Following Loreen’s win with Tattoo last year, Eurovision is heading to Malmö in Sweden. And, as fate would have it, it’s also the 50th anniversary of Scandi supergroup ABBA’s historic win with Waterloo back in 1974.

Last year Liverpool put on a great show when the UK - having come 2nd in 2022 thanks to the fabulous Sam Ryder - stepped in to host the contest on behalf of Ukraine. Despite the UK putting in a really great entry in the shape of Mae Muller’s Instead I Wrote A Song, we once again found ourselves languishing near the bottom of the scoreboard.

So it’s down to Olly Alexander - former Years and Years frontman and star of the Channel 4 drama, It’s a Sin - to pick up the mantle and give it his best shot to gain some of those valuable douze points for le Royaume Uni. It’s a long time that someone so well known within the British music industry has stepped up to the plate, and expectations are pretty high. Olly’s song, Dizzy, is a catchy little number, and, together with Olly’s experience, we should be guaranteed a performance we can all be proud of.

But what of the competition? One of the hot favourites is Croatia, a country who hasn’t even reached the Top 10 since 2001. Their act comes in the shape of the interestingly named, Baby Lasagna, the moniker for Marko Purišić, with the anthemic rock song, Rim Tim Tagi Dim (yes, you read that correctly). It’s all about a young man leaving home after selling his cow, musing on the things he will miss (including his cat) to seek his fortune “to find peace in the noise” and become “one of those city boys”.  It might sound a bit daft, but it mixes joy with a touch of sadness, and it has a stonking chorus. It would make a wonderful winner.

Also hotly tipped, and deservedly so, is Switzerland’s Nemo, with their song, The Code. Instantly memorable, yet with a satisfying complexity, it combines elements of drum and bass with operatic stabs.  Detailing Nemo’s experience in coming to terms with their non-binary identity, this could provide Switzerland with its first win since Céline Dion took the crown back in 1988.

This year’s contest also has its fair share of, let’s say, the weird and wonderful. Finland came oh so close to winning in Liverpool with Käärijä’s Cha Cha Cha. This time round they have sent some bloke called DJ Windows95man with the 90s inspired No Rules, which sees a group of Finns running around the stage in tiny denim shorts. Nice. Continuing the 90s techno vibe is the Netherlands with the song Europapa, an ode to Europe, performed by Joost Klein. Come for the 2 Unlimited and Vengaboys vibe, and stay for the big blue shoulder pads.  It’s been a massive hit with the Dutch, but will the rest of Europe take it to their hearts?

If you fancy something a little bit more serious, then France might be your bag. Singer Slimane has arguably the best vocals in the contest. Amongst all the noise and craziness, his ballad, the very French Mon Amour, could stand out. After Måneskin’s sensational win in 2021, Italy’s chances can’t be discounted: Angelina Mango sings the sophisticated pop track, La Noia, which will probably please both Eurovision’s national juries and the millions voting at home. And if you mourned the absence of Luxembourg from the songfest, fret no more. After 30 years they are back!

Given the current situation in the Middle East, there has been controversy about the decision to include Israel in the contest. The lyrics of their song had to be changed, and there was talk of a boycott from some countries. But Israel will participate, and security in Malmö is expected to be extra tight.

As I mentioned earlier, it’s 50 years since ABBA won the contest. The chances of them appearing in Malmö in person is pretty much zero, but, Mamma Mia!, I’m sure we can expect some sort of tribute to Eurovision’s most successful act.  And late (very, very late…) on the evening of Saturday 11 May, someone will lift the Eurovision trophy, as the winner takes it all.

The Eurovision Song Contest semi finals will be broadcast at 8pm on BBC1 on Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 May, with the Grand Final on Saturday 11 May.

Dean Asker