So the 2011 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is barely over and moves are already underway for the 57th Eurovision Song Contest. So far we have a logo and location city.

We also have some prelimary dates for your calender.

• Semi Final 1: 22nd May 2012
• Semi Final 2: 24th May 2012
• Final: 26th May 2012

So far 8 countries have confirmed their participation in Eurovision next year. They are:

• Austria
• Azarbaijan (host)
• Belgium
• Estonia
• Finland
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Switzerland

In 2009/2010 Azerbaijan was suppoesed to host the 3rd Eurovision Dance Contest. This was cancelled due to not enough interest. It is doubtful that this will happen to next years contest, but it means that ?ctimai Television have an idea of what they have to organise in 12 months time.

So who is going to Baku?

Image by kjelljoran via Flickr

So the first Semi-Final of the 56th Eurovision Song Contest took place last night and the ten countries that qualified are as follows:

• Serbia,
• Lithuania,
• Greece,
• Azerbaijan,
• Georgia,
• Switzerland,
• Hungary,
• Finland,
• Russia,
• Iceland

The results go to show the pot allocation and the jury votes have stopped the block voting with Armenia and Turkey missing out on qualifiacation. Delighted that Iceland and Finland go through. Last night was definitely a victory for songs rather then countries with Switzerland first qualification from the Semi-Finals! A lovely song!

So what does the running order for the final look like now?

1. Finland
2. -
3. -
4. Lithuania
5. Hungary
6. -
7. -
8. -
9. Greece
10. Russia
11. France
12. Italy
13. Switzerland
14. United Kingdom
15. -
16. Germany
17. -
18. -
19. Azerbaijan
20. -
21. Iceland
22. Spain
23. -
24. Serbia
25. Georgia

The ideal draw for Jedward will be 17, 18 or 20, with a Ballad drawn in the others! We need to avoid the number 2 spot!!

So can you predict who will fill the remaining ten places? Have a go here!

Related articles

• Liveblogging and Predicting the Eurovision! (escireland.com)
• How to take part in our liveblog! (escireland.com)

Ell & Nikki – Running Scared – we have our couple song for this year – will it get 3rd place as always or will it go all the way? Top 5 at least I think.

Well entering the last week of national selections and we have a few more countries left to choose.

The UK is showing their entry on Friday on the Graham Norton show on BBC 1. Blue will perform their song: “I Can”, which is a pop hit in the style of their first song “All Rise”.

Azerbaijan have yet to announce their entry – they may not even keep the chosen artists.

After the debacle in the Ukraine we at least know the artist (again) – Mika Newton – but the song “Angels” will be significantly revamped.

Sweden goes to the polls on Saturday for the Melodifestivalen Finale, will it be Eric Saade or are all the bookies wrong?

San Marino will reveal Senit’s song on Friday as well. 2 types of songs have been

Have a listen to an earlier Senit song:

The Russian song has been leaked early by a fan to mixed responses, personally I like it. The official presentation is on Saturday the 12th.

Portugal is looking forward to being banned because it is a political song, even the TV presenter has expressed their dis-satisfaction over the choice. And in fairness it is an awful song to come out of a country normally dedicated to sending in great songs.

In the last few days Hungary, Israel and France have revealed their songs, with France coming out as a strong favorite to win overall. Both Israel and Hungary have dodgy live vocals on them but Hungary is the stronger of the two, the only thing saving Israel is the fact that it is Dana International – winner 1998.

To see the current entrants and their songs go to: http://www.escireland.com/2011-participants/

Well probably not, but we quite enjoy their parody of Azerbaijan’s 2009 entry Always.

Choreographed by JaQuel Knight who is responsible for the clip of Beyoncé’s song Single ladies.

Seventeen year old Safura Alizadeh will be singing “Drip Drop” as the Azerbaijani entry in Oslo. And guess what? It’s a ballad… I honestly expected better from Azerbaijan.

37 down 2 to go.

Safura Alizade was chosen by jury only to represent Azerbaijan. The song will actually be chosen on March 19th, making Azerbaijan the last country to present their entry for this year.

That is of course if they don’t change their minds and choose another artist in the meantime.

The rather confusing final is now live in Azerbaijan, where the song may or may not be chosen from the 3 artists singing the same songs but not.

And then they may just change their minds and not send in either song or artist.

They have removed all local references and made the songs more American R’n'B

You can watch the final here and here.

Participants

1. Safura - Drip drop
2. Safura - Under my skin
3. Safura - Soulless
4. Milk & Kisses - Under my skin
5. Milk & Kisses - Drip drop
6. Milk & Kisses - Cancelled
7. Maryam - Under my skin
8. Maryam - Soulless
9. Maryam - Drip drop

Thanks to Ilkar for the image.

So last night saw Azerbaijan start their selection process with a semi-final that saw 3 artists qualify to the final. Here’s the weird thing they announced today that there will now be no final, the entry will be chosen by an internal jury instead, oh and btw they don’t have to go with the song that will win either. So all we know now is that one of the 3 artists who did qualify might sing a song that won. Oh and they may just change the artist as well…

Anyways, here are the 3 artists who maybe might possibly win or not in the internal selection process that may or not select one.

Maryam Shabanova – I’ve had enough

Safura – Promise/Söz ver

Milk & Kisses – I’m on fire