Eurovision 2024: Lithuania’s First Rehearsal!

The third act to perform on the Eurovision stage today is the talented Silvester Belt from Lithuania, with his song Luktelk!

Who is Silvester Belt?

Music has been an integral part of Silvester’s life since he was a child.

His songs are inspired by personal life experiences, particularly his memories of exploring his sexuality in a homophobic environment and how the repression of those feelings deeply affected him.

“Luktelk” (translation: “wait”/”hold on”) is about being stuck in a gap between two stages, in barely existing and feeling alive when you have to hold on and dance through what life throws at you.

Silvester also participated in the Vaikų Eurovizijos Nacionalinė Atranka – Lithuania’s qualifying competition for Junior Eurovision in 2010.

The Rehearsal

The staging for this needs no props – similar to the Lithuanian national finals, EUROVIZIJA.LT – it’s Silvester in his red leather suit, backed by four male dancers with masked faces and lots of red and back strobe lighting. The masks have had an upgrade – less like turtlenecks and more like black hoods. No pyro for Lithuania.

The second rehearsal of Lithuania will take place on Wednesday May 1st, when we will have a better picture of what we will see from Silvester Belt on the Eurovision stage, as we will have the official TV snippet.

Below you can watch a small clip from Lithuania’s first rehearsal from TikTok:

(The video will be posted here, as soon as it’s been made available)

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Lithuanian participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, in Malmö!

Source: eurovision.tv


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Eurovision 2024: Contestants to perform at the Eurovision Village

This year’s Eurovision Village will be situated in Folkets Park in central Malmö from May 4th to May 11th. There will be two stages, one larger for special events, and concerts with Eurovision and guest artists, and a smaller stage for more intimate performances. Several participating acts of Eurovision 2024 will perform at the Euphoria stage on the following dates:

May 4 –  (21:00-22:00)
  • Armenia – Ladaniva
  • Belgium – Mustii
  • Norway – Gåte
  • Portugal – Iolanda
May 7 – (19:00-20:00)
  • Albania – Besa
  • Italy – Angelina Mango
  • Malta – Sarah Bonnici
  • Austria – Kaleen
May 8 – (15:00-16:00)
  • Iceland – Hera Björk
  • Moldova – Natalia Barbu
  • Serbia – Teya Dora
May 9 – (15:00-16:00)
  • Azerbaijan – Fahree feat. Ilkin Dovlatov
  • Finland – Windows95man
  • Lithuania – Silvester Belt
  • Germany – Isaak

Eurovision Village will serve as a dedicated hub for Eurovision enthusiasts and locals also hosting independent cultural events organized by local organizations.

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Source: Malmö Stad

Eurovision 2024: The programme of the first day of rehearsals (Saturday 27 April)!

The big moment is now upon millions of Eurofans around the globe, as the 68th Eurovision Song Contest officially begins in a few hours from now, with the Malmö Arena opening its gates to the 37 participating countries.

With no major changes expected this year, the rehearsals for Eurovision 2024 are expected to take place in the upcoming week. Rehearsals are divided into two phases, the first which will run for four days from today until Tuesday 30/04 and will include the initial first rehearsals of all countries taking part in the two semi-finals of the contest and the second which will run from Wednesday 01/05 until Saturday 04/05 and will include the second rehearsals of the countries in the two semi-finals as well as both rehearsals of the countries competing directly in the Final, namely the Big 5 and the host Sweden.

Last year’s changes in the way the rehearsals are covered are maintained this year, as the Press Centre opens on the Monday after the first and second rehearsals.

As a consequence, the information we will have for the first week of the contest will come exclusively from the material provided by the EBU to accredited journalists, as well as through the Live Blogs on Reddit and the short videos on TikTok.

Programme for Saturday 27 April

Seven countries are set to take to the stage at Malmö Arena for their first rehearsal, with Cyprus and Silia Kapsis “kicking off” on Saturday morning. The detailed schedule for the first day of rehearsals of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest is as follows (Mentioned in CET/Swedish Time):

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Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

Eurovision 2024: Participants Depart for Malmö!

With the Eurovision 2024 rehearsals set to commence tomorrow, Saturday 27/4, the 37 participants of this year’s competition have begun their journey to Malmö.

Most are traveling by air, while some are hitting the road, as artists destined for the 68th Eurovision Song Contest converge on Malmö, the city that will become the musical epicenter of Europe for the next two weeks.

Australia

Electric Fields are the first contestants to set foot in Sweden, as they inform us through their social media channels.

Lithuania

Silvester Belt departed from Vilnius for Malmö without stress, as revealed.

 

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Ukraine

With a modest ceremony at Kiev’s central railway station and the “Eurovision Express,” the train carrying them, Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil embarked on their journey to Malmö. Donning white attire with keys hanging from them symbolizing the future of Ukraine’s children that need to be unlocked, the Ukrainian representatives left with the support of millions of their compatriots, filled with hope for Sweden.

Cyprus

Earlier today, Silia Kapsis departed with the rest of the Cypriot delegation. With many smiles and optimism for what they have prepared, Silia Kapsis and the rest of the team set off for Malmö. Tomorrow morning at 10:30 CET, she will have the honor of being the first to rehearse for Eurovision 2024.

 

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Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun on our website and social media channels because Eurovision 2024 is now in its final stretch!

Bets: The latest odds before the rehearsals!

We are two days away from the start of the rehearsals in Malmö and that’s why one of Eurovisionfun‘s most loved and talked about columns is back, with the Eurovision 2024 betting analysis back again.

As you prepare for the pivotal days ahead with the climax of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest celebrations, the bookers are already getting down to business, with the Eurovision 2024 winner section already on offer across all bookmakers. So, we’re taking the opportunity to bring you the so far for the next contest.

The five that became four

A battle for four seems to be shaping up in this year’s contest, with Switzerland, Croatia, the Netherlands and Italy having a distinct lead over their pursuers and Ukraine ‘losing ground’ recently after the parties.

More specifically, at the top, now having a clear lead over its competitors, is Switzerland. With two 24 hours to go until the start of rehearsals in the Swedish south, Nemo‘s “The Code” starts from pole-position to win Switzerland‘s coveted third victory in its almost 70-year presence in the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland‘s victory is now being bet at odds of between 2.63 and 3.1, becoming the first to break the triple barrier this year.

In second place remains Croatia, who have been firmly established in the top two of the betting tables for the past two months, with their odds remaining largely stable after this year’s pre-parties. Baby Lasagna and “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” will go all the way for a maiden Croatian victory, with bookers offering odds of between 3.25 and 4.6.

The absolute hit on Western and Central European radios, the Netherlands, continues its rally up the betting tables. Joost Klein‘s “Europapa” has made an impression and is sweeping the charts and streams across much of the Old Continent, now bringing the Netherlands into fourth place. We told you long ago through this column about the dynamics of this entry, which was one of the dark horses of this year’s contest. Now in third place and offered at odds of between 4.25 and 5.5, it is anything but a dark horse, with betting companies recognising its potential and moving it up two places.

Fourth, with a slightly downward trend, but within a fairly close distance of the three leading countries, is Italy. Angelina Mango with “La Noia” may have lost one place compared to our last analysis, nevertheless the chances of a second Italian victory in this decade are highly respected. Between 5.75 and 7.5 is offered for Italian victory for those who believe in Angelina Mango‘s potential.

The top five is now completed by Ukraine, who have lost the momentum they had at the beginning of this year’s Eurovision season when they were considered the early favourites to win in Malmö. With the gap between the four leading countries having widened, bookers are offering Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil’s victory at the highest odds we have seen offered during this year’s Eurovision season. Ukraine‘s fourth win in the Eurovision Song Contest is currently being bet at odds of between 8.5 and 17.

Top 10

With the countries in the Top 5 having stood out in comparison to those below them in the betting tables, let’s take a look at the rest of the top ten. In sixth place, France has quietly risen to sixth, and has consistently remained in or on the fringes of the top ten for most of this Eurovision season. Up to 21 times the stakes are returned by “Mon Amour” and Slimane, with France gaining one place in the last few days.

Among the gainers in recent weeks is Israel, which has moved up to seventh place. Eden Golan and “Hurricane” have gained four places in the last period, steadily gaining momentum as evidenced by the reactions she is garnering on social media on the official Eurovision account. Israel’s victory is offered at odds between 21 and 36.

Greece is still in eighth place. The “tailwind” after the release of Marina Satti‘s “ZARI” brought our country inside the Top 10, with Greece now stabilizing within it and having a safety margin over its pursuers.

Marina Satti‘s win is currently being played at odds between 21 and 41, slightly higher compared to our last analysis, with bookers, however, giving a vote of confidence to the Greek entry.

The big winner in recent weeks has clearly been Ireland, who have now moved up to ninth place, being five places higher compared to our last analysis. Up to 51 times the stake is returned on Ireland’s win with Bambie Thug‘s “Doomsday Blue“.

Rounding out the top ten is Belgium, who have been the disappointment so far this Eurovision season. Mustii‘s pre-party performances with his mildly unacceptable rendition of “Before the Party’s Over” has brought Belgium into tenth place, showing a drop of four places compared to our last analysis. Belgium’s victory is currently being bet on odds between 26 and 67.

Will Switzerland achieve its third victory in the Eurovision Song Contest with Nemo’s “The Code”? Tell us in the comments!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

Watch the performances of Lithuania and Poland in “A Little Bit More”!

Just like last year, some time before the first rehearsals of the countries, the show called “A Little Bit More” aired on the official Eurovision YouTube channel.

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OGAE Poll 2024: The results from Lithuania, Italy and Cyprus!

Every year since 2007, OGAE International conducts the OGAE Poll, which includes the votes of its members from 42 different countries. After twenty-six countries have voted, it is now turn for Lithuania, Italy and Cyprus to cast their votes.

In detail, the 53 members of OGAE Lithuania voted as following:
  • 12 points to Ukraine
  • 10 points to Belgium
  • 8 points to Switzerland
  • 7 points to Italy
  • 6 points to the Netherlands
  • 5 points to Norway
  • 4 points to Greece
  • 3 points to the United Kingdom
  • 2 points to Sweden
  • 1 point to Estonia

Moreover, the 146 members of OGAE Italy voted as following:

  • 12 points to Croatia
  • 10 points to France
  • 8 points to Switzerland
  • 7 points to Belgium
  • 6 points to Israel
  • 5 points to Ukraine
  • 4 points to Spain
  • 3 points to Austria
  • 2 points to Lithuania
  • 1 point to Norway

Last, the 67 members of OGAE Cyprus voted as following:

  • 12 points to Italy
  • 10 points to France
  • 8 points to Belgium
  • 7 points to Greece
  • 6 points to Austria
  • 5 points to the United Kingdom
  • 4 points to Israel
  • 3 points to Croatia
  • 2 points to Switzerland
  • 1 point to Spain

The results following the votes of twenty-nine member clubs are the following:

Italy is now in the lead with just five points margin from Croatia and Switzerland concludes the top-three of the fan’s poll.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!


SourceOGAE International

Eurovision 2024: More “flexibility” for the producers to determine the Grand Final running order!

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest introduces a significant change in how the Grand Final running order is determined. Artists now have more options, with a new category introduced to give producers greater flexibility in shaping the lineup.

In March, it was announced that Malmö would see some major changes to enhance the Eurovision Song Contest‘s excitement. Following the revelation that the “Big 5” would perform their songs in full during the Semi-Finals and that fans could start voting as soon as the first artist hits the stage in the Grand Final, another significant change has emerged!

In recent years, qualifying countries from the Semi-Finals and the Big 5 have randomly selected which half of the Grand Final they will perform in. Subsequently, the show’s producers decided where within the First Half (songs 1 to 13) or Second Half (songs 14 to 26) of the Grand Final those acts would perform.

This year, a new category called “Producer’s Choice” will be introduced.

Host broadcaster SVT revealed that 25 of the 26 artists in the Grand Final (Sweden already has position 1) will have the option to choose First Half, Second Half, or Producer’s Choice through a random draw.

If an artist selects Producer’s Choice, the show producers will have the discretion to place that song anywhere in either the First or Second Half of the running order.

This change means there will be 6 slots available to pick in the First Half of the running order, 6 slots in the Second Half, and 13 Producer’s Choice slots.

The purpose of this change is to provide producers with more opportunities to ensure all songs in the Grand Final stand out and to create the most dynamic running order possible.

Christer Björkman, this year’s Contest Producer, elaborated on the rationale behind the change:

“It’s all about creating the best TV show possible and giving all artists a chance to shine. Adding the flexibility of Producer’s Choice allows me to create an even better flow of different tempos and an even more thrilling Grand Final.”

The Big 5 will select either First Half, Second Half, or Producer’s Choice after their second Rehearsal on Saturday, May 4, live during a Reddit AMA. Then, each of the 10 qualifiers from the First Semi-Final on Tuesday, May 7, will draw one of those three options live on the Official Eurovision Song Contest TikTok channel immediately after the show.

The 10 qualifying artists from the Second Semi-Final will draw from the remaining options live on TikTok after the show ends on Thursday, May 9.

Once all 25 options are chosen, producers will compile the running order for the Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in the early hours of Friday, May 10. It will then be revealed on the Contest’s website and social media channels.

The last time such a change to the running order was made was also in Malmö, in 2013.

Before 2013, the running order of the Grand Final was determined via a random draw. However, in 2013, host broadcaster SVT initiated a change to create a more entertaining evening of television for viewers. This format has remained in place every year since, with the introduction of the Producer’s Choice element in 2024 being the first major change in over a decade.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest developments!

Source: Eurovision.tv

The Model: Predicted Results for Eurovision 2024!

The Model is a project by Eurovoix aimed at predicting the results of the Eurovision contest, based on betting odds, fan voting online, app usage, song views and streamings on electronic platforms, historical voting patterns, and even the position in the running order. It also takes into account other external factors such as political developments that could influence the outcome, or the nationality of an artist.

As the computational prediction model is constructed based on contemporary data, which dynamically change during the pre-party period, its recently updated version predicts Switzerland as the winner instead of Italy.

Ukraine and The Netherlands continue to be the winners of the two semi-finals, while in this edition, Greece and Cyprus also advance to the final, both with an upward trajectory.

First Semi-Final Scoreboard

Second Semi-Final Scoreboard

The change observed here is the qualification of Georgia for the Grand Final and the displacement of Denmark among the non-qualifiers. Clearly, Nutsa Buzaladze’s outstanding performance at the London Eurovision Party last weekend won over the fans and gave a boost to the Georgian entry.

Final Scoreboard

Perhaps the most challenging in terms of prediction, the voting outcome crowns Switzerland as the big winner of Eurovision 2024. According to this computational model, Greece will finish 13th (10th in both televoting and juries), while Cyprus will place 19th (21st with the juries and 16th in the televote).

What do you think of The Model’s results? Will they be confirmed in May? Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the updates!

Source: eurovoix.com

London Eurovision Party 2024: Watch the performances of the artists!

One more pre-party took place last night. After two parties on Spain, one taking place last week in Madrid and Saturday’s party in Barcelona, it was time for the British party to take place in London.

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