Good evening Europe! Good morning Australia!

We have already seen Semi Final 1 and the 10 lucky qualifiers last night. Now we move on to Semi Final 2 and the remaining 16 countries who will battle for the final ten Grand Final slots tomorrow night .

Tonight the Jury dress rehearsal takes place at the St Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland . But the Semi Finals are a public vote ? I hear you cry . Yes, they are but the juries are providing a back up, just in case the worst case scenario happens and there’s a problem with any country’s public vote.

Sixteen acts will be performing tonight hoping to impress those back up juries and they are as follows, in order of performance .

1. Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man 

2. Montenegro: Nina Žižić – Dobrodošli

3. Ireland: EMMY – Laika Party

4. Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi

5. Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR 

6. Austria: JJ – Wasted Love

United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened? ( not competing in Semi Final )

7. Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta

8. Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys

9. Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING

10. Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – Freedom

France: Louane – maman ( not competing in Semi Final)

11. Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination 

12. Czechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss Goodbye

13. Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son

14. Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller ( Not competing in semi Final )

15. Serbia: Princ – Mila 

16. Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME

Please join me , Sarah , for our Live Blog of tonight’s Jury show live from the St Jakobshalle . PLEASE NOTE YOU WILL NOT SEE THIS ON PUBLIC TV ANYWHERE, ! So don’t try to tune in , you won’t be able to . Also , due to media restrictions on publishing pictures, we will not be able to bring you any pictures . So hopefully my descriptions will give you a bit of a clue as to how proceedings will look tomorrow night.

LIVE BLOG STARTS HERE

You’re a bit early, but don’t despair .Please join me at 20.00 BST 21.00 CET .In the meantime, here’s a reminder of what happened at Semi Final 1 last night .

Welcome back everyone. So, we have about 20 minutes to go until things kick off at the St Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. I’m currently in the Online Press Centre watching some past Eurovision performances while we wait for the live link to start. Just to reiterate, I will not be able to bring you any pictures from the live show tonight as it’s against press rules. Just feeling a bit excited now and looking forward to seeing my second home country, Denmark , perform tonight. Just get yourself some drinks and snacks and get ready to follow my blog tonight . Regular viewers of our site will know the drill by now, to follow the blog , just

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And we’re in ! Starting with scenes of the general public talking about how proud they are to be part of Eurovision. We then go to the arena and meet our hosts, Hazel and Sandra .There’s a joke about the performers not having to bother about their Swiss bank accounts.And we’re welcomed to Switzerland and again reminded it was the birth place of Eurovision.

Hazel and Sandra explain the voting system, as it will happen tomorrow evening .

They kick off proceedings for tonight …starting with Australia

1. Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man 

Go Jo starts off with a female showing him a blender, there’s a giant one on stage which he steps in and out of . This changes colour as he sings .He’s then joined by two female dancers in red and white , short dresses who dance with him and then strip off his spangly silver top. He then walks about the stage with an array of colours in the LED backdrop.

2. Montenegro: Nina Žižić – Dobrodošli

Nina’s in a long white dress which has been puffed up at the back , looking a bit like a giant quilt !Pale blue is the staging colour , with spotlights beaming down on her.She walks down the catwalk .I was quite worried that that dress backing might suffocate her but she then released it and finished the song with a normal dress! Sadly , this is second in the running order,and may not be effective enough to beat the bigger acts coming later.

3. Ireland: EMMY – Laika Party

Emmy starts off on a platform in a short dress, initially with a hood on . Her brother is at the keyboards and they are joined by backing dancers in space like outfits .The LED backdrop shows a giant lit up dog and then several space dogs dancing. Finishing off with pyros. I quite liked that . Could this be enough to get Ireland through?

We’re back with the hosts and Hazel is talking with the audience. Looks like she’s talking with an Australian fan, who is obviously supporting Go-Jo !

4. Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi

We have an LED backdrop of what looks like falling rain , which then changes colour to red and then back to blue .The girls in their fairry like outfits.They perform contemporary like movements and there’s a bit of smoke coming from the stage.It’s very different from anything we have seen so far . Could get them through if there are enough voters who like this kind of music.

5. Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR 

Black leather trousers and going topless is the costume for PARG .He enters onto a large treadmill, which he runs on during the chorus.There’s pyros and smoke , and the colours change to red .There’s lots of running and pyros as the song climaxes but I do feel that PARG is shouting more than singing at times .Armenian diaspora might get this through .

And…..here is one of the bookie’s favourites up next …..

6. Austria: JJ – Wasted Love

The staging is completely in black and white , with JJ sat down with a paper boat flying above him .He’s set on a ship with the image of crashing waves and stormy waters , rocking the boat .As the song speeds up, the waves crash around even more. to give an image of the boat rocking and waves crashing around JJ. It’s impressive and deserving of its place in the betting odds.

Hazel is back with the audience , talking about chocolate , a fan from the Netherlands says he hasn’t had enough chocolate !Then we’re back on location in Basel with Hazel joining an over 60’s disco . You rock ladies !!

Back in the arena and onto the first of the Big 5 performances and we have our own UK up now ! I can’t wait to see this !

United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened? ( not competing in Semi Final )

The girls start off at a dressing room screen, they then perform around a fallen chandelier prop , they are all in brightly coloured outfits. As the song progresses , they walk down the catwalk and then we see LED images of what looks like people swimming . They end the song by returning to the dressing screen prop and we see their faces through a heart . Their vocals are stunning but I kind of wish they had gone with a different song to this , which would have reflected their talents more.

7. Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta

Klavdia starts off on what looks like a large rock in a dark dress, there’s fire in the LED backdrop, which then changes to images of water and rocks , with birds flying . The climax is Klavdia surrounded by white block images and the stage darkens and then lightens again to reveal a change of dress, into a white dress . Visually impressive and I think they will qualify with this .

8. Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys

Our first boy band of the evening , lots of blue smoke effects with the boys dressed in outfits which like something you’d wear in a factory !The LED backdrop changes to falling rock effects. It all sounds a bit too monotonous to me , with no key change and if I’m honest , a bit dreary . I didn’t like it much . Sorry Lithuania.

We have a bit of a wait…..they are setting up for Malta !

9. Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING

Miriana starts off inside large lips prop , two backing dancers join her .They strip off her large coat to reveal her very much shorter outfit .We get strobe lights galore while Miriana and the four backing dancers dance around. The backdrop turns into leopards and they bounce around on the space hoppers as in the National final. That got a cheer from the audience but not as much as I thought they would. I do wonder if it’s all a bit too busy on that stage and more about the act than the song .

10. Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – Freedom

Mariam’s in a long silver/white dress , stood on a large platform , with four male backing dancers with black coats and hats with flaps. The LED effects change to a stunning mountain backdrop, with trees and Mariam disposes of her dress to reveal a silvery red trouser suit . She then comes down from the platform.There’s smoke effects and her backing dancers dance around her. That was quite dramatic . Enough to bring the votes in ? Possibly .

Back with the hosts and they are speaking with some of the international commentators from the various TV broadcasters around Europe .

France: Louane – maman ( not competing in Semi Final)

I have been looking forward to seeing this as it’s one of my favourites this year. Louane is already well loved in France and in parts of Europe too. Her song is an ode to her dead mother, who died when Louane was just 16.She starts off sat in sand, in the image of an hour glass which she brushes around her and there’s falling sand , representing the passing of time .As she sings the chorus the sand in the background sprays up . The song climaxes with spotlights in the background. God, that was emotional !! This will do well on Saturday .

Back with the hosts with more banter.

11. Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination 

Blue is the colour with Denmark. Sissel starts off in a frilly coat , which her backing dancers strip off her to reveal a blue leotard, there’s blue strobe lighting effects, her backing dancers are in blue with Sissel also wearing a long, bluer veil behind her .It’s all very psychedelic and an improvement on the National final. Sissal did seem to go off key a couple of times but otherwise vocals ok . I hope she qualifies.

12. Czechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss Goodbye

He’s dressed in white and black, with a long black and white coat . Joined by three backing backing dancers , also in white .He interacts with them on stage, then they break out into a dance with red lighting on stage .His coat comes off towards the end of the performance . I had this as a possible winner a few weeks ago, now I am not so sure . I felt a bit underwhelmed by that , even if it was a solid performance.

Back to views of the audience again, Guess they are setting up for Luxembourg as they have rather large props .

13. Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son

We start with Laura in an image of a house, with a view of France Gall in 1965 on screen .;aura in a short doll like dress as in the National final .She’s joined by four backing dancers, they perform a routine, we have a costume change to reveal a short silver dress. It’s a very slick routine and possibly the best performance of the night so far. Laura knows how to own that stage . I liked it !

14. Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

Putting aside politics,whatever you may think, you can’t deny that Yuval has a beautiful voice.She’s dressed in black and walks around a large spangly spiral staircase with long bead strings. She walks up it and into a platform . We then get a waterfall effect of lighting . A good solid performance.

Back with the hosts again , and more Eurovision history . Mentioning that Sandra didn’t have to perform in a semi final as she appeared in Eurovision in 1991 and the semi finals didn’t come until 2004.

Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller ( Not competing in semi Final )

Atilla starts off on what looks like a large DJ table in a cropped top and long skirt . She is then joined when she comes down from that by Tunde . Just one little fact ,they are actually siblings The setting all looks very funky . I am not sure about the song though .It just seems a bit all over the place and too repetitive . Not one of Germany’s best .

15. Serbia: Princ – Mila 

Princ is all in red , joined by contemporary dancers in black . Princ interacts with them on stage .As the song climaxes, they appear to drag Princ on the floor and then they perform more dramatic contemporary dances . Climaxing with lifting up Princ. I liked that . Could do well.

16. Finland : Erika Vikman -Ich Komme

I guessed they would save this until last .As in the National final , ERIKA performs seductively with her microphone and she’s dressed in a short black outfit , which leaves nothing to the imagination, with thigh length boots. She struts along the stage, then mounts a large microphone prop, which spouts firework effects , towards the end . The audience went wild for this !!

And that’s it, you’ve heard them all ! The “voting” has started and we get our first of many recaps of the songs tonight.

Interval act and they are giving some of the acts who should have performed at the Eurovision 2020 but were robbed by Covid -19 , when it was cancelled ,the opportunity to get to perform their songs on a Eurovision stage .Starting with Gjon’s Tears ,( Switzerland ) singing Repondez- moi , then The Roop ( Lithuania) with On Fire , Efendi ( Azerbaijan)with Cleopatra , Destiny ( Malta) with All of my love .

That was great! You have to wonder how they would have fared, had the 2020 contest gone ahead.

Back to the hosts and they introduce us to the Green room.

And we get another recap.

Countdown to the end of the mock voting .

And we have a trip around Europe, finding out what Eurovision means to some die hard fans ,One couple have a room full of Eurovision memorabilia ! That’s dedication for you !One person claims to have a Eurovision party every Saturday in his home .

Unfortunately we seem to have lost the live link …..Hopefully this will be resolved as soon as possible .

Unfortunately, we are going to have to leave things here .However, it is only mock voting to come now .

Thank you for joining me tonight . Please keep a look out for more of our Eurovision coverage in the days leading up to the Grand Final on Saturday .

Goodnight Europe .

Author: Sarah Rudman

Source : EBU SRG/SSR