If you want a detailed analysis of
who are the winners and losers after the draw...
You need to find another website!
I have put this here just for ease of reference for you and me - the main points to spot are:
- The UK's massive trumpets mean that James Newman is after a break, as is VICTORIA for Bulgaria with her rock, whilst the production team benefits from Iceland's video being played to put up that massive moon for Blas Cantó!
- Cyprus is a great way kick off the Final and having San Marino at the end means that the whole world will have to keep watching to see Flo Rida on that Eurovision stage!
- Either it is total coincidence or the Dutch production team have remembered the UK tradition of raising a glass in memory of Terry Wogan at song number 9. Who is there this year? James Newman with "Embers"...
- There is a paucity of rock at Eurovision as it is, so keeping Finland and Italy with seven songs between them will allow viewers to watch both but not have them all at the same time
- Having the middle finger songs together is so obviously deliberate with Germany and Finland together
- Having Efendi followed by TIX is the producer's way of continuing this?
Yep, that is all of the thoughts you'll get from me on that score - what you will get a bit more on was the actual Jury Final that happened on day 14. We now have the Direct Finalists involved alongside the twenty qualifiers from the SFs. I will, as always, give you as positive a response as possible - this time I will focus on who would have got my 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/10 and of course 12 points, using my juror head as I always do...
1 POINT
GREECE : Stefania - "Last Dance"
Stefania raised her game last night as far as camera interaction and charm offensive was concerned - there were more smiles, a cheeky wink and hyping up the crowd in her Green Room interview. All the cameras were hit, she sung at a level she hadn't reached to date in Rotterdam and the green screen tech worked perfectly. This won't be at the top for the jurors but the combination of a modern sounding track plus the visuals will really appeal to the public - expect an overall top ten for Greece if this is repeated tonight...
2 POINTS
THE NETHERLANDS : Jeangu Macrooy - "Birth Of A New Age"
He has been waiting for two years now to make his nation proud and provide a host entry that will do the ideal job - not so poor it languishes at the bottom but not too good that it threatens the Dutch broadcaster having to do this all again. We all know the message delivered by now, we all know how well the singers give this a wonderful sound and how the dancer adds to the mystique of Suriname - what has been added is the partisan crowd at the Ahoy, mainly Dutch, who help Jeangu raise his game yet another level. The producers will almost treat this like another interval act but the whole package is pure class and would have appealed to many jurors. This will be a top ten with the juries, perhaps slipping down a place or two after the public vote - still another memorable Dutch moment from Eurovision 2021...
3 POINTS
BELGIUM : Hooverphonic - "The Wrong Place"
Still absolute class from the band and in particular Geike - Hooverphonic will have started a few paces ahead of everyone else with the juries purely because of who they are. A certain standard will have been expected and boy, did the Belgian band deliver! Perfection every time, the right level of involvement of each of the band members apart from Geike (minimal) and a true star leading them all. The music professionals will have loved this and I am sure a top five with them is not out of the question - chances are that after the public vote, the band will be in "The Wrong Place", having dropped into mid-table, but this is one of my personal highlights. That and I still smile when I see the ingenious place that Geike's mic pack is placed - that is what hard boots are for!
4 POINTS
SAN MARINO : Senhit ft Flo Rida - "Adrenalina"
There is one main reason why I would have this entry as a possible Jury top ten (it is with me) - Flo Rida. The pull of the biggest name here at Eurovision 2021 cannot be underestimated, especially when it adds to the already batsh*t crazy staging and overall look that Senhit and Lucas Tommassini have put in place. It is a nice touch to reveal the dancers with 'word banner' masks, instead of the Mexican wrestling masks in the rehearsals, and this has just gone up another level, visually spectacular and with a modern twist. Normally San Marino's whole mission is to make the Final or at least not be bottom in the SF - I suspect that it would now be a disappointment if they don't reach the top ten and perhaps even get a 12 for at least one jury? My OTT favourite this year...
5 POINTS
FINLAND : Blind Channel - "Dark Side"
The Dutch fans in the Ahoy obviously love Jeangu and Stefania - of everyone else, Blind Channel have had the biggest roar by far! Their nation's name was chanted to be the tenth qualifier in Thursday's SF2 and that was for good reason - they have always provide one of the best performances of any act in 2021. You could say that they just produce the same goods every time they are up there but those turn out to be luxurious - "Dark Side" is a gig performance we rarely see at Eurovision. It is intense, it is dark, it has great singers, it has band members who are 100% engaged with the music and the need to put on a show - the music professionals will love this and it will not surprise me if several give this their maximum, including possibly the UK. Finland are on for a decent result this year - a top ten is not out of reach, with a 50/50 split between juries and public points, in particular from those reminiscing of their Linkin Park / Limp Bizkit days...
6 POINTS
SWITZERLAND : Gjon's Tears - "Tout l'Univers"
Preconceptions can be a curse for Eurovision fans and pundits alike but the jurors and public will have no hang-ups about Gjon's Tears creating art on some moveable geometric shapes. This piece of contemporary movement was not expected but it is visually intriguing - put that with his sweet pure vocals and you have something that will be remembered all the way from position 11 in the running order to the very end. His voice, the close-ups on his face, the lighting and smoke, combined with the flowing movements that seem a bit alien to him but do work perfectly well in the overall scheme of things, all provide an artistic show that could well win Switzerland their first Eurovision for 33 years. That will depend on how the public view this and if this gives them enough of a wow moment...
7 POINTS
BULGARIA : VICTORIA - "growing up is getting old"
Absolutely beautiful - the most delicate and fragile song in the Final, sung by one of the most talented singers, performed in a way to make you listen to the story being told and evoke the same base emotions that VICTORIA is feeling when she looks at the picture of her and her father. Having the 'sands of time' flowing down and running out, just as she reaches it, is a moment that has never been portrayed like this before and having that followed by the ramping up of the angelic chorus - that always brings a lump to my throat. Her emotions have come more to the surface since SF2 and that makes this even more raw and less slick, adding to this journey. I think that jurors would have had the same wow moment as me - a probable top 5 with them with a sprinkling of 12s, let's see whether the public want to take the same emotional path to Bulgaria with her...
8 POINTS
UKRAINE : Go_A - "SHUM"
It is funny how watching so many shows almost makes you forget how incredible a ride you get with an entry, just because it was in the SF three days before! The music building up to that techno crescendo at the end just pulls you along, Kateryna's white voice singing fits perfectly and isn't grating as it was with 'Solovey', and they even have dancers who contribute to the story of the song! The only issue is that there is perhaps too much to watch in one run as the screens almost deserve a separate viewing for themselves - the figures running during the last minute is one of the things to watch in the Final. The professionalism, the musical skills, Kateryna's voice and the overall look from Go_A will be a stand-out for everyone this year - could this be the entry that sneaks up and takes the crown? Perhaps the only thing lacking is a back story for Ukraine...
10 POINTS
ITALY : Måneskin - "Zitti e Buoni"
Italy's entry really has it all this year - arguably the most photogenic artists, definitely the most pyros, a lead singer who really does lead but also involves his band, the quintessential gig show where every member of Måneskin is 100% into their job and giving everything to the crowd, plus a great song that works despite it being in Italian. The current fav for the title, I know that musos will love this, especially for the added authenticity of "Zitti e buoni" being in its native tongue and its composition, but mainly for the professionalism shown here in addition to the entertainment provided. The public will love the look, the feel and the intensity of this - going back to Italy after 30 years would not be a big issue...
12 POINTS
FRANCE : Barbara Pravi - "Voilà"
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You have read how I saw the Jury Final...
Are any of those likely candidates for the 'last act' on day 15?
