Ronela Hajati is kicking off Eurovision 2022...
She started the Turin Meet & Greets in extravagant fashion!
We are into the first four days of the Eurovision 2022 fortnight and as I am in the privileged position of being able to see all the live footage that comes out of the venue itself because of my Press Accreditation, I felt that this week's show should at least reflect what I have been able to watch. No first rehearsals for open viewing - something that the EBU and artists have been wanting to happen for a long time and that is more than fair, given that they, the artists, are still tweaking sound levels, technical issues and just being on the right mark at the right time. That did mean that for the first time in three Press attendances (albeit two online), the initial Meet & Greets had my full attention and so I tried to get a question asked from all of the SF1 and SF2 performers. Those that did have ended up having their entry played on this week's show:
"Occidentali's Karma" (radio edit) - Francesco Gabbani
"Sekret" - Ronela Hajati
"Disko" - LPS
"Intention" - Intelligent Music Project
"Trenuleţul" - Zdob şi Zdub & Fraţii Advahov
"Saudade Saudade" - MARO
"Guilty Pleasure" - Mia Dimšić
"The Show" - REDDI
"Halo" - LUM!X ft Pia Maria
"Með hækkandi sól" - Systur
"Omaga" (karaoke version) - Benny Cristo
"Give That Wolf A Banana" - Subwoolfer
"In Corpore Sano" - Konstrakta
"I Am What I Am" - Emma Muscat
"Not The Same" - Sheldon Riley
"Ela" - Andromache
"Circles" - Andrea
"River" - Ochman
"High-Speed Kissing" - Lake Malawi ft We Are Domi
"SPACE MAN" (Acoustic) - Sam Ryder
"Die Together" (Acoustic with Choir) - Amanda Tenfjord
So there were SIXTEEN questions asked during the M&Gs and you can see what was asked and to whom in the four articles in the blog relating to Days 1-4:
The other thing you will have noticed is that Italy's 2017 entry started the show - that was due to it being the favourite ever Eurovision entry of a new member...
Francesco Gabbani with "Occidentali's Karma" for Victoria, a great choice during Turin fortnight!
So we have ELEVEN days until we know who this year's Eurovision winner will be, with the Jury and Live shows next week. Having a show on Tuesday night's is not that convenient for SF1 ever - you will be watching the show either in Turin or at home and to be honest, so will I! So as ever, given that I would be broadcasting to nobody and also the material from Eurovision is largely irrelevant by SF1 night, I will pre-record a special two hour show packed full of Italian entries from the 1950s to the present day, something that you can listen too on Mixcloud. By the time I am back in the studio, Eurovision 2022 will be over and we will have a new winner but until then...
There is a better than average change that Domenico will feature next week on show 196...
He did perform at Eurovision three times!