Norway and Germany will probably fight for 14th place, while Russia look set for another 2nd place.

Norway often do well these days, obviously getting nul points back in the 1980s had an effect and since then they have made quite an effort most years, including winning with the cute boy and a violin. And, it has to be said, a well-written song.

They won't come last with this year's entry but they won't do particularly well either. It's a pretty boring affair from a nice enough blonde lass in the regulation white dress. Agnete has Loreen's backing track at the start but then the beat changes and it's all a bit odd. The staging of the video version is odd too but maybe they'll come up with something better in the live show.

They should just make it through the Semis but don't expect a great deal after that.

Russia, as I said before, mean business and they are throwing one of their leading stars at the competition in an attempt to drag us all to Moscow in 2017. This is a different video to the one published before.


Not my favourite entry but it has to stand a good chance. I predict another 2nd place. They really should have brought Polina back.

Germany have another young girl in the shape of Jamie-Lee. She sort of swallows some of the English words and sounds quite odd at the start. She won their version of The Voice this year and certainly has some talent and a fun personality. She may appeal to some but I don't think she'll get very far with this.

Eurovision 2013 Denmark and Germany Early Favourites

Good commercial number again for Denmark. They're consistently coming out with great songs - last year the live performance let them down a bit so they'll be hoping Emelie de Forest gets it right on the night in May. With a name like that she has to make the left hand side of the scoreboard, at least.

Her strongest competition so far looks like being Cascada, though, one of twelve acts competing to represent Germany - to be decided 14 February -  if the voters are still in a 'Euphoria' type of mood.



Once again, absolutely no real news leaking out as to the UK entry - other than Girls Aloud and an involvement by Will.i.am. Now, that would be good! Which is why it's pretty unlikely.

The automatic finalists' entries for #Eurovision

Here are the last six reviews - the five founding nations of the contest who get automatic entry to the final and the host country. France and UK are the main ones to watch out for.

Germany

Nice ballad, well-written and performed. A likely hit across Europe but not a winning Eurovision entry. I can't quite put my finger on why but I think Engelbert wins out on tracks like this, despite his age.

Spain

You'll have to go here to see the Spanish entry for some reason best known to the organisers and their lawyers. after a quiet start and slow build there's a lot of passion and it is remarkably well sung. It lacks something, though, to really make it memorable. A good effort but not a winner this year either for one of the major players.

Azerbaijan

They'll get plenty of mid-range votes as the host. An oval-faced, hard-voiced girl sings this year and, whilst she is spot-on with the notes and all that, the song itself isn't that great and we'll be looking for another venue next year.

Italy

Boom boom boom. No, it's not that bad at all! In fact this is a highly complex track that is performed really well by the girl. maybe it's too clever for the Eurovision audience, though, and a touch over-produced. Certainly the video version was. A nice effort from Italy, who we don't see much of these days. I'd like to see it do well but it could just struggle to get the left hand side of the board.

France

Now this is a clever entry. the whistle is really really catchy and the girl is really really pretty. Add the fact that she can sing well and this is a potential winner and has to be top 5 unless the live performance fails to inspire. The video is good and, of course, much depends on what she wears, who does the whistling etc. Nevertheless, if you watch this you will remember it and that, to a great extent, is what matters when attracting Eurovision voters.

UK

I've dealt with Engelbert before so don't need to repeat his video here. As I said then, 45 years ago I would have turned off the radio at the merest possibility of his songs being played but I'm a bit older now and ahve to put all that behind me somehow! It is a very well crafted song and he can be relied on to do a great job with it on the night. There will be votes for the song, votes for the guy so he's sure to do reasonably well. Win? I don't see it but, if the voters like ballads, JEdward mess up the vocals, several pretty girls split the pretty girl vote and malta and Norway fight over theirs then the UK do have a chance.

Eurovision 2010: Germany

Lena's young and appealing. This is a British-sounding track and very 2010. That may mean that it doesn't stand a chance but what seems bland at first really does grow and grow. This has an outside chance.