The Cypriot national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 will be held tonight. Nine acts will compete for the ticket to Oslo.

How to watch?

A webcast is provided for international viewers here (requires Real Player). The show will also be broadcast live on RIKSAT and ERT1.

Participants

Composer/Lyricist in brackets.

1. Constantinos Christoforou – Angel
   (Constantinos Christoforou/Zinon Zompilis)
2. Evagoras Evagorou – I'm gonna be
   (Marios Melekis, Christos Filippou/Anthi Pashi)
3. Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders – Life looks better in spring
   (Nasos Lambrianides, Melis Konstantinou/Nasos Lambrianides)
4. Hovig Demirgian – Goodbye
   (Valeria Partali)
5. Vivian Daglas – Rhapsody
   (Leanna Varnavidou/Leanna Varnavidou, Helena Antoniou)
6. Anthi Pashi – You gotta go
   (Anthi Pashi)
7. Constantinos Kontozis & Soul Throw – Island of love
   (Constantinos Kountouzis)
8. Andreas Economides – Waiting
   (Christodoulos Charalambides, Andreas Economides)
9. Nicole Paparistodemou – Like a woman
   (Mike Connaris)

LIVE

The show has started.

At the beginning, we can hear a familiar tune. Of course, it is Fairytale, winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. A group of dancers is performing an eye-catching choreography.

The host is now welcoming the audience and he explains the format of tonight's show. The jury is introduced and we can listen to Firefly, the Cypriot entry in 2009 again and watch a montage of impressions from Moscow.

1.Constantinos Christoforou – Angel

Constantinos returns to try once more to represent Cyprus. This will be his fourth time if he makes it. His song is a soulful ballad. He is accompanied on stage by four models/ dancers, clad in white who play the violin, the flute and a local string instrument. The song has a certain ethnic touch but it Constantinos is an experienced performer but is it strong enoug to go far?

2.Evagoras Evagorou – I'm gonna be

Another ballad follows suit, a bit more popish and rythmical. Evagoras, also in white, but accompanied 2 male and two female dancers in black is often out of tune and the song is easily forgetable. The director's focus seems to be more on the dancing than the musical part of the song.

3. Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders – Life looks better in spring

A very warm welcome now for the third ballad in a row. Jon is Irish, in his early twenties and it seems he will be going places. A warm voice and a perfect vocal performance compliment this nice melody. He is accompanied by three musicians and two backing singers. Not sure this could make a Eurovision semi final but still it is a nice song, very well produced.

4. Hovig Demirgian – Goodbye

A change in pace now, from Hovig. Very casually dressed and accompanied by two lady dancers and one backing vocalist, Hovig enters the song on the wrong foot, to get back on track but remain unstable vocally all throughout. The song is an upbeat and happy and it could use a better staging and it does have some potential as Hovig is obviously a talented singer who would improve his live performance with practice. Hovig was first made widely known in Cyprus and Greece when he took part in the X Factor.

5. Vivian Douglas – Rhapsody

This is quite a hard song to place, could be popish or aspiring to be operatic or it could be rockish (mainly because of the rock instrumental parts) but Vivian is painfully out of tune all throughout the song. Elegantly dressed in a black evening gown she is accompanied by two dancers and two backing vocalists. The dancing is too intense and too close to the singer and it becomes rather distracting.

6. Anthi Pashi – You gotta go

Anthi participates with two songs this year, this one she performs herself. Strong vocals and an attitude for this R n' B tune with strong rock/folk elements. The song is rhythmic and well produced and Anthi is good on stage, accompanied by a full band and a DJ. One of the best performances so far.

7. Constantinos Kontozis & Soul Throw – Island of love

Constantinos and Soulthrow fill the stage with music and movement and a crazy, fun performance with just about every music style thrown in. Rock and pop and an ethnic touch and very good interaction between Constantinos and the TV and studio audience. This is the most youthful and MTVish act so far bound to do well with younger viewers.

8. Andreas Economides – Waiting

Another good vocal performance follows now with a soft rock song performed very well by Andreas who is accompanied by a full band. A youthful ensemble and a nice, little song which could make it as a radio and youtube hit.

9. Nicole Paparistodemou – Like a woman

The next song is by Mike Connaris, the man behind Cyprus' most popular entry to date (at least with Eurofans) Stronger every minute. Nicole delivers one of the most powerful vocal performances tonight standing all alone on stage but filling it anyway. Her song is the only one which sung partly in Greek.This has great potential to win this night's final if the crowd's reaction is anything to go by.

The voting is over and we will soon know the winner who will be decided by a mixture of televote and jury vote at a 50/50 split this year.

After three songs from Giorgos Papadopoulos and a video with footage from the rehearsals we are now watching yet another commercial break. The presenter promised to the stressed audience and artists that the results will be out any minute now.

And the winner is Life looks better in spring by Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders which got top points from both the televote and the jury.