Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper will try to get a spot in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Tuesday 9 May. The occasional duo was told today that they have been drawn in the first semi-final. It has not yet been announced with which number they will go to Liverpool.
The Eurovision Song Contest starts this year on Tuesday 9 May with the first semifinal. On Thursday, May 11, the festival will continue with the second semi-final and will close on Saturday, May 13. Then it must become clear who the winner of the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is.
The Netherlands will meet, among others, Sweden, Portugal and Norway in the first semi-final. Mia & Dion will then perform in the second half of the program, as became clear during the draw. Israel, Switzerland and Ireland are also in the first semi-final.
The first semi-final is slightly cheaper this year, because fifteen countries compete for ten places. Sixteen countries will participate in the second semi-final, so six countries will be eliminated. Since 2013, the Netherlands has made it to the final every year but one year. Only Trijntje Oosterhuis did not succeed when she participated in 2015 Walk Along.
Mia & Dion were announced in November as the artists participating in the competition on behalf of the Netherlands. After that, it was quiet around the two. The release of their number is expected at the beginning of March. In that period, S10, Waylon, Anouk and Douwe Bob, among others, also announced with which song they participated.
Nicolai and Cooper were introduced to each other by Duncan Laurence. The 2019 Eurovision winner accompanies the occasional duo together with his partner Jordan Garfield.
De halve finales van het Eurovisie Songfestival
- Eerste halve finale: Nederland, Servië, Zweden, Letland, Ierland, Moldavië, Zwitserland, Noorwegen, Israël, Portugal, Azerbeidzjan, Malta, Tsjechië, Finland en Kroatië
- Tweede halve finale: Albanië, Cyprus, Armenië, Australië, Oostenrijk, Roemenië, Slovenië, IJsland, Georgië, Griekenland, Polen, Estland, België, Denemarken, Litouwen en San Marino
37 countries and 26 places in the final
Traditionally, the participants compete in the semi-finals for a place on Saturday. A total of 37 countries are participating this year, but there is only room for 26 countries in the final.
Only the ‘Big Five’, the five countries that transfer substantial amounts to the organizer European Broadcasting Union (EBU), are automatically qualified for the final. These are the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain and Germany.
Last year’s winner, Ukraine, also goes straight to the final on Saturday. Traditionally, the winner organizes the Eurovision Song Contest a year later, but because of the war in Ukraine, the festivities have been moved to the United Kingdom. Ukraine will be involved in the organization in Liverpool.