Predictions for Semifinal #1

It's a little late, but there's still two hours until the show begins, so it's not too late in my mind.

Here are some predictions I feel confident will come true (in both semifinals):
- A fan favorite will turn out to sound abysmal and will not qualify.
- An expected qualifier will not, and a song that few expected to qualify will (this one will be assumed to be the jury's pick).
- More eastern than western countries will qualify.
- Everyone will be unhappy with the result, and claim that the contest is going downhill/fixed/not worth their broadcasters' money.

Really, if there's anything I've learned about fandoms in general, it's that everyone has something to hate about what they love.

As for my predicted qualifiers, it's been hard to guess, because besides five countries that seem certain to qualify (I don't have to tell you which ones they are), the five remaining spots seem pretty open.

So, for my predictions, I'm going to be pessimistic and pick 10 "eastern" countries. That way, if any "western" countries qualify, it will be a pleasant surprise (whereas if I pick a few western countries and none make it, it will be an end-of-the-world disaster like everyone made last year out to be). I'm also leaving Slovenia out for that same reason, because it seems the staging is weird and I don't want it to break my heart if it doesn't qualify.

ARMENIA
AZERBAIJAN
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
ESTONIA
GREECE
ISRAEL
MOLDOVA
POLAND
ROMANIA
RUSSIA

I'll post again this evening after the show, with my opinion on the result, which will hopefully be better than my prediction. Good luck to all the performers and delegations (although if any of them are reading my blog just before they have a show to put on, they must have their priorities all wrong).