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hopeful traveller wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 22:09 Israel made it, Neil, so I think it turned out to be a non-issue.

8/10 for me. Absolutely gutted Croatia didn’t make it.

Yes, but many more people watch the grand final than watch the semis, so we'll see where they end up on Saturday. Until the full results of the semis are revealed we won't know if they only just scraped tenth place.

Soup Dragon wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 22:35 Really shocked that Croatia missed out.
Romania was dreadful on the night, so not shocked that they missed out.
8/10 correct, so happy with that

Romania had a shocker all through the event. Her first rehearsal was dreadful, she improved a bit on the second, and then in the first semi it was almost as if she couldn't hear herself. She was flat throughout.

I don't think she was ready for Eurovision this year.

My 10 for tonight:

- San Marino
- Greece
- Moldova
- Iceland
- Serbia
- Albania
- Finland
- Bulgaria
- Switzerland
- Denmark

SMR, GRE, MOL, ISL, SRB, BUL, CHE dead certs for me. The other three are difficult to predict but I've gone for Finland, Albania, and Denmark.

Can't see Portugal making it, Austria will get sunk by televote, and whilst I love Omaga, it's looked dreadful in rehearsals. Since Albania made it in 2019 I think they'll make it this time as well.

Dead certs: San Marino, Greece, Moldova, Iceland, Serbia, Bulgaria, Switzerland
Probable qualifiers: Finland
Yeah I guess: Albania, Denmark
Could make it: Estonia, Czech Republic, Austria, Portugal
No chance: Poland, Georgia, Latvia

hopeful traveller wrote: ↑20 May 2021, 20:14 My 10 for tonight:

- San Marino
- Greece
- Moldova
- Iceland
- Serbia
- Albania
- Finland
- Bulgaria
- Switzerland
- Denmark

Denmark ... LOL

There was no way that was going through. I was surprised at Portugal though, although they're the 12th-favourites to win.

I've done some Google searching for this, but can't find anything but ...

Have the EBU put anything out about the fact that everybody lip-synched in the semi-finals?

Yes.

As a covid measure, for this year only, the backing vocals are allowed to be pre-recorded (they normally have to be performed live as well). Works best when it's not noticeable, I find, and I don't think it'll be kept for next year.

9/10 for me - only Portugal for Denmark. That Portugal song is abysmal, how on earth did it make it!?

I gave all my votes to San Marino, and when they weren't called early I was worried for a moment...

hopeful traveller wrote: ↑20 May 2021, 23:25 Yes.

As a covid measure, for this year only, the backing vocals are allowed to be pre-recorded (they normally have to be performed live as well). Works best when it's not noticeable, I find, and I don't think it'll be kept for next year.

9/10 for me - only Portugal for Denmark. That Portugal song is abysmal, how on earth did it make it!?

I gave all my votes to San Marino, and when they weren't called early I was worried for a moment...

Portugal's song is rubbish. Even though Denmark's performance was ... interesting ... I still think they should have gone through.

As for the recording of backing vocals, I did read about those, but if you watch semi-final 1 there is some very VERY bad lip-syncing going on with all the MAIN vocals. There were lip movements out of time, singers not moving their mouths in the right way to produce the sounds you hear, and LOTS of mics being lowered from mouths while notes were still being sung at a constant volume. I very much doubt many people were singing live on the night in either of the semis, although you can clearly tell that what you hear is from live performances, and not the official releases.

Having said that, as Iceland's performance was from their dress rehearsal could Dadi have been singing THAT live, or are the dress rehearsals mimed? He appeared to be singing live.

I suspect that a lot of people who only watch the final on Saturday are going to be moaning about this, without any knowledge of it. That is unless the acts learn how to mime better before then ...

Maybe Graham Norton will say something about it.

There's no suggestion they're not live, as far as I'm aware... I suspect you're seeing things in all honesty.

hopeful traveller wrote: ↑21 May 2021, 01:15 There's no suggestion they're not live, as far as I'm aware... I suspect you're seeing things in all honesty.

Oh look - gaslighting.

Please don't tell me what I am seeing and am not seeing. There IS a suggestion they're not live - from me, somebody who watched with my own eyes as people's vocals didn't match their mouth movements. And you can't tell me I'm the only one of millions of people in Europe who didn't see the same thing happening.

Also 9/10 for me in Semi-Final 2, which I wasn't expecting.

In regards to Denmark, there are three reasons I thought it would qualify.
1. It was last to perform in the semi final, prior to this 22 out of 25 songs to perfom last in the semi have qualified.
2. It was very nostalgic of 1980's so thought it might do well in the televote with older fans.
3. It was my guilty pleasure this year, so I wanted it to progress!

With regards Portugal, I think it's a fantastic song, I was very confident it would qualify.
Before the contest it was 200-1, now the odds are 25-1.

I think it's going to be a very open final this year, France and Italy are favourites but I don't personally agree.
France maybe just top 10 and Italy maybe top 5?

I shall post my full predicitions later!

Grand Final Predicition:
1. Ukraine
2. Switzerland
3. Malta
4. Azerbaijan
5. Bulgaria
6. Italy
7. San Marino
8. Lithuania
9. Iceland
10. Russia
11. Cyprus
12. France
13. Portugal
14. Finland
15. Greece
16. Sweden
17. Belgium
18. Israel
19. Netherlands
20. Serbia
21. Norway
22. Moldova
23. Germany
24. Albania
25. Spain
26. United Kingdom (Sorry James!!!)

I would rate Iceland higher but because they can't perform live I think it will damage their chances.
I don't see a clear favourite this year, so could be any of a dozen possible winners.

Soup Dragon wrote: ↑21 May 2021, 10:35 Grand Final Predicition:
1. Ukraine
2. Switzerland
3. Malta
4. Azerbaijan
5. Bulgaria
6. Italy
7. San Marino
8. Lithuania
9. Iceland
10. Russia
11. Cyprus
12. France
13. Portugal
14. Finland
15. Greece
16. Sweden
17. Belgium
18. Israel
19. Netherlands
20. Serbia
21. Norway
22. Moldova
23. Germany
24. Albania
25. Spain
26. United Kingdom (Sorry James!!!)

I would rate Iceland higher but because they can't perform live I think it will damage their chances.
I don't see a clear favourite this year, so could be any of a dozen possible winners.

I'd love to see Ukraine win, but my favourites are Iceland.

tubeguru wrote: ↑21 May 2021, 10:37 I'd love to see Ukraine win, but my favourites are Iceland.

I'd also love to see Iceland win, they are certainly one of my favourites this year.
Last year Iceland was my clear favourite, in our Lockdown Eurovision Iceland came 2nd from 21 voters, they just lost out to Russia by 6 points!

OK, here's my prediction for the final:

1 Italy
2 San Marino
3 Switzerland
4 France
5 Malta
6 Iceland
7 Bulgaria
8 Ukraine
9 Cyprus
10 Russia
11 Lithuania
12 Azerbaijan
13 Serbia
14 Norway
15 Greece
16 Finland
17 Sweden
18 Israel
19 Portugal
20 United Kingdom
21 Moldova
22 The Netherlands
23 Albania
24 Spain
25 Belgium
26 Germany

Suspect the UK will hoover up a lot of jury votes (50 or 60) but a poor televote based on its position in the running order. I expect San Marino to win the televote and Switzerland or France to win the jury vote.

hopeful traveller wrote: ↑21 May 2021, 23:56 OK, here's my prediction for the final:

1 Italy
2 San Marino
3 Switzerland
4 France
5 Malta
6 Iceland
7 Bulgaria
8 Ukraine
9 Cyprus
10 Russia
11 Lithuania
12 Azerbaijan
13 Serbia
14 Norway
15 Greece
16 Finland
17 Sweden
18 Israel
19 Portugal
20 United Kingdom
21 Moldova
22 The Netherlands
23 Albania
24 Spain
25 Belgium
26 Germany

Suspect the UK will hoover up a lot of jury votes (50 or 60) but a poor televote based on its position in the running order. I expect San Marino to win the televote and Switzerland or France to win the jury vote.

We agree exactly on three, Russia (10), Greece (15) and Israel (18), will be interesting to see how close we are on the night.
I think you are far more optimistic about the UK's chances than I am, Perhaps 25-35 votes from juries, but I reckon less than 10 from the public vote, I think we're only likely to get votes from Ireland, Malta & Australia. Overall I expect that we will score fewer points than SuRie in 2018, because the competition is too strong this year. I'm sure that I will be wrong though.... I usually am LOL