Immersed in the Eurovision week, the 67th edition of the most watched and followed song contest reaches its second stop, after the first semi-final last Tuesday, again ten places are available for this Saturday. After the victory of Ukraine by Kalush Orchestra with the song “Stefania” last year in the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest held in Turin (Italy), we travel to Liverpool (United Kingdom), which has opened its arms to host the contest after the impossibility to be held in Ukraine and Sam Rider with the song “Space Man” coming second last year.
The second semifinal brings us sixteen new proposals that we will see in a unique way. Despite the press center’s closure during individual rehearsals, we were able to confirm last Tuesday that the stage lives up to the expectations. Therefore, we can expect an exciting semifinal that is, in principle, more open than the first one. The way the songs are presented on television screens and the stage of the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool will play a crucial role in the audience’s choice of their favorites. It’s worth noting that this year’s semifinals have a new feature: the ten finalists will be selected based on 100% televote.
Which countries will participate in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2023?
The selected countries were determined through a meticulous drawing of lots on January 31. After determining the performance order for each half, the EBU decided the order of performance for the second show. Tonight, we will witness a semifinal with a more balanced level of competition. Noteworthy participants include Austria, with its iconic song; Cyprus, known for one of the best voices in the competition; and Poland and Armenia, who have impressed with their rehearsals. Here is the Running Order for the semifinal:
Another aspect to keep in mind is the Big Five and the host, in this case, from the group of six already qualified for the Grand Final, the public in the UK, Ukraine and Spain will be able to vote tonight for their favorites, while those in France, Italy and Germany did it last Tuesday in the second semifinal.
As the BBC and the EBU announced last February 22nd through their official media, for this second semi-final we have three hosts, the singer, songwriter, dancer and TV presenter Alesha Dixon, Hannah Waddingham, recognized for her consolidated career on stage and on screen, and Julia Sanina, Ukrainian singer and songwriter. We remind that for the Grand Final Graham Norton will join the hosting team, a popular TV presenter in the UK and around the world.
What will be the format of the second semifinal of Eurovision 2023?
The semifinal will commence at 21:00h CET from the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool in a spectacular manner, featuring former Ukrainian Eurovision representatives performing on stage.
Following the opening ceremony, the three presenters will provide instructions for voting, as several changes have been introduced. In addition to the 100% televote determining the ten finalist songs, a new category called “Rest of the World” has been added. It combines all the votes received from countries that are not participating in the current edition.
The artist introductions will be particularly special in this case. Before each performance, the pre-recorded videos will showcase locations and landmarks that share similarities between the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and the performing country. This will take the audience on a cultural journey through these three nations.
After the sixteen performances, the voting period will open. The first interval act of the night, titled “Music Unites Generations,” will feature Ukrainian artists from different generations coming together through traditional Ukrainian music. Mariya Yaremchuck, Otoy, and Zlata Dziunka will be the stars of this captivating moment.
Following the close of voting, the second interval act, “Be Who You Wanna Be,” will deliver a vibrant performance emphasizing the value of diversity and freedom. Well-known UK Drags will showcase that Eurovision is a safe and inclusive space for fans.
Similar to the first semifinal, the game “Qualified or Not Qualified” will make a comeback, hosted by Filomena Cautela (Host Portugal 2018) and Måns Zelmerlöw (Host Sweden 2016). They will attempt to guess which past entries from previous years qualified for the final and which ones did not. The score was 2-1 in favor of the Swede during the previous show.
During this semifinal, there will also be a preview of performances by the members of the Big Five, along with the host country. The excerpts will include “Heart of Steel” by TVorchi for Ukraine, “I Wrote a Song” by Mae Muller for the UK, and “Ea Ea” by Blanca Paloma for Spain. These segments were recorded during the dress rehearsal (Jury Show) the previous night, and the full performances will be uploaded to the official Eurovision YouTube channel after the show.
The night will culminate with the announcement of the ten qualifiers for the grand final on Saturday. It’s important to note that these qualifiers will be announced randomly to avoid influencing the voting on Saturday. Thus, the total points and breakdown will not be revealed.
Following the conclusion of the second semifinal and the classified artists’ press conferences, where the half of the final performance will be drawn, the order of performances for the Grand Final on Saturday will be announced, likely in the early hours of the morning.
How to Watch the Eurovision Song Contest Second Semi-Final from the USA and the Rest of the World
Eurovision’s YouTube Channel
Eurovision’s YouTube channel offers a livestream of both semi-finals and the Grand Final. However, since 2016, this content has been geoblocked due to music rights issues.
Utilizing a VPN
To bypass geoblocking restrictions, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access content from other regions. AtlasVPN is a freemium service tailored for fans of live international TV events, offering both security and privacy. Utilizing a VPN can help you watch Eurovision on YouTube, as individual performances and full broadcasts have been geoblocked since 2016.
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How to vote from the Rest of World in Eurovision 2023
For the first time, those watching the Eurovision Song Contest in non-participating countries will be able to vote online. Votes from these countries will be combined to create a set of points with the same weight as one participating country in both Semi-Finals and the Grand Final. This will slightly increase the general public’s impact on the final result to approximately 50.6%.
Ensuring Fair Voting
To vote from a non-participating country, you must use a secure online platform and a credit card from your country. The Voting Partner will ensure that only audiences from countries allowed to vote online, as stipulated by the Reference Group, the Contest’s governing board, can cast a vote and be charged respectively. The full list of eligible countries will be published near the time of the event. There will not be a jury representing non-participating countries.