Once again Australia's back in the competition, and like last year we're having to earn our place via the Semi Finals. But are we likely to do any good? Will there be another harrowing last-gasp loss a la Dami from last year?
The answer is: probably not. Look, once again we have chosen a talented performer with a very professional sounding song. Isaiah Firebrace (amazing name!) is already looking incredibly accomplished up on the Eurovision stage, it's hard to believe he's only 17 years old.
But perhaps that's part of the problem - he's looking too professional. It was mentioned by some bloggers last year that while Dami was an incredible performer, she didn't have that added emotional connection with the audience to get her over the line - like Ukraine's Jamala did with her misery-laden ode to the Crimean Tartars.
Similarly, feedback from Isaiah's initial rehearsals in Kyiv has been all about how technically impressive he is (which will bode well with the jury voters), but that he doesn't have that 'je ne sai quoi' element to bring the televoters flocking. Either way, I think Isaiah will still qualify for the Grand Final and should hopefully be towards the left side of the scoreboard by the end of the night.
But who will be the one taking out the whole shebang? Well, this year, Eurovision is all about the blokes - so Australia's actually pretty on-trend. In fact, I will eat my hat if a solo male performer doesn't lift the mirrorball trophy on 13 May.
Shall I be incredibly shallow and list them according to hotness? I shall.
Italy
Francesco here is not only very handsome, he is also the runaway favourite to take out the whole competition. However, I can't really understand why - Francesco's Italian charms aside. This song is entertaining, sure, and the lyrics are quite comical and clever - however the majority of the Eurovision audience won't understand what he's singing about as it's all in Italian! The main reason I think all the pundits are jumping on board this one is the gorilla factor - yes, he'll be appearing onstage with a man in a gorilla suit doing a funny dance, which is sure to stick in the minds of the the televoters at home. Whether the juries will be impressed is a whole other question. Plus, Italy's part of the Big 5, so Francesco is automatically through to the Grand Final, meaning audiences will have less of a chance to see his entry compared to those who've starred at the Semis - will one performance be enough to whip up a fan base? We shall see.
Sweden
Ah, the Swedes are back showing everyone how it's done once again. Robin is hot stuff (even if he's hovering a little too close to whacko Paleo chef/Blurred Lines creepo in the looks department for my liking), and this is a very slick package. I Can't Go On has a very contemporary sound, and the business with the treadmills is a neat gimmick (even if it's ripping off another famous treadmill-based performance). The backing dancers are also highly entertaining - I like to think they've each teleported in from a different era, with their fab array of hairstyles. I reckon they're a safe bet to hover around the top ten.
Bulgaria
Ok, I'm not implying anything here about 17-year-old Kristian's hotness, as that would be highly inappropriate from an old lady like me, but he is certainly cute and is likely to appeal to the teenage girls voting at home. Plus, he's a previous winner of The Voice in Russia, meaning he's sure to draw the Soviet vote now that the Big Bear is out of the competition (thanks to some political to-ing and fro-ing, which you can read about here). This song is contemporary sounding, and he's got a great voice - in fact, it's quite similar to that other 17-year-old in the competition, our very own Isaiah. I sadly predict the Bulgarian flag will be flying higher on the scoreboard than the Australian one though.
Romania
Bless Romania and their tendency to send absolutely whacky shit to Eurovision every year! While I'm cheating a bit here cos this entry isn't just a solo bloke - the scruffily appealing Alex is performing with the lovely Ilinca - I had to highlight the fact that they've sent a mash-up of rap and YODELLING. It will certainly make an impression on the (drunken) audience watching at home, so expect to see it score pretty highly in the televote.
Moldova
Guess who's back people? It's Epic Sax Guy! Yes, the sax player from Moldova's Sunstroke Project, who became an internet sensation after their last effort Run Away in Eurovision 2010, returns to the stage in Kyiv. The three-piece band of blokes has another fun tune that probably isn't going to set the scoreboard on fire, but it does have back-up dancing brides and an epic sax break - so what more could you want?
Portugal
In my eyes, here's the real dark horse to watch. If you're looking for a good story and an emotional journey, Salvador Sobral probably has the best one in this year's competition. He has been unable to perform his quirkily charming jazz number at the early rehearsals due to being hospitalised with a heart condition back in Portugal. His sister, the song's composer, stepped in for him in the early rehearsals but he'll be there to perform Amar Pelos Dois in the Semi Finals. Now, jazz isn't to everyone's taste, and Salvador's performing style is pretty offbeat and full of tics, but soft jazz numbers in languages other than English do tend to go down well at Eurovision. He's currently sitting second in the betting odds, so he's definitely a contender.
So there you go - I reckon one of the aforementioned blokes will be the ultimate winner come Sunday morning. My personal favourites - Belgium and Hungary - are definitely out of contention because, while they sound excellent on the Eurovision album, they're a bit of a mess when performed live. Fingers crossed Isaiah makes it through to the Grand Final, and we'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out on the night!
