Knights and Opera Challenge Kaj in the European Championship

Sweden is no longer the favorite to win this year's European Championship. Weeks before Kaj won Melodifestivalen, Sweden was in a stable first place on the betting companies' list of who is believed to take home the competition.

Since Kaj's victory, Austria has overtaken Sweden and taken first place. Artist JJ's contribution "Wasted love" is pop-opera and the singer, who is actually named Johannes Pietsch, has a bright tenor voice that can reach tones as high as a soprano.

Another favorite is Estonia's Tommy Cash, who is participating with the much-talked-about contribution "Espresso macchiato".

The contribution, which is performed in a mix of broken Italian and English, has sparked outrage in Italy and is accused of perpetuating clichés and prejudices. Some have even demanded that the song be excluded. Despite this, Tommy Cash appears to be one of the biggest threats to Kaj.

Moral Panic Unleashed

Italy's choice of contribution has not been without headlines either. The winner of the Sanremo festival, which serves as the country's selection for the European Championship, is skipping the final in Basel. Instead, it will be the second-place finisher in Sanremo, Lucio Corsi, who will represent the country with a power ballad.

Finland's contribution "Ich komme" has sparked a wave of moral panic at home – the reason being the song's sexual undertones. Critics claim that both the clothing and the message make the contribution unsuitable for children, writes Yle.

Suitable or not, Finland's Erika Vikman is a big favorite.

Even Norway's Kyle Alessandro's stage clothes have attracted attention. The 18-year-old performs in knight's armor – a tribute to his mother who showed "warrior spirit" in connection with a cancer diagnosis, writes NRK. According to Kyle Alessandro himself, the chance of winning is great.

"We're going to win the European Championship, mark my words", he said after winning in Norway.

Odd Entries

He's not the only one who has chosen a knight look. Armenia's contribution "Survivor" is performed by artist Parg, dressed in armor. The contributions have several similarities, which has led Norway to consider changing the number before the performance in Basel.

Israel is sending artist Yuval Raphael. The country's participation was debated last year due to the war in Gaza, which increased security measures in Malmö. So also this year, and police who attended last year's European Championship have visited Basel to share their experiences.

The competition will be held in Basel on May 13-17. The first semifinal on Tuesday, the second semifinal on Thursday, and the final on Saturday. Sweden will compete in the first semifinal.

Semifinal 1

Albania: Shkodra Elektronike – "Zjerm"

Azerbaijan: Mamagama – "Run with u"

Belgium: Red Sebastian – "Strobe lights"

Cyprus: Theo Evan – Not yet announced

Estonia: Tommy Cash – "Espresso macchiato"

Iceland: Væb – "Róa"

Croatia: Marko Bosnjak – "Poison cake"

Netherlands: Claude – "C'est la vie"

Norway: Kyle Alessandro – "Lighter"

Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – "Gaja"

Portugal: Not yet announced