Bună seara Europa și bună dimineață Australia!

Tonight is the final of Moldova’s “O Melodie Pentru Europa 2017″, which means we will find out who will represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest!

So sit back and relax, and let Eurovision Ireland’s blogging duo James and Bogdan #JAMDAN entertain and inform you. Feel free to tell us what you think and give us your opinion about tonight’s show!

You know the drill: Just refresh this page to get our comments and points of view.

You can watch the live show  HERE or HERE from 18:35 CET.

8 singers will perform tonight, but only one can sing for Moldova in Kyiv this May!

The acts competing tonight are:

JAMES: Plenty of flesh on show tonight in Moldova – never a bad thing 😉

BOGDAN: I’m pretty sure this is the same dance troupe from yesterday

BOTH: IT’S LIDIA!!

BOGDAN: I still think she deserved to qualify

JAMES: Same

JAMES: Check your wardrobe, Gina G! Something’s missing!

BOGDAN: No dancing astronaut tonight?

JAMES: He must be off exploring those new planets NASA found 😉

BOGDAN: Or partying in Montenegro with the guys from Igranka!

JAMES: Our hosts, Liviu and Gloria are back – I’d love to know who her stylist is, her dress are always quite stunning!

BOGDAN: They’re explaining that tonight Moldova needs to choose carefully and they’ll be plenty of discussion about who the country should send – including in the Green Room with Galina Timus

BOGDAN: Galina said even she has her favourite and will vote tonight!

JAMES: Everyone looks very smart tonight

BOGDAN: Gloria’s dress looks quite traditional, it matches their whole Dragobete theme

JAMES: We’re now recapping how to vote, and reminded that the lines will open later tonight

BOGDAN: Moldova will then have the duration of tonight’s show, plus an extra 15 minutes to chose their Eurovision 2017 singer!

JAMES: Only 1 vote per telephone number, so use it well if you’re watching in Moldova!

BOGDAN: These televotes will be turned into Eurovision style points of 12, 10 8 etc…

JAMES: These score will be added to those of the jury – made of up composers, actors and Nelly Ciobanu!!

BOTH: HAI LA HORA, HAI LA HORA DIN MOLDOVA!! *frantic hora dancing*

BOGDAN: She looks good as a blonde

JAMES: Looks a bit like Penny from the Big Bang Theory!

BOGDAN: Moldova, start voting NOW!!

JAMES: Adverts! Moldova, start shopping NOW!!

JAMES: A singing advert for carpet cleaners… interesting!

BOGDAN: And we’re back! SunStroke Project are up first!

JAMES: Moldova’s Eurovision veterans

BOGDAN: They said they really want to represent the country again

JAMES: They’d be the 2nd group of artists to sing for Moldova twice!

JAMES: 3 brides for 3 grooms??

BOGDAN: Definitely an energetic routine!

JAMES: Yeah, but the song still leaves me a little cold…

BOGDAN: Epic Sax Guy still rocking it

JAMES: Fans would love to see him again!

BOGDAN: 8 from me

JAMES: 5 from me

BOGDAN: Samir Loghin is going to “Glow” next – I must say, this song is my guilty pleasure!

JAMES: Visually it’s very memorable, and it definitely has a sing-a-long hook

BOGDAN: It’s so wrong, I shouldn’t like it, but I do! I love it!

JAMES: Everytime I think it can’t get any stranger, it does! 😛 But you’re right, it is a very guilty pleasure song hehe I’ll give it a 6

BOGDAN: It’s a 7.5 from me!

JAMES: Since when did Eurovision do half points? 😛

BOGDAN: Hey, this is our blog, we make the rules!

JAMES: Fair point! Valeria Pasa up next!

BOGDAN: Malta singing for Moldova… though with her hood down tonight, she looks more like Carola from Sweden than Ira Losco…

JAMES: This is pleasant enough and I like the sound, but still waiting for a big WOW moment…

BOGDAN: We started big with SunStroke Project, then the Asian-Moldovan megamix, this has halted all the fun a little… but her vocals are good

JAMES: 6 from me, nice voice but song was a little tame

BOGDAN: 6 from me too

BOGDAN: Aurel Chirtoacă up now, his 5th time at O Melodie Pentru Europa. He says he’s singing about mothers as mama is a word understood by everyone around the world

JAMES: He has a point!

JAMES: I like his jumper… and not a lot else up to this point…

BOGDAN: Really? I don’t like his jumper 😛

BOGDAN: Sounds a bit dated… like something that would have done well in the early 2000s. But I do love the traditional elements

JAMES: Agreed, the folkloric elements are nice. And I’m happy there’s at least one song in Moldovan tonight, you know how I love non-English language songs at Eurovision

BOGDAN: Yes James, we all know… 7 from me

JAMES: 6 for the folkloric side of it

BOGDAN: Ad break #2

JAMES: And we’re already halfway through!

BOGDAN: That was quick!

JAMES: Galina is in the Green Room speaking to SunStroke Project

BOGDAN: The brides are very pretty, they could be models

JAMES: Yesterday only Epic Sax Guy spoke in Russian, now they’re all at it!

BOGDAN: Da! Govorim pa-russkiy!

JAMES: … if you say so…

BOGDAN: Samir really looks like Eric Saade?

JAMES: Separated at birth, perhaps?

BOGDAN: Valeria, the Moldovan-Maltese-Swedish singer chats to Galina

BOGDAN: Awww… Aurel brought his 9 year old son with him to the Green Room

JAMES: Nice hat!

BOGDAN: The presenters have reminded us that the lines are open, so you can vote now

JAMES: Diana Brescan up now – Moldova’s answer to Les Miserables!

BOGDAN: She says her song is about children who have harder lives than they should have, and that music can heal our souls

JAMES: Well… most music can…

BOGDAN: Emmelie de Forest and Loreen both performed barefoot – is Diana trying to channel victorious Eurovision divas?

BOGDAN: Comments aside, Diana has great vocals and it’s a very pertinent message, but it’s something we’ve seen so many times before

JAMES: Yes, she is a good vocalist, but the staging has backfired a bit… simplicity has come across as bizarre

BOGDAN: 7 from me. James?

JAMES: Hmmm… 7 too, for it’s message

BOGDAN: Marks & Stefanet are saying “Join Us In The Rain” next, telling us the message of the song is that if you want to live in the sun, you can’t be afraid to jump into the rain too

JAMES: Awww… I like that as a mantra!

JAMES: I remember this song from the auditions, it even stood out then. Do you think this could be one to watch?

BOGDAN: I’m not convinced yet. They did get a lot of points from the public, but there’s too much disconnect from each other on stage

JAMES: I agree, they have good vocals though. I give them an 8

BOGDAN: Oh, they do, the voices harmonise really well, but they don’t connect enough for me. But the public love them. 7.5 from me

JAMES: Close enough now, Bogdan? 😉

BOGDAN: First we had Russian grannies – now we have Moldovan aunties! 😉

JAMES: We love this song, very much our winner tonight ❤ This song is just so much fun, you can’t help but smile listening to it!

BOGDAN: So energetic and fun, makes you want to jump up and dance

*BOTH step away from keyboard to hora*

JAMES: Hai-li-li-liiiii, hai-li-li-liiii…. hai-li-li-liiiii, hai-li-li-liiii…. I just LOVE this! DOUZE POINTS!

BOGDAN: 10 points!

JAMES: We know we should be more neutral, but come on Moldova… you’d be mad not to send this 😀

BOGDAN: I won’t hide it’s my favourite song from tonight!

JAMES: Last song of tonight now! That was quick!

BOGDAN: Vozniuc and Vio Grecu beg us “Don’t Lie”

JAMES: This is a really strong rock ballad, I really like it. Something like this could do well at Eurovision.

BOGDAN: I think I like it more now with a second listening. 7.5 from me

JAMES: You and your half points tonight! 8 from me

BOGDAN: The same 5 adverts again…

JAMES: Come on, it’s like Malta Song – by the end of the night, you know all the adverts by heart!

BOGDAN: Here we go! A recap of all tonight’s songs. Do you have your favourites? Let us know in the comments!

JAMES: We can see from our stats that we have readers in Moldova tonight! Salut! Hope you’re enjoying your National Final!

BOGDAN: And we hope the rest of you across Europe are enjoying it too! We certainly are!

JAMES: Chatting in the Green Room now with Diana and Stefanets and Marks

BOTH: HAI-LI-LI-LIIII!!!

BOGDAN: They’re so happy and asking Moldova to pick up their phones and vote for song #7!

JAMES: Haide Moldova! Numarul sapte! 😉

BOGDAN: Vozniuc and Vio Grecu, who did a great job closing the show tonight

JAMES: More adverts… and hopefully soon a result!

BOGDAN: Am revenit! We’re back!

JAMES: Everyone seems really excited in the Green Room… bet they’re really nervous too!

BOGDAN: Voting closing… NOW!! Your fate is sealed 😉

JAMES: Moldova, you have your Eurovision singer… but who is it? 😉

BOGDAN: But before we find that out, Lidia Isace is covering “When We Were Young” by Adele

JAMES: She’s given back Gina G’s dress I see!

BOGDAN: Now she looks like a gladiator!

JAMES: She has such a good voice, I still struggle to understand why she didn’t qualify

BOGDAN: I like her cover “Never Forget You” by Zara Larsson!

JAMES: I’ve noticed O Melodie Pentru Europa likes to do this… we have an interval act that goes through most of their back catalogue will we wait for the jury to deliberate

BOGDAN: True… still, nice to hear a song in Romanian again!

JAMES: Yes it is 🙂

JAMES: Now Lidia has a troupe of backing dancers, but no astronauts… I’m disappointed 😛

BOGDAN: At least they’re falling like stars 😛

BOGDAN: She keeps kissing us *mwah*

JAMES: *mwah* from us too Lidia!

JAMES: Now we are all Citizens of the World

BOGDAN: Well… you’re not even a citizen of the EU anymore 😛 #Brexit *Joking*

*JAMES throws a chair at BOGDAN*

JAMES: O Melodie Pentru Europa is scheduled to end at 20:55 CET, so we’ll have a result in about 40 mins or so

BOGDAN: So sit back for now and enjoy the French language version of Falling Stars!

JAMES: Just to clarify, no Romanians were harmed in the making of this blog and Bogdan was not injured by falling chairs – we’re playing nice, we promise! 😛

BOGDAN: I’m liking this acoustic version of the song!

JAMES: Shame she wasn’t allowed to sing partly in French in Stockholm. I was in the hall during the rehearsal she did sing in French, and it was phenomenal!

JAMES: You stop paying attention for just one moment and when you get back, Lidia’s had several children! 0__0

BOGDAN: Advert time! And then hopefully, results time!

BOGDAN: Yes! We’re back and the jury are giving us their points

JAMES: First 12 points to Diana Brescan! That was… unexpected!

BOGDAN: First 12 points for Ethno Republic, putting them 2nd behind SunStroke Project

JAMES: These votes are confusing us!

BOGDAN: Ethno Republic in the lead for now, one point ahead of Diana Brescan

JAMES: Nelly Ciobanu’s points now

BOGDAN: We’re curious to see who she voted for…

JAMES: Nelly’s 12 go to SunStroke Project, but Ethno Republic still (just!) in the lead!

BOGDAN: Here is the result of the jury’s points:

JAMES: Now a quick ad break before we hear they public’s votes – the suspense is killing us!!

BOGDAN: Can Ethno Republic hang on to their lead?

JAMES: I really hope so!

BOGDAN: We’re back! This is it!

BOGDAN: This year marks 13 years of Moldovan participation at Eurovision!

JAMES: Unlucky number for some, but hopefully not for our contestants!

BOGDAN: And the winner is…….

JAMES: It’s a tie!!

BOGDAN: Ethno Republic and SunStroke Project are tied! And nobody seems sure what happens now!

JAMES: Got to love live TV!!

BOGDAN: In the event of a tie, the act who got more 12 points from the jury wins – so SunStroke Project are going to Kyiv!

JAMES: Congratulations to all participants!

BOGDAN: Congratulations to SunStroke Project! See you in Kyiv!

BOTH: Thank you all for watching and have a great evening! Don’t forget to watch our live blog tomorrow for Romania’s Semi-Final!

Author: James Scanlan, Bogdan Stefan

Source: Eurovision Ireland

Image Source: Eurovision Ireland, Europedraughts.org