★★★★★ 0/5

Latest news as Stockholm set for Eurovision Final

The stage is set for an explosive pop showdown in Stockholm.

1
Leave a comment

2016-05-14_0159

The buzz is swirling around Dami Im after her powerhouse performance yesterday at the Eurovision Semi Final 2.

According to reports she received the largest applause and a standing ovation at the Globe Arena yesterday.

Dami Im has now moved from fifth to second favourite according to the bookies, and performs at #13 tomorrow -at the mid-point of the competition.

The South China Morning Post reports on Dami’s qualification with the headline “Not So Stupid Now! Australia Through to Eurovision Grand Final.” It is a direct reference to Graham Norton’s criticism that Australia’s inclusion was “kind of stupid.”

“European voters and national jurors disagreed with the Irish presenter as they put Dami Im through to Saturday’s 26-song Grand Final in Stockholm after judging her ballad Sound of Silence among the top 10 of Thursday’s 18-song semi-final,” it reported.

Dami Im also features in New York Times article on the contest, noting, “The country is widely considered one of the front-runners in the Eurovision Song Contest.”

But Australia still has to beat Russian entry, Sergey Lazarev with “You Are the Only One.”

Russia is not without its own controversy. Ukraine says it will boycott a 2017 event if Russia wins, while the country also has a very poor history in its gay rights and equality. There were protests when it last hosted in 2009.

Meanwhile the show’s vocal gay fans will be watching UK act Joe and Jake who have teased that they may just “snog” at the end of their performance, given many fans have been asking for it, despite only just being mates.

Finally, a win by Dami Im would come 20 years after Brissy girl Gina G competed at Eurovision for the UK with Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit.

She was robbed then, let’s hope it’s not a repeat.

Saturday 14 May, 7.30pm, Semi Final 2 (replay)
Sunday 15 May, 5am, (AEST) Final Live*
Sunday 15 May, 7.30pm Final (replay

Photo: Andres Putting

One Response

  1. I’m happy for Dami to have done so well but as a long time fan I’m not fully comfortable with Australia winning. I feel it opens a can of worms that may not be in the best interest of the contest. I really liked the inclusion of Jessica as an act and the “one-off” inclusion of Australia into the comp last year as acknowledgement of our passion for Eurovision. But a regular entrant? And a potential winner?

Leave a Reply