Welcome to our weekly post in an effort to keep you up-to-date on anything and everything *Eurovision* you might have missed in the last 7 days! Spoliers ahead!
Welcome to February! The week of the 4th-10th February gave us more pieces of the Eurovision 2024 puzzle as the calendar edges closer to the Grand Final in Malmö which exactly 3 months away!!!
🇺🇦 🌟 Finally a winner in Ukraine
Let’s start back on last Sunday where after the app used for voting in Vidbir was overwhelmed with the number of votes, the voting window was extended 24 hours, meaning Vidbir technically ended on Sunday evening!
After the dust settled, there was no surprise when Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil were declared the winners. They will perform Teresa & Maria in the first half of Semi Final 1 in Malmö.
🇫🇮 🌟 Käärijä hands the reins to Windows95man
Heading into the UMK final with only an 8% chance of winning according to the bookmakers, Windows95man’s energetic performance stunned many by winning the Finnish selection! He’ll perform in Semi Final 1 in Malmö!
🇱🇻 🌟 Supernova comes to an end
Latvia hasn’t made the Grand Final at Eurovision since 2016. Hoping to break the NQ streak is Dons who won Supernova 2024! He will sing Hollow in the second half of Semi Final 2 in Malmö.
🇮🇹 🌟 Sanremo Festival crowns its 74th champion
After over 25 hours of performances and entertainment on the Italian Riviera, the 74th Festival di Sanremo has finally crowned a winner. The press and radio juries as well as the Italian public had a record-breaking 30 entries to choose from this year. After all the voting, five songs emerged as the favorites, and went to a ‘Superfinal’:
- Angelina Mango – La noia (1st place) 40.3%
- Geolier – I p’ me, tu p’ te (2nd place) 25.2%
- Annalisa – Sinceramente (3rd place) 17.1 %
- Ghali – Casa mia (4th place) 10.5%
- Irama – Tu no (5th place) 6.9%
Angelina Mango becomes the first woman to represent Italy at Eurovision since 2016, and the first to win Sanremo since 2014!
🇱🇹 Lithuania’s Eurovizija.LT completes final Heat
The fifth and final Heat of Eurovizija.LT took place on Saturday evening. Joining Silvester Belt, VB Gang, Aistè, Žalvarinis, Shower, Pluie de Comètes, Il Senso, and Monika Marija in next Saturday’s Final on 17th February are two more songs:
🇮🇱 Israel chooses artist for Malmö
The final of the talent show HaKochav HaBa (The Next Star) was broadcast on Keshet 12 on Tuesday night, where Eden Golan was selected to represent Israel at Eurovision 2024. Her song will be revealed within the next month. She will perform in the second half of Semi Final 2.
🇸🇪 Heat 2 of Melodifestivalen in Malmö
The second of five Heats of Melfest wrapped up in Sweden on Saturday night. In a new format for 2024, there is no ‘Second Chance’ Round, with the Top 2 songs from the five Heats going directly to the Final in Stockholm on 9th March.
After the first round of voting, Liamoo was the favourite with Dragon, and goes straight to the Final in Stockholm. After a second round of voting, When I’m Gone by Maria Sur had the most points and now also has a spot in the Final. Their songs will be released on YouTube and streaming services after Heat 5.
There is some hope left for the songs that finished in 3rd and 4th place. These songs are entered into a vote that will happen immediately after Heat 5 to choose the 11th and 12th spots in the Mello Final. This week’s runners up are:
What do you think about this week’s results? Do you have a favourite already? Who should travel to Malmö, this May? Let us know in the comments and on our social media profiles @buildingbridgespod !
Photo credits: Yle Screenshot
Building Bridges Eurovision Podcast - buildingbridgespod.com 
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