Alrighty. Time for my annual pilgrimage back here to give you my thoughts on Eurovision. Here are my thoughts on the 36 countries that participated.
1. Finland 🇫🇮 Erika Vikman - Ich Komme: Girl, she came and so did I. I have no notes for this song and performance. Erika is such a performer and that song has never gotten old for me. The fact she didn’t make top 10 is criminal. My winner since UMK songs were released. 10/10
2. Latvia 🇱🇻 Tautumeitas - Bur Man Laimi: Before the performances this week, this wasn’t as high on the list for me. It was mid-teens bc I loved the atmosphere it created. But the staging of this brought it to life and I was loving every minute. I never blinked and lost interest. That is how you stage an ethnic song, everyone take notes. 13th is respectable, but honestly should be higher 10/10
3. Albania 🇦🇱 Shkodra Electonike - Zjerm: Albania has become a powerhouse in my eye over the past few years. When the favorite doesn’t win at their national final, it’s for a good reason bc you get this. I normally love their entries and then it falls off on me bc it’s been months. Zjerm only grew higher and higher for me. As each other song came out, it stayed solidly at my top 10. What a great year. A deserved top 10 finish. Would have been happy if they won. 9.9/10
4. Austria 🇦🇹 JJ - Wasted Love: absolutely was fighting for my life during the televote sequence. I was begging Europe to please give him more points in the jury just in case, but we made it. A deserved winner for sure. The staging was so good and he sounded good every time. The pattern of Sweden -> Country with red base and white cross host -> all Nordics qualify -> Austria win was right. Sweden will be mad next year if they don’t win again… 9.8/10
5. Italy 🇮🇹 Lucio Corsi - Volevo esse un duro: At first, I was put off after it was announced Lucio would get a shot at Eurovision after the first guy said no, once I saw his makeup. The more I listened without seeing the visuals, I liked it more and more each time. Then it all clicked when I saw the first semi and his place in my top skyrocketed. I was so scared Europe was going to write him off, but I was pleasantly surprised he got a top 10 place. Well deserved. 9.5/10
6. Portugal 🇵🇹 NAPA - Deslocado: I felt like I was one of the only ones (besides the Portuguese) who loved this song. I didn’t have the time to keep up with their national final this year so I just listened after it was announced they would represent Portugal. It rose up to my top 10. Then I saw the reactions and everyone putting them 35th for the most part. I screamed in joy when they qualified. I didn’t care if it was barely or anything. They created such a calm vibe that was missing. 9.4/10
7. Poland 🇵🇱 Justyna Steckzowska - GAJA: Another song that was always high in my top from beginning to end. This woman is mother. 52 and doing all that stunting and never faltering vocally. She could have had the worst staging and I still would be living and in awe. She deserved so much more than she got with the jury. Glad she got a ton of televote points. Should have been top 10. 9.3/10
8. Switzerland 🇨🇭 Zoe Me - Voyage: Many songs this year didn’t take me on a journey. This one did though. I think if this had been from France and not hosts Switzerland, it wouldn’t have gotten 0 points from the public. But also how did this get on par results in the televote as UK???? Glad the jury gave her love. 9.2/10
9. Germany 🇩🇪 Abor & Tynna - Baller: I was shocked that Germany didn’t mess up the national final voting. I actually liked a song from Germany for the entire season??? I think the performance was good. Definitely the most fun entry Germany has sent out in a long while. Loved it was in German. 9/10
10. France 🇫🇷 Louane - Maman: France never fails to put out one of the most interesting stagings and the streak continues. The song itself was also a powerful anthem. I’m not normally a big ballad person, but clearly this year I am bc a lot of the top 10 are ballads. 9/10
11. Lithuania 🇱🇹 Katarsis - Tavo Akys: I definitely have a still-going emo phase and with this being the only emo-like song this year imo, I was immediately drawn to it. But also vocals!!! Katarsis sounded good every single time without fail. Plus the song was pure emotion and I could feel every minute of it. I loved it and am probably the only one. I wish they had been closer to top 10 because it was deserved so. 9/10
12. Sweden 🇸🇪 KAJ - Bara Bada Bastu: I loved this song so much, especially the Swedish language (finally!!). While it was a strong entry and I probably would have been fine with it winning like the odds showed, I am glad that we get to see someone else besides Sweden win. I think people might say Mans should have gone bc he probably would have won, but I’m glad we got new people from Sweden and they deserved the place they got for sure. 8.9/10
13. Norway 🇳🇴 Kyle Alessandro - Lighter: Such a bop. I still got goosebumps at the riffs at the end bc Kyle can sing. He is such a charismatic performer. I think the song was ok, but he’s what made the whole package great. I do think he should have been higher at the end of the night, but I’m glad he qualified as I was nervous for Norway given the quality of the rest of MGP this year. 8.8/10
14. Denmark 🇩🇰 Sissal - Hallucination: Queen of Eurodance this year. Sissal was one of the few I kept up with on socials and she is hilarious. And she can sing! Like sing sing. I don’t think she ever faltered. While the performance wasn’t as high energy as the song, I still had fun listening and watching. I think that’s what dinged Denmark on points, but I know she had a lot of fun and it made me have fun. 8.5/10
15. Greece 🇬🇷 Klavdia - Asteromata: For a while, this was higher for me. Then I got tired of the song. It raised a bit more this week bc her performance of it was truly captivating. Vocally on point and emotional for sure. I’m glad she got a good result overall. 8.4/10
16. Iceland 🇮🇸 Væb - ROA: This song is fun. And in Icelandic to boot. The vocals were eh but when you’re having that much fun, it’s easy to ignore. Unlike the Minecraft octo-pussy they had pop up on screen at one point. Glad they qualified 8.3/10
17. Malta 🇲🇹 Miriana Conte - Serving: I honestly KANT believe it got such a low televote score. Jury, sure, but the public?? I’m glad she was able to bring Malta back to the final and have as much fun as she did. It was never really one of the songs I listened to a lot of, but I rarely skip it. She sounded great vocally and the staging was interesting for sure. 8.1/10
18. Armenia 🇦🇲 PARG - Survivor: I was genuinely shocked this actually qualified. Before the staging, I was borderline but after watching the semi, I was convinced this was going to do well bc shirtless man running and sounded vocally good. I also do like Imagine Dragons’ old albums and this gave me those vibes. 8/10
19. Slovenia 🇸🇮 Klemen - HMTDWHLT: I am not spelling the title out. Hear me out. I too was on the train of solid non-qualifier. Never managed to get through the song on Spotify bc bored. Then I watched it in the semi. It clicked. Maybe it’s that I have lost 2 family members I was close to within the past month. Maybe it’s actually the song is good and you just hate ballads. 7.8/10
20. Netherlands 🇳🇱 Claude - C’est la vie: I’m still kinda confused why he chose to sing the song mostly in frenglish. Pick one?? The vocals in rehearsal were awful with an immediate drop in my top to NQ. I never really got into the song like others did. Not sure why…but still better than some. 7.5/10
21. Australia 🇦🇺 Gojo - Milkshake Man: Look, I love joke entries, but I do pick one and stick to it. This wasn’t the one this year. That being said, I did usually not skip it. I’m not shocked it NQ’ed. I don’t agree with it, but I am not shocked. He was a bit off vocally for me. Staging was hilarious though. But how can he be mostly naked with a large codpiece and Erika has to cover up??? 7.5/10
22. Belgium 🇧🇪 Red Sebastian - Strobe Lights: I was shocked this NQ’ed. Like genuinely. I felt bad, but was glad to have Portugal and Iceland, which I believed were lost causes. I think it came to so much red and a lot of the lower register struggling a bit vocally. I genuinely don’t know but should have been in over some. 7.2/10
23. Czechia 🇨🇿 Adonxs - Kiss Kiss Goodbye: I wasn’t sure about this from the start. It seemed like a solid Q. Then watching it back, I see some flaws here and there. I like his lower bass register than his breathy tenors. Maybe that’s what got him a NQ. I think he good, just not outstanding. 7/10
24. Spain 🇪🇸 Melody - Esa Diva: I normally love Spain. This year was an anomaly. I really didn’t vibe with the song ever, esp before the revamp. I think Benidorm was really weak this year and it showed. Hopefully Spain will be better next year. However, not the lowest of the Big 5. 6.9/10
25. Ukraine 🇺🇦 Ziferblat - Bird of Pray: I don’t think Ukraine deserved to NQ, but they certainly were not top of the class. I don’t think they earned their top 10 either. The song is good. I had it higher up early on, but the staging of this was so middle of the road and confusing. Why the bad camera angles and costumes? I understand sticking to the 70s theme, but there are better ways. 6.5/10
26. Luxembourg 🇱🇺 Laura Thorn - La poupee mont le son: You can’t read the doll…baby, yes I can. The final result of the staging and costume was fine, but it still seemed too childish. I understand it was about breaking out of the dollhouse and being independent or something like that, but I just never got behind this entry. Visuals got it this high tbh. 6/10
27. Cyprus 🇨🇾 Theo Evan - Shh: A pretty loud track for hushing people. I didn’t like the song lyrically. I did like it musically. I loved the staging. I didn’t love the vocals. It was a bit of a struggle. I see why it NQ’ed barely, but agree it could have easily been in the final over San Marino. 6/10
28. Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 Mamagama - Run with U: Hear me out. Live, vocals were extremely questionable. Musically and lyrically, I actually really like this. I listen to the studio cut all the time. It was tragic that the vocals live were so bad. I want to rank this higher, but I can’t. 5.9/10
29. San Marino 🇸🇲 Gabry Ponte - Tutta L’Italia: of the 3 Italian songs, it was the middle for me. While I can listen to it every once in a while, I just get bored. Live, I think it faltered big. DJs without a “featuring” have no place at Eurovision tbh. Give singers credit or don’t participate tbh. 5.5/10
30. UK 🇬🇧 Remember Monday - WTHJH?: Indeed. What the hell did just happen? It was like 3 songs in one. I hate fast verse, slow chorus songs. I don’t know why but they irritate me. I like certain elements but then they would jam a new time signature in after it was getting interesting and throw me off. 5/10
31. Croatia 🇭🇷 Marko Bosniak - Poison Cake: What a downgrade from last year tbh. It started clicking during the live show, but not enough for me to keep interest and want a Q from it. 4/10
32. Ireland 🇮🇪 Emmy - Laika Party: I genuinely don’t know if the songs is annoying me or if the Bobbi Arlo rage took hold of me. I don’t get this song as others may have. Emmy was good in Witch Woods. I don’t think this is her genre of song. 3.5/10
33. Montenegro 🇲🇪 Nina Zizic - Dobrodosli: Ah, the annual Balkan ballad from a former Yugoslav republic. It just didn’t stand out unfortunately. I felt so bad for the voice crack bc I saw how good vocally Nina is normally. 3/10
34. Serbia 🇷🇸 Princ - Mila: The other annual Balkan ballad from a Yugoslav republic. Just not the highest in my ranking. I think like Nina, it didn’t stand out as a song. He can sing and is very well-looking, but the contest is about songs, not looks. 2.9/10
35. Estonia 🇪🇪 Tommy Cash - Espresso Macchiato: See previous comment about joke entry. If you’re gonna do a joke, at least be able to sing. 2/10
36. Georgia 🇬🇪 Mariam Shengeli - Freedom: I didn’t know about her politics because I didn’t even listen to the song in full til the semi bc I physically couldn’t get through it.
If you ask where a certain country is, I’m sure you can think of the answer as to why it’s not here. They shouldn’t have been there to begin with due to the same reason Russia isn’t allowed. I hope they really do allow for discussion amongst broadcasters before Austria next year. It shouldn’t be this hard to put the values of the contest into effect.



















