Source: Elke Roels, Thomas Hanses (EBU) First Semi-Final Winners Press Conference

Tonight saw the first Semi-Final of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest take place in Baku. In what was an agonising wait for Ireland fans we clinched the “Golden Ticket” and the last spot in the final. The other qualifiers were Romania, Moldova, Iceland, Hungary, Denmark, Albania, Cyprus, Greece and Russia.

Jedward have done it!! They have qualified for the final on Saturday night! After a much stronger semi then Tuesday’s  there was still a few surprise’s in the qualifiers. The following are the qualifiers:

1. Estonia,
2. Romania,
3. Moldova,
4. Ireland,
5. Bosnia & Herzegovina,
6. Denmark,
7. Austria,
8. Ukraine,
9. Slovenia,
10. Sweden

The draw for places took place after the semi. The running order for the final is as follows:

1. Finland
2. Bosnia & Herzegovina
3. Denmark
4. Lithuania
5. Hungary
6. Ireland
7. Sweden
8. Estonia
9. Greece
10. Russia
11. France
12. Italy
13. Switzerland
14. United Kingdom
15. Moldova
16. Germany
17. Romania
18. Austria
19. Azerbaijan
20. Slovenia
21. Iceland
22. Spain
23. Ukraine
24. Serbia
25. Georgia

The position of 6th is not an excellent start for Jedward. We are surrounded by a number of up-tempo songs and with other good songs at the end we could be lost.

Also the last time someone won from 6th position was in 1957. Though some good omens, that was the first time the competition was hosted by Germany. This is the first time Ireland have been in a Eurovision final in Germany. We hadn’t entered Eurovision back in 1957 and we withdrew in 1983. So it is a possibility.

So fingers crossed for Jedward on Saturday!

Related articles

• The First Qualifiers (escireland.com)
• Jedward’s Second Rehearsal (escireland.com)

Zdob ?i Zdub will represent Moldova in May with the song “So Lucky”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJgYjNn5Zs

Moldova’s performance was very good, plus they seem to have nailed down the live singing thing as well

‘Run Away’ by Sun Stroke Project and Olia Tira

This year’s entry by Moldova is one of my top three favourites of 2010. It’s simply tremendous!

It’s got this fierce up-tempo, dance feel to it and I can picture myself, and many others, boogying away to it in a nightclub throughout the summer. You can’t help feel the urge to move .

You want reasons to love it?

- as I’ve said, it’s got an infectious beat.

- the rising pitch of the ‘ohhh’ in the chorus.

- Olia looks like Kate Ryan and Soraya (from 2009) and carries off a wicked blonde bob.

- the saxophone! Normally I hate that instrument but here it adds a wonderful sound which helps carries the song. It’s a ‘different’ bridge between choruses.

- the male vocal. I used to think he was superfluous but now I reckon he adds a nice alternate tone in the song. Plus, he’s not terrible looking.

Moldova have given us some cracking tunes over the years; I’m thinking in particular of 2007 and 2009. But this, for me, is their best entry to date.

Sunstroke Project & Olia Tira won with Run away.

So TRM, the Moldovan public broadcaster, has decided to have two semifinals on the 27th and 28th of February. These will be followed a week later by the national final. 25 songs are already through to the semifinals, and 5 other songs have been chosen by text vote to join them. This means 15 songs in each semi. It isn’t known yet how many will go through from each to the final.

Moldova made their debut in Eurovision as recently as 2005. That year they surprised many by coming 6th, with Zdob si Zdub and their memorable drumming grandmother. I wasn’t a huge fan of the song (not my cup of tea) but it was grand for what it was.

They’ve had some great songs and some dull ones since. I especially love 2007 (Natalia Barbu, ‘Fight’) and 2009 (Nelly Ciobanu, ‘Hora Din Moldova’). 2006 and 2008 were completely forgettable. Which, by my logic, suggests a not-so-great entry this year!

Anyway, here is Nelly from last year – with one of the best ‘ethnic’ songs I’ve heard at ESC!

Akord have now withdrawn from the Moldovan selection where they were one of the favorites to win with their Lady Gaga song.

They cited a “more interesting offer” from the US. To add insult to injury they added “Eurovision is not a contest for professional musicians”. I’m with Ilkar on this when he says “Really? Once someone calls from the US they become professional musicians? Tsk tsk! One shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds.”

Good luck with that boys…