As any ESC fan knows, there are mediocre songs which suddenly shine on stage, just as there are favourites that don’t get a favourable treatment during the rehearsal period. So let’s find out how things are going down on stage in Kyiv!

See the bottom of this post to find out how the total scores are calculated, as well as other detailed explanations.

4. Albania
Lindita – World

Total score for Albania: 11.0 (out of 40)

Quite nice, but the weakest overall package so far in this semi-final.

5. Belgium
Blanche – City Lights

Total score for Belgium: 4.0 (out of 40)

Perfect example of a great song executed very poorly on stage.

6. Montenegro
Slavko Kalezić – Space

Total verdict for Montenegro: 2.5 (out of 40)

It’s a good song (yes, that’s my opinion), staged very badly. It’s embarrassing and a whole bunch of wrong decisions.

Winning these three: Albania

Quite a surprise there, but considering what Blanche and Slavko are delivering, it’s actually very obvious.

Explanations

What the categories mean

Concept: Meaning the idea behind what the performers are actually doing on stage, ignoring how well their performance is executed.

Look: Hairdo, clothes, but also attractiveness or likability play a role here.

Stage: Use of backdrop, lights and colours.

Camera: The camerawork, judging by the official snippets.

Performance: How well the concept is executed. Movements, facial expressions, finding cameras.

Vocals: Well, how well can the entrant actually sing?

What the stars mean

1 star – Counterproductive, doesn’t do the song any favours
2 stars – Mediocre, doesn’t help nor ruin the song
3 stars – Decent, supports the song well enough.
4 stars – Literally outstanding, unique in the context of this year

How the total score is calculated

1 star = 0 points
2 stars = 1 point
3 stars = 2 points
4 stars = 4 points

For the total score, “Vocals” is weighted x5, “Performance” x3, the other four categories x0.5.