Emmelie de Forest – Danish Eurovision Representative 2013. Photograph courtesy of YouTube

Croatia

(YouTube Video Courtesy of ESCKaz)

Garrett’s View

Looking and sounding like a strong qualifier. Vocals are excellent and the main singer is even more charismatic on screen now. Starlit backdrop and traditional Klapa costumes make this the first true ethnic/cultural song of the contest. Great use of the 360 degrees camera during the instrumental which looks stunning. Overall a great performance.

Andrew’s view

We all popped out for lunch before Croatia came on and due to a famous fast food joint not being fast we missed a lot of this rehearsal, however I caught enough of the final run through to cast judgement. Not particularly a favourite of mine but the staging of it is spot on and the national costumes a lovely feature. Vocally this was excellent today and I think this truly stands out a mile in what is a very slow start to this Semi-final. I think this is definitely qualifying and could even do quite well in the Final.

Elaine’s View

Croatia is pretty much the same as in the first rehearsal. This group are brilliant vocally. The song is strong and the only of its type in the contest. They are like a Croatian Il Divo. In a semi full of female soloists this song stands out a mile. A qualifier in my opinion.

Denmark

Garrett’s View

Well Emmelie has been holding back on us and her stage performance now has a waterfall of pyrotechnics that looks stunning on screen. Emmelie seemed comfortable though her vocals were strained and slightly off at times – maybe just over tired. Still a definite qualifier.

Andrew’s view

The staging again is almost identical to the National Final routine. Vocally I felt Emmelie was a little bit off at times but this very formulaic song is sailing through to the Final, possibly top 5 too. But I don’t think this fan favourite will win the contest.

Elaine’s View

I had been underwhelmed with the stage performance from Denmark on Monday, however they have added some pyros and a waterfall at the end and it looks much better now. It had all felt far too static. This song is in with a great chance and is surely a qualifier.

Russia

Garrett’s View

Dina is looking beautiful in a simple salmon coloured dress. Her backing singers are in clothes that are complementing her. We still do not know what the balls are for that the male backing singers bring onto the stage. Dina’s vocals are excellent on every run and she has a likability feel about her. Welcome to the final.

Andrew’s view

Dina is in a simple peachy/salmony(or is it salmony/peachy) dress which looks lovely. The staging is also simple and slick, I like the grouping of the backing singer and how it comes across. Vocally this is really almost perfect, it’s an easy on the ear sort of song and should impress plenty viewers and jurors alike. Definite qualifier and potential top 10 as well.

Elaine’s View

Dina is a great singer. The staging is as was on Monday. She is wearing a Salmon coloured dress and they have kept in the part where they throw the balls into the audience. Seems a bit silly to me. I find this song very underwhelming and frankly a bit dull but it is a Russian ballad sung by a great singer and should sail into the final.

Ukraine

(YouTube Video Courtesy of ESCKaz)

Garrett’s View

We still have Igor the giant man carrying Zlata onto the stage to her rock plinth. Igor is dressed in a cross between a Highland Fling and Mad Max costume and Zlata is now in a fish tailed dress of a Metallic metal. The back drop is now of a forest with lightning to begin with. For the key change there is the introduction of this year’s Eurovision logo butterflies. The backing singers are crouched and slowly raise up. I am still waiting for more from this performance but it is sailing – or being carried by Igor – into the final

Andrew’s view

Igor our friendly giant is still prominent in the frame for Ukraine, the carrying and setting down of Zlata is a lot smoother today and she is wearing a lovely red metal effect patchwork dress. Great vocals on this song which is the selling point for this. For a change I think Ukraine will qualify not because of the loopy staging but because of the quality of the singing.

Elaine’s view

Ukraine are in full stage dress this afternoon. Igor the giant still carries Zlata onto her rock. She looks stunning in a metallic fishtail dress in pink purple and blue. Her backing singers rise up from the ground and there is a dark sky backdrop. The “fairytale” theme is far more apparent now and this did not cause nearly as many giggles as it did in the press centre on Monday. Should be in the final.

Netherlands

(YouTube Video courtesy of ESCKaz)
Garrett’s view

Anouk is looking and sounding like another definite qualifier. We just love that she is in simple black jeans and shirt and adds to the atmosphere of the song. An understated performance that will stand out following the elaborate production of Ukraine before hand. Welcome back to the final The Netherlands – a long wait since 2004.

Andrew’s view

Anouk is up now for The Netherlands and this song is so simply staged it’s truly quite stunning, she spends the whole 3 minutes on the satellite stage with her backing singers behind her on the main stage. The vocals are brilliant and such a unique voice too. For me this is certainly qualifying on Tuesday.

Elaine’s view

Anouk keeps things simple and sophisticated with her song “Birds”. There are no theatrics here just 3 backing singers and no gimmicks. This song had me on the fence until coming out here but I see it as a qualifier now.

Source – Eurovision Ireland