Tonight it's time to crown the 2015 Eurovision Champion. I'm excited. At my house we've had dinner and cleaned up, we're stocked with some snacks and we're ready!
I really liked the orchestra opening, there should be more orchestra at the competition. This is a song contest, so musicians are are quite important to it, and they should have a chance to shine as well. Ohh, there is an orchestra, it should stay for the performances.
It's last year's winner, Conchita. I guess it's like the Miss America Pageant and she gets a final walk.
Where is there so much black? Why can't people wear more colors?
It's the Vienna Boys Choir, and others. That's pretty cool.
Ohh, they called out all the performers, that's pretty nice, like the parade of nations at the Olympics. This is scheduled to go from 7:30 until 11:30, so it will be a late night for me. I usually hit the wall around 9:30, but I've been resting all day to be able to stay up late tonight.
My top picks from the Semi-Finals were:
Finland
Estonia
F.Y.R. Macedonia
Hungary
Denmark
Romania
Ireland
Montenegro
Israel
Sweden
Cyprus
Poland
But not all of those made it through to the Final. I'm sorry about that too, because I really thought some of the acts that didn't make it were much better than the ones that did.
Slovenia -- Maraaya, Here for You
I remember this one from the Semi-Final. I didn't like the headphones, but the announcers mentioned that it's her thing. Ohh! This is the air violin song! I'm for the air violinist. Though her costume looks like she's being filmed for computer animation. The headphones aren't plugged into anything. You'd think she could have gone wireless with those the way she did with her microphone.
France -- Lisa Angell, N'oiblies pas
This is the first new act of tonight. Ohh it's just her. But again with the black, though it is in her native tongue. The drummers are an interesting addition, though it does feel like the American Revolution photo, the Spirit of '76 with the drummers and fife player. Good performance, but not my favorite of the night.
Israel -- Nadav Guedj, Golden Boy
I really liked this one from the Semi-Final. He had the Hermes/Mercury shoes. It was a fun song. It was poppy and bouncy and fun. It does have the feel of the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars song that was incredibly popular recently. I think it would be popular on commercial radio.
Estonia -- Elina Born & Stig Rästa, Goodbye to Yesterday
Ohh! I remember this one from the Semi-Final. I liked them, even though the shadows didn't match. It's another song that could easily be on the radio. Do people even still listen to the radio, I might be showing my age here.
United Kingdom -- Electro Velvet, Still in Love with You
I like the feel. It's a fun and bouncy. But I do wonder if the United Kingdom is really trying with their entries. I wonder if they just sending a group out of obligation, not because they want to win. The light-up costumes are cool and fun.
Armenia -- Genealogy, Face the Shadow
Yes, this one was very medieval and a bit dark for me, though it was a nice song. It's a middle of the pack performance to me, even though the announcers are pushing the Australian connection. I will not be swayed. I remember this one, the wind machine on stage didn't match the blowing leaves on the backdrop. I was thinking it could have been done a bit better.
I know it's because we're watching it on free-to-air tv, but I wish there would be different commercials. I'm not sure I want to see the same commercial twice every hour for four hours.
Lithuania -- Monika Linkytė & Vaidas Baumila, This Time
The announcers said that Monika doesn't drink water. Interesting tidbit. Maybe at another Eurovision we can check in with her to see how it's working out. This is bubblegum pop. It's fun and bright and bouncy. It wasn't one of my favorites from the Semi-Final but it's growing on me tonight. I still think live banjo would make it better. But then again, the performers don't really seem to be actually playing their instruments when they have them, so maybe it's the right decision not to have a I've banjo.
Serbia -- Bojana Stamenov, Beauty Never Lies
They are saying this is a favorite, but I didn't really care for it. It really does fell like it belongs in a Broadway musical. They look like they're having a good time performing, I hope they are.
Norway -- Mørland & Debrah Scarlett, A Monster Like Me
This one reminds me so much of someone else, but I cannot remember who. It's a nice song, bout not one of my favorites. The girl looks like she can't decide what to do with her free hand, like she's counting out the music or time or something, but then catches herself doing it and remembers she's not supposed to be. Good performance, but not my favorite.
Sweden -- Måns Zelmerlöw, Heroes
This is the one the announcers keep calling the favorite. I know that means I should like it, and I do, it's in my top 12, but it's not my favorite. The animation was cool. It's definitely radio material, or dance club material, possibly. I've never been to a dance club, but this is the kind of thing would expect to find there if I ever went to one. I can see this song making the jump from Europe to the US market.
Cyprus -- John Karayiannis, One Thing I Should Have Done
I liked this one from the Semi-Final a lot. And now I remember who it reminds me of … Michael Bublé. This is the kind of song that goes during a montage in a romantic comedy movie, when the lead is trying to figure out how they lost the girl and how to get her back. I like it but I'm pretty sure it's not Eurovision Winner material.
Australia -- Guy Sebastian, Tonight Again
I know I'm supposed to like this because it's Australia, but I have heard it so much during the ads for Eurovision that I'm kind of over it from overexposure. The choreography is nice, but I still think SBS did themselves a disservice by playing snippets so much during the lead-up. Of course, Australia can't vote for their own entry, so it hardly matters if it's been played to death here. I hope he had a great time and he looked like he was happy during the performance. Good luck Australia.
Belgium -- Loïc Nottet, Rhythm Inside
I didn't really like this one in the Semi-Finals, but it's growing on me tonight. I hope he does very well, definitely one of my favorites of the night.
Austria -- The Makemakes, I Am Yours
I like that they're playing instruments. I think the best part of this performance was really the commentary before it began. It's not terrible. Ackk! Sir, your piano is on fire, I's leave the arena quietly, calmly, and quickly. This was not my favorite, then again, I'm not a hipster, so I'm really not the target audience. I wonder if he really burned up the piano…
Greece -- Maria Elena Kyriakou, One Last Breath
I didn't like this song in the Semi-Finals and it's not gotten better. It's Céline Dion without the French accent.
Twelve songs to go and I'm getting a bit tired. Maybe my resting up during the day was not enough.
Montenegro -- Knez, Adio
I really like that this song is in Montenegrin. I really liked this one from the Semi-Finals. I was really excited when it made it through to the Finals. My housemate's mother was a big fan of Rex Stout's character, Nero Wolfe, who was Montenegrin. This performer looks kind of like what I think Nero Wolfe looks like.
Germany -- Anne Sophie, Black Smoke
The announcers said she was really the runner-up in the German contest, but the winner gave up his spot. The animation looks kind of like a Fresnel lens. It's a good performance, but I think it's not good enough to overcome the favorites.
Poland -- Monika Kuszyńska, In the Name of Love
I liked this one. I enjoyed it. How many pianos are there backstage? I know this one isn't going to win, but I really do like it.
Latvia -- Aminata, Love Injected
I kind of liked this one during the semi-finals, but it's not doing it for me tonight.
Snack break. We have chocolate covered marshmallows again tonight. And there are still some Double Chocolate Chunk Brownies. It's a real treat.
Romania -- Voltaj, De la capǎt (All Over Again)
This one starts out in Romanian, but moves to English. I like that. I really did like this one in the Semi-Finals and I like it as much today. It's making it hard to pick my favorites, but this is definitely one of them.
Spain -- Edurne, Amanecer
Little Red Riding Hood? She's going to take off this dress. Called it! I lost this performance in the middle somewhere and couldn't get it back. Not my favorite.
Hungary -- Boggie, Wars for Nothing
This one was one of my favorites in the Semi-Finals. The quietness was nice. I can see why it won't win, but it's still a nice song. Buried on an album, this is the kind of song that rewards listeners for buying the album and not just singles. And I'd definitely buy this album.
Georgia -- Nina Sublatti, Warrior
This was a bit scary. I didn't really like it.
Azerbaijan -- Elnur Hüseynov, Hour of the Wolf
Yes, this is the one with the distracting dancers. The hashtag on the screen looks like it reads "Azerbaijan Haze" which is kind is of interesting, given the foggy background. Nice song, but not a favorite.
Russia -- Polina Gagarina, A Million Voices
The dress is a bit of a distraction to this performance. She really does seem like she is fighting not moving around the stage. And this is the kind of song that would be good with the performers moving around. The drummer isn't doing too well with the music. He's literally a bit early on the beat. It's a nice song, but not my favorite.
Albania -- Elhaida Dani, I'm Alive
I do not remember this performance from the Semi-Finals. Checking my notes, yep, it was forgettable even before it was over. And it's no more memorable this time.
Italy -- Il Volo, Grande Amore
Last song of the night, and it's new tonight. I do like the simplicity of the performance. Sometimes a good performance is more important than great effects. It's a nice song, but it does feel as though Italy is phoning it in.
So that's it. It's all over but the voting. I'm going to stay up and watch the voting, because Australia's votes will be announced by Lee Lin Chin and she's great, but I won't recap it here.
Favorites of the night:
Israel
Estonia
Cyprus
Montenegro
Romania
Hungary
Good Luck to the performers.
Thanks for tuning in to Eurovision 2015 with me, I hope you enjoyed it,
Tigger.
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