From Russia With Love - Part 6

Wednesday 13 May 2009

OK - Mission accomplished! 

MALENA FROM SWEDEN IS IN THE FINAL!!!  - Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

I was almost hoarse from screaming after Sweden came out of the second envelop last night.  Fab.  She can finish 22nd now and I really won't mind.  I just wanted the most fantastic song in the contest to be sung in the final, and it's there - so I can (partly) relax now.

I correctly predicted 9 out of the 10 qualifiers just before the show last night, and the only one I got wrong was that I thought Switzerland would go through, and that Portugal would loose out.  Completely delighted to be proved wrong on that one, though, as the lovey Daniela and her group, Flor De Lis, have gone WAY up my rankings since hearing it live here in rehearsals.

At the press conference after the show, each qualifier had to draw their number in the running order for Saturday and Malena drew to sing 4th.  Not brilliant, but hey, she's there!

The biggest reaction (from the crowd of us Brits sitting together in the press conference) was the drawing of the decidedly average Romanian song - which probably only got through on votes from diaspora - to sing directly before Jade, and then the up-tempo rap/dance number from Finland being drawn directly after Jade in position 24.  With the dancey song from Spain in the final 25th spot, that now means that Jade, at no 23, will be the last big power ballad to be performed in Saturday's final. 

Believe me, that gives the UK a HUGE advantage.  We must surely be in with a very, very strong chance of taking the Grand Prix now.  Certianly, the number of journalists and fans who came up to us after the press conference last night and said that the contest is coming to the UK next year was a bit disconcerting.

We REALLY don't want to count our chickens - and to be fair, I think a Top 5 placing is more realistic, but what a thrill to go into the final for the first time in years knowing that we might have a bit of a chance.

Anyway.  We finally got away from the press conference at 3am last night (remember it didn't start until 11pm for us, as we're 3 hours in front of you guys).  Got to bed at 4am, and was then up at 8am to go on a guided tour of the Kremlin.

More of that tomorrow, along with pics, and predictions for tomorrow's second semi.

In the meantime, look out for my article in tomorrow's (Thursday) Scotsman newspaper. It's a rather jolly piece comparing and contrasting this year's favourite, Alexander from Norway, with Slutty Svettie from Ukraine.  Jade gets a mention too, of course!  Assuming it's in the online version I'll post a link to that tomorrow too.

Right - I need a lie down in a darkened room now - I'm knackered!

Dos vedan'ye

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