Eurovision 2013

Ever since 2004 (since semi-finals started), the Netherlands have done awful at Eurovision. And for the last few years one very popular Dutch singer had said that she would like to be the one to sing at Eurovision, convinced that she could make it to the final. This year (after several awful entries), she finally got her chance and she had to put her money where her mouth was. Which she did...

She made it to the final. And then performed her song in the final and she was good. No frills, no sparkles, just her and her song. No, Anouk didn't win. Nor did she come in second or third place. But from the start she was on the left hand side of the result board (the best place to be) and she finished in a very nice 9th place. I am very proud and I am happy that my two votes helped her to that spot.

My favourite didn't get to the top either, but also ended up in the higher regions of the result board. It was Hungary's ByeAlex with Kedvesem (a lovely lovesong). One of many songs this year that was not in English but in the language of the country they came from. Anyway, Hungary ended up just below Anouk in 10th place.

This year we missed out on Russian grannies baking cookies, unicycles with clowns and sand artists. However, there was a guy in a glass box mirroring everything the singer did, apart from sing. There were two different countries sending people who were raised in the air wearing ginormous dresses (one of which a classically trained male opera singer), there was a bride from Finland, free alcohol from Greece and a singing doctor from Malta. Oh, and something that looked like giant condoms hanging from the ceiling!

And of course there was the winner. This year it was the Danish entry that came out on top. She had been favourite for a long time, but you can never tell until the results are actually in. It's like politics. Or a chicken coop with a lot of eggs. It was a bit run of the mill if you ask me, and I certainly didn't spend any money voting for it. But the rest of Europe did.

Of course after the contest there is always a lot of bickering about the voting. About how English always wins and other languages end up really low. Well, the English entry ended up really low (Bonnie Tyler ended 19th), as did Ireland (26th and last of the final) and Greece (Greek) and Hungary (Hungarian) ended up in places 6 and 10. Perhaps the countries complaining about it, should just send a better song.

Also there are always a lot of comments about how one country will vote for its neighbours. That is true. To a degree. Because if it was completely true, it would be a tie nearly every time and it never is. Plus, if you live in Sweden, chances are, you have already heard the Norwegian and Danish entries. Making it familiar. And when it's familiar it's easier to vote for! Then again, there was only one country out of 39 that didn't give any points to Denmark and that was the principality of San Marino (in Italy). Besides, I know for a fact that Denmark doesn't have 37 neighbours...

By the way: the Norwegian entry was the best beside the podium: they came in fourth! So, a good night all around!