All of this year’s songs have been selected, the running order has been decided: let’s get this show on the road! I’ll be reviewing all of this year’s participants three by three in running order. Lord, gimme strength… Let the Hunger Games…eum…fun begin!
ARMENIA
The Song: Armenia has a bit of an odd track record in Eurovision. Either they try too hard (2010, 2011, 2015) or they’re right on the money (2014, 2016). Their 2017 entry follows the footsteps of the latter group, thankfully. The opening is a bit misleading, but provides a nice balance for the ethnic part that follows. Which is totally fetch. The structure of the song is, again, a bit off, which makes me love it even more. Wishing for a song to continue longer than its three minutes, never a bad sign.
Standout lyric: ” Over deeps over hills ” Deeps doesn’t feel real, even though I know it is. It distracts a bit.
The Voice: She sounds like she knows what she’s doing. I bet she’ll make this song her own and turn it out. Mind the accent though, darling.
The Performance: If that video is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat. It’s Suus meets Xanadu meets 1944 and it’s all kinds of awesome.
In one line: Sit back, relax and enjoy the flight
PERSONAL TOTAL: 
PREDICTION: Is it perhaps a bit too Jamala? Perhaps. But I think this will be different enough, in this semi at least, to QUALIFY easily.
SLOVENIA
The Song: Another one that falls into the ‘returning artist’ trap – coming back (ha!) with a song that is nowhere near as good as the first one. This feels like it belongs in the 1998 contest – scratch that, it’s my fave year. But you catch my drift. And that key change needs to die.
Standout lyric: ” On my way. I’m never coming back. ” Pinky promise?
The Voice: Starts out rather decent, completely loses the plot when the key change kicks in.
The Performance: I suppose it’ll be comparable to the NF performance (and indeed 2005). Too bad Omar has the charm of a brick wall.
In one line: Bye bye baby, baby goodbye.
PERSONAL TOTAL: 
PREDICTION: He couldn’t manage with a decent song, I doubt he will now. NON QUALIFIER.
LATVIA
The Song: It all starts out rather intriguing, but then those damn Avicii-like synths kick in and it all sounds rather cheap. Catchy enough, though.
Standout lyric: ” Days go by, I’m still hoping… ” We’ve all been there.
The Voice: THE major working point here. That live version is really on the verge of being awful. The terrible accent makes it all the more hard to digest – I know Agnese’s singing ‘where we draw the line’ and still I keep asking myself what the hell she’s on about.
The Performance: A bit more party and a bit less wannabe-cool and this could work. Loving the black light effects, so by all means keep those.
In one line: Technically, a circle is a line.
PERSONAL TOTAL:
PREDICTION: If they manage to fix the vocals, this might be able to take advantage of that sweet last spot in the semi. Shall I call another borderliner, and decide below? Yes, I shall.
So on to my qualification prediction list, which I desperately need to complete. The obvious qualifiers for me include Sweden, Armenia, Belgium, Poland, Azerbaijan and Australia. Which leaves four spots for six borderliners. I’m gonna include Portugal and Finland. I don’t think both Cyprus and Greece will make it, and my money would be on Greece making it. Which leaves Latvia and Iceland, and I’m gonna go for the stronger vocals there. So Iceland it is. Which means I think only one out of the last five songs will qualify. Is that even realistic? I really have NO clue with this semi. By all means, do share your thoughts on possible qualifiers, enlighten me.
CURRENT RESULTS
– Belgium, Portugal, Armenia
– Sweden, Finland, Azerbaijan, Iceland
– Montenegro, Poland, Latvia
– Georgia, Australia, Albania, Czechia, Cyprus
– Greece, Moldova, Slovenia
– None at the moment…
Tomorrow: Serbia, Austria & Russia!
Dimivision 