Eurovision final line-up confirmed after second semi-final

We now know the 20 countries who be competing in the final in Basel on Saturday evening. Keystone-SDA

The line-up for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest has been decided, with six countries eliminated after a semi-final on Thursday. We now know the 20 countries who be competing in the final in Basel on Saturday evening.

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At the end of the second semi-final on Thursday, Lithuania, Israel, Armenia, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Finland, Latvia, Malta and Greece were chosen by the public to perform in the final on Saturday evening.

They join Norway, Albania, Sweden, Iceland, the Netherlands, Poland, San Marino, Estonia, Portugal and Ukraine, who were also chosen by the public on Tuesday in the first semi-final.

Israel qualify

Despite certain controversy, Israel qualified for the final, as expected by betting sites. Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, sang New Day Will Rise, a song in English with some French and Hebrew lyrics.

The 24-year-old was heckled during rehearsals on Thursday afternoon. On Thursday evening, his performance was met with a mixture of whistles and cheers.

Another magnificent performance was given by Greek singer Klavdia, with her ballad Asteromáta. In a different vein, Lithuanian group Katarsis gave an outstanding performance of their post-punk track Tavo Akys.

Serge Gainsbourg/France Gall

Another surprise came from Luxembourg’s Laura Thorn, who sang La poupée monte le son in French, a tribute to Serge Gainsbourg and France Gall and their song Poupée de cire, poupée de son. She hopes to repeat France Gall’s feat at Eurovision 1965 with this feminist version.

One of the favourites to win on Saturday was JJ, the twenty-four-year-old Austrian.

France’s Louane, who qualified automatically, is also one of the Top 5 favourites. She sang Maman, a tribute to her late mother. The song offers a restrained but dazzling choreography, symbolising the passage of time in an hourglass. It’s not without risk however: she told reporters that she had swallowed the grains of cork that replace the sand.

Rendez-vous by Gjon’s Tears

Towards the end of the show, four former Eurovision candidates took to the stage. They each performed the song with which they should have taken part in Eurovision in Rotterdam in 2020. As the event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they were unable to perform their at the time.

For Switzerland, it would have been Gjon’s Tears from Fribourg with Répondez-moi. However, he was able to take part a year later with his song Tout l’univers, with which he finished third. On Thursday evening, he was able to perform on the Eurovision stage the song he had originally imagined on a grand piano.

Eurovision commentator Jean-Marc Richard of Swiss public television, RTS, who is taking part in his 34th and final contest, received a visit from one of the presenters, Sandra Studer. He said he was “particularly moved” by this year’s event, as he was finally able to welcome Eurovision home to Switzerland.

Eurovision presenters wore outfits designed by young Valais designer Kevin Germanier. Blonde Hazel Brugger wore a suit that appeared to be covered in transparent 45s.

Italian singer Toto Cutugno rounded off the show with a rendition of Insieme, the song that won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1990.

Translated from French by DeepL/sb

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