Denmark's Søren Torpegaard Lund has been tipped to advance to the final ever since he won the Danish Melodi Grand Prix earlier this spring. But when the evening finally came, he was called second-to-last and was on full alert during the announcement of the winners.
"It was like a thriller. I screamed so loud that I didn't get any oxygen to my brain and had to sit down. It feels amazing," he tells ESC's own web channel.
Among the other eight countries advancing to the final are Bulgaria's Dara with "Bangaranga," featuring staging created by Sweden's Fredrik "Benke" Rydman, and Australia's Delta Goodrem with her gold-glittering grand piano.
The second semi-final began with presenters Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski attempting to enter the Eurovision stage in a pre-recorded segment aboard last year's winner JJ's "Wasted Love" boat. But of course, everything went wrong.
"Good evening, Europe! How are you tonight?" Swarovski called.
It continued with the usual mix of crazy numbers from the former Eastern Bloc and serious acts inspired by classical music, such as from France. In addition, host Victoria Swarovski gave a history lesson on Eurovision's LGBTQ history and JJ returned to perform his new single "Unknown" live.
"Un-Danish" number
Shooting star Søren Torpegaard Lund has previously told TT that he feels a certain weight resting on his shoulders, as things have been bad for Denmark in recent years.
Last year was the first time in six years that the country made it to the final - however, they only finished 23rd. This year, however, it could be different; "Før vi går hjem" is a modern number that "feels un-Danish" according to the artist himself. Overall, he is tipped to finish third in the final on Saturday.
Norway was the first to be called up to the final, but Jonas Lovv is currently in twenty-first place overall when the bookmakers compile the odds. When the Norwegian VG spoke to him afterwards, he was "insanely" happy.
"It's really nice. Regardless of how the final goes, I'll go home a happy man," he says.
France favorites
In addition to the competition, France was also in the starting field during the evening - as they are one of the "big four" countries (originally "big five", but Spain is boycotting the competition this year in protest against Israel being allowed to participate).
Singer Monroe was raised in the US with a French-Congolese mother. She is classically trained and the number is in 18th-century style with dancers in black and lots of smoke. In the final, "Regarde!" is tipped fourth by the bookmakers.
This is how it went in the second semi-final
On to the finals:
Bulgaria: Dara – “Bangaranga”
Ukraine: Leléka – "Ridnym"
Norway: Jonas Lovv – “Ya ya ya”
Australia: Delta Goodrem – “Eclipse”
Romania: Alexandra Capitanescu – “Choke me”
Malta: Aidan – “Bella”
Albania: Alis – “Nan”
Cyprus: Antigoni - "Jalla"
Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – "Before we go home"
Czech Republic: Daniel Zizka – “Crossroads”
Eliminated:
Azerbaijan: Jiva – “Just go”
Luxembourg: Eva Marija – "Mother nature"
Armenia: Simón – “Paloma rumba”
Switzerland: Veronica Fusaro – “Alice”
Latvia: Atvara - "Ena"
Footnote: France (Monroe – “Regarde!”), Austria (Cosmó – “Tanzschein”) and Great Britain (Look Mum No Computer – “Eins, zwei, drei”) appeared in the semi-finals but were already directly qualified for the final.
Here are all the contestants from Saturday's final in the Eurovision Song Contest:
Greece: Akylas – "Ferto"
Finland: Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen – "Liekinheitin"
Belgium: Essyla – "Dancing on the ice"
Sweden: Felicia – "My system"
Moldova: Satoshi – "Long live Moldova!"
Israel: Noam Bettan – "Michelle"
Serbia: Lavina - "Kraj mene"
Croatia: Lelek – "Andromeda"
Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – "Sólo quiero más"
Poland: Alicja – "Pray"
Italy: Sal Da Vinci – "Per semper sì"
Germany: Sarah Engels – "Fire"
Bulgaria: Dara – “Bangaranga”
Ukraine: Leléka – "Ridnym"
Norway: Jonas Lovv – “Ya ya ya”
Australia: Delta Goodrem – “Eclipse”
Romania: Alexandra Capitanescu – “Choke me”
Malta: Aidan – “Bella”
Albania: Alis – “Nan”
Cyprus: Antigoni - "Jalla"
Denmark: Søren Torpegaard Lund – "Before we go home"
Czech Republic: Daniel Zizka – “Crossroads”
France: Monroe – “Regarde!”
Austria: Cosmo – "Tanzschein"
UK: Look Mum No Computer – “Eins, zwei, drei”
