Moldova National Final. Photo : TRM

Welcome to our LIVE ROLLING BLOG of the Moldovan National Final that begins at 19:00 (CET). 16 songs compete for the right to represent Moldova at Eurovision 2014. as always “Just Refresh” the page for our comprehensive review of the performance.

You can watch the show live HERE

Running Order

1. Diana Staver – One And All
2. Doinița Gherman – Energy
3. Boris Covali – Perfect Day
4. Tatiana Heghea – I’m Yours
5. Lucia S – Frozen
6. Margarita & Metafora – Vis
7. Ana Cernicova – Dragostea
8. Edict – Forever
9. FLUX LIGHT – Never Stop No
10. Aurel Chirtoacă – Urme De Lubiri
11. PARALELA 47 – Fragmente
12. Diana Brescan – Hallelujah
13. Mikaella – Follow Your Dreams
14. Curly – Your Recovery
15. Cristina Scarlat – Wild Soul
16. Felicia Dunaf – The Way I Do

LIVE BLOG

Moldova is one of those countries to punch above their weight at Eurovision. Can they make the final again this year?

To kick off, we have a dance troupe who are in white ragged clothes. And they have big white flags. I hope they’re not surrendering already. The crowd go wild as white fills the stage.

Next on is last year’s Moldovan entrant Aliona Moon sing ‘O mie’. She’s dressed very normally this time and proves she does have legs. I liked her song last year (and she was easy on the eye). So she’s hoping her luck will rub off tonight.

Hosts Iurie and Olivia welcome us all and like Thursday are very dapper. He’s in a suit and bow tie, and she’s in a gold dress. And our Green Room excitable Vlad is joined by Daniela. She’s in tartan.

Olivia reminds us that the televoters of Moldova will get their say, as this will contribute 50% of the final score. All of the numbers have lots of 9s in them.

We then get introduced to the illustrious jury. A collection of choreographers, producers, TV employees, composers, singers and probably a brain surgeon thrown in for good measure. No Nelly Ciobanu by the looks of things.

Diana might thinks she’s very lucky, as the two semi-final winners were both performed first. But she came sixth on Thursday. She’s changed to a black frock tonight. But she still has her love interest being tormented by a stilted man in black. I think he’s meant to be a puppeteer. There’s lots of stuff going on and it’s all very dramatic. The puppeteer steals the show for me so I don’t think this will be going to Copenhagen somehow.

My score (out of 10): 6

This most definitely isn’t Nuša Derenda. She’s got people on stage with chimney sweep’s brooms. Or oversized loo brushes. It’s also going for the traditional music vibe. And I think she’s singing in English. It’s energetic and will get a vote from fans of brushes.

My score: 7

Boris won the first semi-final. He starts by slowing things down a bit, and the clothing motif is white. once the chorus kicks in it really gets going. It’s all about loving each other and embracing. It’s actually quite good. He could be tonight’s winner.

My score: 10

Tatiana’s song wasn’t liked at all be the jury on Tuesday. By the televoters loved her. She is very easy on the eye, but her dress makes her look 15 feet tall. In common with the theme, she starts slow and then gets more dancey for the chorus. The bets bit is when she’s picked up by her burly backing dancers and spun around crucifex style. This could fill a dance floor or two in a Euroclub.

My score: 8

We’re now getting ‘Happy’ adverts (in the Pharrell sense).

Our hosts are back, telling us they’ve all done very well. Vlad and Daniela chat to the first four performers and as ever they all seem confident and upbeat. Luckily, Vlad doesn’t chat to them all.

Lucia won the jury vote on Thursday, but the televoters were less keen. She still has her wind machine and nose-flautist. White is still this year’s colour, as is the start-slow-then-pick-the-tempo-up song. She’s also got an interesting gimmick – a red flashing heart on her chest, covering one of her, erm, lady places. It’s OK, but maybe just a tad repetitive.

My score: 7

Margarita was a lucky loser. This is the local take on the wave of folksy stuff moving across Europe. It’s an earnest performance by her and her happy band. But she’s also trying to emulate Hari Mata Hari by the looks of things. I love this sort of stuff, but I don’t think many others will.

My score: 9

Ana is a very pretty girl with a very nice song. But nice doesn’t always do well at Eurovision. She has dancers who seem to specialise in the inverted cycle move. This has lots of goodness about it that would please lots of people. Moldova – vote for song 7.

My score: 10

I wasn’t keen on this on Thursday. But our lead singer has really glammed herself up. Maybe like a brunette Wendy James in black leather. There are shots over the crowd for this one, and they seem keen. Maybe it’s just for her. It maybe does have a bit more about than I give credit for, but it ain’t a winner for me.

My score: 5

Eight songs in – we’re half way already folks – and Daniela and Vlad take us on another trip around the Green Room. No adverts for anything (not even indigestion remedies) by the way. Just lots of chat.

To recap, my picks so far are by Boris Covali (song 3) and Ana Cernicova (song 7). But what do I know?

This is just a bit too scary 1980s for me. Marvin the Paranoid Android on keyboards makes it very unbelievable. I saw this and imagined the film ‘Tron’. But without the dayglow motorbikes obviously.

My score: 5

This surprised me by qualifying on Thursday. He’s putting more effort into the song tonight, but he’s trying too hard.

My score: 4

The Carola-memorial wind machine gets another outing and we get treated to a solo singer with two dancers doing the sort of stuff we’d see on Strictly. I think she’s singing in English but can’t be totally sure. On the plus side, she looks nice (Anne Hathaway-ish).

My score: 7

We get more adverts now, before we hear the last four songs. We have the local tax collection agency advertising. I can’t picture HMRC or Irish Tax & Customs doing the same sort of thing during a Eurovision-related broadcast.

Adverts over, and we again go to the Green Room. After all, we have to fill in and chat to more singers who take great delight in shouting their textvote number at us. Or in Aurel’s case, get your son to shout it.

Mikaella won the televote on Thursday. She’s throwing everything at this. Wind machine, ethnic backing dancers. And a very friendly beat to her ‘let’s-love-each-other’ ditty. it may strike a chord but it’s like a lot of other songs already chosen. UK, Estonia for starters.

My score: 8

Who says Eurovision can’t do quirky hasn’t seen Curly. She’s got the split personality thing going on again as there is Curly and two others dressed identically. It’s one of those stage performances you have to see, as I’m sure it be liked and hated in equal measures.

My score: 10

Cristina won the second semi-final. She’s gone for a inkblot or lava lamp style backdrop. She’s also the one with the mirror, half-metal dress and Tatar dancers. It will again appeal to a certain demographic – those that like a big voice, a dramatic performance, or anything Ukrainian. Or anything with a key change.

My score: 8

We’re there at last.

Now we get the umbrella. Felicia won’t need to dance in the rain if she makes it to Copenhagen. She likes to be upbeat and the word ‘do’. But she’s young and insecure. Young definitely. Not sure about the other bit though. Maybe it’s the dancers in evening suits and black masks that give her that insecurity. Felicia might spring a surprise.

My score: 9

Our final chat with the final four acts takes place with the lovely tartan-clad Daniela leading things off. Curly has even odder lip covering this time. They look like those little metal balls that you put on cupcakes. they could be a handy snack for her for later.

So, my favourites were by Boris Covali, Ana Cernicova and Curly. But what about you?

We’ve just seen a quick recap of the 16 lucky songs in tonight’s final. I think the drink may have been flowing in the Green Room as all of the singers seem in very high spirits.

The televoting lines have now closed. But before we see the results, we go folksy. Cuibul are a six-piece band. Pretty lead female singer, three guitarists, one fiddler (SeBalter would be proud) and one percussionist. It’s all the sort of stuff you’d hear in some dark smoky club that does excellent tapas with an Eastern European kinda twist. We’ve all been to those sorts of places.

Cuibul seem to be doing an extended set of their music.

They’ve finished now, and we’ve got some brief adverts before we discover the results. Are you excited?

But not quite yet. We visit the Green Room (or Groon Reem as they’ve sometimes called it tonight).

The televotes were collated, and here they are converted into points.

But before we see the final results, TRM decide to show us a travelogue of Denmark, backed by an upbeat version of last year’s winner, whatever it was called.

We then get the jury votes, translated into points are as follows:

So the song going to Copenhagen will be Wild Soul by Cristina Scarlat. Well done to her.

Thanks for tuning in. Stay tuned to Eurovision Ireland for all the news about our favourite TV show.

Good night.