The oldest music contest in the world will feature a Queen at 60’s.

This year, 41 participates from from 41 countries will be taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest, hosted in Tel Aviv. The first Semi-final happened last Tuesday, 14th May. The second Semi-final is today, 16th May. Eighteen countries will participate in the second semi-final. Those countries plus Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom will vote in this semi-final. The final will take place on 18th May 2019. Twenty-six countries will participate in the final, with all 41 participating countries eligible to vote. The 10 finalists from the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday are:

• Greece – Katerine Duska with Better Love
• Belarus – ZENA with Like It
• Serbia – Nevene Božović with Kruna
• Cyprus – Tamta with Replay
• Estonia – Victor Crone with Storm
• Czech Republic – Lake Malawi with Friend Of A Friend
• Australia – Kate Miller-Heidke with Zero Gravity
• Iceland – Hatari with Hatrið mun sigra
• San Marino – Serhat with Say Na Na Na
• Slovenia – Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl with Sebi

Eurovision has been broadcast every year since its inauguration in 1956, becoming the oldest annual international television competition and one of the oldest television programs in the world. Music competition is mainly performed between countries that are members of the European Broadcasting Union. Since 2015, Australia has been allowed as a guest entrant. Each of the 50 participating countries sends a song to be screened the TV and radio, live. Then the songs are voted to determine the winner.

Ireland holds the record for most victories

The emerald island has seven wins, four times in five years in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996. In the current voting system, in force since 2016, the winner of the highest score is Salvador Sobral, from Portugal, who won the 2017 tender in Kiev, Ukraine, with 758 points; Winning the Eurovision Song Contest gives artists a boost in the local career and sometimes a lasting international success. Johnny Logan twice won Ireland.

The Queen of Pop will make a presentation in the Grand Final

After comings and goings, Madonna has finally confirmed her first performance at Eurovision in Tel Aviv. The confirmation was made by the singer through the Reuters site. Before that, there was a controversy about artists all over the world who wanted Madonna to boycott the contest because of the violation of Palestinian human rights by the host country of the Eurovision finals. Madonna explained her decision to perform at the festival, saying she would always speak up to defend human rights and hoped to see “a new path to peace.” 

“I will never stop playing music to suit someone’s political agenda, nor will I stop talking about human rights violations anywhere in the world.”

This week Eurovision executives said Madonna had not yet signed the contract to perform, but yesterday she was spotted landing in the capital of Israel. The singer is promoting her new album Madame X. Madonna performs, then, this Saturday, direct from Tel Aviv.

Eurovision Song Contest 2019
Dates: Sat, May 18, 2019

By Rodrigo Valadares