What a show Basel! The 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest kicked off tonight from St. Jakobshalle in Basel, in the North-West of Switzerland! And what an incredible night Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR put together for Eurofans in Europe, Australia and the world! Co-hosts Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer took viewers and fans in the arena through a sensational first semi final.
Were we expecting anything else? The show started with yodeling, Swiss Alphorns and traditional costumes. As always, Eurovision is an opportunity to display national elements and to boost nation branding, the Swiss are doing just that. After the first usual words and welcome from the two co-hosts, the show started. The first 15 of 37 participating countries took to the stage tonight hoping to hear their name among the ten lucky qualified acts. This was tonight’s line-up:
- Iceland – Vaeb – Róa
- Poland – Justyna Steczkowska – Gaja
- Slovenia – Klemen – How much time do we have left
- Estonia – Tommy Cash – Espresso macchiato
- Ukraine – Ziferblat – Bird of pray
- Sweden – KAJ – Bara bada bastu
- Portugal – Napa – Deslocado
- Norway – Kyle Alessandro – Lighter
- Belgium – Red Sebastian – Strobe lights
- Azerbaijan – Mamagama – Run with U
- San Marino – Gabry Ponte – Tutta l’Italia
- Albania – Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm
- Netherlands – Claude – C’est la vie
- Croatia – Marko Bosnjak – Poison cake
- Cyprus – Theo Evan – Shh
Spain (Melody, Esa diva), Italy (Lucio Corsi, Volevo essere un duro) as well as the host country Switzerland (Zoë Më, Voyage) also performed.
The interval act
After all performances the televote was opened and viewers discovered what the Swiss had been up to: Made in Switzerland, a satirical musical act on Swiss inventions, among which of course Eurovision, which was created by a Swiss media executive and former director of the European Broadcasting Union, Marcel Bezançon. Special guest of the act was Petra Mede, who appeared impersonating Wilhelm Tell, the Swiss national hero.
Tears were shed when the one and only Céline Dion appeared on a special video message. She thanked Eurovision for having such a special place in her career. After this, past Eurovision stars — Jerry Heil (Ukraine), Marina Satti (Greece), Iolanda (Portugal), and Silvester Belt (Lithuania) — went on stage to perform Ne partez pas sans moi, honouring one of Eurovision’s most iconic winners. They were accompanied by an orchestra and by a sensational indoor drone show.
We have the first qualified acts!
But then, the moment arrived to close the televote and to announce the ten finalists. This year the EBU has decided for a revised announcing sequencing, as ESCToday reported.
The ten finalists are:
- Norway
- Albania
- Sweden
- Iceland
- Netherlands
- Poland
- San Marino
- Estonia
- Portugal
- Ukraine
We therefore say goodybe to Belgium, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Slovenia and Croatia who leave the competition at the end of this semi final.
For the closing sequence of the first semi final, Jørgen Olsen from the Olsen brothers (Eurovision 2000), enchanted the arena with a special reprise of Fly on the wings of love, with a specially composed text United by music.
Shortly after the end of the first semi final the ten qualified acts as well as the three already qualified countries drew their position in the Grand Final (first half, second half or producer’s choice):
- Norway – producer’s choice
- Albania – second half
- Sweden – producer’s choice
- Iceland – first half
- Netherlands – producer’s choice
- Poland – producer’s choice
- San Marino – producer’s choice
- Estonia – producer’s choice
- Portugal – second half
- Ukraine – first half
Furthermore, Spain was drawn to perfom in the first half, Italy had producer’s choice. Switzerland already drew weeks ago position number 19 in the Grand Final.
