Katie Norbury on what to expect from tonight’s finals at Eurovision 2023
Eurovision 2022 was truly a year to remember, it marked a win for Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine as well as Britain coming second with Sam Ryder’s Spaceman. The landslide win for Ukraine was a beautiful show of solidarity for the country, as well as praise for their song Stefania. Despite Ukraine being the overall winner this year will always hold a special place in the hearts of British fans, being the best result we have received since 1998! Sam was truly a perfect representation of everything that is Eurovision, with a song that matched his energy and enthusiasm.
This year we are represented by singer- songwriter Mae Muller, with “I wrote a song”. This song has proved popular across many social media platforms, especially tiktok, with its catchy tune and lyrics. For me this wasn’t an instant hit, however it has definitely grown on me! It is very catchy, upbeat and fun and definitely has the ability to get stuck in your head for days! With the music video produced and sneak peak performances, I am hoping for a big production number this year! Last years success is definitely hard to follow but I am confident Mae will do well this year!
The Jury’s Odds:
As it currently stands Sweden have the highest winning odds, with their song Tattoo. With a 42% winning chance, Tattoo sung by Loreen won Swedens song selection competition by smashing both the public and jury votes. This will be Loreen’s second entry into the contest, and she is certainly a lucky charm for the country after winning in 2012 with Euphoria. It is also certainly reminiscent of Sweden’s biggest winners ABBA and has sky high odds of doing well this year!
Finland are the second favourite to win with their song Cha Cha Cha. However the songs odds drop heavily from Swedens with a 23% winning chance. This song is unusual and quirky, which always proves popular at Eurovision. The catchy lyrics and heavy metal feel really make this song stand out which is why it is sure to be a favourite. This song has really grown on me, and I am always fond of the weird and wonderful additions that Eurovision wouldn’t be the same without.
In the current top three the final prediction is Ukraine’s Heart of Steel. The electronic duo Tvorchi have said that the song is an ode to the current conflict in Ukraine, as well as Eurovision’s connection with war after the competition was created to unite Europe following the second world war. This is a powerful and relevant message which really encapsulates Eurovision’s importance. While personally I love this song, with its strong lyrics and electronic beat, I wonder if people will want a move away from politics at this years competition.
At the moment the United Kingdom are just scraping their way into the top 10, with a 1% winning chance. Despite this we can never really predict what will happen on the day. There has been a lot of international support for “I wrote a song”, with it appearing in the Top 40 charts for 5 weeks and is currently the 6th most streamed song on Spotify of the entire competition.
My Picks:
There are a couple of songs that are sadly missing from those top spots in the current odds, that I have been listening to on repeat. Now I have a very eclectic music taste so this is me taking off my critic hat and giving my honest opinions on the songs!
Although Loreen’s Tattoo has been growing on me, another entry that has really stood out is Belgium. I love the upbeat Because of You, it always makes me want to get up and dance! Its lively and colourful and has potential for amazing staging. I am very excited to see how this places!
Another pick for me is Switzerland’s Waterguns, which has a powerful political message. The song is topical and very well written, as well as being sung beautifully by Remo Forrer. This song currently sits in the middle of the leaderboard, but it could be a jury favourite. Also in my top 5 is Ireland’s entry We are one. Although not as overtly political, the song carries a great message that sits at the core of Eurovision’s values. Although Ireland have had many success’ in the past, this song is not currently ranked highly by the public. I am just hoping they don’t take to the stage with the masks seen in their music videos, as this could be damaging to votes!
My Predictions:
Although the initial odds and betting predictions don’t always ring true as the final draws in, I am fairly confident Loreen will claim her second win with Sweden, and quite possibly by a landslide of votes. Ukraines Heart of Steel and Finland’s Cha Cha Cha will definitely finish top ten, but I think Italy’s entry could be this years dark horse. Their song Due Vite is hovering in the top ten odds, but has been massively successful reaching 1 million streams in less than 1 day following its release.
For the UK, my prediction is that we will do more successfully in the Jury vote than the public this year. As the host, as well as really showing everyone the UK is taking Eurovision seriously again, it could boost our odds of getting those Jury votes! I think that the public votes won’t be as successful as although the song is catchy, it could end up forgotten when placed beside some bigger numbers! I am hoping for a top 15 finish!
My Top 10 Finishing Predictions:
- Tattoo, Sweeden
- Heart of Steel, Ukraine
- Cha Cha Cha, Finland
- Due Vite, Italy
- Envidement, France
- Queen of the Kings, Norway
- Unicorn, Israel
- Who the hell is Edgar?, Austria
- Blood and Glitter, Germany
- EAEA, Spain
Where to Watch:
The 2023 Eurovision song contest will air on BBC 1 starting at 8pm on 13th of May. The competition starts with semi-finals and eliminations on Tuesday 9th and Thursday 11th at 8pm. These semi final eliminations will leave 25 songs going through to Saturdays grand final. The Semi finals are judged entirely by a public vote, whereas the final will be a combination of Jury and Public voting.
This year Eurovision is hitting Cinemas across the UK for a live streaming event. Cineworld, Vue, Odeon and independent cinemas are holding the ultimate party with a big screen experience and 4 hours of the Eurovision final. Everyman Cinema Egham is one of the Cinemas showing this event, with tickets still available.
Happy Eurovision, and may the odds be ever in your favour!
Photo by Corrine Cumming via the EBU