I just realised that in Semi-Final 2 The Netherlands 🇳🇱 performed right between the Jury favourite 🇲🇰 and the Televote Favourite 🇳🇴, but still ended up winning the Semi, aswell as the whole show
Here we go for Semifinal 2! 1. Armenia - Srbuk’s vocals were on point but the stage swallowed her up. I have no idea if anyone feels the same, but I think they should’ve sent her song “Half a Goddess.” It was released around the time she was announced as Armenia’s artist and it’s better than “Walking Out” (just my opinion) 2. Ireland - I liked the ‘50s diner vibe, but the staging was all over the place. Her vocals were good, but her backing vocalists were lacking. 3. Moldova - Anna’s vocals were great. I’m not sure if Ksenia (the sand artist) was performing in real-time or if a video was projected when she was “performing.” 4. Switzerland - DESPAFUEGO (a mix of “Despacito” and “Fuego”) I still don’t like the song but there was no doubt this would qualify and I can respect Luca. 5. Latvia - Sabine had great vocals. I wanted them to qualify, but sorry Latvia. 6. Romania - Robbed! Ester’s staging had elements of her music video (the mansion) and her Selecția Națională staging (the chair.) I really enjoyed it. I think she finished either 12th or 13th Yeah, Lucy’s comments to Luca were cringy... 7. Denmark - This grew on me a little during the live shows. I like the updated staging. Instead of Leonora staring at the camera for half the song like at Dansk MGP, we actually saw the audience and the process of her getting on the chair and interacting with her backing vocalists 8. Sweden - John and the Mommas sold this song! It was great! 9. Austria - PÆNDA was robbed! You felt the emotion as she was performing. Great song overall. 10. Croatia - Roko has a promising career ahead of him. He’s only 18! He had amazing vocals, but this staging was too much. The Mommas just stole that interview 11. Malta - Michela sold it! So great to see Malta back in the final. 12. Lithuania - Jurij had good vocals but being alone onstage didn’t help. 13. Russia - Expected qualifier. Its Sergey Lazarev. He had great vocals and staging. It did feel like musical theater, and showcased Sergey as a versatile artist compared to his 2016 entry. 14. Albania - Jonida had some of the best vocals of the year, hands down. They also gave us great staging. 15. Norway - KEiiNO crushed it! Freaking awesome! Seeing the artists come together to give an amazing performance and just have the song amped up was great. 16. Netherlands - PERFECTION! I’m not afraid to admit that I cried each during performance. So happy for Duncan. 17. North Macedonia - Total surprise qualifier and I couldn’t have been happier! The commentator on the stream I watched said “new name, new fortune” and he was right. 18. Azerbaijan - Chingiz’s vocals were great! The staging was so out there and different. The Interval Act was Shalva Band - This group was wonderful, talented and inspiring. They’re a group of performers with physical and mental disabilities and they really embodied the “Dare to Dream” message. It was a great performance.
The group in question is called Shalva Band. They performed “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman”. They’re a group who’s lineup is made up entirely of people with disabilities. It was a beautiful performance. Watch it all the way through and react to it.
Norway was also a grower for me too. I really love it now. From the audience score it seems to have worked for many people. I hope they achieve success after this competition.
Hey Jake:) Thanks again for your honest reaction: GREAT!! :)) In your last reaction about The Netherlands, you said: "He will not make it , because of the simple dissapointing staging" . I think that SIMPLE staging, was JUST what this great song needed: It was all about Duncan and his self written song" . So I am glad our broadcaster/director choose the setting, you did not like :)) Thanks again! Pleasure to watch your reactions! Cheers! JOERI :)) *PS" Did you see, your Original "Arcade" reaction, won by far - in views/ likes?:)
I think your right about Lituania and the unfortunate staging. If you sing about running lions than show some freaking running lions ( by visuals). Such a shame cause I really liked the song. Another great video Jake. With love from The Netherlands. ✌🏼💚
Switzerland was fun and all, but I thought it was mainly a singing competition. He basically just weirdly talk yelled into the mic, bummed me out to see Switzerland and Czech Republic get a lot of attention, even though musically they're very weak. I think that their songs were upbeat, and they're cute and what people liked, right?
You can see the voting results from all the countries, they're already out in the official ESC site. 😊 Many surprises this year, esp on the final. For me Denmark did not deserve to qualify. No way. Romania could have qualified even with that staging. In the final results Lithuania was disqualified being in the 11th place by only one point 😱 (Denmark had 94, Lithuania 93). That must have come as a shock to them.
I need to build some dams to stop the crying flooding my house. AHA! That's the Netherlands plan! We'll all flood the Earth from crying so much at their beautiful beautiful song and they'll be the only ones who survive because of their awesome dam network and therefore win Eurovision every year! I'm onto you, Duncan.
@@JakesFaceReacts Snow art is difficult and so too risky to do on the eurovision stage, but she can do it. I recommend reacting to Ukraine 2011 where she performed sand art live! (I cannot find a reaction video of yours, so I assume you didn't), she also won bronze medal in America's got talent champions.
i knew armenia just wasn't going to qualify based on the vocals and even though srbuk mentioned an empty stage during the bridge on social media before sf2, i completely forgot about it.
Again massive thanks to anyone who reads this review of sf2. 1- Sweden. SO GOOOOOD. This song just makes me so happy. John and the mamas are equally as amazing and I've just gotten so addicted to this song. 2- The Netherlands. Congratulations Netherlands on the win. I'm so pleased for them. It's not my favourite song but it's so captivating and Duncan has you in the palm of his hand with the performance. 3- Russia. This is better than his entry in 2016 and the song shows off his vocal capabilities much better. Incredible staging, slick, co-ordinated and yet not over produced. 4- Switzerland. He's never going to get the award for best vocalist but this is such a summer tune and I love the beat delay on the last chorus. 5- Armenia. ROBBED. Her vocals were as good as they could be. It's such a powerful song and performance. I have to disagree with you on the staging, I didn't think she needed 10 men around her, she had a great presence and strength up there and I love the ending when she is literally "walking out". Spectacular opening. 6- Albania. Not as strong as the final but this song has dark, haunting vibes. Her vocals are still amazing but those backing vocalists deserve a lot of credit too. 7- Norway. Great combination of pop and culture. A typical eurovision classic. I thought in the semi final there performance was pretty weak and Tom struggled on the first chorus but I think this went down the best in the arena. 8- Malta. The pre-chorus is the star of the show. Not a huge fan of the chorus and some of the choreography is a bit sloppy and awkward. She did incredible considering she is 18, two very strong vocal performances. 9- North Macedonia. I don't think I'm as big a fan of this as most people are. I'm still amazed it won the juries. The verses are nice, the song has a few moments, I particularly enjoyed the second chorus but this was a very strong year and for this to finish 7th was a shock to me. 10- Denmark. It's just that nice, angelic tune that I was waiting for. She sang in four languages which was pretty impressive and I loved the backing vocalists here too. Always happy! NON-QUALIFIERS 11- Azerbaijan. There has to be variety in eurovision and in this semi final for me was outshone by the other three upbeat songs: Switzerland, Norway and Malta. The verses are quite boring, the staging is odd and the song feels so overoroduced. There is an overwhelming presence of the backing track which you can really here when chingiz does his long high note. Not a huge fan. 12- Lithuania. I'm pretty sure this was a point off Denmark in 10th. It's such a cliché pop song. It's pleasant but too empty and underwhelming. 13- Romania. This song has its moments and it's an excellent vocal performance. The verses are non- existent and the staging feels muddled. 14- Moldova. I don't think she gets enough credit for her vocals which are on point. The song is just too repetitive and the sand art is so irrelevant and out of place. 15- Latvia. Again there's nothing wrong with the vocals here. This is the kind of music you expect in a position hotel bathroom. It's nice but so boring! 16- Croatia. He's a great vocalist but the song and staging are awful. 17- Ireland. 😭😭😭😭. My country. I was never a fan, Sarah did her best but the song is just flat. Her vocals were shaky as expected and the staging and performance was cringy and difficult for me to watch. Ryan did incredible in 2018, we need a song with message and purpose, we've lost our way a bit this year. I really wanted lyra to step forward. 18- Austria. Her vocals were the only thing that could save this and they were shaky. The song is so stationery and underwhelming. So sad for Austria to go from cesar( my favourite) to this. THANKS FOR THE READ AGAIN GUYS!! ✌✌😊😊
My opinion on the qualifiers (in brackets are my position): 1. The Netherlands - expected and well deserved SF2 winner (4) 2. North Macedonia - amazing song, vocals & stage presence! Getting back in the final after 7 years must've felt great (2) 3. Sweden - predictable qualifier ofc. I do like gospel-sounding songs, unfortunately it's too polished for me (10) 4. Switzerland - liked it at release, gradually dislikes it until it somehow reach my bottom 5 (because of his vocals, the lyrics and a bit of the staging). And people praising his vocals are lunatics... (18) 5. Azerbaijan - this is weird, half the fans like it, half don't. I LOVE it, the flow between parts mixed with ethnic sounds were natural. Was oversupported by back vocals though (although Chingiz sounds great)... (3) 6. Russia - though an obvious qualifier, I'm surprised it only finished 6th in the semi. Maybe it's a bit too slow even for juries? Anyway I'm kinda eh with the staging (11) 7. Norway - one word: ROBBED, by juries. At least appreciate the fact that they mixed tradition with modernity. Vocally not as good as final but still slays (5) 8. Malta - her reaction was everything! Unfortunately, I feel this song is too much for my liking (too erratic)... But well done Michela (17) 9. Albania - seriously juries, you put this as a NQ? I can understand the televoters, but juries? The song lyrics, Jonida's vocals and the harmony deserve way more than 38 jury pts! (1) 10. Denmark - this grew on me tbh (performance was cute and nicely done). I still think this isn't a qualifier worthy entry. (12) Since it's getting too long, I'd certainly swap Switzerland, Malta, Denmark & Russia with Romania, Armenia, Austria & Moldova 😣
What went wrong? Armenia- the staging felt empty, in some part... literally empty Ireland- dead on arrival Moldova- staging also, its actually snow, and it wasnt performed live also due to some technical limitations which also pissed the delegation. Romania- maybe the song was too dark? Austria- people just dont get it Croatia- also dead on arrival Latvia- went nowhere
i agree with all the qualifiers except i would put Romania instead of Denmark. Russia was trully amazing but not a winner. i was waiting to see what they would do on stage. on the other hand for Italy and The Netherlands as soon as their videos came out i loved them at once. what i'm trying to say is that when a song is amazing you know it from the start and you don't have to wait to see the stage performance. that group that you are asking what is this? well let me tell you. Israel had a competition like the voice to select who will represent them. that group was in the top 4 when they had a thing about their religion and rehearsals. i think the rehearsals were at the same time as when they would pray. i'm not sure about that. so because of that they left the competition. anyway will you do a video about the big 5? also about the "switch song part" with Conchita, Mans, Eleni and Verka? also about what did you think about Madonna? and about the voting error in the final? and oh that awkward moment when Germany got 0 points from the public? omg Bar Rafaeli saying "i'm sorry but there are 0 points for Germany" and all their faces just saying "please God let it be over"
I can't be alone in thinking it was cruel of the producers to announce Malta last, and stay on her understandably emotional reaction for so long, and make her go first in the final, AND show her reaction to being robbed by the televoters in the final, despite so many other contestants being spared from having their reactions broadcasted to the tv audience. What made it especially cruel in my opinion, to intentionally put her in so many nerve-wracking situations, was the fact that she'd had anxiety issues as early as the first rehearsal. From what I've heard, the Maltese team even spared her from having to attend a lot of the voluntary PR stuff, like the ESC parties. Not to mention the fact that Michela is just 18 years old. Like, all the stuff they put her through could probably make even older more seasoned performers sick with anxiety and nervousness.
Hey bro. Will you watch the old eurovision songs like last year? I have some suggestions, and I think I didn't saw those songs on your channel: - Finnland 2008 - France 2009 - Estonia 2012 - Iceland 2013 I think you will like them :D
Lithuania was short 1 point to get equal with 10th place. About staging. Everything you see on stage cost much money, Lithuania this year hasn't much money so they couldn't do bigger staging.
What went wrong with Armenia was that the music video showed a story and was manically interesting but this performance was well, eh at best. There was just nothing interesting with that staging. I wanted to fall asleep during it.
The second semi final was tough! I think that instead of Denmark (the same stage director as Azerbaijan), whom should have passed to the final was Romania or Armenia (still with a poor presentation). Fun fact: Chingiz (don't you loved that Mugham part? Breathtaking) and Sergey had the same vocal coach, Alex Panayi.
