JOY Eurovision

2 Feb 2014

The Update: Europe’s First Super Saturday

This is The Update – a (semi) regular news post, keeping you up to speed with the happenings of Eurovision 2014. In this edition, we look at the final Super Saturday of 2014.

Super Saturday?

It’s National Final season and the first Super Saturday of the season has taken place. Why Super Saturday? Simple: Two countries selected their 2014 entries and six others either started or continued their selection process on one night at the same time.

Who won?

Two more countries have made decisions for their 2014 entries. Both Switzerland and Finland held their Grand Finals this weekend. Let’s take a look at the winners and the artists who just missed out.

Switzerland

Sebalter Switzerland 2014

Switzerland has chosen a whistler. Hailing from the Italian-speaking region of Ticino, SEBalter won the Swiss final, Die Grosse Entscheidungsshow, with Hunter of Stars. Speaking to escXtra, Sebalter forecast some small changes to the song saying that he and the band “… might make some improvements … some fine tuning…” before the Semi Final in Copenhagen.

Unfortunately, five other entries couldn’t win. Coming in second place was Yasmina Hunzinger with her ballad I Still Believe.

Do you believe it could have won in Copenhagen?

Finland

Softengine Finland 2014

Five-piece rock band Softengine was a fan of the jury and Finnish public in the Grand Final of UMK, winning the competition outright with their entry, Something Better.

Three out of the four jury members chose Something Better as their favourite song of the night, putting them on top of the ladder even before the public vote was added. The five boys, who are all aged between 16 and 19, will be heading to Copenhagen to represent Finland in Semi Final 2.

Mikko Pohjola came a close second in the UMK Grand Final with Sängyn reunalla. Check out the video for it and share your thoughts through social media.

Italy goes Internal

Big news from RAI with the Italian broadcaster deciding to choose internally this year. The San Remo Song Festival has been the traditional method of choosing the Italian entry, but RAI has gone with their own choice.

Emma Marrone, a huge name in Italian music, was picked to represent the boot-shaped nation with the song La mia città (My city). Will it work for the Italians this year though? The track is yet to be edited to fit the three-minute rule, but here it is for your perusal.