Tomorrow evening the winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest will be found, but half of the points were already given tonight where the juries from all the participating countries were voting. This year we have quite an open contest with no obvious winner.

Videos from the first dress rehearsal earlier today is available in a playlist on our YouTube channel. 

For these dress rehearsal articles EuroVisionary uses different writers to judge the winner potential of each song in order to give a wider perspective.  

1. Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk – Tick – Tock

If the winner was to be chosen solely on gimmicks Ukraine would be up there as a top contender. I am grateful it is not because I really don’t think there is much musically in this entry. It is fun to look at it, but I would skip it in my playlist. I am sure it will score well, but I can’t see it as a winning candidate.

2. Belarus: Teo – Cheesecake 

From the second semi-final I guessed 9 out of 10 rights. This is the song I had not seen qualifying. I am not entirely sure why it actually qualified, but I guess it must have something which someone appriciates. I do see it as a bit of fun, but in the final more than that is required to gain a top placement. 

3. Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova – Start A Fire 

From the 2011 winning country we get a strong ballad, which is pleasant to look at, and to listen to. About half way into the song, I however start to get bored. That is not a good sign, so I would rule Azerbaijan out.   

4. Iceland: Pollapönk – No Prejudice

In the national final, I really didn’t like this song, but it has gotten so much better in English, and I am very pleased that it made it to the final. There is no winner potential in this song, but it is enjoyable and it is a nice contrast to the many ballads 2014 has to offer.  

5. Norway: Carl Espen – Silent Storm

Here we have a song which I liked in the national final. Back then it was seriously the song to beat. Things has changed. It is still a fantastic lovely song, which is sung well. The past week the performance of this didn’t come across as it could have been compared to others, and I thought he had lost it. The performance tonight was however one of the best I have seen from him. Don’t rule Norway out just yet.

6. Romania: Paula Seling & OVI – Miracle

I loved their 2010 entry, but this one isn’t nearly as strong. They still have a good chemistry on stage, but the song is simply not as strong as will be needed if they are to win. I am afraid they won’t end anywhere near the 2010 result.

7. Armenia: Aram MP3 – Not Alone

Going into these two Eurovision weeks, this was the bookmaker favourite. I didn’t understand why. Parts of the song really has something fantastic to offer, but the song in its full simply has too much which makes me confused. To me it is like it is completely finished, but if they spent just a little more work on it, it could be a fantastic entry.

8. Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković – Moj Svijet 

This ain’t bad, in fact it is quite interesting. It is absolutely nice to listen to, and not a song I would skip. It however doesn’t have that last bit to make this a top contender, but I do admit that it gets nicer and nicer the more you listen to it.

9. Poland: Donatan & Cleo – My Słowianie – We Are Slavic

I really don’t like this song. For me it is one of the worst songs this year. It however has a big fanscare, so I am sending this totally to the bottom. To reach top position it is however going to a problem, that I am not the only one who is turned off. 

10. Greece: Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd – Rise Up 

The most energetic entry comes from the Greek trampolin jumpers. The song is beginning to grow a bit on me after I really didn’t like it to start with. Had Greece been placed in the second half, they might just have made a top 5, but I don’t see that happening yet though I do admit that I am beginning to like it. Believe me that is big coming from how I felt about this a month ago.

11. Austria: Conchita Wurst – Rise Like a Phoenix

The most talked about entry this year comes from Austria. It is a fantastic song, which I really do love. I would like to say that this is winning candidate, but there will be too many countries where this act will be a problem. Austria must therefore be out of the countries fighting to win, but it should do quite well still.

12. Germany: Elaiza – Is it right

I believe Germany picked the wrong song in their national final, and I don’t see this ending no where near top10. It is pleasant enough, but it doesn’t stand out in any way. You listen to it, forget about it again and move on to next song. In two rehearsals now it appears like an error when pink confetti falls down and totally burries them. Since it still is there and also is shown in the short clips afterwards, maybe it is suppose to be like that? I do find it odd though.

13. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen – Undo

We have one of the top candidates to win here. Sanna always delivers a solid strong performance with a spetacular lightshow. It appears a bit too polished and too rehearsed for me though, and that is holding it back for me. But I am likely to be one of few, so it is a strong contender for the title.

14. France: TWIN TWIN – Moustache 

Another one of those songs, which I personally really don’t like. I don’t get why a country like France would send a song like this. Some will probably find it a bit refreshing, but it is shouldn’t have what it takes to make it to the top of the list. France, I am sorry, but this is most likely not going to score into the best half.

15. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters – Shine 

We are in a bit of a bad habit here with the worst songs for me. I don’t get why this has so many fans. Musically I find it very weak, and I can’t see this winning. Russia usually scores well, and despite the political situation going on, this will probably do a lot better than I had imagined, but no top5.

16. Italy: Emma – La Mia Città 

Ahh, here is something I like. It is a very strong song and she sings it well. In the performance it however appears a bit too overdone, the crawling part doesn’t work and her dress really is a bit too short for my taste. I would like to see this song scoring well, but I am afraid it won’t make it near the placements fighting for the title.

17. Slovenia: Tinkara Kovač – Round and round

A nice song, which certainly has a lot of quality in it. I am happy to see this making it to the final, but we are in the final and here you need something more in order to make it to the top. I am afraid Slovenia will be overlooked and therefore it is most likely not a top candidate.

18. Finland: Softengine – Something Better 

I was happy when Finland qualified the final. I like it, and we surely needed a bit of rock in the final. On stage there is a tendency to that it becomes too much highschool rock, despite that it basically is such a band, I think it is a shame with that impression. I don’t think it will reach top10, but I am still happy to listen to it.

19. Spain: Ruth Lorenzo – Dancing in the rain 

A great song and Ruth does have a fantastic voice. I am however really never taken completely in by it. I can’t put my finger on what exactly it is, but there is just something which isn’t working for me. It should be strong enough to reach somewhere betwen 5th and 10th position, but as mentioned something isn’t quite right for me to see it as a winner candidate.

20. Switzerland: Sebalter – Hunter Of Stars 

The cutest guy in the contest and also the song that the most brings me in a good mood. A song that every single time manage to increase my happiness level significantly, I will be very happy to see winning, but it probably won’t make it to the absolute top. Instead I think we have a placement along the lines of Malta’s 8th place last year.  

21. Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders – Running 

Hungary comes with a great song this year, and when all the bookmakers were all focused on Armenia, I felt that Hungary was being overlooked. After the semi-final performance that is no longer the case as Hungary is in the game with a chance to win it.

22. Malta: Firelight – Coming Home 

I don’t think Firelight has much chance of winning. Believe me, I am glad to see it in the final and I do enjoy listen to it. It is a well deserved finalist, but it requires more than this to win the Euroivision Song Contest.

23. Denmark: Basim – Cliche Love Song

I admit that I was surprised every time someone mentioned the Danish entry as a likely winner, that was until a couple of days ago. With so many saying so, I have to admit that maybe there is something about it, in particular because it seems like Basim saved the best until it really counts. This was without doubt his best performance here. If it gets even better Saturday evening, Denmark is a top contender for the title once again. 

24. The Netherlands: The Common Linnets – Calm After The Storm 

Here we have my personal favourite. Musically I find this the strongest song in the competition this year, and I am glad to see that the bookmakers, fans and press finally are beginning to see it as a potential winner, what I have seen from the moment the broadcaster released this. Absolutely don’t rule it out!

25. San Marino: Valentina Monetta – Maybe (Forse) 

When I heard this song the first time, when it was released, I was immidiately taken by it. Unfortunately it quite quickly faded, and I was surprised to see it in the final. I still find it a nice song, I just think there are other songs which have managed to keep my interest and attention and which comes across stronger.

26. United Kingdom: Molly – Children of the Universe 

Being last in the running order, it is seen by many as too much help for a UK victory. I admit that putting them here isn’t the smartest move unless you are trying to help them after years of struggling. The song is just not strong enough, if you ask me and now I think we have seen this version of pyrotechnics too much. I wouldn’t like to see it winning due to help in terms of a fantastic starting position, but I admit it is a top contender.

I believe the winner is to be found among these five countries:  

Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, The Netherlands and United Kingdom  

This article is based on the writers experience of the dress rehearsal and does not necessarily express the opinion of EuroVisionary.com.