Belgium Eurosong Final. Photo : VRT

Hi guys. Can you believe it but we are down to our last National Final for Eurovision 2014. Antwerp is the city and Eurosong is the show. You can follow the show with us here on our LIVE BLOG at 20:00 (CET) and watch the show HERE and HERE. All you gotta do is “Just Refresh” the page.

Finalists

1. Eva Jacobs – Nothing Is Impossible
2. Udo – Hero (In Flanders Fields)
3. Yass – Need You Tonight
4. SIL – What’s The Time In Tokyo
5. Axel Hirsoux – Mother
6. Bandits – One

The result will be a 50/50 Jury and Public Vote. The Juries are International and include Azerbaijan, Denmark, Ireland, F.Y.R. Macedonia, The Netherlands, Spain and Belarus. Both the juries and public will have a total of 280 points each to award.

There are also many guest performers that include Eurovision Winners Sandra Kim and Ann-Marie David. This promises to be star-studded show.

You are in the capable and highly desirable hands of Ms Elaine Dove who will be casting her eye over the show and giving you her predictions. Sit back and relax and just refresh the page to get Elaine’s “Naughty but Nice” comments. Enjoy Guys n Dolls.

LIVE BLOG – 20:00 (CET)

Well that’s me all prepared for a night in Belgium. I’ve got my waffles and my chocolate to hand so there is nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy :-)

And we start the show off with a performance from tonight’s contestants of  former winning song J’aime La Vie – then the big “surprise” as Sandra Kim comes on stage to finish the performance. It definitely got the crowd going – and I think she has been enjoying the waffles a bit like myself!!! ;-)

First up tonight is Yass with  Need You Tonight. He sings this ballad well and it is similar to the style of Tom Dice when he won Eurosong with me and my guitar – the problem is that it is not just Yass and his guitar. There is some strange expressive dance going on in the background, which then becomes drumming on upturned oil cans. It all seems a little unnecessary. Good song to start with but I would say there is nothing groundbreaking here

Next up tonight is SIL with  What’s The Time In Tokyo. (for those interested it is currently 4.25am on 17th March) :-)

This is indeed a beautiful ballad and SIL is a great singer but I cannot help but feel it will be quite forgettable. It doesn’t really “go anywhere” – there is no real build in the song and it starts and remains on one level the whole way through. She looked amazing in a floor length dark red dress but the song was a little underwhelming for me. Well performed but not a winner in my book (we know how accurate my book usually is)

3rd up tonight is Udo – Hero (In Flanders Fields) This is an uptempo ballad about stopping war and fighting and advocating freedom. Udo has expressive dancers on stage with him and that tied in with the backdrop is quite poignant. It is a very old-fashioned ballad although I must say it has a quite catchy hook. It screams of 90’s Boy Band though. Credit to Udo for the message he is trying to convey although I doubt very much that he will get to deliver his message to the rest of Europe in Copenhagen.

4th up and it’s Bandits with One. Now this is an actual boy band – but jings they look young! I hope their mums know they are out this late on a school night. The Banditeers are certainly in the audience cheering their every move and singing along like it’s a One Direction Concert. They seem nice boys – the song just isn’t strong enough im afraid. It would be totally forgotten amongst far stronger songs in Copenhagen. The lead singer reminds me of a young Josh Dubovie although his voice is not as strong. One certainly went down well in the studio – What do I know anyway???? I’m off for my slippers and my cocoa!!!

Our penultimate act tonight is Eva Jacobs – Nothing Is Impossible. Eva is sat at the piano to play and sing this ballad. Again we are “blessed” with expressive dancers although at times they look like they are fighting ha ha. This was a great little song and the best I have heard tonight. She is wearing a long white dress and proved that nothing is impossible by seamlessly getting up off the piano stool without falling over her 3ft long train :-) The panel seemed to have warmed to her voice and performance and Ruslana is now having a sing off with her to Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You – i think a few wine glasses were shattered during the “high note competition” though. Eva Jacobs would be a good choice for Copenhagen. Eva Jacobs 1-0 Ruslana

Last up tonight is Axel Hirsoux with Mother – first impressions were he is just a twirly moustache away from the Go Compare man but WOW what a voice!!! Strong, powerful ballad sung by a brilliant singer. It is almost operatic. The crowd certainly loved it and he is an amazing performer. I cant help but compare it to a “Paul Potts” or “Susan Boyle” moment though. Ruslana was in tears claiming “If this guy goes to Copengagen – Belgium will win” – that is not a typo by the way lol. This song is head and shoulders above anything else in the competition tonight and will hopefully get the ticket to Copenhagen.

The interval act kicks off with Ruslana, coming on stage carrying the Ukraine flag and appealing to politicians, and the public at home to help bring peace back to her country. She dedicated her performance to the people of Ukraine.

Elaine’s Predictions

The order I would rank the finalists is

Axel Hirsoux – Mother

Eva Jacobs – Nothing Is Impossible

SIL – What’s The Time In Tokyo

Yass – Need You Tonight

Udo – Hero (In Flanders Fields)

Bandits – One

Now we hand over to the international juries and the televote

Axel Hirsoux has come out top with the international juries ahead of Yass in second place. It is all to play for with the televote still to come in.

WINNER

And Belgium have chosen – Axel Hirsoux wins the ticket to Copenhagen with his amazing ballad Mother. He won the televote by a huge margin from Bandits in 2nd place. Good luck to Axel and good luck to Belgium xxx