The second semi-final of Eurovision 2024 took place yesterday with ten more countries getting the ticket to the Grand Final of Saturday.
It will be Frans Jeppsson Wall (Sweden 2016) who will announce Sweden’s votes in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 on Saturday 11 May.
When the Eurovision Song Contest was last held on home soil, in Stockholm in 2016, Frans stood on stage as Sweden‘s representative with the song “If I Were Sorry“. Now the role is completely different, and he expresses:
“Eurovision has been such a big part of my life and I am incredibly honored to have been given this assignment.”
Frans Jeppsson Wall, with the stage name Frans, became nationally known as a seven-year-old with “Whos’s Da Man“, the group Elias‘ tribute song to Zlatan before the 2006 World Cup.
In Melodifestivalen 2016, Frans went straight to the final with the song “If I Were Sorry” written and produced by Oscar Fogelström, Michael Saxell and Fredrik Andersson. As a seventeen-year-old, Frans became the youngest to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest since Carola‘s victory in Melodifestivalen in 1983. Frans and “If I Were Sorry” placed fifth in the Grand Final.
Viewership of Semi-Final 1
In Sweden, over one million viewers tuned in to watch the live broadcast of Semi-Final One of Eurovision 2024. SVT1, the broadcasting channel, reported 1,081,000 viewers for the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, according to TV viewership ratings service MMS. Although it was the most-watched program in Sweden on May 7, it recorded 224,000 fewer viewers compared to last year’s first semi-final, resulting in a 17.8% decrease in viewership. Additionally, the Eurovision Pre-Party program attracted 657,000 viewers.
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Source: SVT & MMS
The family show of the Eurovision 2024 First Semi-Final in Malmö at the Malmö Arena! We are just a couple of hours before the First Semifinal kicks in but, before we get to know the first results the artists competing in the First Semifinal will perform once again for the Family Show. The Family Show is more financially convenient, identical to the live one for families and takes place earlier on the same day of the Semifinal. EurovisionFun will be watching all the shows live both at the on-site press centre in Malmöä and at the online press centre and will be commenting on the full performances of the 15 participating countries and the United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden. This year we will watch the automatic qualifiers perform their entire songs as part of the Semifinal
This article gets updated in real time, all you need to do is hit the refresh button on your browser!
So stay tuned to this article as we update it with all the details, preparing you for what you will see in the Semi-Final today May 7th, at 21:00 CEST.
The show opens with the iconic Cyprus representative Eleni Foureira singing her 2018 Eurovision song, Fuego! She is performing an oriental-inspired version of Fuego. After Eleni, Eric Saade comes to the stage to sing Popular in an explosive performance. Last but not least, Chanel rocks the stage. The 2022 Spanish representative sings SloMo with a different dance performance than what we saw in Turin two years ago. An amazing way to start this year’s Eurovision Season!
The host of the show is Petra Mede who is familiar to Eurofans as she has hosted the contest twice before in 2013 and 2016. She is joined by actress Malin Åkerman. The female duo are dressed in pink and orange neon suits that are suitable for the LED background.
Petra welcomes us back in Sweden and she made a joke about her voting for Finland last year. They also thank last year’s organizers for hosting an incredible show back in 2023. Malin praises Petra for hosting for a third time the contest and Petra said that she never tried to host with a woman and she was thrilled about this experience.
The hosts are explaining the voting process in English AND French this year. We’ve missed so much Petra speaking French!! Malmo are we ready? Let the Eurovision Song Contest begin!
Silia becomes the youngest artist to open a Eurovision Song Contest. With 17 years Silia opened the First Semi-final! She’s joined by 4 male dancers all in white t-shirts which they removed by the end of the song. The LED’s are mostly in neon turquoise colours. Silia has improved her vocals from her previous attempts. She danced in the whole performance. The dancebreak looks better than the second rehearsal, the camera shots are improved by a lot!! In the last 20 seconds, the colours of the LED turn red.
Following Teya Dora brings a Serbian ballad. Teya Dora is standing and sitting on a rock during the performance. The performance is introspective and very emotional. The LED screens show thunders and a flower by the end of the song and the atmosphere is dark throughout the performance. Will this be enough for Teya Dora to get to the Grand Final?
Lithuania is next with Luktelk! His performance has most of the elements from their national final one. The LED’s are based in red and blue colours. Silvester enjoys his performance and is very energetic. A sure qualifier!
Bambie Thug has grown in the weeks. The change from her national final to Malmö is incredible. Bambie really knows how to pull a live performance with their voice and their face expressions. They are accompanied by a shirtless dancer who seems that he is their lover in the performance. The dancer dresses off Bambie revealing a very thin suit. On the bridge of the song, the candles rise upwards, and the lighting turns red. At the end of the song they scream and the performance is finished with a LED phrase “Crown The Witch”. The crowd was clapping for a long time. Ireland is back in the game!
Break
Petra Mede interacts with the audience. She is tested on her Eurovision knowledge from previous songs but fails.
Olly is the first of the Big 5 plus Sweden to sing live in one of the Semifinals. He is performing in a Box that has a shower. He is accompanied by 4 male dancers in boxer shorts. The whole performance is very physical and sensual. The choreography increases this sexual tension. In the last chorus, he leaves the box with his dancers and he’s performing in the front part of the stage. Olly’s vocals were not the best.
The folk duo is next to perform. In the first chorus the shots are from above with the LED floor being in grey and blue colours making a hurricane. Aliona comes to the stage for her rap part and she is vocally perfect. After that, we can see Jerry in the LED wall being as mother Teresa. The images on the LED screens and the light work elevates this song. At the end of the performance, Jerry and alyona are lying on the floor and the LED is full of women. A very moving performance that could give Ukraine another victory!
Luna honors the name of her song with a floor that resembles a chessboard and two towers onstage. Luna is surrounded by two dancers dressed in black and white as chess pieces. Then, a red figure appears forming the shadow of the singer. At the final point of the song, the two towers come together and change color to red, while we also have fireworks. Overall it is not a very impressive performance. It seems to me that Poland risks not qualifying this year.
The fan and bookers favourite is next on the stage. We start with smoke and a setup resembling a rock concert. There are fireworks, and the lights are in various colors with alternations. At the last chorus we can see many smoke and many fireworks also. In general, the dancers and the choreography is an upgraded version of the national final. The crowd went crazy with Croatia’s performance you can listen them joining the chorus.
Eurovision legend Hera Björk, started her performance with her standing at the top of some stairs. The LED backdrop is in golden colours and it suits her iconic dress of the same color. Vocally Hera never disappoints. At the middle of her performance, the colours are transformed in red colours. Up until the second chorus, she is alone on stage, and then her backing singers joined her. The platform rises, and we see fireworks as well. It seems that she enjoyed the performance by 100%!
Break
Malin Åkerman shares her love for Swedish cinema as well as Eurovision music. A segment that mixes classic Swedish movies such as “The Seventh Deal” and “Fanny Alexander” with Eurovision songs entries.
The performance starts in an apartment with a fire in a barrel. In the chorus, the whole living room catches on fire, and Isaak stands in the middle. In the end, we see the backing vocalists on stage, while the fires go out. Isaak’s vocals are impeccable but he risks going unnoticed by the audience in the final.
After Germany, next on stage is Raiven. She is dressed in a transparent bodysuit, at the beginning of the performance she is laid on the floor by herself, and then in the chorus, she is accompanied by her dancers wearing light beige underwear. The choreography is good but the whole work is not as impactful. At the end of the song, the LED floor is in blue colours like they are floating in the sea.
Windows95man takes his UMK concept including the jean egg for Malmö. Windows95Man emerges from the egg. The dancers have a 1990-2000s style, and the shots are framed to create an illusion of nudity. In the end, he wears denim shorts with fireworks. A novelty act that could go either way. You either love it or hate it. Windows95man and Henri Piispanen vocals did not sound as good as in UMK.
The Malmö version of In The Middle is a much polished one from Natalia’s national final. Natalia’s vocals are really good but the stage feels empty during most of the performance which plays against her. There are images of flowers, a tree, bubbles and butterflies. When Natalia plays the violin the angel wings are displayed.
Twins Marcus & Martinus represent the host country. The performance does not change the concept from Melodifestivalen but expands it. It feels like the inside of a club with flashing lights and dancers. A very professional presentation that will surely do well in the Final.
Next act on the stage is the male duo from Azerbaijan, the LED wall displays an unknown character in silver waving his hands and performing some movements. In the middle of the performance, two huge hand props were revealed on the stage. Overall, the performance is not very memorable. Azerbaijan may not qualify for a second year.
Electric Fields is the next onstage. The camera shots are good but there is nothing particularly impressive. “On the LED screens, we see scenes from the video. Then three dancers-vocalists appear, and in the second chorus, the didgeridoo appears, and the title of the song is written on the wall. In fact the second half of the performance is more eye-catching and colourful. Will this be enough for Australia to qualify?
Portugal is bringing art to the stage! A classy performance with an impressive, minimalistic choreography. The vocals of Iolanda are on point and the camera frames and shots are perfect. One of the floating cubes is lower the whole performance based on the other three. The performance is based on white colours as we already saw at Festival da Cançao.
Luxembourg had not competed in Eurovision since the 90s and is closing the First Semifinal with a French/English pop song, which is unusual based on the previous representatives. Tali is good vocaly but the camera shots are weak. The performance is based on purple and golden colours as well as images of tigers roaring. She has changed her braids from the first rehearsal. There is fog on the stage and shots towards the audience. In the last chorus, we also have fireworks, and the word ‘Fighter’ appears on the LED screens.
A recap of all the entries follows.
Petra Mede present us in a really special interval act the double Irish winner Johnny Logan! Johnny sings Loreen’s Euphoria with a live orchestra. A beautiful performance!
We are now watching a video with the turquoise carpet. Petra jokes that according to social media, “it was the best turquoise carpet ever”.
A recap of all the entries follows.
We go from lighthearted humor to a sad moment. In addition to reminding the audience that Nicole and Hugo were the first performers to dance and sing together for Eurovision, Malin also briefly remembers that Nicole who passed away the previous year. A compilation of Eurovision dance acts as a tribute to the Belgium representatives in 1973 follows.
Second Interval act for the semi-final one is Benjamin Ingrosso in an amazing medley of three songs.
The hosts highlight the several nations and languages that have participated in the show right before the results are announced, and another video compilation is presented.
Cyprus
Lithuania
Ireland
Ukraine
Croatia
Finland
Portugal
Luxembourg
Serbia
Poland
Slovenia
Australia
Iceland
Moldova
Azerbaijan
The green room is behind the stage and the LED wall opens so we can see the contestants behind it. Martin Osterdahl executive producer of Eurovision Song Contest 2024, declares that he is happy to see that we now have a valid result!
Here we have a big change, as the 15 competing acts stand on stage, without their delegations, waiting for the result. The camera shows them one by one, as the presenters announce the qualifiers. After the first 5 qualifiers are announced, Alesha interviews them backstage and then we learn the 5 remaining qualifiers.
The ten countries that (virtually) qualified for the finals for rehearsal purposes only were the following:
Closing the televised show, we will get to watch a recap of the ten finalist songs.
You can watch our live reaction from the Family Show of the First Semi-Final on our YouTube channel:
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The running order for the Opening Ceremony of Eurovision 2024 has been revealed. The EBU has revealed the order in which the Eurovision 2024 artists will appear on the Turquoise Carpet tomorrow Read more
Classified report cites threats from cyber attacks to anti-Israel protests Ground and aerial means, mainly drones, will guard security during the Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held at the Malmö Arena sports and entertainment center in the Swedish city of Malmö.
The Swedish police have drawn up a 23-page special report on possible threats during Eurovision, most of which is classified.
The report highlights the wide-ranging nature of the threats, which include possible cyber-attacks, disruption of television broadcasting by hackers, acts of civil disobedience, while Sweden is considered a “priority target” for Islamist terrorist groups.
Police also note the possibility of protests against Israel, whose representatives are participating in the contest. The “Palestinian Group” organization in Malmö has already announced its intention to organize demonstrations in which tens of thousands of people will participate.
The rehearsals for Eurovision 2024 continue with the countries’ second rehearsals taking place at the Malmö Arena.
Source: Euronews
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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
According to Swedish media, the Crown Princess of Sweden, is going to be present and attend one of the shows of Eurovision Song Contest 2024, taking place in a few days in Malmö. Read more
Just like last year, some time before the first rehearsals of the countries, the show called “A Little Bit More” airs on the official Eurovision YouTube channel.
So, for all this time before the rehearsals, Eurovision TV will upload various performances of the artists, like different versions of their songs, or covers of songs from other artists.
Below you can listen to the “Spa Mix” of Finland’s entry for this year’s contest, “No Rules” by Windows95man:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5vUpSzxeFw
You can also listen to the an acoustic version of Marcus & Martinus’ Melodifestivalen 2023 entry, “Air” as well as Sarah Bonnici, covering “Hold Me Closer” by Cornelia Jakobs (Sweden 2022):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMTRQohm74A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QK-6zKvrmY
Did you like today’s performances of “A Little Bit More”? Write us in the comments below!
Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, in Malmö!
The BBC, the public broadcaster of the United Kingdom, hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, on behalf of Ukraine, as the winner, was not able to host on home soil. However this was not the first time that the United Kingdom has done so.
During Melodifestivalen, and specifically the Melfest WKND, the scriptwritter of this year’s Eurovision, Edward af Sillén, stated that the Grand Final of the Contest is about to be shortened, by about five minutes.
Edward af Sillén, said that there is no intention for a major shortening of the Grand Final of Eurovision. Earlier this season, it was annnounced that SVT, the public broadcaster of Sweden and the host broadcaster, wants to reduce the Grand Final by about an hour!
These statements of Sillén, confirm, but in a much smaller degree, what the production team of SVT stated back in June 2023, regarding the reduction of the broadcast of the contest, as in recent years, the broadcast was more than four hours long.
What remains now, is to see how these changes will be implemented in the Contest.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2024, will take place in Malmö from May 7 to 11, after Loreen’s win with the song “Tattoo”. The country’s representatives will be Marcus & Martinus with their song “Unforgettable”:
https://youtu.be/yekc8t0rJqA
Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Swedish participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, in Malmö!
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