Credits
News
© EBU
First half, semi-final 2
Rehearsals: Day 3
Watch the esctoday.com interviews with:
- Moldova
- Estonia
- Slovakia
- Iceland
- Latvia
- Poland
- Malta
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Albania
- Greece
- FYR Macedonia
- Belarus
- Lithuania
- Armenia
Watch esctoday.com's Eurovision Song Contest rehearsal footage and reviews from previous days here:
Related polls
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Melodi Grand Prix
- Azerbaijan: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Milli Seçim Turu
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the final of A Dal
- Iceland: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Songvakeppni Sjonvarpsins
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the second semifinal of A Dal
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the third semifinal of Melodi Grand Prix
- Sweden: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the semifinal of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Bulgaria: Vote for your favourite act in the Bulgarian national final 2012
- Latvia: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Eirodziesma 2012
- Belarus: Vote for your favourite act in the final of EuroFest 2012
Go directly to the reactions
Recent news about Armenia
Armenia: ARMTV goes for an internal selection 46
Armenia: Selection details announced in the coming days 29
Armenia: Sirusho back on Eurovision stage! 9
Armenia: Andre and Nini Shermandini release new videoclip 14
Armenia: Sirusho back with a new videoclip 18
Recent news about Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan: Ell & Nikki to support finalists 14
Azerbaijan: Preparations for national final in full swing! 16
Azerbaijan: Ell & Nikki receive 'Person of the Year Award' 186
Ell & Nikki invite you to Baku 57
Azerbaijan: Five finalists chosen 19
Recent news about Estonia
[UPD] Estonia: All Eesti Laul songs online 65
Estonia: Running order for Eesti Laul semifinals decided 27
[UPD] Estonia: 20 acts revealed 72
Estonia: ERR receives 159 applications 25
Estonia : Semi finalists to be announced on December 16 24
Recent news about FYR Macedonia
FYR Macedonia: Eurovision entry premiered February 29 30
FYR Macedonia: Kaliopi to sing Black & white 25
FYR Macedonia: New song by Kristijan Gabrovski 5
FYR Macedonia: Kaliopi to sing in Macedonian in Eurovision 2012 43
Kaliopi to represent F.Y.R. Macedonia 43
Recent news about Finland
Finland: Ville Eetvartti wants to touch people with his stadium pop 8
Finland: this Lioness wants you to break your patterns 15
Finland: Kaisa Vala plans to give a visual performance 9
Finland: Megalomaniac plans to lead Iconcrash to victory? 8
Finland: pop veteran Freeman enchanted by magic powers 5
Recent news about Greece
Greece: ERT and Universal Music to share Eurovision costs 377
Greece: Helena Paparizou releases new videoclip! 60
Greece: Nikki Ponte releases new song! 36
OGAE Greece: Lys, Anne Marie, Alenka and Ivi guests at MPLE 13
Greece: Sarbel is back with a new videoclip! 23
Recent news about Iceland
Iceland: Running order for the national final determined 73
Iceland: Last three acts to the national final 27
Watch now: Third semifinal in Iceland 70
Iceland: Herbert Guðmundsson opens third semifinal 1
Iceland: 5 more songs online 51
Recent news about Lithuania
Lithuania: First three acts to the final 12
Watch now: First semifinal in Lithuania 10
[UPD] Lithuania: Contenders in semifinal 1 announced 25
Lithuania: National final on March 3rd 5
Lithuania: National selection starts February 4th 7
Recent news about Poland
Poland: Confirmed - no participation in Baku 52
[UPD] Poland: TVP likely to withdraw from Eurovision 2012 134
Poland: Tamara Gee developing her career in Los Angeles 13
Tonight: The first Eurovision Semi Final 288
Introducing 2011: Poland 139
Recent news about Slovakia
Slovakia confirms participation in Baku! 51
Slovakia: Miro Šmajda participation now in question 21
Miro Šmajda to represent Slovakia in Baku 61
Slovakia: 2012 participation "yet to be decided" 29
Slovakia withdraws from Eurovision 2012 66
Reactions
When reacting to a news item, please stick to the topic. Inappropriate messages (swearing, racism, hate, etc.), messages in other languages than English and spam (which includes URL advertising) will be deleted and you risk your account being removed. Reacting on newsitems is only possible when logged in as a member. Still don't have member account?
Click here to react Click here to become a member (free!)
L*T*H*U*A*N*I*A ! best show ! one of the best songs ! watch out for them in the final 
)
My vote goes to Belgium! I'm really loving the song of Tom Dice called 'Me and My Guitar'. Watch his first rehearsel here: http://www.youtube.c(...)h?v=kq4SNKcIH-E&
Intresting analitic calculations 
http://www.kolumbus.(...)i/jarpen/chart10.htm
http://www.kolumbus.(...)arpen/chartnat10.htm
http://www.kolumbus.(...)/jarpen/winner10.htm
@Candyman 12 points
So you want an all serious song competition - how depressing Eurovision would have been without any feel-good songs like Dschinghis Khan or Israel 1987. I guess you don't like songs that makes you smile.
1.Azerbaijan -total disappointment, chorus and singer singing different songs. Choreography and design very weak, where are the British bookmakers??
2.Sweden - nothing special, only good voice, boring show
3.Ukraine - good vocal but again, still no show
4.Israel - good overall, a candidate to win, great song but the vocal was not as strong as expected.
5.Armenia -WINNER
6.Lithuania -I did not understand anything
7.Switzerland -Perfect!
8.Denmark -Burst bubble of the "favorite", where is OGAE, did they stop voting???
The best rehearsal so far has to be Switzerland but 3+2 from Belarus were good too. Pity that the Belarus entry is so boring 
The worst rehearsal in my opinion goes to either Moldova or Denmark. The Danish duo do indeed look like they don't care. The Moldovan singers did not in favt have a bad rehearsal and it was no worse than in their national final but they just can't sing so that's why I say they had a bad rehearsal.
Sweden had the best rehearsal today by far.
All the others were mediocre and, quite frankly, disappointing.
Today's rehearsals:
1.Azerbaijan -best ballad,great choreography
2.Sweden - she is the cutest and I love the song
3.Ukraine - very interesting song,not something we are used to
4.Israel - Harel
5.Armenia -nice ethno sounds
6.Lithuania -they are fun
7.Switzerland -he is OK
8.Denmark -I don't like the song
DENMARK: Negatively surprised about their live performance. Despite they were one of my favs, it seems they are so bored of performing the song and being together in general. When the wall disappears they sing "In a moment like this" ina strong voice, but their faces clearly demonstrates "Why da f*** you are still here?". They are like to furniture peaces on the stage.
SWITZERLAND: Nice start with 3 ladies around. It gives kind of this years "Croatia-style" impression. Though it looks better than in Swiss NF. Unlikely for Denmark, he is more into his performance and he is sure that he enjoys singing. I know its rehearsal, but it is a part of the performance. Strong vocals, but the song misses the "soul".
SWEDEN: Strong vocals and vibe. She fulfils the stage with beauty and vibrant flying bird feeling. I like the red-after-blue persons at the background that creates the Alice-in-Wonderland senses. Sure qualifier for the Final.
AZERBAIJAN: Again - strong vocals. Step-leaving looks catchy. I miss the dancers from the performance in Ukrainian NF though. I loved their way of treating her (or Safura's way of treating them). Now the solo dancer just partly fulfils the message. Generally speaking strong performance and I am sure that from closer camera shoots it will look "Americanishly" full of qualitative pop.
UKRAINE: I just love the rejecting attitude of her. The voice is excellent like the dark violin. She is in her character (read - song). I guess she will change the outfit as it disturbs a bit. I am not sure Europe will understand it, but vocally, visually and sensionally she is full of strong energy in positive context.
@togravus
I believe you...not sure I agree with you on all of them though, let's see on the big day 
!
@seamus
yes I love that...kind of sums up the "best/worst" of ESC!
paul
No, I am dead serious: Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Estonia, Lithuania, Croatia, Serbia, BiH, Cyprus, Israel, Russia, Germany. I love or like all those songs very much. In a normal year, there are only 3 to 5 songs I care for.
@togravus
oh your Virgo cynicism shining there!! (?!)
There is plenty of talent this year: and there are some great new singers from Sweden, Malta, Spain, Germany, Ukraine, Belgium. More experience from Switzerland, Iceland, Turkey, Ireland, Russia - amongst others.
I dont like all the songs these singers bring, but actually the vocal performances this year do in general not seem to be under average.
There are few outstanding songs, I agree to that. But I am not as negative to this years ESC as many other in here.
@ paul c l
I've never seen that before, It's really funny!!
Best year since 1998. I love 20 songs
@Seamus
well I think my favourite "ESC song"/video of all time sums up what ESC means now: tackiness, bad lyrics, copying other songs, bad singers, silly preview videos, but would win!!
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=sS5RavSpd4o
@ Paul & Aderito
I'm glad that someone else feels the same way. If I'm to pick up my phone someone is going to have to really impress me big time. My opinion (and I might be wrong) is that after 12 or 13 years of televoting, talent has gone out the window. Now it's all about appealing to as many people as possible and by doing that quality has suffered. Each year there are never more than about 5 really good songs, this year the best five are nothing special.
aderito/Seamus
I agree it is really a very weak year, it will depend so much more this year on the performance on the night to attract voters..
It's not just you, Seamus. There isn't a single song i can honestly say i love. I like a few of them, but none has blown me away so far. And then there are loads of lame songs. To me this is the shittiest Eurovision year ever.
Is it just me, or is anyone else out there bored with all the songs? The standard is really poor this year. At the moment I can't see myself voting for any song.
all the performances and interesting reviews heree !!
take a look
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=V49ka1plHdk
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=kkFNfacYb-M
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=aEFyDYWmn8c
well, here's my "independent" opinion based on the rehearsals/songs so far:
"Armenia is shite because in history they attacked us and caused a lot of wars between Turkey etc, and Azerbaijan was pathetic, that rehearsal, because she's just a slut and now way would EBU ever allow ESC in Baku, and as for Ukraine, well, she will get through thanks to her neighbours, and as for the Nordic countries, well, Swe votes for Ice votes for Den, who cares about their songs, as for the Balkans, well, Serbia will get through just on diaspora, even though , the song is crap, and as for UK, well, let's hope some votes from Ireland will lift them from the bottom, and as for the other countries, well, Belgium might do well, because it's not from the "Francophone" region, (and I hate them), and Spain too, because he is from Madrid, a "pure madrileño" and not some distant singer from a strange region in Spain , especially not from Catalonia, who might sing in Catalan language"..etc etc etc
hope you see my point, I think I'm going to use this angle for a report of mine soon! pcl ps where is Sara when you need her most?!
First of all i agree with Christophe
only harel skaat had the potential to overcome tom's performace yesterday but it was quite dissapointing and i am truly sorry for that as I really started to like him since he expressed his fondness on the belgian entry..!
as for today
1.Sweden (after best male vocals yesterday from tom we found the best female vocals from anna ! only niamh kavanagh can do better obviously..!)
2.Ukraine (one of my new favorites !)
3.Armenia (very impressive)
4.Switzerland (it won't qualify but he was much better than others today.._
5.Israel (the vocals is this song's only weapon and they were mediocre..)
6.Azerbaijan (that is not a winner..)
7.Denmark (today's rehearsal really bad but I expect more !)
8.Lithuania (fighting with slovenia for the last place in semi 2..)
@Christophe Lemonnier
Don't try convince yourself for free lol!!!
Sweden was the best by far!Armenia was very good too!Amazing vocals from Eva and the right light effects!Azerbaijan was really professional.They seem to have worked very much on this coz they need this victory badly.Technically is really good but it has no soul.It isn't a heart felt act like Sweden for instance!Ukraine was nice too but i think it is a borderline qualifier...Switzerland was a nice surprise but sadly it's not a qualifier i.m.o...israel was good but i think Harel avoids putting pressure on his voice.Vocally it is really demanding so he is doing the right thing!Lithuania is energetic and fun...A possible qualifier.Denmark was the worst of the day!Terrible vocals and no real chemistry between the 2 singers...
Don't forget juries vote as well :-)
I'm glad crap songs like Lithuania will stay out of the final. NO MORE JOKES>
And I am almost convinced that Israel won't pass this semi... too mainstream, too boring, too French without being French at all.....
The list of 38 reactions is divided into 2 pages. Choose a page:
1 | 2
React yourself
This news article is older than one week. Reacting to articles is only possible in the first week after publication.
