Two semi-finals are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday to eliminate competitors and retain 26 countries for the grand final on Saturday evening, where the “big five” (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, United Kingdom) and the winner of the year previous one, Ukraine, are automatically qualified.
They sing of love, torment, peace: Eurovision is played next Saturday in Liverpool, the city of the Beatles, where representatives from 37 countries are in the running, with the hope of winning after Ukraine l last year.
Unable to stand, because of the Russian invasion, at the winner of last year, as traditionally, it is Liverpool, in the north of England, which hosts the Eurovision contest.
Ukraine represented by the electro duo Tvorchi
After his victory last year thanks to the triumph of the Kalush Orchestra with his song Stefania mixing hip-hop and traditional music, Ukraine is represented this year by the electro duo Tvorchi. their song Heart of Steel was inspired by the resistance during a month-long siege at the Azovstal factory, and “symbolizes strength and courage”, according to Jeffrey Kenny, the singer of the group. Despite the immense sympathy that the group attracts, observers and bookmakers agree that a second consecutive victory for Ukraine in this 67th Eurovision contest is unlikely.
Russia is excluded as in 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Sweden, represented by singer Loreen, already victorious in 2012, is the favorite with tattoo, grandiloquent love song, in front of Finland, with the “Cha Cha Cha” frantic singer Käärijä and his fluorescent green puffy bolero.
Given in the leading group, France, which has not won since 1977 with Marie Myriam, is represented by the Quebec singer La Zarra and her electro-disco Obviously. The recent cancellation of two concerts in Amsterdam and London for “personal reasons” have been widely commented on but in a recent post on social media, the singer said to herself “more determined than ever to wear the colors of France with pride and love”. She promises a show “dazzling, dangerous and so chic à la française”.
The United Kingdom, second last year with the space man by Sam Ryder, confides her fate to singer Mae Muller with I wrote a song, title on the rebound of a heart broken by infidelity. For Croatia, the mustachioed transvestite soldiers of the Let 3 group compete with Mama SC! a caustic title that attacks Vladimir Putin in a thinly veiled way. In the running for Switzerland, the young singer Remo Forrer opts for a more classic message of peace, with Watergun.
open arms
Everything will be played out in front of 6,000 spectators, on a stage, designed by its creator Julio Himede as a “big hug”, “opening its arms to Ukraine, performing artists and guests from all over the world”.
Covering an area of 450 square meters, 700 video tiles and 1,500 meters of LEDs, it recently received a visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla, shortly before their coronation.
Two semi-finals are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday to eliminate competitors and retain 26 countries for the grand final on Saturday evening, where the “big five” (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, United Kingdom) and the winner of the previous year, Ukraine, are automatically qualified.
Faced with concerns, raised in the British Parliament in the middle of the week about attempted interference last year attributed to pro-Russian hackers, the government was reassuring. “The National Cyber Security Center is made up of global experts to understand attacks and provide a response for the most serious attacks”said Secretary of State for Technology Paul Scully.
Bustling with events around the competition, Liverpool has also unveiled a monument “symbol of hope” for Ukraine. The aluminum statue represents a man holding a book from which escapes a dove with a Ukrainian flag. She must stay at Strawberry Field, the garden surrounding the Salvation Army orphanage which gave its name to the cult psychedelic song of the Beatles, before being sent to Ukraine on the return of peace.