Live Stream: Semifinal 2 (2019 Eurovision Song Contest)

May 16, 2019 6:21 AM

We had some great qualifications and some surprise non-qualifications on Tuesday in the Round 1 Semifinal, now let's do it all again! Semifinal 2 begins today, Thursday, May 16th, at 2100 CEST / 3:00pm EDT. Come on in for performance previews and discuss all your highly-complicated Eurovision feelings here. Viewers outside the US and Canada can watch via the main Eurovision YouTube channel. For those of us unlucky enough to be geoblocked, you've got a few options to access the semi-final: 1) a VPN that can allow you access to the Official YouTube channel or 2) an unblocked stream from a national broadcaster (reddit link, I'm a big fan of the Swedish one).

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Running Order
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01 Armenia
02 Ireland
03 Moldova
04 Switzerland
05 Latvia
06 Romania
07 Denmark
08 Sweden
09 Austria
10 Croatia
11 Malta
12 Lithuania
13 Russia
14 Albania
15 Norway
16 The Netherlands
17 North Macedonia
18 Azerbaijan

Official Eurovision YouTube Channel
Official Recap of the 2019 Eurovision Entries
All 2019 Eurovision Songs Playlist
Semifinal 1 Thread

posted by PearlRose (59 comments total)

Greetings and salutations! Are those lips on one of the host's dress? That's definitely a statement, but let's get this party started.
posted by PearlRose at 12:06 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

The host schtick is better today. Tuesday was AWKWARD.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:06 PM on May 16, 2019

Huh, so I guess the rumors were true, Madonna will sing during the final. Sadly, not as a surprise addition to the entry from San Marino.
posted by Kattullus at 12:06 PM on May 16, 2019

PearlRose, I thought they were kitty cat paws on her dress at first!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:06 PM on May 16, 2019

I actually really like this song, Armenia is definitely one of my guilty pleasure songs this year.

She sounds WAY better than anyone on Tuesday -- I really hope they fixed some of those sound issues, because so many people sounded so flat in the first semi.
posted by PearlRose at 12:08 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Armenia did a great job! Wow!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:09 PM on May 16, 2019

I say that, and then Armenia goes and flubs a note. Of course. Okay, let's do this, Ireland. Another underdog song that's grown on me.
posted by PearlRose at 12:11 PM on May 16, 2019

Armenia's song is great. The stage show was a little generic but well done. Ireland is super cute. Good song, maybe not the strongest singing.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:13 PM on May 16, 2019

Is it me or is the singer a distraction from the real star of the Moldovan performance?
posted by Kattullus at 12:15 PM on May 16, 2019

Live sand art? Impressive
posted by zinon at 12:16 PM on May 16, 2019

I'm still getting déjà vu. Also, I'm fairly certain the sand artist is preforming live, but the picture on the screen is a video.
posted by PearlRose at 12:17 PM on May 16, 2019

Yeah, Moldova's art steals the show. The song is fine but I wasn't really paying attention.

Switzerland is... enthusiastic.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:19 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Switzerland is very thirsty. Very upbeat, but the lyrics are terrible. Great energy, especially after a few slower ones.
posted by PearlRose at 12:22 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

Latvia usually sends songs squarely aimed at the prematurely middle aged demographic, and I don't mind being pandered to.
posted by Kattullus at 12:23 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Latvia was lovely and chill. Romania's staging is intriguing but not working for me.

Overall quality in the second semi is still much higher than the first.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:28 PM on May 16, 2019

Romania's entry would've been much improved if they'd given at least one of those flamethrowers to someone on stage.
posted by Kattullus at 12:29 PM on May 16, 2019

Conchita! An absolute forever winner.
posted by Kattullus at 12:30 PM on May 16, 2019

Latvia is lovely and folksy and so much better than last year's. Another one that's grown on me.

I actually also quite like the haunted house vibe from Romania, but I'm not sure I like the song. The fire is nice, though. Fire is always the answer for Eurovision.
posted by PearlRose at 12:32 PM on May 16, 2019

Denmark's staging could use some fire.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:35 PM on May 16, 2019 [3 favorites]

Are Sweden trying this year? It always feels like cheating when Sweden try to win.
posted by Kattullus at 12:36 PM on May 16, 2019

I *think* Sweden's not trying to win this year, but this is my favorite by a mile so far. Also, everyone on stage for Sweden looks like they give excellent hugs.
posted by Kattullus at 12:40 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

I hope they're trying to win. I like this adorable young man from Sweden and his song, but then again I am a filthy old woman.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:40 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

I think Sweden argues that they try every year, just harder some years than others. Anyway, that thing just oozed charisma, which is something I keep trying to tell Sweden isn't optional because it was definitely lacking from their last few entries.
posted by PearlRose at 12:41 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Austria's staging is my favorite so far, but it's understated. Understated staging never wins Eurovision. Heck, it's borderline tasteful.
posted by Kattullus at 12:44 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Croatia got the memo about tasteful never winning
posted by mbrubeck at 12:47 PM on May 16, 2019 [3 favorites]

I was expecting a piano on fire from Croatia, but I guess golden angel wings also works.
posted by Copronymus at 12:48 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Malta's staging is super cute. I am amused.
posted by PearlRose at 12:52 PM on May 16, 2019

I liked Malta's staging, but was disappointed in the vocals, which I thought it were better ahead of time. On the other hand, we try to throw a host country themed watch party when we can and maybe it's better that I don't have to try to figure out how to cook Maltese food.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 12:54 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

Lithuania's doing that "pretend you're massaging a goat udder" thing with his hands.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 12:55 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Of the 3 or 4 Fuegos on offer this year, I think Malta's is my favorite, and I thought they did a decent job of keeping the staging colorful without being way too much.
posted by Copronymus at 12:55 PM on May 16, 2019

I'm bored with Lithuania already.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:56 PM on May 16, 2019

Lithuania is being way too tasteful for a song about running with lions. WHERE IS MY FIRE?
posted by PearlRose at 12:56 PM on May 16, 2019 [3 favorites]

The jokes by the hosts this year are bad, even by the Mariana Trench standards of Eurovision hosts (Sweden expected, those competent bastards).
posted by Kattullus at 12:59 PM on May 16, 2019

Russia's staging seems based on the idea that the only thing better than Sergey is nine Sergeys. That's not bad thinking. The song's alright, too, though not his stellar best.
posted by Kattullus at 1:03 PM on May 16, 2019

I don't hate it, but it just kind of feels like it got cut from a Disney cartoon or something.
posted by Copronymus at 1:05 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Speaking of thirsty, Russia definitely wants to win it. I still don't like the song, though.
posted by PearlRose at 1:06 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

I'm sort of trying to listen while working, not to such great effect...
In a shocking twist, the Swedish representative is actually my favorite from the Melodifestivalen this year. Which normally means they won't win, but John Lundvik is pretty darn good...
posted by gemmy at 1:07 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Props to Albania for turning in a solid entry in the Intensely Belted category.
posted by Copronymus at 1:09 PM on May 16, 2019 [3 favorites]

I find Norway's song oddly charming, with an emphasis on the oddly. It really feels like the deep-voiced singer wandered in from another entry and no one's noticed yet.
posted by Kattullus at 1:11 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

Oh my. Norway.
posted by gemmy at 1:12 PM on May 16, 2019

Norway could stand to drop the singers and just run with the joik guy. Somewhere on the official Eurovision channel is a video where he adds joik bits to some of this year's other entries and it turns out it works everywhere.
posted by Copronymus at 1:12 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

Norway is charming as hell. Something about a club banger meets rapped traditional joik is super Eurovision to me.
posted by PearlRose at 1:13 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

The bass singer in the Norwegian group is singing in the Northern Sámi language.
posted by mbrubeck at 1:13 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

If you guys liked the joik from Norway, check out Jon Henrik Fjällgren who's been using the joik to great effect for several Swedish Mello songs. I like the 2015 one in particular.
posted by gemmy at 1:19 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

North Macedonia definitely going for the mom vote. I like the song, I have to admit.
posted by Kattullus at 1:19 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

Oh wow, Azerbaijan sends an all robot performed entry.
posted by Kattullus at 1:21 PM on May 16, 2019

LOL at the part where his soul left his body or whatever was supposed to be going on there.
posted by Copronymus at 1:24 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

Overall, that was a far better Semi than the first one. I'm really strongly suspecting that there were some behind-the-scenes sound issues in the first one.
posted by PearlRose at 1:31 PM on May 16, 2019

Besides the not so behind-the-scenes voice issues ?
posted by Pendragon at 1:35 PM on May 16, 2019

I'm just saying they could be related!

I think I like this interval act? (The singers, not the parlor games, to clarify.) These hosts are still ...really not great, though.
posted by PearlRose at 1:41 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

Oh, and while some awful parlor game is going on, let me remind everyone of the glory of Krassimir Avramov from 2009.
posted by Kattullus at 1:41 PM on May 16, 2019

Måns! He's made a hell of a career out of being a one-time Eurovision winner, especially considering that no one can remember his song, which is confirmed by the fact that he said he was going to sing a different song, that didn't even win, instead of his winning entry.
posted by Kattullus at 1:49 PM on May 16, 2019

They're actually doing covers of other Eurovision songs for the interval act, and it looks like Conchita will have the "honor" of singing "Heroes". They're skipping "Rise Like a Phoenix" in favor of "Toy", though.

So much color (and stuff) in these video mashups. It's clashing horribly, but I kinda like it.
posted by PearlRose at 1:53 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

I was wondering if there was a chance for the most amusing result of all, the UK winning Eurovision in this year of all years, but having heard a bit from their entry, eh... not even the Fates are that cruel.
posted by Kattullus at 2:02 PM on May 16, 2019

Mom vote for the win! Yay North Macedonia!
posted by Kattullus at 2:05 PM on May 16, 2019

Jaaa! Nice, Norway.
posted by gemmy at 2:08 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]

No Ireland or Romania, I'm surprised. I thought they'd get through for sure.
posted by zinon at 2:11 PM on May 16, 2019

And here are your Semi-Final 2 Qualifiers!

Albania
Azerbaijan
Denmark
Malta
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Russia
Sweden
Switzerland

Overall, I'm pleased with who made it through. We'll do it once more on Saturday for the Grand Finale!
posted by PearlRose at 2:54 PM on May 16, 2019 [2 favorites]

There are a couple major head-scratchers in the winners today for me. Albania? I mean, I appreciate the ethnic qualities of the song, but she sounded really bad, the performance and staging just had no life. I assume there's some serious "neighbor countries voting" going on there.

I find Denmark pretty weak sauce. And Macedonia - for a song that's supposedly about "pride" it sure sounds like a funeral dirge.

My fave was Azerbaijan, by a long shot. In fact I'd call it my fave of the year.

Netherlands - I liked everything about it, only, can you see such a sad downer song winning?

Norway - I mean, I think it's campier than anything on the Met Gala red carpet last week, but I'm glad it's in the final cuz I'm gonna enjoy my friends seeing it for the first time Saturday at my watch party. There's gotta be at least one of these every year, right?
posted by dnash at 5:00 PM on May 16, 2019 [1 favorite]