Eurovision: Tonight the first semi-final featuring Cyprus – Which countries are expected to advance to the final (video)

The 69th Eurovision Song Contest kicks off tonight at 22:00 with the first semi-final held in Basel, Switzerland. Representing Cyprus is Theo Evan, who will perform “Shh” as the final act of the evening—often seen as a strategic advantage.

Also taking the stage tonight is Sweden’s top contender, KAJ, with the song “Bara Bada Bastu.” This semi-final will decide which ten countries advance to the grand final on Saturday, promising an exciting evening filled with varied musical performances and intense competition.

A total of 15 countries are participating in this semi-final. Additionally, the representatives from Spain, Italy, and the host country, Switzerland—who have already secured their places in the final—will also perform but will not compete. The so-called “Big Five,” consisting of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom, along with Switzerland, automatically qualify for the final on Saturday, May 17.

Check out the videos of the competing songs from the first semi-final.

Competing countries for a spot in the Grand Final (running order, country, artist, song):

1. Iceland – VAEB – Roa
2. Poland – Justyna Steczkowska – Gaja
3. Slovenia – Klemen – How Much Time Do We Have Left
4. Estonia – Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato
5. Ukraine – Ziferblat – Bird of Pray
6. Sweden – KAJ – Bara Bada Bastu
7. Portugal – Napa – Deslocado
8. Norway – Kyle Alessandro – Lighter
9. Belgium – Red Sebastian – Strobe Lights
10. Azerbaijan – Mamagama – Run With U
11. San Marino – Gabry Ponte – Tutta l’Italia
12. Albania – Shkodra Elektronike – Zjerm
13. Netherlands – Claude – C’est la vie
14. Croatia – Marko Bošnjak – Poison Cake
15. Cyprus – Theo Evan – Shh

Top contenders expected to advance based on betting odds

According to betting predictions, these ten countries have the highest likelihood of advancing from the first semi-final:

1. Sweden – KAJ (95%)
2. Estonia – Tommy Cash (94%)
3. Ukraine – Ziferblat (94%)
4. Netherlands – Claude (94%)
5. Albania – Shkodra Elektronike (93%)
6. Cyprus – Theo Evan (85%)
7. Norway – Kyle Alessandro (84%)
8. Poland – Justyna Steczkowska (83%)
9. Belgium – Red Sebastian (77%)
San Marino – Gabry Ponte (52%)

The remaining entries, including those from Slovenia, Iceland, Azerbaijan, Portugal, and Croatia, show significantly lower chances of qualifying according to these predictions.

Innovations in this year’s contest include full Greek Sign Language interpretation and no commercial breaks

This year features significant advancements in accessibility: both semi-finals and the grand final will be broadcast live on ERT1 and the Second Radio Programme 103.7. For the first time in Eurovision’s history in Greece, the contest will be fully accessible via ERTFLIX, with complete Greek Sign Language interpretation and no commercial breaks, available through a special Eurovision Channel.

There are also voting system modifications: qualifications from each semi-final will solely depend on public voting. Greek audiences can now vote online at www.esc.vote, in addition to traditional methods like phone calls and SMS.

Tonight’s show is projected to be a spectacular event filled with surprises, generating significant excitement around Cyprus’s entry. The song “Shh,” composed by a team of renowned artists including Dimitris Kontopoulos and Elsie Bay, aims to qualify in one of the most competitive semi-finals in recent years.