It is going to be a big night of action on Saturday out in Kiev, Ukraine where the cream of Europe’s crop come together in a festival of kitsch Europop. Yes, it is the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 with 42 competition countries from across the continent looking to get their hands on the top prize! Gunning for Britain this time around is Lucie Jones, a former X Factor contestant. That’s contestant, not a winner as she finished eighth in her season back in 2009 when she lost a showdown against Jedward.
After a modelling stint, she has been doing the rounds in major plays like Rent, We Will Rock You and Les Miserables. Her entry reached No 84 in the UK download charts and her entry, ‘Never Give Up On You’ was co-written by Eurovision 2013 winner Emmelie de Forest, who landed the title for Denmark. Unfortunately, the UK is a long way down the betting pecking order at a price of 25/1 with Bet365. She is running at a price of 2/1 though at Ladbrokes for a top ten finish.
The UK, Italy, Spain, Germany and France are the big five in the Eurovision and they automatically get their places in the Grand Final. The others have to go through semi-final battles during the week to get to the main stage on Saturday evening. The event is being held out in the Ukraine, who won last year with Jamala and her song, 1944. The Ukraine also make it through to the Grand Final because of that.
Italy are up as 4/6 favourites in Eurovision 2017 betting at a lean price of 4/6 with Ladbrokes. They have Francesco Gabbani going with his track Occidental Karma and it’s an eye-catching spectacle in his performance of it because he dances alongside an ape. Just because. This is a major, major hit record though in Italy, where it went viral on Youtube and within a month was a double platinum hit record. That’s a pretty strong contender at the head of the market.
Portugal have man-bun crooner Salvador Sobral contending strongly with a track called track is called Dois (For The Both of Us). Sobral had studied psychology before getting into the music scene. Then you have Robin Bengtsson from Sweden, who is a former motocross rider. This is the beauty of Eurovision, it brings all sorts together. He is a former Swedish Idol contestant from 10 years ago and his entry called ‘I Can’t Go On’, is co-written by Robin Stjernberg, who previously represented Sweden at Eurovision 2013.
Armenia’s entry has been trading well with Artsvik singing ‘Fly With Me’. This is another one who gave up a career to chase a music dream, having been trained prior as a speech therapist psychologist. France is going with an entry from Alma and a song ‘Requiem’ with the artists looking forward to the launch of her debut album this month. Brandon Murray is Ireland’s entry, he being a memoir of Louis Walsh’s boy band Hometown. He’s well down the batting order with his song ‘Dying To Try’ though. Spain are going left-field from their normal entry with acoustic solo artist Manel Navarro taking centre stage.
Germany could be a big outsider at a price of 66/1 with Ladbrokes in Eurovision 2017 betting with the song ‘Perfect Life’. It is an upbeat dance song with lyrics that pretty much just speak to everybody. That has been some controversy though as the Ukraine banned Russian entrant Julia Samoilova for 3 years because of an alleged illegal visit to sing in Crimea (which was annexed by Russia 3 years ago). Apparently, she entered through Russia instead of going through the Ukraine mainland. Politics and pop, it’s all there.
Eurovision 2017 betting odds
Italy 8/11, Portugal 9/2, Sweden 11/1, Armenia 14/1, Bulgaria 14/1, Romania 33/1, UK 33/1, Netherlands 33/1, Azerbaijan 40/1, Belgium 40/1, Australia 50/1, Denmark 66/1, Germany 66/1, Finland 66/1, France 80/1, Estonia 80/1, bar 100/1
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