020 song titled, "C'est la vie." And, interestingly, she participated in Romania's Selecţia Naţională in 2009 with "Nothing' Gonna Change." There, she performed in a 12-act semifinal but was not amongst the six to advance from it.

 Nearly 15 years later, she experienced much more success competing in her native country's national final. Here's her performance there that helped propel her onto the Eurovision stage for the first time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEhgzI45Rkk

I also want to say that I'm impressed at all of the work that the backup singers put in throughout FiK 62, appearing to contribute to every performance. And it's so great to be able to enjoy a live orchestra as well.

The four nights of FiK 62 were held in Tirana on Dec. 19, 20, 21 and 22 with the semifinals on Dec. 19 and 20 and a "nostalgia night" on Dec. 21 prior to the final taking place on Dec. 22. Thirty-one acts took part with 22 advancing to the final, including 14 who were designated as automatic qualifiers.

Elsa Lila, who won FiK in 1996, 1997 and 2022 but has never participated in Eurovision due to her not winning the televote a year ago and Albania first entering Eurovision in 2004, was one of the FiK 62 participants as well. She didn't finish in the top three, so it's unknown where she placed in either of the two votes.

On nostalgia night, Eugent Bushpepa, who represented Albania at Eurovision 2018, sang, "S'mund t'jetoj pa ty," with participant Arsi Bako.

Czechia - Joe Z

Czechia once again held ESCZ on Monday, December 4, 2023. A major change for this year’s event was a shift to a live show with an audience at the Roxy Theatre in Prague. The stage is fairly small so the staging is limited, with a bit of dancing in some acts and bands on stage. 7 acts were chosen to compete.

Aiko performed first with “Pedestal.” A pop song, Aiko said in her interview with Austrian 2018 Eurovision entry Cesar Sampson, “I felt angry at the time…I’ve not been valuing myself enough.” She hopes it can emotionally connect with the audience and encourages listeners to put themselves on a pedestal.

Next, Elly performed “The Angel’s Share.” A ballad, Elly described it as “healing after losing someone close to you…it has a super personal meaning.” Elly did not realize it was also a term for whisky drinkers meaning the amount of an alcoholic beverage lost to evaporation. She hopes everyone can connect with the song in their own way.

Third, Gianna Lei performed “Starlet.” When talking with Cesar, Gianna describes it as a song about boosting self confidence, written at a low time for her.

Fourth, Lenny performed the second ballad of the night, “Good Enough.” She previously had a hit across Europe with “Hello.” Lenny spoke with Cesar and described the song as personal, about moments where she wonders if she’s good enough to have earned the stage she’s on, or imposter syndrome. She wants it to remind people that they are good enough.

Fifth, Mydy performed the upbeat, electro-pop song “Red Flag Parade.” The front woman of the band, that already performed at Glastonbury, said their name has no particular meaning. The song is self-described as glam-tronic.

Sixth, Tom Sean performed his club dance track “Dopamine Overdose.” He described the song in three words when prompted by Cesar as “uncontrollable pure happiness.” Tom would like to make the staging a party, especially if he makes it to Malmö.

Finally, Tomas Robin performed “Out of My Mind.” It’s a departure from his standard style, shiifng to a more electronic sound. He told Ceasar the hook, which is also the title, was the first part written. He wanted the versus to be more calm building up to the chorus. The lyrics describe overthinking situatons and that we sometimes get to in our heads in situations.

Following Tomas Robin’s performance, the votng was opened. As with ESCZ in the past, international televote will make up 70% of the selection and the vote within Czechia 30%. The results were announced a week later on December 13 with Aiko and “Pedestal” winning with 23,898 points, followed by Elly and “The Angel’s Share” with 12,876 points, and Mydy in third with “Red Flag Parade” and 7,031 points

France - Steve S

France’s Eurovision entry for 2024 was announced on 8 November by Broadcaster France Televisions and French Television Station Channel 2. It was an internal selection as in 2023 and the song was released as well. It is titled “ Mon amour”.

THE ARTIST
The artist chosen was Slimane Nebchi, who stage name is Slimane ( Arabic version of Solomon- Man of Peace). He is a 34 year old French singer songwriter of Algerian descent who has amassed millions of fans worldwide since winning The Voice in 2015. He has released several albums ( sales of 2 million) with 4 topping the French and Belgian charts and has over 2 billion streams of his songs. He has a massive social media presence that will be difficult to ignore when the Eurovision season really swings into gear in 2024.

He has performed in stage musicals, television shows and series, and French films. He has toured and sold out concerts in large venues. He is an accomplished artist with a goal to conquer Eurovision for France.

THE SONG
Slimane was both Lyricist and co composer of “Mon amour”. It is a passionately performed French ballad, brimming with longing, desire and pain for an unrequited love. Slimane has described the song as “ a love letter to European hearts” - so that alone should ensure millions of votes!
The style of the song is a departure for Slimane who is more known for Hip Hop and Rap, but he seems at ease with the emotive requirements of the French ballad genre.

THE COUNTRY
France is bloody serious about winning Eurovision. In the past few years it has brought exquisite talent with Barbara Pravi ( runner up in 2021) and class with La Zarra in 2023.  It knows that authentic french songs can do very well and I think Slimane will give France its best chance of winning the title in 2024.
As one of the Big Five, France automatically qualifies for the final, so Slimane will be certainly get his chance to cast his French spell over the worldwide Eurovision audience.