KAJ Reaches Eurovision Final with "Bara bada bastu" Performance

The trio mesmerized the audience in the arena when they performed "Bara bada bastu" in the semifinal. KAJ were met with great jubilation both before, during, and after the performance. They are also one of the ten contributions that move on to the final when the audience votes are counted.

The group describes the semifinal as a "relief".

It was really nerve-wracking for a while, thinking what if it doesn't hold? But it did, says Jakob Norrgård to TT.

How does it feel now ahead of Saturday's final?

We're ready. We'll rehearse more. Now we just need to handle this competition nervousness, that's the most important. We'll take it easy on Wednesday and Thursday and digest this, then we'll rehearse again, says Axel Åhman.

In Saturday's final, the jury groups' votes will also be a factor.

According to all betting sites, KAJ is best positioned to win the entire competition. They have increased their chances of winning to 44 percent after the semifinal.

Norway advances

Norway's Kyle Alessandro also advanced – despite the voting problems he had been struggling with. In the semifinal, he had improved enough to reach the high notes in "Lighter" with some effort. Iceland's brother duo Vaeb also advancing, despite being at risk of being eliminated according to the odds.

It was special for us when Iceland was announced on air. I was so incredibly happy for their sake. We live in the same hotel, so we meet them all the time, so it's going to be really great to take them to the final. And also Norway, says Jakob Norrgård.

Even KAJ's main competitors in the semifinal, Estonia's Tommy Cash with the crazy "Espresso macchiato", the Netherlands' Claude's subtle "C'est la vie", and Ukraine's Shkodra Elektronike's ethno-pop contribution "Zjerm" advanced.

Petra Mede made an appearance

The semifinal began with a dance and song number in national romantic overtones. It was alphorn, traditional dirndl dresses, and some sort of song mix of yodeling and kulning.

The hosts Hazel Brugger and Hazel Studer welcomed millions of European TV viewers when Switzerland hosted the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 36 years.

We have big shoes to fill this year after last year's fantastic edition of Eurovision in Malmö, says Sandra Studer.

Petra Mede then made a surprising appearance in the interval act "Made in Switzerland", as the Swiss national hero Wilhelm Tell. The Swedish host is extremely popular in Eurovision circles and her participation was met with great jubilation and many dropped jaws.

During the evening, they paid tribute to the domestic music by playing major Swiss hits: DJ Bobo's "Chihuahua" from 2003 and the classic "bird dance" created in Switzerland in the 1950s by accordionist Werner Thomas.

The last time Switzerland hosted the competition was in 1989, the year after Celine Dion won with "Ne partez pas sans moi". And the Canadian singer participated via a video greeting at the end of the evening.

I'm so glad that Switzerland gets to host the competition again and I'm with you in spirit, she said.

Dion, who has been afflicted with the disease "stiff person syndrome", was then honored with an interpretation of her Eurovision ballad by singers from last year's Eurovision.