Eurovision Song Contest 2012

[Huntress]

The 57th Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, following Ell & Nikki's win in 2011. The dates set for the two semi-finals are 22 May and 24 May 2012, with the final planned for the evening of 26 May 2012.

[Huntress]

First three entries:

Albania 2012: Rona Nishliu / "Suus"

(Like all Albanian entries, this song will most likely be completely reworked until the Contest)

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dVvDxR8k5LY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Denmark 2012: Soluna Samay / "Should Have Known Better"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QXHSAFkZOnI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Switzerland 2012: Sinplus / "Unbreakable"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/B3vUIoqwHTM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Huntress]

France 2012: Anggun / "Echo (You and I)"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UJp2cmAXDKI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cyprus 2012: Ivi Adamou / "La La Love"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MSrS-2cunM4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[I Am A Swede]

I'm definitely not impressed so far.....

And for Albania's sake I hope their song is reworked quite substantially, because that was just awful!!

I used to love Cyprus' entries, but their song this year is so bland. It's like every other summer one hit wonder from the past twenty years or so: Paradisio, Vengaboys, Blümchen, Pandora.....

[Huntress]

Four more songs:

Malta 2012: Kurt Calleja / "This is the Night"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ETsQbBxeF9U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Iceland 2012: Gréta Salóme & Jónsi / "Mundu Eftir Mér"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mepztXfP9_c" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hungary 2012: Compact Disco / "Sound of Our Hearts"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aTWaeyae9Hg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Norway 2012: Tooji / "Stay"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o45OYw9wIQs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Huntress]

Germany 2012: Roman Lob / "Standing Still"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tzMye6AV8BQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ukraine 2012: Gaytana / "Be My Guest"

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hHCebRKZzak" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Croatia 2012: Nina Badric / "Nebo"

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ig4_k9UQ7Fw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Latvia 2012: Anmary / "Beautiful Song"

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XVprnOY-Urg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Huntress]

Netherlands 2012: Joan Franka / "You and Me"

* Will the Netherlands qualify for the final for the first time since 2004?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FVHN9M9R7d0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Slovenia 2012: Eva Boto / "Verjamem"

* Will this song bring Slovenia its best result at the contest ever?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yOxgW9Q_DXA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Finland 2012: Pernilla Karlsson / "När jag blundar"

* This is the first time since 1990 and only the second time in the history of the contest that Finland has opted for a song in Swedish. The Swedish language was last heard in the 1998 contest, then of course in the Swedish entry.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/InblQtjqxvQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Belarus 2012: Litesound / "We are the Heroes"

* As expected, Belarus has changed its entry.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Jxky4IVVn_U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Austria 2012: Trackshittaz / "Woki mit deim Popo"

* This song is sung in Central Bavarian, a regional dialect, not in Standard German.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ju06mQGfjpo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Ireland 2012: Jedward / "Waterline"

* Jedward already represented Ireland in the 2011 contest with "Lipstick", placing 8th in the final.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ni133caQ9Dw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Turkey 2012: Can Bonomo / "Love Me Back"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KJpe16aeY9s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Georgia 2012: Anri Jokhadze / "I'm a Joker"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zkmloXORvvk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[I Am A Swede]

75-year old Engelbert Humperdinck will represent the United Kingdom in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

(Rumour has it that Dame Vera Lynn (94 years old) was the first choice, but she felt that someone a little bit younger would be more appropriate. Little did she know that the BBC would take her words quite so literally..... )

[Huntress]

Engelbert won't even be the oldest participant in this year's edition: Russia will be represented by Buranovskie Babushki, a group of grandmas, with the song "Party for Everybody".

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/h0vQ9_BhU1M" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Meanwhile, Armenia has decided to withdraw from the contest for political reasons.

[I Am A Swede]

Are they kidding?? Is that Russia's entry?? Why do they even bother to enter if they send pathetic stuff like that?? No wonder ESC is seen as a joke by many nowadays.

[Huntress]

Yes, that is indeed Russia's entry. Of course it's utter trash but I think it might even win the contest – after all, it's Russia. If some other country would send this kind of song – apart from Ukraine –, it would end up last in one of the semi finals.

[I Am A Swede]

Sweden will this year be represented by Loreen and "Euphoria"

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[Huntress]

I love Loreen's song.

The UK entry:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/01SQXjlhTuE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It's also fantastic.

I really don't know who's gonna win this year. At the moment, I'd say it'll be decided between Russia, Sweden, Serbia and the UK.

[Huntress]

The running order has been decided.

1. Semi-Final

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01. Montenegro

02. Iceland

03. Greece

04. Latvia

05. Albania

06. Romania

07. Switzerland

08. Belgium

09. Finland

10. Israel

11. San Marino*

12. Cyprus

13. Denmark

14. Russia

15. Hungary

16. Austria

17. Moldova

18. Ireland

* San Marino's entry has to be changed because of a breach of rules as the song cannot be named "Facebook". They can either change the lyrics or send a different song. The deadline is March 22nd.

2. Semi-Final

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vSh2qXan0TA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

01. Serbia

02. FYR Macedonia

03. The Netherlands

04. Malta

05. Belarus

06. Portugal

07. Ukraine

08. Bulgaria

09. Slovenia

10. Croatia

11. Sweden

12. Georgia

13. Turkey

14. Estonia

15. Slovakia

16. Norway

17. Bosnia & Herzegovina

18. Lithuania

Final

01. United Kingdom

09. France

10. Italy

13. Azerbaijan

19. Spain

20. Germany

+ 10 qualifiers from the 1st semi-final

+ 10 qualifiers from the 2nd semi-final

Here are all 42 entries in alphabetical order:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sEDawMZAxnU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[alphanguy74]

Jedward? I had never seen these little techno doublemint twins... and WOW are they AWFUL, there are no words. What happened with Lys Assia? I thought she was going to compete? I am a Swede... that Albanian song sounded quite promising when I started listening, but then went to hell REALLY quickly. I like dark, melancholy ballads, but that was just strange. I'm likin that UK song, Eng certainly ain't lost his pipes... but that light brown hair has got to GO, it don't look right on him.