There is a lot of superstition related to number 13. But does it bring bad luck at the Eurovision Song Contest? Let’s use Friday the 13th to take a closer look at how this number have been performing in recent years – and just how many do you think will have won from this position?
Last year Daria Kinzer from Croatia performed as number 13 in the first semi-final. Superstition or not, she failed to qualify for the final with the song Celebrate. From the second semi-final Maja Keuc however came third with the song No One bringing Slovenia into the final of the Eurovision Song Contest, but in the final she only finished 20th. In the final it was up to fan favourite Anna Rossinelli representing Switzerland to see what she could do with the number 13 – and with the song In Love For A While, she disapointed big time as she came 25th and last.
In 2010 George Alkaios & Friends had no problem coping with the starting position 13 as he came second in the first semi-final with the song Opa – and he was not hit with the bad luck with delay either as he ended 8th in the final. In the second semi-final Bulgaria’s Miro however failed to qualify for the final with the song Angel Si Ti. In the final it was up to Sofia Nizharadze and her Shine to try the number 13 – and she finished in top 10, so not much bad luck there either.
Next Time from FYR Macedonia might not have good memories about number 13 as they, from this starting position in the first semi-final at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, finished 10th and just outside the ones to qualify for the final. From second semi-final Sakis Rouvas however sailed into the final with the song This Is Our Night and in the final Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Regina brought their song Bistra Voda to a 9th place.
The year before, in 2008, Bosnia & Herzegovina also had no problems with number 13 as Laka qualified to the final from this starting position in the first semi-final – and in the second semi-final Simon Mathew from Denmark came third and thereby a very sure spot in the final with the song All Night Long. In the final Portugal had been given number 13 – and with the song Senhora Do Mar they also ended 13th.
In 2007 there was just one semi-final and here Croatia’s Drogonfly featuring Dado Topić came 16th, which was not enough to qualify for the final where automatically qualified Les Fatals Picards from France didn’t have much luck either as they ended 22nd with the song L’amour à La Française.
In the entire history of the Eurovision Song Contest we have seen 3 songs win from starting position 13. First time was in 1960 where Jacqueline Boyer sang Tom Pilibi to a first position for France. One being superstitious might have guessed in double bad luck that year as there were only 13 participants. Second time came in 1985 where Norway’s Bobbysocks won with La Det Swinge from that starting position – and the year after Sandra Kim from Belgium copied that success when she, also from number 13, won with J’aime La Vie.
