Turin, 10 May 2022 – The curtain has risen on the 66th edition of theEurovision Song Contest at the PalaOlimpico in Turin. The event is hosted this year by Italy thanks to the victory of the Maneskin in last year’s edition which took place in Rotterdam. Tonight, nbefore the two semifinals (the second will be held on Thursday) they clashed artists and bands representing Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Holland, Moldova, Portugal, Croatia, Denmark, Austria, Iceland, Greece, Norway and Armenia. Meanwhile, Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom enter the final by right as founding countries of Eurovision, and Italy also with the role of organizer of the event due to the victory of the Maneskin last year. Ten artists have passed the turn after the vote of the jury and the televoting of those who will follow from home.
Eurovision Song Contest 2022: the report cards of the first semifinal
Eurovision Song Contest 2022: the looks of the first semifinal
The ten finalists
I ten countries qualified for the final Saturday nights are: Switzerland with Marius Bear, Armenia with Rosa Linn, Iceland with Systur, Lithuania with Monika Liu, Portugal with Maro, Norway with Subwoolfer, Greece with Amanda Georgia of Tenfjord, Ukraine with the Kalush Orchestra, Moldova with Zdob şi Zdub & Frații Advahov and Holland with S10. The first evening ends here, appointment to Thursday 12 May.
France and Italy on stage
First Alvan & Ahez, then Mahmood and Blanco: two of the five “Big Five” on stage for a preview of what we will see in the final evening of Eurovision 2022. The performances, in rehearsal, of France and Italy give chills.
Diodato guest with an unprecedented ‘Make Noise’
Diodato on the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest as guest of the evening. The singer was supposed to represent Italy in 2020, the year of his success at the Sanremo festival with ‘Make Noise’, but the pandemic and the lockdown stopped everything and he performed – without competition – in an empty Verona Arena. “Of that day I remember the air, the voice that came back after so many weeks spent locked in the house. If I’m sorry not to be in the race? No, I’m not naturally competitive, and be here as a guest, with serenity and without pressure, it’s far better, “he said in an interview today. And then he explained that his participation in him is there closing a circle: “Bringing ‘Make Noise’ back here seemed nice to me to finish a journey and go on with new things”. Performance is one kind of travel which starts from a solitary piano and voice and ends up exploding with 25 dancers dancing around Diodato.
The televoting ends
The televoting ends. We will soon know who i am ten artists who will go to the final.
Let’s Dance
Dardust, Benny Benassi e Sophie and The Giants they make the audience of the PalaOlimpico in Turin dance and at home. Dance and electronic music: the PalaOlimpico looks like the Ushuaia of Ibiza. Then here’s the homage, miserable, to Raffaella Carrà: the refrain of “Fiesta”. Quite little for a queen.
Voting begins
After the 17 performances of the evening he comes televoting opened. IThe public expresses their preference via the official Eurovision Song Contest mobile app (Digame mobile GmbH), calls from landlines and mobile phones to the number 894.222 or by SMS message to the number 475.475.0. The voting codes are communicated during the evening (live on Rai 1). To vote, enter the voting code. The vote of the jury (the representatives of each nation) has a weight of 50%: the other 50% of the total votes belongs to the Eurovision audience, which is expressed thanks to the different methods of televoting.
Armenia, Rosa Linn
Rosa Linn per l’Armenia is the latest to perform with ‘Snap’. The song talks about the will to be able to move forward in life and forget the person who made us suffer. From the outside it is always easy, but the reality is very different And the song speaks of precisely this, of the difficulties related to freeing the mind from those who remain fixed in our thoughts and, above all, in the heart. Code 17.
Norway, Subwoolfer
Penultimate me on stage i Subwoolfer who compete for the Norway con ‘Give That Wolf a Banana’. Covered in the face with yellow masks, they mock the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, inviting the animal to eat a banana instead of his grandmother. Code 16.
Grecia, Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord
The third to last competing artist is Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord representative of the Greece. His ‘Die Together’ is the story of a love that could flourish in the next life because “if we die together now, we will always have each other“. Code 15.
Iceland, Sister
The fourteenth stage performance is that of Sistersan all-female trio that represents Iceland. Sigga, Beta and Elìn Eyþórsdóttir are sisters and this is exactly what the name of the band means. The title of the song, ‘With the rising sun’, literally means “With the rising of the sun “ and, despite the very intimate and lounge atmosphere, it is a hymn to get up with the metaphor of the sun rising despite the difficulties. An invitation, therefore, to see the “light at the end of the tunnel”. Code 14.
Austria, Lumix and Pia Maria
Rush finale after the second commercial break: five artists are missing and then you can vote for your favorite song. It is the turn of Austria with Lumix and Pia Maria. The song ‘Halo’ gives a shake, an injection of optimism, confidence and energy. Which, in this period, is absolutely not to be neglected. Code 13.
Denmark, the Reddi
For the Denmark on stage there are Reddi con ‘The Show’. The song begins at the piano and for a good half of the piece we are convinced that we are in a sweet ballad. Then, three rockers in jackets and leather pants who are friends of hers arrive and the rock starts. The song suggests chasing your dreams and always being yourself. Code 12.
Croatia, Mia Dimšić
Croatia focuses on the sweetness and romance of Mia Dimšić con ‘Guilty pleasure’. The song tells of a “guilty pleasure” because the protagonist is engaged, but her heart beats for another man. A story, therefore, that speaks of a betrayal. But it does so in such a delicate way that it leads the listener to “cheer” for the birth of the new couple. On stage, with her, three dancers, the “symbol” of the triangle mentioned in the song. Code 11.
Portugal, Maro
For the Portugal is there Maro con ‘I miss you, I miss you’, in memory of the grandfather who is no longer there. The singer, who has Italian origins, sings in English and Portuguese. An Afro sound and an immense voice. Code 10.
Moldova, Zdob and Zdub & Advahov Brothers
It is Moldova’s turn with Zdob and Zdub & Advahov Brothers and the song ‘The train ‘, which translated literally means ‘little train’. The song is a concentrated energy between folk-punk sounds where yes speaks of a train journey – to the capitals of Chișinău and Bucharest – using Romanian and English. Code 09.
Olanda, S10
Per Holland sings S10 (pseudonym of Stien den Hollander) con ‘The depth’, in memory of the beloved who no longer has at his side and, for this reason, he feels himself sinking. Code 08.
Bulgaria, Intelligent Music Project
After a commercial break, it’s back on stage with Bulgaria. The Intelligent Music Project they sing ‘Intentions’. Between commercial rock sounds, the song is a gritty reminder of the desire for revenge and the ability of each of us to gain experience with experience but at the same time reach all life goals. Code 07.
Ucraina, Kalusch Orchestra
The sixth to perform are the Kalush Orchestra con ‘Stefania ‘. Representatives ofUkraine present a song, which has now become a symbol of the country’s Resistance, dedicated to the mother of Oleh Psjuk, mother of the rapper and author of the song. The group uses ethnic tools and wears national clothes. According to bookmakers, the Ukrainian team is the absolute favorite to the final victory of Eurovision 2022. Certainly there is a part of revanche towards the horrors of the war between Russia and Ukraine and it is evident. Code 06.
Slovenia, Lps
The fifth performance is up to the Slovenia with Lps (acronym for Last Pizza Slice). The song Disk tells of the desire to love, of the purest feeling that exists through rock sounds. Code 05.
Switzerland, Marius Bear
The fourth performance sees the protagonist Swiss Marius Bear con ‘Boys do cry’: remarkable voice in un poignant text where the singer addresses, among other things, the issue of bullying.Code 04.
Lithuania, Monika Liu
Third to perform there Lithuaniawho entered the race 22 times without ever winning. ‘Sentiments’ is the piece of Monika Liu, who has chosen to focus on a love song, where he talks about a relationship that has now ended that continues to knock on the heart of those who have lived it. Code 03.
Latvia, Citi Zeni
Then, it’s the turn of the band from Latvia Other Boys con ‘Eat your salad‘, un anthem to talk about how fascinating and healthy it is to be vegan. Code 02.
Albania, Ronela Hajati
The first competitor, the Albanian singer Ronela Hajati, considered the pop queen of Albania with the song ‘Secret’. The text splashes passion from each verse. And in fact it describes the passionate and secret love between a man and a woman. A love that must be consumed by the protagonists, but of which no one must know. Code 01.
Lituania Monika Liu “Sentiments”
The entrance of the three conductors
The event starts with the introduction of Leo, the drone of the event. In seconds she reaches the stage. To welcome him a tribute to Luciano Pavarotti with the notes of ‘No Dorma ‘ of Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot. Then, a rock guitar for the notes of ‘Shut up and good ‘ dei Måneskin. Space also for the voice of Sherol Dos Santos. Among spectacular choreographies they make their entrance i three conductors Laura Pausini, Mika and Alessandro Cattelan. “Hello Italy” Pausini shouts.