Eurovision, first semi-final review: Brilliant and bonkers contest returns with classic madness

Yahoo

16-05-2025

Last year, fraught political protests overshadowed Eurovision's usual serving of spandex, sequins, screeching and sky-high camp. It remains to be seen whether the 2025 edition can swerve more controversy, but it made a determinedly upbeat, if bloated, start with the Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final 1 (BBC One).
The bigger test will come on Thursday when Israel's entrant takes to the stage. That's also when we'll see the UK's latest lamb to the slaughter, girl group Remember Monday.
Eurovision organisers have a fresh headache, though: they are investigating a potential hack of their online feed after rehearsal footage was leaked online. Meanwhile, fevered speculation continues about whether Céline Dion, who won the contest for Switzerland back in 1988, will make an appearance in the final; for this show, she just supplied a congratulatory video message.
Fifteen countries competed for 10 places in Saturday's grand final in this first semi, broadcast live from St Jakobshalle arena in Basel following Nemo's victory in 2024. Switzerland, Italy and Spain, all guaranteed a spot, performed as well.
Add in leisurely filler from hosts Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer, such as a pageant about the glories of Switzerland (William Tell was strangely prominent), plus burbling chatter from British commentators Rylan and Scott Mills, and it wasn't surprising when the programme overshot its planned two-hour-20-minute runtime, although apparently technical issues played a part too.
But the complex production was otherwise impressively slick, and the show did succeed in serving up bonkers choices with the odd flash of brilliance – the Eurovision ideal. Where else can you find a Polish goth witch up against a Belgian act named after the crab in The Little Mermaid?
Sweden's KAJ are the clear bookies' favourites, and they duly delivered a confident performance of their ode to the sauna, Bara Bada Bastu. Yes, the plaid-wearing loggers made it look a bit like Monty Python's Lumberjack Song, however it's undeniably catchy, the accordion hook is ace, and you can't go wrong with athletic backing dancers wearing nothing but towels.
Weirdly two different nations proffered a tribute to Italy, the spicier one coming from loose-limbed Estonian Tommy Cash with Espresso Macchiato. Think Mambo Italiano but somehow even more nonsensical (sample lyrics: 'Life is like spaghetti / It's hard until you make it'). Italians are outraged by the stereotypes, but the studio audience ate it up.
Spanish entrant Melody, who was poured into a nude body stocking (the Cannes organisers wouldn't approve), was another hit in the room. Her thumping house track with flamenco embellishment was all about owning her diva status – in a you-go-girl empowerment way, rather than Mariah Carey making outrageous demands.
Italy's Lucio Corsi is a dark horse with his Elton John-esque glam-rock lament about gendered expectations, although his bulbous shoulder pads and chalky mime make-up slightly distracted from the message. Switzerland's Zoë Më was simply staged, and simply beautiful, but might not cut through the noise.
Migration was a recurring theme, whether Congo refugee Claude representing the Netherlands, Portugal's NAPA crooning about leaving Madeira, or Albania's Shkodra Elektronike's 'post-immigrant pop'. Ukraine's Ziferblat supplied a stirring operatic folk anthem with a punning title, Bird of Pray, obliquely referencing their country's plight.
Slovenia's Klemen sang about his wife's cancer diagnosis while hanging upside down, suspended by his ankles, whereas Iceland sent their version of Jedward. It wouldn't be Eurovision without severe tonal whiplash.
With the votes eventually tallied, it was Slovenia, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Croatia and Cyprus who rather bizarrely missed out on a place in the final. I thought voters would definitely go for Croatia's impish Poison Cake or Cyprus's Theo Evan clambering over scaffolding.
But then brash unpredictability is what Eurovision does best. As they endeavour to regain control of the contest, the organisers would do well to remember that.
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