Luxembourg: Details revealed about the past collaboration with San Marino for Eurovision!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

New details have emerged about a potential partnership from nearly a decade ago that would bring Luxembourg to Eurovision 2015.

Ahead of Eurovision 2015, there were reports that Luxembourg and San Marino were to team up for an entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. Thierry Mersch gave an interview to Luxembourger Wort explaining more about how he almost represented San Marino and Luxembourg on the Eurovision stage:

“A member of the ESC delegation from San Marino TV contacted me and at first I wasn’t sure whether he was serious at all. The idea was for two European microstates to come together for a unique project.”

Then there was a discussion about cooperation, which was sparked by the then Minister of Culture stating her agreement to regarding the return of Luxembourg. New details revealed:

“The song was already decided, I already had a duet partner. Since the organizers did not want to support this unique project alone, Luxembourg was supposed to contribute 50,000 euros – and that ultimately failed.”

It is not known who the duet partner would be, nor the song that was to be performed. San Marino participated in Eurovision 2015 represented by two previous participants of the state in Junior Eurovision. Anita Simoncini and Michele Perniola and the song  “Chain of Lights”.

Luxembourg returns to the Eurovision Song Contest this year in Malmö after a hiatus of 31 years represented by Tali Golergant and the song “Fighter”

https://youtu.be/6CNuXpdyYmE

Source: Wort.lu

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the updates around the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest!

Follow us on all our social media, so that you’ll not lose a thing of what’s happening Eurovision:

San Marino: SMRTV shares exclusive footage from Megara’s first rehearsal!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

San Marino‘s national broadcaster SMRTV has shared some additional footage from the band Megara’s first rehearsal earlier today.

You can watch the additional footage of the rehearsal in the post from X below.

San Marino is going compete in the 10th spot of the second semi-final on Thursday 9 May, claiming one of the 10 tickets to the Grand Final on Saturday 11 May.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the updates around the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest!

Follow us on all our social media, so that you’ll not lose a thing of what’s happening Eurovision:

Eurovision 2024: San Marino’s First Rehearsal!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The show goes on, as it should be. After Dons from Latvia, who performed for the very first time his song, “Hollow”, on Eurovision’s stage, it is time for us to move to Southern Europe for a liitle bit, more specifically to the Italian Peninsula but with an Iberian essence as well. It is neither Italy, nor Spain, nor Portugal, but is San Marino and Megara, this year’s Spanish rock band, who represents the tiny country in Malmö, with the song “11:11“.

Who are Megara?

Megara is a Spanish rock band formed in Madrid, Spain back in 2015, currently consisting of the lead vocalist Kenzy Loevett, Vitti Crocutta, Tio Rober Bueno and Raphaela Tache. That same year, the band released their debut EP named “Muérase Quien Pueda” and in 2016 they released their first solo album “Siete“.

Being natives of Spain, Megara participated in Benidorm Fest of 2023, the Spanish National Final for Eurovision, with the song “Arcadia“, finishing fourth both in the semi-final and the final as well.

In 2024, the band took the decision to give another try for a possible Eurovision entry, releasing their song “11:11“, which is inspired by the number 1111, which in numerology is considered as an angel number, representing intuition, positive dreams and the presence of benevolent spiritual guidance. The song was originally intented for Benidorm Fest 2024, but after RTVE’s rejection, the band decided to participate with their song in the preselection of “Una Voce Per San Marino“. After complying with the Sammarinese regulations and changing some of the lyrics from Spanish to Italian, Megara won the National Final hence here they are in Sweden to represent San Marino; the one who insists, wins, we would say.

Megara’s musical style is characterized as “fucksia rock“, a music genre which incorporates electronic, dance, punk, rock and alternative metal sounds. The members of the band themselves stated that the term and the overall genre is of their own creation.

The rehearsal:

Have we had enough coffee this morning? Not yet. Does it matter? Also no. Because Megara from San Marino are waking up the whole arena with their rock anthem 11:11. Their rehearsal started at 11:13, which is one of those things we will all just have to learn to live with.

Megara are still in the pink and black fur we saw at Una Voce per San Marino, but a slightly different design with added zebra stripes. The LED wall shows a pink and black animation with lots of spooky trees and dragons that feels like a fairy story – the whole thing comes together as a really cohesive bit of staging that feels fun, uplifting and very LOUD.

There’s a really fun dance routine that runs through this whole performance, which we don’t usually see with big rock bands, but Megara are definitely here to entertain – there’s even a moment at the end where Kenzy takes off her fur coat to reveal a new outfit featuring pink PVC armour with a dinosaur spine. We’re also happy to report that the flamenco dance break from the official video has made it to Malmö, with Megara’s two dancers shedding their fur coats to reveal skeleton bodysuits and fur boots.

PYRO UPDATE: smoke AND flame balls, with a huge fiery finish. If you have tickets for the arena standing area, dress for warm weather.

Below you can take a look at a snippet from Megara’s very first rehearsal and appearence on Malmö’s stage:

https://www.tiktok.com/@eurovision/video/7363645316190457121?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7345954161927734816

Megara’s second rehearsal is set to take place on Friday the 3rd of May, when we will get a better idea of how this year’s San Marino’s entry is going to like on stage.

Follow us on all social media, so you do not miss a moment of what will happen in Malmö:

Source: Eurovision.tv

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun ’cause even more news regarding the rehearsals are coming!

Eurovision 2024: The schedule of the fourth day of rehearsals (Tuesday 30 April)!

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , /by

Malmö Arena opened its gates on Saturday for the rehearsals of the 37 participating countries of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest, and the action continues today with the remaining eight countries of the second semi-final taking to the stage for the first time.

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.

Today’s Schedule

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

 

Follow us on all social media, so you don’t miss a moment of what’s happening around the Eurovision Song Contest:

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments!

San Marino: Megara to perform revamped version of 11:11!

/1 Comment/in , , /by

Megara will perform a brand new revamped version of 11:11 on Eurovision.  The Spanish band who previously participated in Benidorm Fest won the San Marino final and will perform in the Second Semi-Final of Eurovision 2024.

Music producer Jose Pablo Polo was in charge of the revamped version.  According to Polo, fans will listen to the new version during the Second Semifinal on May 9.  The announcement was made on Megara’s social media.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MEGARA (@wearemegara)

Jose Pablo Polo previously worked with Spanish representative Blanca Paloma last year.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for more news about San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024!

Follow us on all social media, so you do not miss any news about the biggest music festival in Europe:

Bets: The latest odds before the rehearsals!

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGDvM14Kwg

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!

Listen to the Brais Remix of San Marino’s entry in “A Little Bit More”!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

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.

Read more

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

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

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!

/1 Comment/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

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!

/0 Comments/in , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , /by

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.

Read more