Eurovision 2017 – The road to The International Exhibition Centre in Kiev, Ukraine, starts here.

After the first day of the win market being up the market has taken to decide that the first 3 front runners in order of price are Sweden, Australia and Russia which is not a surprise as these 3 are big hitters with the bettors/traders. Will Russia become the roaring hot odds on favourite again this year or will it be Sweden or Australia turns to take the reigns or perhaps another country will do so to challenge Sweden, Australia and Russia. The market will be the one to decide.

Estonia:

Eesti Laul 2017 is made of two semifinals that are scheduled to 11 and 18 February. In each semifinal, ten songs will compete and the Top 5 will qualify to the final. The final will be held on 4 March in Saku Suurhall in Tallinn, which previously hosted the Eurovision Song Contest of 2002.

THE PARTICIPANTS (In brackets – songwriters)

1.    Almost Natural – Electric (Amiran Gorgazjan, Anis Arumets, Noah McNamara, Willie Weeks)
2.    Alvistar Funk Association – Make love, not war (Inga Kaare, Margus Alviste, Jürgen Urbanik)
3.    Angeelia – We ride with our flow (Angeelia Maasik, Andres Kõpper)
4.    Antsud – Vihm (Aile Alveus-Krautmann)
5.    Ariadne – Feel me now (Margus Piik, Tomi Rahula, Anni Rahula)
6.    Carl-Philip – Everything but you (Carl-Philip Madis, Carola Madis, Arno Krabman, Jaap Reesema, Leon Paul Palmen)
7.    Close To Infinity feat. Ian Karell – Sounds like home (Ian Robert Karell, Johannes Kanter, Sander Ulp, Tanel Kordemets)
8.    Daniel Levi – All I need (Ago Teppand, Daniel Levi Viinalass)
9.    Elina Born – In or out (Stig Rästa, Vallo Kikas, Fred Krieger)
10.    Ivo Linna – Suur loterii (Rainer Michelson, Urmas Jaarman)
11.    Janno Reim & Kosmos – Valan pisaraid (Janno Reim)
12.    Karl-Kristjan & Whogaux feat. Maian – Have you now (Karl-Kristjan Kingi, Hugo Martin Maasikas, Maian Lomp)
13.    Kerli – Spirit animal (Kerli Kõiv, Brian Ziff)
14.    Koit Toome & Laura – Verona (Sven Lõhmus)
15.    Laura Prits – Hey kiddo (Tara Nabi, Laura Prits, Andres Kõpper)
16.    Leemet Onno – Hurricane (Leemet Onno, Ed Struijlaart)
17.    Lenna Kuurmaa – Slingshot (Lenna Kuurmaa, Nicolas Rebscher, Michelle Leonard)
18.    Liis Lemsalu – Keep running (Liis Lemsalu, Mihkel Mattisen, Gustaf Svenungsson, Magnus Wallin)
19.    Rasmus Rändvee – This love (Bert Prinkenfeld, Stewart James Brock, Ewert Sundja, Rasmus Rändvee)
20.    Uku Suviste – Supernatural (Oliver MazurtÅ¡ak, Uku Suviste)

http://esctoday.com/138543/estonia-twenty-hopefuls-eesti-laul-2017

Top work Corbyguy Be great to see BF exchange price up a lot of the national ESC qualifiers.

ESC 2017 rules document published also - room for there to be a change to the televote/jury vote % split (ie, not 50/50) if you read the wording.

As soon as i get confirmation of all the participants and dates for a National Final i will request the guys at Betfair to run a market so hopefully as many of the National Finals will be covered this year and not just the likes of Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Spain, Poland and UK. I will request Albania as soon as i have the dates of the 2 semi's and Final in December which will be the next one to request as i have the list of participants but no dates as of yet.

Iceland: Söngvakeppnin 2017

Semi Final 1 – February 25
Semi Final 2 – March 4
Final – March 11

A total of 12 songs will be selected to take part in the two live semi finals, three songs from each semi final will be selected to go through to the final. In the final the songs will be voted on by 50% televote and 50% jury to select the two super finalists, the two super finalists will be performed again, the winner will be the song that receives the highest televotes.

https://eurovoix.com/2016/09/20/iceland-songvakeppnin-2017-final-on-march-11/

Belgium: Ellie Delvaux has been announced as the representative of Belgium for Eurovision 2017.

http://www.esc-plus.com/ellie-delvaux-voice-belgique-internally-selected-belgium/

Finland:

Today the Finnish broadcaster, YLE, have revealed the 10 acts which will compete in the Eurovision national selection, UMK.

The show is due to take place on 28th January 2017, and will be hosted by Finnish representative from 2013, Krista Siegfrids.

1: Alva: Arrows

2: Anni Saikku: Reach Out For The Sun

3: Club La Persé: My Little World

4: Emma: Circle Of Life

5: Günther & D’Sanz: Love Yourself

6: Knucklebone Oscar & The Shangri-La Rubies: Caveman

7: Lauri Yrjölä: Helppo elämä

8: My First Band: Paradise

9: Norma John: Blackbird

10: Zühlke: Perfect Villain

You can listen to the songs by clicking on the names on the following website:

http://www.esc-plus.com/finland-yle-reveal-acts-competiting-umk-2017/

Albania: Festivali i Këngës 2016

Albania will have the honour this year of being the first country to pick their entry for Eurovision.

Albanian head of delegation, Kleart Duraj has confirmed to us that this year’s Festivali i Këngës, the national selection show used to select the countries Eurovision representative, will be held between 21st -23rd December. Semi Final 1 – December 21 Semi Final 2 – December 22 Grand Final – December 23 So by Christmas we will have our first Eurovision song for 2017, before an expected revamp.

The 24 artists and songs have been revealed as follows:

1. Albulena Jashari - “Fjalët ia lë zemrës�

2. Classic Boys - “Dashuria për jetën�

3. Dilan Reka - “Mos harro�

4. Edea Demaliaj - “Besoj në ëndrra�

5. Edona Vatoci - “Mirëmëngjës�

6. Elson Braha - “Edhe një herë�

7. Erlind Zeraliu - “Dhimbja e gëzimit�

8. Fabiola Agalliu & Agnesa Çavolli - “Shkon e vjen�

9. Festina Mejzini - “Atje lart�

10. Flaka Krelani - “S’dua t’flas�

11. Franc Koruni - “Macka�

12. Genc Salihu - “Këtu�

13. Linda Halimi - “Bota�

14. Linda Rukaj - “Vija e lumit�

15. Lorela - “Me ty�

16. LYNX - “Sot�

17. Luka & Serxhio Hajdini - “Koha plaket�

18. Neki Emra - “Dashuri dhe urrejtje�

19. Orges Toçe - “Shi diamantësh�

20. Rezarta Smaja - “Pse prite gjatë�

21. Tiri - “Më zgjo�

22. Yll Limani - “Shiu�

23. XUXI - “Metropol�

24. Xhesika Polo - “Eva jam unë�

http://www.esc-plus.com/albania-festivali-i-kenges-2016-dates-announced/

lol bails. That made me chuckle. Sorry Corbs. Great work

Looking forward to hearing what Lenna comes up with in Estonia and what other gems appear from there. Still loving I Wear* Experiment from last year

The 28 artists for Sweden Melodifestivalan will be revealed tomorrow? Rumours of artists for this year include Ace Wilder and Wikttoria both from last year and there is also a rumour of Charlotte Perrelli former Sweden Eurovision winner participating this year. It would be of no surprise to see Sweden as the favourite (based solely on artists names) until their songs have been revealed and then staying as favourite or being overtaken as favourite by another country.

Sweden:

The 28 artists for Melodifestivalan have been announced and guess what LOREEN (Euphoria) is back performing in semi final 4 so they are saving the best to last me thinks. The 28 artists and which semi final they are performing is are as follows:

Semi Final 1 – Gothenburg

Adrijana – Amare
Boris René – Her Kiss
Nano – Hold On
Charlotte Perrelli – Mitt Liv..
Dinah Nah – One More Night
De Vet Du – Road Trip
Ace Wilder – Wild Child

Semi Final 2 – Malmö

Mariette – A Million Years
Benjamin Ingrosso – Good Loovin’
Dismissed – Hearts Align
Roger Pontare – Himmel Och Hav
Lisa Ajax – I Don’t Give A
Etzia – Up
Allyawan – Vart haru varit

Semi Final 3 – Växjö

Owe Thörnqvist – Boogieman Blue
Bella & Filippa – Crucified
The Fooo Conspiracy – Gotta Thing
amine Kara – Gravity
Robin Bengtsson – I Can’t Go On
Anton Hagman – Kiss You Goodbye.
Krista Siegfrids – Snurra Mun Jord

Semi Final 4 – Skellefteå

Wiktoria – As I Lay Me Down
Les Gordons – Bound To Fall
Sara Varga & Juha Mularia – Du Får Inte ändra På Mig
Jon Henrik Fhallgren feat. Aninia – En Vardld Full Av Strider
Axel Schylström – När Ingen Ser
lice Svensson – Running With Lions
Loreen – Statements

Source: http://www.esc-plus.com/sweden-melodifestivalen-acts-revealed-check/

With Loreen back performing again it would not surprise to see Sweden go odds on favourite with it being Loreen.

Sweden Melodifestivalen 2017:

Eurovisionworld.com gives odds from Unibet for winner of Melodisfestivalen 2017 as follows:

Loreen - 2.5
Mariette Hansson - 5.5
Ace Wilder - 6.5
The Foo Conspiracy - 7.5
Wiktoria - 10

14+ given to rest of runners.

http://eurovisionworld.com/?odds=melodifestivalen

I see what you mean now. Well it seems the same names appearing every year. Sanna was like 7 times, Carola appearing in the past was like millions of times. now it seems to be the likes of Ace Wilder, Wiktorria, Charlotte Perrelli etc.

Oh yeah and look who attempted to represent Belarus at Eurovision:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5luvX2RJ7cE

Look familiar?

Azerbaijan: Diana Hajiyeva to Kyiv for Eurovision 2017.

Diana Hajiyeva has been internally selected by the country .

http://esctoday.com/138966/azerbaijan-diana-hajiyeva-kyiv-eurovision-2017

Nadya – Fire in the sky
http://tinyurl.com/jll8xoa