Hello Europe, Tel Aviv calling
MORE THAN 200 million viewers are expected to watch Saturday’s grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by four Israeli presenters, including supermodel Bar Rafaeli.
The Netherlands’s Duncan Laurence, a brooding 25-year old singer from Spijkenisse, is the clear favourite. His song Arcade has a haunting introduction but simple staging, with Laurence sitting at his piano bathed in blue light.
Sweden’s John Lundviko is second favourite with Too Late For Love, a song he wrote himself, and Sweden has been praised for choosing international, multi-racial vocalists to front its entry.
It’s not the only Eurovision song Lundvik has written this year: he also penned the UK entry, Bigger Than Us, although it is not rated as highly as other contenders like Russia’s Scream, a powerful rock song by pop star Sergey Lazarev.
After her entertaining performance at the first semi-final, Australian soprano Kate Miller-Heidke has snuck into the bookies’ top three with her pop-opera song Zero Gravity.
Standing on top of the world in an evening gown, wearing a crown made of cable ties, Miller-Heidke’s song is like nothing else in the competition.
She sings, she flies and she dazzles with her vocals to create an ethereal three-minute piece that might just have you reaching for the phone to vote.
Of course this is Eurovision, so not everything makes artistic sense.
Iceland’s antiestablishment
Hatari are sixth favourites with their angry, BDSM themed song Hate Will
Prevail; they previously expressed disgust at the competition taking place in Israel and the act is certainly not family friendly. A moment perhaps to put the kettle on or send the kids to bed. Fans of Netta Barzilai will enjoy France’s male drag artist Bilal Hassani, who claims to represent modern multi-cultural France and the emotions of the disenfranchised with Roi.
He shares his stage with two ballet dancers, empowerment slogans and lots of sequins. Bilal came to Israel with a selection of wigs, including one named “Tel Aviv”, which he might wear for the big night.
But anything could happen at Eurovision, so do not rule out the likes of Czech Republic, Belarus, Serbia or little San Marino either.
And what of the host nation’s chances?
Things look bleak for Israel right now: the young Tel Avivian Kobi Marimi sings Home with passion but it has split public opinion. Some say it’s a near perfect piece of emotional pop; others call it a depressing, mournful ballad more suited to a funeral.
Marimi says his biggest challenge is holding his own emotions together when he steps on stage.
“I have to stop crying, because I always cry,” he said.
“I call my mum before I go on stage”. Hope she can help.
Saturday night’s show is a huge showcase opportunity and Israeli-Canadian entrepreneur Sylvan Adams is believed to have delivered an interval act from the Queen of Pop herself: Madonna.
But no need to worry if it all falls thorough. Last year’s winner Netta Barzilai will be back with an exclusive performance of her new song Nana Banana.
And Wonder Woman Gal Gadot is rumoured to be making appearance and Israeli legend Gal Atari will perform her 1979 winning song 1979, Hallelujah. Then there’s the former Eurovision stars Måns Zelmerlöw, Eleni Foureira, Conchita Wurst and Verka Serduchka.
It will be a night to remember.
Two ballet dancers, slogans and lots of sequins’ Depressing ballad more suited to a funeral?’