Eurovision 2024. “She will win”. The performance that took your breath away on the first night of the European show

One of the biggest music contests in the world, Eurovision, started last night in Malmo, Sweden.

By the Observator editorial team on 08.05.2024, 08:56

And the fans already have a favorite. Ireland’s performance is among the moments adored by the fans. The gothic and bizarre decor in which the entire musical moment takes place, as well as the exceptional vocal qualities of the Irish artist, conquered the viewers from the first.

“Crown her”, “She will win Eurovision” are just some of the reactions of Eurovision fans to last night’s performance.

37 countries will participate in this year’s edition, and the Grand Final will take place on Saturday, May 11.

Who qualified for the final from the first semi-final

Serbia, Portugal, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Finland, Cyprus, Croatia, Ireland and Luxembourg qualified for Saturday’s Eurovision final, the 68th edition. Natalia Barbu, representing Moldova, failed to qualify. The first semi-final of the European competition took place at the Malmö Arena in Sweden.

The show was presented by Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman. Each country awarded points to their 10 favorite artists. First place received 12 points, second place – 10 points, and all others between 1 and 8 points.

Moldova was represented by Natalia Barbu with the song “In the Middle”. Ireland has had a tough decade at Eurovision. The seven-time winners have failed to qualify for the final in eight of their last 10 contests. Hoping to change that situation is singer-songwriter Bambie Thug, whose song “Doomsday Blue” is one of the strangest entries this year, a combination of hyperpop, electro-metal and screamcore.

The former singer of Years and Years, Olly Alexander, had a good performance at Eurovision, according to the BBC. Its official press release announced: “Olly Alexander’s Eurovision show transports viewers to a post-apocalyptic dystopian boxing gym aboard a spaceship heading for Earth through a black hole in 1985 !”.

Romania, absent from Eurovision

Romania is not participating in the Eurovision Song Contest this year. Romanian Television made the decision on Thursday, January 25, in the Board of Directors, due to “financial constraints”. Basically, there is not enough money in the SRTv budget for Eurovision 2024, the funds being allocated for this year’s priorities: the Summer Olympics in Paris and the continuation of the re-technological process.

“Financial constraints and the desire to represent Romania at a performing level are the reasons why the Board of Directors (CA) decided that TVR will not participate in this year’s edition of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC)”, TVR explained the decision.

Romanian Television, organizer of the National Selection, started participating in the European competition in 1993. Romania’s best performances in this competition were: twice third place (Luminiţa Anghel & Sistem – Kiev, 2005; Paula Seling and Ovi – Oslo, 2010) and once the fourth place (Mihai Trăistariu – Athens, 2006).