Europe is gearing up for the biggest music competition of the year, the Eurovision Song Contest, which is set to take place in Liverpool, UK.
Tonight marks the official start of the event with the first semi-final, featuring strong contenders and fan-favourite songs.
A total of 15 countries will compete for a chance to secure a spot in the grand final on Saturday, with the first semi-final scheduled for tonight at 10 pm. Among the big favourites to win are Finland and Sweden.
Cyprus, represented by Andrew Lambrou, will appear in the second semi-final, on Thursday, May 11, along with Greece.
Only the top 10 countries with the highest score from the public vote will earn a coveted spot in the grand final on Saturday, May 13. In addition to the participating countries, France, Germany, and Italy, members of the so-called “Big Five,” have the right to vote in this semi-final, something they acquired due to their financial contribution to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
The order of the songs in the first semi-finals is as follows:
- Norway
- Malta
- Serbia
- Latvia
- Portugal
- Ireland
- Croatia
- Switzerland
- Israel
- Moldova
- Sweden
- Azerbaijan
- Czech Republic
- Netherlands
- Finland