By Neil Durham

WHEN?: 8pm Thursday 11 May 2023

WHERE?: Liverpool Arena

HOW DO I WATCH?: BBC

The big favourites are in Semi 1 which makes Semi 2 far tougher to call with many live performances of these songs still to be seen.

• Read on for reasons including our favourites Joker Out, Voyager, Alika and Reiley

1. DENMARK: Reiley Breaking My Heart (Bård Mathias Bonsaksen, Rani Petersen, Sivert Hjeltnes Hagtvet) PREDICTION: Qualifier

We had this as 5th in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. We said: ‘Youthful, Bieber-esque pop which is well produced and might be a struggle to sing live. Reiley was born on the Faroe Islands and has more than 10 million followers on Tik Tok.’ It was performed well live although with the effects it’s hard to tell what is actually being sung live. The song’s a grower and 1 of the most likely from 2023 to be a hit we think.

2. ARMENIA: Brunette Future Lover (Elen Yeremyan) PREDICTION: non-qualifier

The later songs to be revealed have always got a lot more work to do to raise interest in the Eurovision fandom and this has succeeded with many although we remain to be convinced. Brunette looks every inch a pop star although the song is a little wanting we think. Easily elevated if the vocal is strong and this is a wide-open semi without clear favourites.

3. ROMANIA: Theodore Andrei D.G.T (Off And On) (Theodor Andrei, Mikail Jahed, Luca de Mezzo, Luca Udățeanu) PREDICTION: non-qualifier

Horrifically dated presentation. Scantily-clad female dancers joined later by topless male wallopers in an irony-free zone that better suits the 70s. Theodore has the look of an earnest young Tommy Vance about him – and the song is about as much fun. ‘Make love not war’ is a great sentiment to close. Just not to this though, eh?

4. ESTONIA: Alika Bridges (Alika Milova, Wouter Hardy, Nina Sampermans) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Before seeing the performances we had this as our 6th favourite in Estonian selection Eesti Laul. We said then: ‘The less good Hometown Glory-ish, early Adele-type effort. Hardy co-wrote 2019 Eurovision winner Arcade with Duncan Laurence for the Netherlands and we expect that pedigree to lift this into a strong challenger for the Estonian ticket to Liverpool 2023.’ The live performance was strong, we love the self-playing piano and this could well be top 10 come May.

5. BELGIUM: Gustaph Because Of You (Stef Caers, Jaouad Alloul) PREDICTION: Qualifier

There’s a great deal to love here: a queer artist writing their own song of self-empowerment and it’s impressively performed although we’ve doubts over Gustaph’s frontman credentials and the staging needs work.

WATCH 30-second rehearsal footage of the 1st 5 acts

6. CYPRUS: Andrew Lambrou Break A Broken Heart (Jimmy Jansson, Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thornfeldt, Marcus Winther-John, Thomas Stengaard) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Lambrou competed in much-missed Australian selection show Australia Decides in 2022 and we thought he gave a weak performance of a strong song. As we write, 1 of his song’s co-authors has credits on half a dozen of the entries in Sweden’s Melodifestivalen finalen and we wonder whether he might be repeating his 2022 fate this year on an international stage. We love the song though so this could be borderline.

7. ICELAND: Diljá Power (Diljá Pétursdóttir, Pálmi Ragnar Ásgeirsson) PREDICTION: non-qualifier

Amateurishly staged but with a strong vocal. We’ve heard this in both Icelandic and English and suspect it will be performed in the latter in Liverpool. Its lyrics are gigglingly simplistic however.

8. GREECE: Victor Vernicos What They Say (Victor Vernicos Jorgensen) PREDICTION: non-qualifier

16-year-old Vernicos strums electric guitar during his video for this rather earnest song that isn’t especially Greek and feels sad rather than uplifting. Has a Danish father and is set to become the youngest Eurovision representative for Greece.

9. POLAND: Blanka Solo (Blanka Stajkow, Maciej Puchalski, Mikołaj Trybulec, Bartłomiej Rzeczycki, Marcin Górecki, Maria Broberg, Julia Sundberg) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Poland was 1 of the countries whose jury votes were questioned last year which results in juries now only appearing in the final. This national selection was also mired in controversy and Blanka’s rather limited vocal is cruelly exposed in her national final performance. The song itself however is a huge domestic hit and reminds these ears of early Britney. Could also be the low-rent version of last year’s still astonishing SloMo.

10. SLOVENIA: Joker Out Carpe Diem (Joker Out) PREDICTION: Qualifier

With a song that occasionally reminds of Metronomy, this is 1 of our favourite dark horses of this year’s competition. They strut and peacock like a credible band and there’s a real energy about their performance which we can see going down a storm. Boyband good looks too (main picture)! Love the jumping audience surrounding them in the fab video and yet there’s also Maneskin rock band realness here.

11. GEORGIA: Iru Echo PREDICTION: non-qualifier

Another late release without a live performance and we love the attention-grabbing opening 20 seconds of this. But after then it rather struggles to make its mark. This semi is wide open and there are so very many songs that could go either way here depending on how they are performed and staged. A grower which benefitted from its appearance in Barcelona. Either this or Denmark for our 10th spot and we think this might have made it through if the juries were voting.

12. SAN MARINO: Piqued Jacks Like An Animal (Piqued Jacks) PREDICTION: non-qualifier

An Italian band which appears to have forgotten the ‘song’ requirement of the Eurovision Song Contest. Decently performed but with a dull tune we suspect qualification might be out of their reach.

13. AUSTRIA: Teya and Selena Who The Hell Is Edgar? (Teodora Spirić, Selina-Maria Edbauer, Ronald Janeček, Pele Loriano) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Super catchy tune overwhelmed by a bizarre Edgar Allen Poe-inspired lyric. ‘Poe, Poe, Poe’ indeed. However, this semi is weaker than Semi 1 and we see this track with Gwen Stefani vibes sneaking through on the televote.

WATCH rehearsal footage of the remaining semi finalists

14. ALBANIA: Albina and Familja Kelmendi Duje (To love) (Enis Mullaj, Eriona Rushiti) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Albina Kelmindi and her family won the Eurovision ticket at Festivali i Këngës back in December. This slight revamp gives the entry orchestration and we’re expecting a strong performance of what is a pleasant and authentic song to Albania. Reminiscent of the classic Balkan ballads of old.

15. LITHUANIA: Monika Linkytė Stay (Monika Linkytė, Krists Indrišonoks, Jānis Jačmenkins) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Linkytė finished 18th for Lithuania in 2015 with Vaidas Baumila and This Time. Stay boasts strong vocals and there’s quality here but it is a rather mediocre song. A mouth-watering spot in the running order nevertheless. Terrific vocal in the rehearsal clip and we’re swapping this 1 back in for either Denmark or Georgia.

16. AUSTRALIA: Voyager Promise (Alex Canion, Ashley Doodkorte, Daniel Estrin, Scott Kay, Simone Dow) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Electro rock group Voyager won the public vote in Australia Decides last year and we didn’t rate the 80s prog rock effort at all but this is a completely different kettle of fish while being true to their musical genre. It’s super catchy, not a style we’re fans of at all but we’re unashamed to say we got winner vibes the moment we heard it. It’s unsure whether Australia will compete in Eurovision after this year and we suspect its broadcaster will hope a strong result will work in its favour.

• Picture via Facebook courtesy Tickets Full final predictions
• Read our semi 1 and final previews on this site in April
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