Excerpt from the music video for "Hurricane" by Aden Golan, Israel's song for Eurovision 2024/here 11
Here comes that moment of the year when the order of performances in Eurovision 2024 was revealed, you can relax in front of YouTube, watch the songs in order, and try to understand what awaits us on May 9 starting at 10:00 p.m. Tens of millions of pairs of eyes around the world will shout "good evening Europe and good morning Australia", and we will all try to ignore the boos that Aden Golan is expected to receive from the unique snowflakes of the Woke cult in the audience. Politics aside, there are a number of countries that fully deserve your boos, but we're fine. Eden has already been given the last name that every artist who represents Israel in Eurovision receives, and from now on it is called "Our Eden". Let's see who Israel has to overcome on the way to the grand final. We note that the bets are correct at the time of writing the article, and by the time you read they may still change slightly.
01. Malta - Sarah Bonnici - Loop
Finals: 7/15 - 47% ((*The qualification figures for the final refer to the Eurovisions from 2008 onwards, when the two semi-final method was introduced)
We cannot forget Neta Barzilai's wall of Japanese cats at Eurovision 2018. Sarah the Maltese compares and surpasses with a wall of fans and you can start with Cheers to Unlipance. This cheap pop song will open the second semi-final and is expected to become a hit at Eurovision parties. And that's it. It will likely be her only performance and she will watch the final from her hotel room.
02. Albania - Besa Kokdhime - Titan
Finals: 9/15 - 60%
At the beginning of March, Albania was ranked 37th and last. After about a week, the Albanian suddenly jumped to 23rd place and there was a feeling that this was going to be a classic case of a black horse. But after the infamous No. 2 ranking, the beloved country has dropped to 30th in the betting and may not make the top ten either.
03. Greece - Marina Sati - Zari
Finals: 12/15 - 80%
of the memes running on the net laugh at the differences between the first time listening to a song (nausea, vomiting, last place) and the third time (the best song in the universe since the invention of the best songs in the universe). Basically, everything that Eurovision fans love about the buffet of clichés is here - brain-teasing instruments that fit the definition of "authentic", droops, a combination of local language with English, but somehow this night of styles is effective. Meanwhile, Greece is seventh in the betting and now everything depends on the director himself, and the island nation is known for its ability to destroy directors. It is very hard to believe that Marina will not reach the final.
04. Switzerland - Nemo - The Code
Finals: 6/15 - 40%
Right after the Greek style night, comes the Swiss salad. Nemo moves between an operatic tenor and hip hop and rap. In the betting he is in fourth place, and if he knows how to perform live then his place in the final is guaranteed. The question is whether any system will be able to meet the costs of covering Eurovision in Switzerland.
05. Czech Republic - Aiko - Pedestal
Finals: 5/10 - 50%
Despite the revamp that the song went through since it won the local Eurovision preliminaries, the Czech Republic is ranked at the back of the table, in 33rd place. The studio version is actually a favorite song in my eyes, but unfortunately for the singer, it is not a music video competition.
06. Austria - Kalin - We Will Rave
Finals: 6/12 - 50%
If the word Again was added to the song's name and it represented Israel, it is likely that the EBU would disqualify Auto on the pretext that it is a political song. In any case, the song entered the playlist "If the hit box with Ofer Nachshon was still broadcast today".
07. Denmark - Sava - Sand
Finals: 10/15 - 67%
song! With the structure of a song! We have a song with a song structure! There is no attempt to invent the wheel here, there is no jumping between 4 types of styles, pleasant and fun to listen to, and the singer knows how to sing live. It is definitely worthy to reach the final and place in the center of the table, but equally Denmark can also not advance to the final for the fourth time in a row.
08. Armenia - Ladaniva - Jako
Finals: 10/13 - 77%
If you're into authentic Armenian party music, you'll get what you're looking for here. The chorus contains the deep lyrics "la la lei", and I'm actually quite surprised it's only ranked 19th in the bookies. You have to remember that the semi-final is 100% public vote, and in my opinion it is also 100% in the final.
09. Latvia - Dons - Hollow
Finals: 3/15 - 20%
Latvia has become one of the most failed countries in recent Eurovisions. How much did you fail? Her last final was in 2016. It doesn't look like this boring ballad that isn't going anywhere will change the situation, and this is definitely the right opportunity to jump into the kitchen and restock the crackers, drinks and snacks on the table. Yes, also to visit the bathroom for a moment.
10. San Marino - Magara - 11:11
Finals: 3/13 - 23%
The tiny country continues to hold one of the largest local prelims on the continent, all to choose something that will end up at the bottom of the semi-finals. 2008 called, but she didn't ask for her Eurovision songs back.
11. Georgia - Noce Bozladze - Firefighter
Finals: 6/14 - 43%
and if we are already in a sequence of failed Eurovision countries, we have reached Georgia. Eight years have passed since the last time Georgia appeared on a Saturday night and not just in the middle of the week. Last year they were sure that the sequence was changing and it ended with the stunned singer crying. Especially this year I believe that the bad luck is going to change, especially because this song was played on all the strings that Eurovision fans love.
12. Belgium - Musty - Before the Party's Over
Finals: 8/15 - 53%
Although Belgium have only won once in 1986, and despite having a streak of not qualifying for the finals between 2005 and 2009, the Belgians have sent some of the best songs of modern Eurovision in recent years. Belgium has reached the final for the last three years and this year will be the fourth year in a row, I would say even top 10, and maybe even a contest for the first place.
13. Estonia - 5 Minost and Pulop - (Nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) something
Finals: 9/15 - 60%
After Finland's phenomenal success last year, this year will see a number of copycat attempts in both semi-finals, this being one of them. I tried to listen to this song several times, never lasted more than two minutes. If you succeed, tell us in the comments how it was.
14. Israel - Eden Golan - Hurricane
Finals: 10/15 - 67%
It's really impossible to predict what will happen with this song this year. Any other year I would say his place in the finals is guaranteed, where he would finish in the 13-16th place area. But we are not every other year. The question is which direction politics is going: if it is against us, the song will finish among the last 6 countries in the semi and the delegation will return to Israel even before the final. If the politics are in our favor and we get the sympathy votes, the corporation and the EBU could still have a heart attack with a threat to the top. In the meantime, Israel drops a little in the betting and is now in 9th place, with a 3% chance of winning, like France who passed us by.
15. Norway - Gota - Ulveham
Finals: 13/15 - 87%
In recent years it seems that Norway has learned from the Swedes and they want to win every year. It works less for them mainly because of the judging teams who bury them, let's remember that at the Eurovision in Tel Aviv they won the audience vote, and very rightfully so. This year we will hear the Norwegian language in Norway's song for the first time since 2006. I personally hear a show of squealing, but in the betting it is ranked 14th in the chances of winning, and it is likely that Gota will squeal in the final as well.
16. Holland - Joost Klein - Europapa
Finals: 8/15 - 53%
We've already addressed attempts to emulate last year's Finland, and it's likely that Yost Klein will win the Käärijä copycat competition. Even though it is an even worse song, the roof of the arena is expected to rise sky high from the fans' screams, and this song, which is currently ranked fifth in the betting, may win, and yes, the use of the word "may" is intentional.
So immigrating or not?
The prophecy was given to fools, but I will still try to give a prediction. If you take into account the hype, the bets, and the quality as much as there is in some of the songs, there are four countries that are in the final for sure - Switzerland, Armenia, Belgium and the Netherlands. Four other countries are quite safe and they are Greece, Austria, Georgia and Norway, only a cacophonous forgery will prevent them from success. That leaves two more spots for Malta, Albania, Czech Republic, Denmark, Latvia, San Marino Estonia and Israel. There's usually a country or two of the safeties and near-safeties that screw up in moneytime, so it might be tough, but our Eden should make it to a second straight final.
More on the same topic:
Eden Golan
Eurovision 2024