LATV I A
MALTA
SEMI-FINAL 1
SEMI-FINAL 1
Song: Aijā Performer: Sudden Lights Songwriters: Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis, Kārlis Matīss Zitmanis, Kārlis Vārtiņš, Mārtiņš Matīss Zemītis LATVIA Semi-Final 1 Televote total: 34 points 11th place • Latvia just missed out on reaching the Grand Final which they haven’t been part of since 2016. The highest points they got this year was an 8 from the Rest of the World.
Song: Dance (Our Own Party) Performers: The Busker Songwriters: David Meilak, Jean Paul Borg, Matthew James Borg, Micheal Joe Cini, Sean Meachen MALTA Semi-Final 1 Televote total: 3 points 15th place • This was a poor result for Malta, coming last in the semi-final. The country has still to win the contest.
This song and the performance is all kinds of brilliant. Going into the contest I thought this was a sure fire non-qualifier, I just couldn’t quite see how they were going to stage it and whether it would connect with the audience. Then having seen the rehearsals I really thought that Latvia might have broken their now eight year curse and made it through to Saturday, but it was not to be and that makes me very sad as Aijā is completely wonderful. Lisa-Jayne Lewis
Despite being given the ‘death spot’ of performing second in the first semi-final, the boys from Malta performed with a joyous exuberance. The Busker were one of the few acts with physical props on stage and even a stage set, which allowed Dance (Our Own Party) to split into three ‘acts’. Dav Jr led the way through a blaze of vibrant pinks and yellow before the climactic moment where his baggy sweater was replaced by a shimmering silver jumper. The ‘hey, wait’ hand gesture was perhaps one gimmick too many in a fun but busy mix, though the audience ardently sang along to every chorus. The Busker’s commitment deserved to see them through to the Grand Final, but performing after the puzzlingly popular Queen of Kings was always going to be a challenge, and sadly it didn’t pay off. Alex Storer
L I THUAN I A
MOLDOVA
GRAND FINAL
GRAND FINAL
Song: Soarele Si Luna ( The Sun And The Moon ) Performer: Pasha Parfeni Songwriters: Yuliana Parfeni, Andrei Vulpe. Cătălin Temciuc, Pasha Parfeni MOLDOVA Semi-Final 1 Televote total: 109 points 5th place Grand Final Total: 96 points Juries: 20 Televote: 76 18th place • The country is on a good roll in qualifying for the Grand Final - they achieved two 12s from the televote.
Song: Stay Performer: Monika Linkytė Songwriters: Krists Indrišonoks, Monika Linkytė LITHUANIA Semi-Final 2 Televote total: 110 points 4th place Grand Final Total: 127 points Juries: 81 Televote: 46 11th place • Two countries awarded Lithuania 12 points in the semi. While they got no top votes in the Grand Final from either the juries or televoters they still achieved a very successful result.
From the moment she returned to UK soil, Monika looked at home. The lack of changes from the national final performance meant Monika and her team could get used to the surroundings easily. Stay stood out as a slow song in a fast year, placing it fourth in Semi-Final 2 and a very respectable 11th in the Grand Final. Lithuania’s impressive recent record at Eurovision means they travel to Sweden next year aiming to make it four consecutive qualifications for the first time in their history at the contest. Fin Ross Russell
Pounding drum guys? Check. Mysterious horned female vocalists? Check. Epic flute guy? Check. All the ingredients were in place for some classic Eurovision staging for Soarele Si Luna . Moldova gave us three minutes of driving, atmospheric ethnotronica which visually, was one of the evening’s high points. However, Pasha Parfeni’s vocals were weak and often lost in the bass-heavy mix, only saved by his on-stage ensemble. The compelling choreography – including Pasha’s dance-off with the demonic Sergiu and his kaval – told the story well and in terms of energy, staging and lighting, this performance had it all, along with that hypnotic beat to draw you in. It’s just a shame we couldn’t hear more of Pasha. Alex Storer
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VISION ● AUTUMN 2022 35
AUTUMN 2022 ● VISION
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