Azerbaijan has made its mark on the Eurovision stage with the performance by duo TuralTuranX of their song Tell Me More in Liverpool. The two curly-haired, guitar-toting lads sported 1960s-style lime green and purple trouser suits complemented by patterned shirts. Although their song features a proper middle eight, it is one of the slower entries in the contest and may be overlooked. Bookmakers’ favourite and Eurovision royalty, Loreen from Sweden, made a comeback with her entry Tattoo, another slow number with similarities to her 2012 winner, Euphoria.
Moldova’s entry is represented by Pasha Parfeni and The Sun and the Moon, where the singer promises his bride a wedding under the stars. The song is typical of Eurovision’s penchant for weird costumes, with Parfeni sporting an antler-style headpiece. Although he represented his country in 2012, the dry ice is unlikely to convince viewers of the song’s credentials.
Israeli star Noa Kirel performed Unicorn, displaying her unique Unicorn dance move. The song, featuring a snippet of mad laughter in the middle for no apparent reason, appears to glorify the country’s thriving tech industry. It is expected to qualify for the final.
Switzerland’s Remo Forrer presented the anti-war lyrics of his song Watergun with real emotion, his powerful voice helping to give it some credibility. Despite this, the likelihood of the song making it through to the final is minimal. Meanwhile, Croatia’s Let 3 gave a powerful rendition of Mama SC!, an “anti-Putin” song, featuring a call and response section that is sure to appeal to the viewers. The band, known for their on-stage nudity, however, kept their clothes on for this particular performance.
Ireland’s golden performance, We Are One from Wild Youth, was enhanced by the glittery gold theme of the production design. Despite the catchy hook, the sentiment of “we are one” has a touch of being hackneyed for Eurovision and could affect their final standing. However, the use of spark fountains to build towards the climax of the song was impressive.
Representing Portugal, Mimicat belted out Ai Coração, which showcased her feline qualities and was one of the night’s standout performances. The song is about the physical symptoms of heartache and has a strong traditional Portuguese flavour that will appeal to Eurovision viewers who demand a little more eccentricity.
Latvia’s Sudden Lights sang Ajia, which had an indie rock feel and could be described as a lullaby with a focus on the dark night of the soul. The track was reminiscent of the sombre offerings from US band Death Cab for Cutie.
Finally, Luke Black from Serbia performed Samo Mi Se Spava (I just want to sleep). Combining the 1980s arcade video game vibe with a quasi-gothic Hollywood dystopia, his backing dancers moved like robotic dogs. The song’s future in the competition remains undetermined, reflective of both the sophistication and the idiosyncrasies of the Eurovision Song Contest.
