All right folks, it's time for another Eurovision. I must say right now that I really love the interwebs and Octoshape for without them I couldn't watch it live every year and for that I am grateful.
Oslo is doing Eurovision through the years and shots of nature as the intro and it's pretty damn spiffy I must admit. As always, this is going to be stream of thought rambling opinion of the show and performances as it goes on. Don't expect a lot of depth but my honest thoughts as I watch.
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This is pretty cool. They have normal folks from all the competing countries wishing their respective entries good luck. Yay! Alexander Rybak is there wishing everyone good luck. Now he's standing solo with his violin. I know a lot of people weren't happy about him winning last year but I honestly liked his song and performance so I'm happy to see the guy again.
As always there's a lot of bling lights and dancers in the background. I have a feeling I'm going to like the Norway performances a lot more than Russia. But I'm not too fond of Russia.
Ahh, Alexander, I love your mad fiddling skills.
Oh, the hosts. This is always painful. On a scale of one to ten I wonder how much they'll suck this year with inane chatter and being boring as hell. Two girls and one guy this time.
Can I say yet again how much I want to go to Eurovision one day? Seriously. I must go one day. It will be the most fun thing ever. I love this show too much. Huh. They're talking about how now you can vote for the winner at any time instead of at the end. I don't know if this is a good idea. I mean, a lot of people might vote out of impulse and after you vote for something then something else comes along and it's better and dude, bummer. Also people just voting out of loyalty can do it at the start now. Lame.
Azerbaijan: Safura, Drip Drop
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Well, she's pretty. She reminds me of Miley Cyrus. Looks wise. Not voice. But it's like... typical big pop power ballad. I dunno. The stage is very turquoise looking. It matches her outfit. 6 points.
Spain: Daniel Diges, Algo Pequenito
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Hey, they've taken to showing live backstage moments. The artists waiting to go on. Nice. Oh noes, dude. lol. Clowns! This is going to freak people out. What the hell, Spain? This is some French shit. Your singer also has a jewfro. This is an extremely weird performance from you. Where's the hot female singers? Yeahhh... 3 points.
I guess that random guy in the tuxedo was a "stage invasion" and it's why Spain later gets to redo the peformance. I totally didn't notice it. I prefer him to the freaky clowns though.
Norway: Didrik Solli-Tangen, My Heart Is Yours
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Ugh. Norway. Why? I know you got a free pass since you won last year to get into the contest but a ballad? A slow lame ballad? 2 points.
Moldova: SunStroke Project & Olia Tira, Run Away
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Yay. Moldova. I usually am happy with your entries. And... fireworks and a dude spinning in a circle playing a light up electric violin. This does make me happy. Random bad punk dancers. lol. Ahhh, this is Eurovision. And a saxophone. I take the outfits back. They're not punk. They're bad 80s version of punk. It's fabulous. She has Jem & The Holograms eye make up that covers her whole face and a sparkly silver tutu. lol. This is cheesy but fabulous. 8 points.
Cyprus: Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders, Life Looks Better In Spring
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The dude from Cyprus showed his abs backstage. I don't know if he thinks this will help him win. Augh. Sensitive male acoustic guitar and chicks on pianos. Why is Eurovision doing this to me? I just want over the top pop or just kick ass rock or crazy awesome. It's not bad but it's just dull and he's singing about wanting someone to tell him about their feelings. Whyyyy? 3 points.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vukasin Brajic, Thunder and Lightning
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This guy looks like he dresses entirely from Hot Topic. It could be okay though. I'm debating. Okay... I don't know if he's being cool or preparing to send a sensitive male song in disguise. Hrmmm. Well, he can play guitar but he's way too happy. None of my favorite guitarists ever look happy when rocking out. They just concentrate on playing. All right. The song is okay but he's singing about world peace again. It's a common theme in Eurovision and it always rings... I don't know? Not false but just cheesy and overdone. It is a good performance though. 7 points.
Belgium: Tom Dice, Me and My Guitar
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Oh my god. What the hell is going on with sensitive males and acoustic guitars this year? This is so irking me. Oh no. He's actually trying to acoustically sensitively rock out. "Come on, Oslo." Ugh. Why? Stop this, Eurovision. 2 points.
Serbia: Milan Stankovic, This Is Balkan
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It's that androgynous guy from Serbia. Oh good. No acoustic guitars. I like him already. He's got a strong booming voice and he's not afraid to use it and thank the lord. I'm sick of guys who can't project as they're trying to emphasize their ~feelings~ and he's even got on a sparkly blue tuxedo jacket. Yay guy. I like you. Please save me from your acoustic guitar competitors. Tell them to stop it. 7 points.
Wait... what? Spain was disturbed and they get to perform again? I didn't notice any Spanish disturbance. Other than them sucking. (Apparently it was that dude in the tuxedo, Jimmy Jump? I dunno who he is.)
Belarus: 3+2 featuring Robert Wells, Butterflies
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Just the song title alone makes me grumpy. What is with this year? I mean, do I have to stab a bitch for some over the top pop? Ugh. Fragile like melting snow. This is just... why is Eurovision doing this? I mean, each year you get one or two songs like this but what the heck, this is almost half the show it feels like. I can't take it. 2 points.
Ireland: Niamh Kavanagh, It's For You
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I like how they go to Ireland and it's people wandering around all unorganized at first. lol. It's a girl so at least no more sensitive male. But I have a feeling this is another slow song. And... yeahhhh. It is. But she has a kick ass voice and I have to admit, I'm sort of sexist in how I can take more slow and sensitive songs from females better than male singers. They actually make me feel something when the girls sing it. Most of the time the male singers just annoy me and make me wish they to shut up and ohh, flutes. I love flutes but I hate my internet connection pausing the show. 8 points.
Greece: Giorgos Alkaios & Friends, OPA!
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Finally something fun. I love you, Greece. Big and boisterous and dancing and drums and holy shit, it's fun. This is the shit I love Eurovision for. I like how they're attempting to look tough but it's still so gay. lol. But it doesn't matter. It's so great. Fireworks from the drums! Yayyy, Greece! I love it when the performers actually seem to be... you know, trying? And having fun? 10 points.
United Kingdom: Josh Dubovie, That Sounds Good To Me
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UK has gone the sensitive male route this year. But it's slightly more sparkly than the others. I think he's trying to get his mellow groove on while singing about loving hands guiding him? Oh, UK. You make me sad each year. 3 points.
Hey, she's going to visit Graham Norton who is commentating for the UK. I still miss Sir Terry. Hahaha. Graham just said he's completely empty on the inside. Like an Icelandic wallet.
Georgia: Sofia Nizharadze, Shine
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It's the pretty! They're helping her walk. Why not just lift her up? That's a diva move in every Eurovision practically. Oh wow. I like the pretty dancing with the pretty singing. The female dancer in red looks totally enamored with Sofia. lol. The male dancers are kind of skeevy looking but that doesn't stop the dance routine being really pretty to watch that matches the song completely. I love this performance. 10 points.
Turkey: maNga, We Could All Be The Same
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Turkey! Turkey, you never fail me. Unlike Ukraine. I'm so happy to see you. Look, it's a good rock performance and they have somebody dressed up like a robot in the background? lol. I love this stuff. Big lights, big voice, big performance. Haha. The robot person is dancing in the background. Not doing the robot though. I dunno what they're doing. They sort of look like a Sentai character. Robot person giving off sparks and flames in the background. This is fabulous. Turkey, you are my new favorite. 12 points.
Albania: Juliana Pasha, It's All About You
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Another pop performance. I was wondering where they all were. It's shiny and purple and lights flashing. She's got grapes hanging in the background? lol. I make fun but thank god not another acoustic male singer. This pleases me greatly. And rocking out on the violin! Sweet. 8 points.
Iceland: Hera Bjork, Je Ne Sais Quoi
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I have a soft spot for Iceland. They never get far but I love them. This entry should get far. She has a powerful and pretty voice and the song is catchy and it's made of the pop that Eurovision voters usually love. Who knows how voting will turn out though. I love it though. It's shiny and pinky and flashy and get down with your bad self, Iceland. People should respect your entries. 10 points.
Ukraine: Alyosha, Sweet People
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Ukraine entry looks solemn backstage. Like she wants to kick someone's ass. lol. That's strangely endearing. Too bad she's singing a slow ballad. I'm hoping I like the live version a lot better than the recorded one because I found that one severely lacking. I do like the black hood and her angsty atmosphere. You know what? I don't know if it's my desire to love Ukraine because I always loved Ukraine until seeing that recorded entry but I sort of like this now. I mean, she's got the fucking drama down pat. Ukraine, did you actually not fail me? She can sing. Okay. This is really super dramatic and fabulous now and the lights are going in time with her voice and the wind machine and dammit. I take it all back, Ukraine. I love you still. I was wrong to ever doubt you. I think this is a rare time when live is a million times better than recorded in Eurovision. I'm super torn between who I want to win more. You or Turkey. You guys always do this to me. But I'm soooo happy you rocked this out! Ukraine! :::HUGS!::: 12 points.
France: Jessy Matador, Allex Ola Ole
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Frannnnnnnnce. lol. Hee. I love you, France. Will you ever win though? People hate on the French unnecessarily. This is super fun and entertaining and you know what? French is such a pretty language to listen to. No one can ever take that away from them. Hahah. Ass wiggling. This is so much fun and I love France for this and so does the audience. Also, I love they're wearing those stereotypical black and white striped tiny shirts. Where are the berets? lol. I mean, come on, stop singing about world peace. Just have some damn fun like France already. 10 points.
Romania: Paula Seling & Ovi, Playing With Fire
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Electric keyboards! Shiny lights! More fun! You know, I love Romania. I have ever since they did that song about vampires being alive. lol. This is a decent pop entry from them though. I'm so happy we've moved into pop territory. It's what I love about Eurovision. I kind of like the dueling piano playing in this song. It's different but the performance is really energetic. 8 points.
Russia: Peter Nalitch & Friends, Lost and Forgotten
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Blerh. Sensitive male is back again. Russia, this is just not helping me get over my instinctive dislike of you. 3 points.
They're in the green room now. Yay, France. They have a little Eiffel Tower on their table. lol. Iceland has a volcano. They just talked about Spain having to perform again. I still don't get why they get to go again. I'll have to investigate on the interwebs. (Again, it was due to tuxedo guy running on stage.)
Armenia: Eva Rivas, Apricot Stone
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Eva Rivas is just... really really really really beautiful you guys. Seriously. There's a guy in some silk pajama outfit dancing around with a pot. This is a strange performance. I really like it though. Mostly I like how the song tells a story. Plus the accompanying music is great. 10 points.
Germany: Lena Meyer-Landrut, Satellite
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Wave, Lena. You should wave. Your singing is made of awesome. I forgot how much I love this song and your performance. Dammit. Now I'm totally torn between Turkey, Ukraine, and Germany. I'll let the voters decide for me. I can't do it. I'd have to flip coins. I love how happy Lena is when she's performing. She's bouncing around and doing cute little hand gestures and smiling big. Cuuuute. This is a really low key for Eurovision and I hope that doesn't lead to it being overlooked because it deserves to be in the top five at the very least. 12 points.
Portugal: Filipa Azevedo, Ha Dias Assim
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Lisbon is having a party it looks like. This is a really beautiful performance. I don't have a lot to say about it though. 8 points.
Israel: Harel Skaat, Milim
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This guy reminded me of a lounge singer when I first saw him and that doesn't hold true anymore but he is doing the quiet singing with ~feelings~ that so many of the boys have been pulling tonight and I'm not digging it. 3 points.
Denmark: Chanee & N'evergreen, In A Moment Like This
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There's a wall between the two singers from Denmark. Shadow people! lol. This is very 80s.
oneiric22 would crack up at this I think. Fog machine is totally working overtime. Now they're walking and holding hands and hee. Dude. I love this but it shouldn't win. 6 points.
And now Spain is going again for some reason. I'm going to try and get the two videos of the first performance then the second one. I don't know what I missed that is making them redo it. (Tuxedo guy runs on stage and makes a lame performance somewhat entertaining in retrospect.) I have a feeling it will still suck in my opinion but... yeahhhh. It's the same freaky clown performance that I didn't like the first time around. Internet isn't helping me figure out why they're going again. Maybe audience interrupted the other one? Ehhh.
Show is over and people who had the good sense to wait to vote until it is over are doing the voting now. The male host is lameeeee. But I don't know why that doesn't surprise me. I hope Graham is mocking him. Who knows.
It's a Eurovision dinner party! Or something. I dunno what is going on. Haha. Turkey's band is awesome. I'm going to help make some food for our Eurovision viewing party. I'm pretty sure nothing interesting is going to happen until voting gets underway. I have no idea who I want to win out of my three favorites but I would love to see Eurovision held in Germany. It would be awesome.
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Madcon is performing. This is hilariously awesome. Norway, yayyyy. Now they have dancers in the audience dancing in synchronization. This is severely awesome. Hahaha... now you can see people from all the countries dancing along. This is really cool. I'll have to find a video of this to post along with all the final performances. It deserves to be seen/shared. Dude. They just showed the Crown Princess of Norway dancing with her kids. lol. This is probably the neatest thing they've done in awhile. Norway, you rock at putting on a show. That was the best interval ever.
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Germany is the winner! 246 points! Party in 2011 in Berlin! Yayyyyy! This makes me really happy. I was torn between who I wanted to win but Germany is the winner and Turkey is in second place.