Eurovision 2021: Semifinal 1

For the first time in two years, we have a fresh crop of Eurovision non-qualifiers. Unfortunately for me, they included three of the four countries whose flags I painted on my nails (congratulations Lithuania!) but despite that, I think every qualifier was deserving, there just weren't enough qualification spots! 

I'm most upset for Montaigne from Australia, who didn't get to perform her entry live because of travel restrictions. Technicolour is a glorious song and she absolutely nailed the vocals, but having an extra couple of months to prepare could have produced better staging which matched the energy of the song.

Ireland's Lesley Roy had very innovative staging, which I fear detracted from the song itself, but I'll always adore the free feeling of Maps! It could be my favourite Irish entry ever!

Roxen from Romania's song holds a special place in my heart after getting me through some tough days, and there were some great moments in her performance.

I thought Croatia's performance was excellent, the only reason I can think of for it not getting through is that the song runs out of steam and gets a little repetitive towards the end.

Slovenia and North Macedonia's songs were also very well performed; I'd wager that the songs themselves weren't enjoyed so much by the voting audience.

I was delighted that The Roop made it through with my second favourite song of that title (which isn't that far behind the UK number 1 that includes the "h") and Tix's song made me more emotional than Roxen's on the day, so I certainly can't fault Norway's qualification. I was pleased that Hooverphonic returning to their roots paid off, and Eden Alene's enthusiasm and whistle notes elevated Set Me Free, after my disappointment with the revamp. Elena, Efendi and Destiny were the picture of confidence, and I couldn't help but get behind Manizha and Go_A's powerful entries, countering the English language dominance (I find it interesting that with the exception of one chorus, all the non-qualifiers were in English). I was also pleased to see Tusse qualify with the third Swedish entry in a row that I've gotten enjoyment from!

Let's hope I feel this good after semifinal 2 too!

Eesti Laul Semifinal 2

Three songs for Eurovision 2021 will be chosen tonight, but my attention is firmly on Estonia's second semifinal! I thoroughly enjoyed semifinal 1 on Thursday, but I wasn't passionate enough about any of the songs to post about it. That's not the case tonight; there are precisely 3 songs I really hope qualify! 

Magus Melanhoolia - Jüri Pootsmann

While I loved Jüri's 2016 Eurovision entry, it's brilliant to see him back at Eesti Laul with a song that's much more his style! Despite its brief length, "Magus Melanhoolia" (Sweet Melancholy) packs an emotional punch, and I'm confident Jüri will deliver those awesome high notes tonight!

Lost in a Dance - Gram-Of-Fun

This song is such a joy, I was hooked from the first listen! The video is very entertaining too, and I'm intrigued to see whether any elements will be brought to the semifinal stage.

Sunday Night - Rahel

A rank outsider for qualification, I'll be ecstatic if this song makes it through tonight! The lyrics are very evocative and the song builds to a gorgeous chorus, which makes the most of the ability to feature additional backing vocals, while keeping Rahel at the forefront. 

Valonetine's Day

I've never been big on Valentine's Day, but this year, not being able to see my partner has gotten me down. Not today specifically – I knew it was unlikely that either of our lockdowns would be lifted by now – but how many days, weeks and months it will be before we are allowed to see each other again. Even when the lockdowns are lifted, we'll still have to justify visiting each other as "essential" because the border is closed from my side, and ironically, my country is the one currently allowing non-cohabiting couples to meet up without distancing, even during lockdown!

Being a student, I was fortunately allowed to return to home over the Christmas holidays. Confirming that my "home" for the holidays is now my boyfriend's flat rather than my familial home felt odd, but it was lovely to have the opportunity to be with him again after 2½ months apart. I returned to my university country on 4^th January, mere hours before the new lockdowns were announced. Initially, I was quite content to be in lockdown; it provided certainty and meant that we were both in the same boat despite living under different governments. Outwith a lockdown situation, we have to deal with the fact that it's illegal to cross the border without an essential reason. Visiting the other half of an extended household is permitted under my travel rules, but travelling over 300 miles to do so is definitely not in the spirit of lockdown, especially as people have been fined for making journeys of under 10 miles.

While the outlook is uncertain, I'm buoyed by the pace of vaccination in both countries. We've still been able to do something nice, ordering each other takeaways to mark the occasion, and I'm hopeful that I'll be allowed to visit again around Easter. For now, I should be thankful that we both have work to keep us occupied, good health, and we will be reunited at some point!