We are ready for a busy Saturday night again. Six shows, including four grand finals, will give us a lot of new Eurovision 2019 songs. You can follow everything that is happening tonight in this liveblog.
After the German national final on Friday, this night we also find out the acts that will be sent by Denmark, Hungary, Lithuania and Ukraine. Besides that, Sweden and Portugal continue their search for the perfect act in Tel Aviv. Check out the full schedule below, with links to a live stream to watch the show, when available.
Ukraine, Vidbir 2019 final, 18:00 CET
Hungary, A Dal 2019 final, 19:30 CET
Denmark, DMGP Final, 20:00 CET
Lithuania, Eurovizijos Atranka final, 20:00 CET
Sweden, Melodifestivalen semi final 4, 20:00 CET
Portugal, Festival da Canção 2019 semi final 2, 22:00 CET
Liveblog for Saturday the 23rd of February
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23:00 – That ends tonight’s live-blog while we wait for Portugal’s results
We will update the blog later with the Portuguese semi-final results but thank you to everyone for reading and contributing either here or on social media. We hope to see you again next week for an even more eventful night.
22:55 – Portugal decides it’s remaining finalists
The following are the remaining, four finalists for next week’s national final:
- NBC – Igual a ti
- Surma – Pugna
- Madrepaz – Mundo a mudar
- Mariana Bragada – Mar doce
22:25 – Jurijus will sing ‘Run with the Lions’ in Tel Aviv for Lithuania
In a surprising twist, Jurijus won the Lithuanian tele-vote and jury votes with Monika Marija on second in both securing “Run with the lions” as the Lithuanian entry for Eurovision 2019.
22:15 – Portugal begins their second semi-final
Festival da Canção continues in the RTP studios in Lisbon with the second semi-final in which the remaining four finalists will be selected for next week’s national final. Let us know if any of these four could be your Portuguese winner.
22:10 – Lithuania brings neighbouring country Latvia’s entry to perform
Carousel, the Latvian representatives for Eurovision 2019 are performing during the interval act of Lithuania’s national final. Voting should end in approximately 45 minutes.
21:55 – Denmark chooses their entry for Tel Aviv
In a climactic result the super-finalist results were as followed:
- Leonora – Love is Forever (42%)
- Julie & Nina – League of Light (35%)
- Sigmund – Say My Name (28%)
21:45 – All songs performed in Lithuania, Jurijus adds camera tricks
21:42 – All super-finalists have re-performed in Denmark
DMGP 2019 is starting to come to the end as all three super-finalists, Sigmund, Julie & Nina and Leonora have reperformed their entries. Let us know who you think will win. Rasmussen now performs his new single and Eurovision entry for last year on-stage.
21:38 – Maruv wins Vidbir 2019 as Freedom Jazz out early thanks to televote.
Televoting results has come in and televoting has ruined Freedom Jazz’s chance of winning as Maruv wins by landslide the right to represent Ukraine in Eurovision 2019. You can read the full result’s article below:
21:35 – Record-breaking voting in Ukraine as audience chants Maruv
21:32 – Joci Papai will represent Hungary this year
A Dal has ended and Joci Papai will once again represent Hungary at Eurovision only two years since he last won A Dal. You can read the full results article below.
21:31 – Sigmund brings disco with an unforgettable performance.
Sigmund is back on-stage as one of the Danish super-finalists. He opens the performance in a straitjacket before ripping it off and many silver-cladden backing dancers and visuals. Great use of stage and overall good track. I can see this winning and appealing to the Danish audience.
21:30 – AWS return to A Dal stage to perform during interval
Last year’s Hungarian representatives are back on-stage to perform during the interval before the televote is revealed.
21:25 – Danish super-finalists are chosen
The following songs will compete in the super-final for Denmark:
- Sigmund – Say My Name
- Leonora – Love is Forever
- Julie & Nina – League of Light
21:23: Last direct-to-final and Andra chansen songs selected in Sweden.
In a shocking result, Lisa Ajax and Arvingarna go to Andra Chansen whereas Bishara alongside his massive popularity on social media has secured his space in the Melodifestivalen Final. You can read the full results article below:
22:18 – Jamala performs her new single
Jamala is now on-stage to perform her new single “Solo”, audience love it as she remains adored in Ukraine after winning Eurovision 2016 with “1944”. Soon we shall see the total vote for Ukraine’s national selection.
21:16 – John Lundvik is first “direct to final”
Tonight’s closing performance is first to be announced directly to the final. He reprises his performance with gospel elements. Our Swedish editor live-blogging the show, Allie Lindo is “thrilled”.
21:15 – Danish Eurovision medley now on
DMGP 2019 are now going through classic Danish songs sung by our two hosts. A brilliant blast from the past and best way to wait for the super-finalists to be announced. N’Evergreen and Chanee are back on stage to lip-sync their Eurovision 2010 entry: “A Moment Like This”.
21:13 – Jocai Papi receives the top score from the jury in Hungary
Jury results are coming in at A Dal and Joci Papai has won the jury vote with 26 points. Is this enough to secure his victory and right to represent Hungary yet again in Eurovision?
21:11 – Monika Marija delivers performance-wise in Lithuania
Tonight’s fan-favourite in Lithuania has just performed and Monika Marija has delivered. Our Lithuanian editor Dennis Van Eersel reacts: “great vocals again. No changes to the staging when compared to the semi-final performance. The one to beat tonight”.
21:08 – Freedom Jazz win jury vote, Kazka scores very low
Vidbir results are coming in starting with the jury votes. Freedom Jazz wins the top score with the jury but shockingly fellow fan-favourite Kazka receives only three points from the jurors. Maruv gets the second highest score keeping it in the sight of victory depending on tele-votes.
21:05 – Leonora and Leeloo close of the Danish first performances
Great performance in Leonora who rocks a white shirt giving a great androgynous look. Leeloo chills the audience out with a female extravaganza of runway modelling. Great end of the first performances for DMGP 2019. Recap now being shown.
21:00 – Pagan Fury & Anton Hagman out, Lisa Ajax and John Lundvik in top five
Lisa Ajax and John Lundvik are safe amongst the top five while tonight’s opening and second acts Pagan Fury and Anton Hagman respectively have been eliminated. Audience seemed surprise at Anton Hagman being knocked out so early.
20:58 – Slow start in Lithuania as the competition heats up
It’s a slow start in Lithuania. We have seen half of the acts, Allen Chico, Juna, Henry & Tommy Modric and Jurgis Bruzga, but no contenders yet. Next up is Sing!, the song by two former Eurovision participants: Erica Jennings (2001) and Jurgis Didžiulis (2010).
20:56 – Bilal Hassani performs in final of Vidbir 2019
France’s Eurovision entrant in Eurovision 2019 is about to perform his song “Roi” to the Ukrainian audience. Great gig for France’s singer.
20:54 – Julie & Nina deliver as they fight for Danish victory
Fan-favourite Danish-Greelandic duo comes on stage wearing beautiful blue dresses alone on stage allowing the audience to focus solely on their vocals that were delivered superbly. Could this be Denmark’s next entry?
20:50 – John Lundvik brings gospel to the stage
After achieving third place last year, John Lundvik is back ready for victory. Already a co-writer of the UK Eurovision song for 2019 he’s back with his own co-wrote song “Too Late for Love”. Our Swedish editor Allie Lindo comments: “I think the gospel-inspired parts were a nice change for the Swedish audience – it was a throwback to my childhood”. Sounds very promising.”
20:45 – Drag queens once again utilised in Denmark
Humørekspressen have performance and quite conflicting to their entry decide to bring a drag queen as their performance gimmick for the final chorus of their entry. Can definitely say I was not expecting that! It wasn’t DQ before anyone asks.
20:40 – Is fourteenth time the charm in Sweden?
Ann-Louise Hanson will be competing for the fourteenth time at Melodifestivalen. She has never won, making her the singer who holds the record for most times competing unsuccessfully. Sanna Nielsen was on seven until she was selected in 2014.
20:36 – Mayor of Tel Aviv greets Ukraine while voting lines open
All songs have performed in Vidbir 2019 and as the voting lines commence, we are greeted by the mayor of Tel Aviv who welcomes Ukraine to Israel for Eurovision 2019. Coming up soon in Ukraine will be France’s representative for 2019, Bilal Hassani performing “Roi”.
20:30 – Feel-good songs a common theme for Denmark this year
Marie Isabell is on-stage continuing the brightly-coloured outfits and visuals singing a well-produced, mid-tempo feel-good song. Most performances have made me smile, very strong final so far. Key change and confetti at end because this is DMGP after all.
20:26 – Lisa Ajax becomes an early favourite after Swedish semi-final performance
Lisa Ajax has performed her entry “Torn” and already has become an “early favourite” according to the fans alongside our Melodifestivalen editor for tonight, Allie Lindo.
20:24 – Joci Papai performs his Hungarian entry hoping to secure a second win in A Dal
Perhaps the strongest contender in terms of previous scorings in A Dal, Hungary’s 2017 representative Joci Papai. Our editor for A Dal, Robin Tas comments that after the performance it’s in its top three and can see it becoming the Hungarian winner yet again.
20:20 – Jasmine Gabay brings the crowd alive in Herning with her Spanish dance track
One of tonight’s fan-favourites has just performed as Jasmine Gabay performs the Spanish dance track “Kiss Like This”. Much more appealing, energetic performance from Jasmine with great use of visuals and large bang of confetti during the final chorus. Audience seems very impressed.
20:14 – Pagan Fury’s lead singer takes the stage alone at Melodifestivalen
Melodifestivalen has begun with tonight’s first entry by band Pagan Fury however our Swedish editor Allie Lindo comments: “only the lead singer took the stage tonight, as the other three weren’t comfortable not playing their music live”. Surely they’ve seen the show and rules before entering?
20:10 – DMGP opens with Simone Emilie’s “Anywhere”
Tonight’s Danish co-host and Lighthouse X-member Johannes Nymark introduces tonight’s first performer, Simone Emilie. A strong production track that sounds very similar to top dance hits back three to five years ago, performance however is lack-luster and Simone struggles to deliver star quality in a dress with trainers on.
20:05 – Kazka delivers vocally and confident in the original performance
Ukraine’s other fan-favourite Kazka are back on-stage in Vidbir and deliver improved vocals necessary to it begin a focal aspect of the performance. Our Ukrainian editor for tonight, Sadie Trent comments: “Oleksandra’s vocals were the main standout of the performance. Could still do with a little bit of work though. No change in staging or costumes from the semi-final. The band members gave this performance much more energy than the semi-final performance”.
20:00 – Lithuania’s two-race battle is ready to commence
After numerous heats, Eurovizijos 2019 will conclude tonight. Lithuania’s main contenders are Monika Marija with “Light On” and Jurijus with “Run with the lions. Both got twelve points from jury ánd tele-vote in both their heats and semi-finals. Now they face each other in the final. You can read about both entrants current journey in Eurovizijos here for Monika and here for Jurijus.
19:50 – A Dal starts their final show, Denmark, Lithuania and Sweden about to begin
Now things begin to get chaotic as four extra shows are broadcasting alongside Ukraine. Don’t worry, we’ll keep you updated on each of the show’s biggest news. Hungary, Denmark and Lithuania are amongst tonight’s shows in which we will know their entry by the end of tonight. Melodifestivalen will host their final semi-final in which we will see their final entries compete for the first time.
19:25 – Jamala turns political to Maruv as she questions Maruv’s loyalty to Crimea being Ukrainian
During Maruv’s feedback from the jurors, a lot of critical feedback is provided but Jamala speaks English in order to replicate a future hypothetical press interview in which she says: “Hi Maruv, congrats on representing Ukraine. Where is Crimea located?” In which, Maruv replies in Ukrainian: “Ukraine” gaining awkward applause from the audience. Applause for the response but awkwardness for this line of questioning.
19:15 – Maruv updates her sensual performance in hopes of securing victory
Ukrainian fan favourite Maruv has added more backing dancers, new outfits and the inclusion of a bath-tub providing a more complete performance. Incredible use of choreography during the track’s bridge in which four backing dancers and Maruv lie sideways on the floor creating a gun with Maruv’s leg being the trigger for the infamous “bang”. Sadie Trent reacts “The staging is very sexy to go with the sexy feel of the look and the song. She may need to tone this down a bit if she wins”.
18:22 – Freedom Jazz opens Vidbir and conflict opinion
After scoring the only perfect score in the Ukrainian semi-finals, Freedom Jazz open tonight’s shows but will they take the crown at the end of the show? Our Ukrainian expert Sadie Trent, however, is conflicted stating that their “performance is much weaker than their semi-final. It would be hard to fill a big stage with this sort of performance”. You can read Sadie’s full live-blog here.
17:50 – Ukraine opens tonight’s shows
Ukraine has just opened the final of Vidbir 2019. Ukraine should be the first entry out of four to be chosen this evening. We will also have Sweden and Portugal’s last semi-finals for the year broadcast.