Understated Beginnings
As expected, current trophy-holder and tonight’s co-host Måns Zelmerlöw will start the show with a reprise of 2015’s winning song, “Heroes”, but with a stripped-down, string-heavy arrangement with a children’s choir. The endearing stick figure Måns-Petter has transformed, Pinocchio-like, into a real boy. It’s both incredibly sweet and a bit of a low-key entry into the world’s biggest musical festival. It’s followed by images of shiny happy people from all over the continent/world, all coalescing into the Globen, represented by a Dandelion puff.
The Hosts!
Unlike our last journey to Sweden, Petra Mede is joined by our dashing co-host Måns. Unlike the over-the-top gowns that Petra was festooned in three years ago, our hostess is in simple, elegant white, a perfect pair for the tuxedo-clad Måns. The banter between them is quick and snappy, and often bordering on risqué. Keep your eyes open for a great little gag that we know that scriptwriter Eddie af Sillén has been pushing for since 2013!
“I’m a real boy!” says Måns-Petter. (Credit: Andres Putting, EBU)
The Postcards!
This year’s postcards are actually rather sweet and subtle. We see shots of each act in their home town, interacting with family and friends, eating, drinking, being merry, making mischief (Cyprus, I’m looking at you…), and letting a bit of their personalities shine through. Keep your eyes open for the variation in fonts used for each country; Greece’s is reminiscent of their flag, Russia’s looks like something off of a hockey jersey, and you have to wonder if the spinning plus-sign in Iceland’s is subliminally suggesting something?
The Songs!
We start off the evening’s songs with a fair bit of energy; Finland (full of strut and swagger) calls us all to ‘Sing it Away‘ and Greece invites us to their ‘Utopian Land‘. After Moldova’s ‘Falling Stars‘, we get our first big anthem from the Hungarians. Throughout the rest of the show, we’ll have country, balladry, disco, rock, all wrapping up with a soaring diva-pop number.
The Fashion!
Those of you who keep an ear to the ground for Eurovision’s sartorial choices will have plenty to check out in this first semifinal. The men from the Netherlands, San Marino, and Estonia are all reaching for the polished, retro suit look, while Greece is looking semi-traditional in draped catsuits and linen (until one of the rappers conveniently loses his shirt…what a shame!). Malta, Austria, Bosnia’s Dalal, and the Czech Republic are going for the traditional gown route, while Bosnia’s Ana Rucner and cross-Caucasian rivals Armenia and Azerbaijan are going for the tight, leggy, Beyoncé-meets-Shakira look. Moldova’s got a cute blue and black number…and then there’s Croatia, who seems to be a nesting doll of insanity. She starts in a massively voluminous breakaway kimonoesque number that later reveals a floor-length feathered gown with what looks like Venetian blinds dangling from her arms. Barbara Dex-watchers, take note.
One fan may be the new owner of Serhat’s maroon fedora…don’t all rush the stage, now! (Credit: Andres Putting, EBU)
Of course, the backing singers get to join in on the fashion fun, too. Keep your eyes out for Azerbaijan and San Marino’s over-the-top metallic duds, while Croatia’s backers are decked out in their finest Gregorian robes. (At least, when a bride arranges for her bridesmaids’ outfits, she usually has the courtesy to pick something that they could potentially wear again!) But many of this year’s backing singers are hidden off-screen, so they might be in onesies and bunny slippers, for all we know…
The Gimmicks!
Undoubtedly, Måns resounding victory last year, incorporating projections, holograms, and choreography into a seamless package, has inspired a number of this year’s presentations. From the Czech Republic’s more subtle color projection onto Gabriela’s white dress to Iceland’s circling birds and eerie shadows to Russia’s all-out projection concept, incorporating hidden steps and seats, ‘Heroes‘ certainly left a mark. A number of effects will only be visible to viewers at home, such as Cyprus’s lupine motifs and Armenia’s hologram Iveta clones.
Of course, there are a number of other more classic gimmicks, too. Plenty of pyros abound, so if you’re taking part in the ESC Insight Drinking Game (take a drink when you see flames or sparks…responsibly), you may want to have refills handy. Hungary’s brought a Taiko drummer, Bosnia somehow got a barbed-wire fence through customs, Estonia’s got card tricks, and Montenegro’s able to take us through a three-minute song without actually letting us know who the lead singer of Highway is.
However, one of the biggest gimmicks this year is also one of the quietest. Douwe Bob from the Netherlands will be ceding control of ten seconds of his time on stage to the audience. Nobody knows whether people will cheer, boo, or stay deadly silent, but you’ll have to stay tuned to find out how it works in the end.
Douwe Bob takes a moment of silence. (Credit: Andres Putting, EBU)
The Message!
As we all know, this year’s motto is “Come Together”, but that means so much more than a collection of delegations or fans. As has been previously revealed, tonight’s primary interval act, ‘The grey people,’ honors the sacrifice and trials of migrants. Even without a word spoken, this moving tribute to the thousands of men, women, and children who have given everything up for the chance to start a new life with safety and dignity. I know, it might seem incongruous to include a demonstration of hardship, grief, and longing alongside a bright entertainment show, but take the time to watch and ponder. I promise you that it’s worth it.
The Payoff!
At the end of tonight, ten songs will progress to Saturday night’s Grand Final, and eight will be heading to one of Stockholm’s many airports or sea terminals. Once the show wraps up, and we have a moment to wrap our heads around the numbers, we’ll be sure to give you the freshest statistics this side of the Stockholm School of Economics. Stay tuned to ESC Insight!
Our friendly hosts for the duration. (Credit: Andres Putting, EBU)