Start a Fuego
How a show producer begins a week of Eurovision action is always a key decision. You generally want to programme something that marks a transition from last year’s Eurovision to this one whilst also leaving space for a great idea to do the same thing at the Grand Final four days later. SVT have focused around the ‘United by Music’ theme by selecting three artists who didn’t win the Eurovision Song Contest but whose careers have subsequently blossomed from different parts of Europe. In Eleni Foureira, Eric Saade and Chanel, they couldn’t have chosen three more confident charismatic performers who truly represent the best of non-victorious Eurovision artists. That said, SVT has ensured they have plenty of dancers, lighting and pyrotechnics backing them up to ensure a fantastic show opening. Petra Mede references that these artists won our hearts when they originally performed and they’re set to win our hearts all over again at the beginning of our Eurovision 2024 journey.
Petra, Malin & Edward
Speaking of Petra, there was always going to be massive expectations on our hosts given the high bar they had set in previous hostings. Petra, Malin & Edward have risen to the challenge beautifully with the script liberally sprinkled with zingy one liners about Kaarja’s televote victory, pansexuality and Luxembourg’s return among many others. These flow nicely alongside skits involving fan interaction, a pair of Ingmar Bergman films and the Australian commentators to make the space between the songs and results just as entertaining as the competition itself.
European Postcards
This year’s postcard contest combines several different elements which work surprisingly well together. Each one begins with a map graphic drawing a stylized line between Malmö and the participating nation which is followed up by pair of said country’s entries. We then see the artist engaging in some of their favourite activities on what looks like phone footage, bringing the artists emotionally closer to viewers at home. This is then brought home by several slow motion shots of each artist on a clear background before we cut back to the arena. The quantity of elements make the postcards quite lengthy but that is needed in order to give the stage hands more time to wheel props on and off what is a particularly large 45 meters from the entrance area to the front of the stage.
You Light Silia’s Fire
Kicking off a contest is always a huge responsibility but the weight is particularly heavy on Silia’s shoulders given Eleni Foureira and Chanel’s presence on the exact same stage minutes earlier. That said, Kapsis rises to the challenge with a staging which makes full use of the stage’s unique shape to move seamlessly into excellent camera angles which work nicely with her and her five dancers’ choreography. Some quick cut camera angles increase the energy during the dance break but the deal is truly sealed at the final chorus when the four male dancers take their shirts off before breaking into the choreography for the final chorus.
Crown the Witch
The winner of the Press Poll, the winner of our audience pollll and also the highest riser in the odds since rehearsals began is Ireland and the hype is absolutely justified. Bambie’s performance maintains the same aesthetic that saw Ireland fall in love with them during Eurosong but has had a number of fantastic additions for the Eurovision stage. We start with Bambie sat in the middle of a candle circle complete with witchy star suggesting they’re mid-séance. Once we reach the chorus, Bambie engages in some fantastic choreography which combine elements of ballet, ballroom and salsa to create something that’s sensual but fragile and made to break. There’s also a fantastic costume reveal, some fast camera angles and looks between Bambie and the main dancer which feel closer to a dramatic play than something we’re used to seeing at Eurovision. This grabs your attention and demands you to vote for it, making Ireland a truly competitive force in this year’s contest and certainly returning them to the Grand Final for the first time since 2018.
Olly’s Eurovision Carousel
First thing’s first, the dystopian gym prop box works brilliantly on camera with Olly and the dancers moving perfectly in line with the visual effects to create something that looks fantastic on camera. The steamy choreography fits the vibe of the song perfectly and the red lights alongside the spinning universe LED backdrop give an urgency and tension to the performance. Once out of the box, Olly reveals the song’s Eurovision edit including added strings to the middle 8, some big jury-friendly notes towards the end and fast-paced camera angles which much like with Cyprus add a wonderfully hectic energy to the song’s finale. A cool floor LED effect help tell the song’s 3 minute story perfectly, suggesting that the BBC have pitched this final performance absolutely perfectly.
The Rule is No Rules
If you’ve seen Windows95man’s performance at UMK then you know what to expect in terms of the strategically placed items that cover the singer’s nether regions. Fans of this concept will be delighted to know that it’s been made exponentially bigger with conveniently placed items now including a camera-person, some smoke, a large light and even a cheering crowd member. The stage in Malmö is very different from the UMK stage in Tampere but that hasn’t stopped the Finnish delegation from rising to the challenge perfectly.
Tali’s a Fighter
Closing the show is Luxembourg making their long-awaited return to the Eurovision Song Contest. Would the Grand Duchy stage their entry well or would it be affected by a lack of modern contest experience. Fortunately, it’s the former with Tali and her dancers dressed fantastically as their magnificent choreography naturally moves with the rhythm of ‘Fighter’. Combine that with a great prop that the performers begin the song on and pyrotechnics that hit perfectly with the chorus’ thick beats and it’s easy to forget Luxembourg’s 31 year absence from the contest. It does however become impossible to forget after Petra focuses a decent chunk of her green room coverage around this momentous occasion.
Johnny’s Euphoria
Given Sweden have just drawn level with Ireland on the number of Eurovision victories, it was curious to see that Johnny Logan had been programmed to perform in this year’s First Semi Final. That said, this section of the show was handled with so much respect including a fantastic tribute of an introduction from Petra Mede. As Logan’s two winning entires are played, you may sit and wonder if he’s going to perform ‘What’s Another Year’ or ‘Hold Me Now’. Turns out that he is covering ‘Euphoria’ and not only is it performed superbly by the “King of Eurovision” (according to Petra) but is arguably even better than the original with its slower romantic orchestral arrangement fitting perfectly with Logan’s smokey voice.
Welcome Back Benjamin
When you read that Benjamin Ingrosso is performing a medley at Eurovision, you would expect it to include ‘Dance You Off’ at some point. You’d be wrong. This is a different Benjamin Ingrosso from the one who graced the Lisbon stage in 2018 but he’s still oozing the same confidence and charisma that has become a hallmark of his artistic identity. As Benjamin cruises his way through a medley of his greatest songs, he hits every note, reaches all his marks and even sews in a call and response section set to reignite the atmosphere in the arena as we build towards the climax.
Where’s the Green Room?
For the first time in several years, the Green Room is not located in the main arena. This leads to the question as to where exactly backstage the artists are all hanging out watching the show. It turns out at the end that they are sitting directly behind the stage itself with the LED screens parting at the end to reveal the artists just in time to receive their results. This means that the audience still get the opportunity to enjoy the instant reactions of their favourite performers whilst making efficient use of the remaining arena space. A new addition this year are clips of each act which play as each qualified country is announced much like how Melodifestivalen announce their qualifiers. This adds a distinctly Swedish touch to the results which works very smoothly.