Tomorrow night Danish duo Fyr og Flamme will take to the stage in the Eurovision semi-finals to sing for their place in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. Most pundits are tipping them to fail miserably.
Ahead of the big Eurovision showdown on Saturday 22 May, viewers will vote in two semi-finals, cutting the 33 hopefuls down to 20.
The top ten from both semis will join the six pre-qualified countries – the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands as hosts – making 26 contestants in total. Some 200 million viewers are expected to tune in for the Eurovision Song Contest Final.
Practising with each other
Fyr og Flamme bandmates Jesper Growth and Laurits Emanuel have rehearsed the Danish entry – a sugary pop romp called ‘Practise with Each Other’ – twice in Rotterdam’s massive Ahoy Arena, the stage for Saturday’s grand final.
“It went well, it looked great on the TV screens, and we are really happy. I’ve got a really good gut feeling,” said Growth.
Fyr og Flamme have kept their costumes – the kind of abominable combo you might dig out of the lost-and-found at a magicians’ convention – from the Danish Melody Grand Prix final in March.
With more square-metres to fill this time around, Growth’s finger-gunning, high-kicking and lunging – already at a solid level 10 – will be dialled up even further to compensate for Emanuel’s totally inert presence.
Hopes are high despite bookmakers’ pessimism
Bookies have poured cold water on Danish optimism, predicting that Fyr og Flamme will come only 12th in their 17-strong semi and miss out on a spot at Saturday’s final.
But Emanuel, who wrote the entry himself, refuses to let his spirits be dampened.
“Of course Denmark will reach the final. Ever since we came down here, I have had the feeling that we will make it and I still believe that,” he said.
“It may be that there are some large, juicy steaks on the buffet, but there is also always someone who would rather have the watermelon. That’s us: we’re the watermelon. And you can always eat watermelon,” added Growth sagely.
“People need something festive”
Perhaps because of their tongue-in-cheek energy, Fyr og Flamme will close Thursday’s semi-final.
“I think that will be an advantage,” said Thomas Corbett, a journalist on the Eurovision fan-site Eurovoxx.
“There are many ballads and quiet songs in your semi-final and I think people need something festive to end on … and that is what Denmark delivers. I’m pretty sure you’ll squeeze in the final,” he said.
CPH POST concurs – reluctantly as it is arguably Denmark’s weakest entry this century. Eight of Denmark’s opponents in the semi, which is easily the weakest of the two, are ranked less likely to win Eurovision on bookmaker lists, suggesting Denmark will squeeze through in ninth place.
