Morten Thomassen of Norway watched the one of the rehearsals of the final of Eurovision 2022 and here is his impressions. It was written in Norwegian and ESC Covers translated it via google to English.
Finally, it is the day of the year, it will be decided which song will bring the crystal microphone home. Will it be Ukraine with around 60% chance of winning or will it be some of the 24 other entries that then have an average of 1.66% chance of winning that cheat our Ukrainian friends for the victory.
It is not entirely easy to know how safe it is to base odds on the fact that one country will receive a lot of sympathy, this year will be a real test to see if it agrees with the heart or the head.
I actually think that this year’s opening number will give many an ever so small tear in the corner of the eye, very touching opening before we enter the arena. There it continues with a great dance number and what is probably a well-known Italian song
Also this year we get the flag parade which takes the time before we get the first song far out in time, it takes almost 20 minutes before the competition actually starts.
Melody 1 – Czech Republic – Roll the dice 6
You should feel honored when you start the show, then your song has a quality the TV producer values. The song has a few seconds of calm music before the party is officially started. This creates full force in the hall and the audience is infected by the energy of the song. That energy is part of the performance and nice with a vocalist who masters such songs.
Melody 2 – Romania – Dice roll 3
It’s close between the party songs in the first half of this final and we are sent straight on to a Latino party now. Perhaps the biggest surprise of those who advanced from the semifinals 2. However, this guy makes a party as good as anyone else and this fluctuates to a thousand. Quite a decent vocal for such a type of song and when the charm is in the box, many are charmed by this. Lacks some energy, it must be said.
Melody 3 – Portugal – Roll the dice 5
Then we will have to slow down a bit on the heart rate, but we are still not talking resting heart rate. We are served delicious summer music from our Portuguese friends. Incredibly delicious that you can transfer such a lovely atmosphere to the stage. This song is a mental break from all the songs that require a higher heart rate with us. You can also call the vocal effort comfortable here.
Melody 4 – Finland – Roll the dice 4
Then there was an abrupt end to the resting pulse and that is the rock pulse you have to tune in to now. The rock songs were mostly pushed out in the semifinals and our Finnish friends were left alone. They may not mind that much. They get to the tough attitude such a song requires and vocally there is not much to postpone I would say. Should rock once again pay off for this country?
Melody 5 – Switzerland – Dice roll 4
This was probably the biggest surprise for many from semifinal 1. And we enter the department for toned down and various types of depressing songs. We have now learned that boys cry, but whether it gets a lot of sympathy is probably rather doubtful. Sings well enough and has finally got a visual expression on the song which is at least a bit interesting. But, for many, this will probably be a pee break anyway.
Melody 6 – France – Roll the dice 5
This contribution has a little incomprehensibly fallen down the betting list. Here a song is performed with lots of rhythms, some of them ethnic and then you throw in a minority language, this must be similar? Well, that’s it and those on stage get the energy of the song into the performance. Quite vocal-sure, they are also so all in all something that should catch many.
Melody 7 – Norway – Roll the dice 6
Then to our own animal contribution. And once again we get an animalistic good performance. This sits as cast and the hall is really part of what is happening on stage. Yum, yum probably think many of those sitting in the hall watching. Vocals very good and let’s hope that the whole of Europe is involved in this. I think this can go all the way, I hope they take us high.
Melody 8 – Armenia – Dice roll 3
As in the semifinals, this is the country after Norway. She has thus heard our song sometimes now. However, this song has probably 0% in common with our song. We calm down quite a bit, without it becoming a dead song for that reason. Gets a little campfire feeling from this song and does not quite understand what all the toilet paper has to do in the song. Decent vocals and the mood of the song is conveyed in a nice way, but the song is a bit boring then.
Melody 9 – Italy – Roll the dice 3
Then we’ll see if the home favorites are hungry for a home win. I do not quite get the feeling of it when I see them perform. Vocally, it is at times shaky and rusty and the fervor of the song is almost absent for large parts of the song. Too bad this is an absolutely beautiful song, even the attempt to ruin it with a little rap can not get me away from that meaning.
Melody 10 – Spain – Roll the dice 4
So to the lady with the heaviest hip-wiggling and if you are a big favorite of women’s butts, you get full payoff now. Although the dance number is quite hefty, it does not go unnoticed beyond the vocals. The lady is not ashamed of herself in the vocal area and all in all, this may well be one of the best placements this country has had in a while.
Melody 11 – The Netherlands – Roll the dice 3
The few calm songs in the first half of the final give us some much-needed pulse breaks. Although this is a great song, I do not think that the artist here manages to master it completely. Yeah Al that sounds pretty crap to me, Looks like BT aint for me either. But, for me, the story that is trying to tell disappears into a dark gloomy landscape I do not appreciate too much
Melody 12 – Ukraine – Roll the dice 6
You should probably have a heart of stone if you are not touched by this song on some level or it is possibly what is behind that touches. For me where the high goosebumps factor and it had been no matter how the situation had been in this country. There is so much strength in the performance, also vocally, that I have chills on my back now. Still unsure if this is a winning song.
Melody 13 – Germany – Dice roll 2
When passing, the halfway mark in this final and our German friend will be the rounding buoy. And as with their song, such a buoy is something you just have to get around to get to the finish line. It will rarely give you great memories and neither does this song. This becomes too anonymous and quite forgettable and then it can ooze last place of this song.
Melody 14 – Lithuania – Roll the dice 6
In the second half of the final, it will mostly calm down considerably. It starts with some of the best soothing music pills tonight. This is wonderfully sung and wonderfully sensually performed by our Lithuanian friend. Always nice with proof that a performance can be toned down, but at the same time hefty because it is just toned down correctly.
Melody 15 – Azerbaijan – Roll the dice 3
One of the most scaled-down ballads of them all, but this country is not known to be much scaled-down in its contributions. So by having an outstanding vocal and a show that is upscale in most areas, this becomes a song that captures enough people. However, here it can probably come what some will call a pee break song, what happens on stage is not so interesting.
Melody 16 – Belgium – Roll the dice 3
We will increase the tempo a few notches, but the danger of getting out of breath is probably not that great. We are in the most introverted period of this final and already now the energy level is starting to get suitably low. Our Belgian friend is trying as hard as he can to get some life in us, but he can only do so well. Decent enough vocals without being blown off the track.
Melody 17 – Greece – Dice roll 6
So ready for the final’s third Norwegian contribution. And much more possible the song that can become “Norwegian” champion in this final. This performance is a textbook worthy of how such songs should be performed. All the intensity of the song is magically transferred to the stage and the TV screen. When it is also sung as well as here, all you have to do is take off your hat for this Norwegian-Greek girl.
Melody 18 – Iceland – Roll the dice 4
Another song many thought would end their ESC life in the semifinals. However, Icelandic weeds obviously do not perish easily. I have a bit of the feeling that they took the inner swing of their closest competitors on the charm. Throw in beautiful vocals and a flattering song and you can possibly have a recipe for something that will be final-worthy. And songs with gender tri-undertones are a bit of a thing this year actually
Melody 19 – Moldova – Roll the dice 5
If you are struggling to stay awake this will be tonight’s wake-up call. Because if you do not get at least a hint of a smile on your face from such contributions, you should perhaps consider your attitude to life. It’s been a while since we’ve experienced so much wonderful energy and zest for life in three minutes. Vocal nothing to postpone it either, hey ho I say now I then.
Melody 20 – Sweden – Roll the dice 6
I currently predict a blue-yellow victory and then this is one of the songs that fall into that category. That this girl manages to stay calm despite a lot of technical clutter on the tests is no less than impressive. And that is probably the trait that makes her one of the favorites tonight. A vocal that suits the song and a rusty empathy that suits the song even better.
Melody 21 – Australia – Roll the dice 5
Now we dig even deeper into the slightly depressing mud some of this year’s songs are down in. But, mud baths can have a healing effect I have heard and vocally this is the medicine that works. Rarely magnificent voice on this guy. And you both see and hear that this is a very personal song on his part.
Melody 22 – United Kingdom – Roll the dice 5
Last country out of the big five and for once this country could be the biggest of these. Finally, they send a song and an artist who has the capacity to do well in this competition. Impeccable vocals and so much charm that he almost blows the stage rig off the stage. However, one may wonder if that guitar solo was necessary.
Melody 23 – Poland – Roll the dice 4
A little jokingly, you could say that this song flowed into the final. However, I think it was a pretty easy sail because this is an excellently performed song. Steady vocals and the right amount of empathy for such a song. And they have taken the water theme with them into the song without going overboard. The song itself may not be the most interesting then.
Melody 24 – Serbia – Roll the dice 5
So to the artist who has really been washing himself in the last week. This is called art-pop and will probably by some feel very strange. But, if it breaks through your musical barrier, you will probably get hooked on this song pretty quickly. Annoyingly catchy I would call this and with a good vocal and an empathy with a good dose of humor one must like this.
Melody 25 – Estonia – Roll the dice 3
The country songs had good times in the semi-finals and now they had to finish the final as well. This is probably due to the lack of party songs in the last half of the final. Regardless, our Estonian friend takes good care of the honor of being able to sing last. Here it is sung well and charmed to a thousand, no wonder he has the title of sexiest Estonian man title on his CV. However, the song is a bit boring.
In general, the EBU must actually begin to assess how big things the individual participating countries should be allowed to bring on stage. There will be a lot of breaks between the songs since tons of equipment will be unloaded and unloaded on stage between some contributions. This is a giant mania that must be stopped.
Another giant mania that should be stopped is the length of the break features. From the last song is finished until the first points are revealed, it takes almost 60 long minutes. However, there are some moments in these minutes that feel more worth watching than others. Anyway, in these times one should be able to cut down on that time, this is going to be lengthy you ask me. However, I hope it will be an exciting vote.
I myself sat down to look at the vote, which of course does not have the points that will be cast tonight, I followed to note the order in which the different countries should vote.
Well, after the jury vote was over, Norway was at 2. place right behind Italy, then I had to get the tele-voting as well and well, Norway won the whole thing, but that was just a test.
However, it made me a little more excited before the final tonight, will it be anything other winner than Ukraine.