Douze Points! - The Eurovision Podcast
Eurovision, but not as you know it! Australia's biggest weekly Eurovision podcast, giving you all the dirt, all the drama and all the scathing opinions you love to hear about the Contest we live for!
Douze Points! - The Eurovision Podcast
Dead Dogs and Dance Beats: The Unforgettable Songs of Eurovision 2025 Semi Final 2 Previews
Buckle up for our raw, unfiltered reaction to Eurovision 2025's second semi-final! We're diving into this year's wildest collection of musical offerings before the performances even hit the stage.
Australia opens the night with what might be the most polarizing act of the competition – the infamous "Milkshake Man" who's already generating heated debates across the Eurovision community. From there, we journey through the musical extremes that make this competition so addictively watchable: Montenegro's gothic drama, Ireland's bizarre tribute to a Soviet space dog, and Malta's controversially censored "Serving" that has fans ready to rebel against the EBU's language restrictions.
The standout performances of the night promise to be Czechia's sultry, Bond-worthy "Kiss Kiss Goodbye" and Austria's operatic vocal showcase that could either soar or crash depending on the live delivery. Meanwhile, Georgia brings traditional dancing elements that will have jury members reaching for their highest scores, while Finland closes the show with a provocative female empowerment anthem that could divide voters.
What makes this semi-final particularly fascinating is the clash between jury bait and public favorites. Will the juries ever embrace the theatrical elements that make Eurovision unique, or will they retreat to safer, more traditional performances? And which countries will ultimately secure their spot in the grand final?
Ready to join us for this Eurovision journey? Grab your scorecards, prepare your party snacks, and don't forget to hydrate! The road to Switzerland's 2025 Eurovision is about to get very interesting indeed.
#eurovision
Hey, hello and and bonjour, guten tag. Privet, hello and welcome back to the DuSpoir podcast this episode. We are having a quick reaction preview to semi-final two of Eurovision 2025. Now this is being based on. I have just listened to the songs and I have watched the promotional videos and some of the live performances. Haven't watched any of the actual stage production. We've been through this, so if you don't want to hear any detail whatsoever, you don't want to hear what anyone is serving, this is the time to avert your ears. We're not going into great in-depth detail. This is just an initial reaction, just to see who we think, from the song alone, is going to be going through. Obviously, everything is 90% it's going to be from the live studio production, but let's put our feet in the water, see if we can get a feel for it this year. Now I'm just going to say it. I think one of the performances that people are going to have a most visceral reaction to, in either terms of immediate love or immediate hate, it is going to be, without a doubt, australia. Who is kicking off semi-final two. Now, australia did something different this year. This did not go to a public vote. The public vote did not decide on this. In fact, I can't find any reference of who actually is taking responsibility for this song, who picked it and for what reason, lord only knows. But apparently they went.
Speaker 1:Oh look, there's a guy. He had a hit video on TikTok. Let's give him full reign to represent Australia at Eurovision and I am just going to say it now at Eurovision. And I am just going to say it now. I strongly apologise to all people of Europe. Australia apologises for the milkshake man. Oh my Lord, it is terrible.
Speaker 1:Weirdly, I have encountered some people who say they absolutely love it. I am filled with absolute dread. I don't know what they were thinking. For a start, I have to be honest, not every country has a person that drives around in a little van selling ice creams to people, and I certainly don't want to think of that man in a sexual way. Oh, this is. Look, you know me, I am all for a novelty act, I love a novelty act.
Speaker 1:Obviously, people looked at the success of Windows 95, man and went, oh, I'm going to do that and they've done this, but without the charisma or the pizzazz. Oh, he's just there is. It just seems to be the whole performance centers around him like aggressively shaking his crutch in your direction, which usually I'm a huge fan of at Eurovision. But I don't know. There's just something about the whole package Maybe it's because I'm vegan Doesn't appeal to me, sorry, you know what this is.
Speaker 1:This is 100%. This is guys sitting together in a room going yeah, yeah, I'm totally going to give the women what they want. This is what the women want. The women and the gay men. They're going to want this. No, no, we don't, we don't, we don't want this. Pretty sure I speak for a lot of us when I say no, no, thank you, as I put my hand over my drink to cover it as I leave. I'm so sorry. Europe, please don't hold this against us. Could this be the last year we're in Eurovision?
Speaker 1:I think there is a very good chance Australia could be served a restraining order after this performance. It's certainly going to be one hell of a memorable way to kick off semi-final two. We are being followed very quickly from Montenegro, who are sending Nina Zizek with Dobre Dol. Honestly, the absolute best thing that could have happened to this really serious song would be to follow the complete fluffy nonsense that is Australia. This song is serious, it is heavy, it is gothic darkness. It has crossed oceans of time to love you and the juries will honestly wet their panties when they get a hold of this. You know what? It has got enough drama to draw you in and I think, following the what the hellness of Australia, I think this is only going to embolden this one. I think Montenegro will be definitely going through to the grand final Third on stage. We will be greeted by Ireland.
Speaker 1:Now, of course, after Eurovision 2024, and one of the most controversial figures I think that's quite easy to say of 2024 has to be the Irish entrance of Bambi Thug. For whichever reasons, words constantly in the news. Ireland obviously said you know what we don't want to deal with that level of controversy this year. What can we do to find the least controversial person in Ireland who's not going to start a fight? And do you know who is the least controversial person in Ireland who's not going to start a fight? And do you know who is the least controversial person in Ireland? Apparently, it's a Norwegian. That's right. Norway is back on its quest to apparently represent every country at Eurovision this year. Or there is the other very real possibility that Ireland just couldn't find anyone prepared to sing this song. Well, move over, milkshake man. I stand corrected. We now have the most ridiculous song of the night. Ah, emmy is singing a song about Laika Party, l-a-i-k-a and not Laika Party, laika Virgin, laika Party. Let me tell you a little bit about Laika for those who don't know Now.
Speaker 1:Back in the 50s, of course, the space race was on between the USSR and America, everyone crambling to be the absolute first in space, launch the first rockets, launch the first people into space. It was a absolute quest pedal to the metal. So the USSR found a poor little homeless street dog. They took her in. Poor little homeless street dog. They took her in. They then strapped her into a rocket and jettisoned her into space. Now the thing that we have to note is that rocket did not have the capability to return to Earth. That's right. The USSR sent a homeless dog into space and left it up there to die, so like a frozen dead dog up there right now been circling the earth ever since. It is worth noting, sometimes later Russia actually sent some other animals into space, including they did send a cat, which made it all the way into space, and then Fur Baby. The rocket came back, survived the trip to Earth lived for 10 days. Then they killed the cat, died for nothing.
Speaker 1:Woo, space, hey, how come Katy Perry managed to walk away alive? I'm just saying, if we have to sacrifice someone to the space, gods leave the street, cats and dogs alone. D-grade hosts of American Idol, I say have at it for science. Yeah, this is awful. I'm not even going to rank this, I am just going to put this one straight in the bin. Not only is it terrible, but now you've ruined my night. Now I'm thinking about dead dogs floating around in space. Thanks for that island, but when you've done crying your eyes out, latvia are here to save the day.
Speaker 1:They have sent Dottamietis with Burman Lamy. This song and this film clip I am here to say is to let us all know that drugs are back in the music scene. Woo, think Enya, enya, tripping balls in the woods, just waving the fabric they've just bought from their local spotlight store around. Woo, look at me, I'm a ghost. Woo, I'm not tripping balls, you're tripping balls. Woo, ah, look, it's crazy enough. It's female positivity. I'm for it. You know what? Let's put it in the grand final, why not? I think the jury will eat this one up and give it some great points, which is going to help push it through. And speaking of female empowerment, let's look at some male failing we have.
Speaker 1:Armenia has sent Parg with. Survivor Parg's obviously been spending his past time composing songs and watching rewrites of Mad Max 2, the Road Warrior, as seen through his outfits. The thing that will overwhelm you the most after the outfit is you are going to ask yourself did Armenia realize, when they picked Pug, that Eurovision is indeed a singing contest? I will give him points for consistency, though he starts off key, he ends off key. I don't know what that key is. There's a reason people don't play it. Take it out and bend it. Ah, not going through. Let's quickly just erase this from your memory. You never have to hear it again, but that's fine, because your head is now going to be filled with one thing, and one thing alone, and that is the Austria entry, jj, who has sent wasted love Again.
Speaker 1:The first thing you're going to think about this song is oh, oh, that was not the note I was expecting to come. Oh, that was not the note that I was expecting to come from them. Even if you're a little bit hesitant at first, I think the key with this is, you have to just give in and let it wash over you. This one, I think, is another absolute contender for the whole prize. It's beautiful, it's dramatic. It drops the opera and then drops a little dancey bit in the middle for the kids, drops a little dancey bit in the middle for the kids. This one, actually, it has a taste of a little bit of Nemo's the Code.
Speaker 1:For me, what is absolutely going to make or break is this is such a vocal based song. Now, there are songs that you can well, let me just say you can not have the best singing voice, but you can still carry it off. This song is all about the vocal production and this, the success for this 100%, is going to be if JJ can pull off these notes, live. If he can't complete disaster, he may not even make it through to the grand final, but if he can pull these notes off, chef's kiss, he is straight up the leader's board, followed on the night.
Speaker 1:Now, looking at these, I'm not talking about the big five, which are already guaranteed, I'm just looking at the countries that are actually fighting for a spot. We have Greece. They have Clavidia with her song Astromatata. Look, they say her name is Clavidia, and Clavidia is channeling the spirit of Nana Muscuri harder than anyone has ever channeled Nana Muscuri before. Look, it's a song about hi, mom, I'm dead, don't feel bad about me, which is an unusual theme, I think, to carry on to a party. But there's something about it. It's deep, it's dark, it's mysterious. It's got a little bit of a hook. Maybe on a stronger year it may struggle, but considering look, this is not a definitive year of winners I think it definitely still has a chance of going through into the grand final.
Speaker 1:If you're sitting at home and you're like, oh, where's the emo, angry, mopey, teenage angst, well, don't worry. This year that is covered by Lithuania. Who is sending Catarsis? It doesn't matter, we won't be hearing about this again at the grand final. Like I said, moody mopey, give them a Snickers and move on, just when you might be ready to give up on semi-final two in rides. Our saviour, our saviour, this year is coming all the way from Malta to Miriana Conte with her song Serving Cunt.
Speaker 1:Now it will be seen as serving on the screens, but I am letting everyone in that room know that this is not serving. It is serving cunt. And before you say anything and write for that censor button. No, it is not serving. No, it is not serving. It is not serving. It is serving cunt K-A-N-T. It's not C-U-N-T, okay, so it's not. It's cunt Not cunt, but cunt K-A-N-T. So it is a word for Malta, for, in drag terms, it is serving giving good face, vogue, vogue, vogue serving cunt, absolutely delivering.
Speaker 1:But oh, the bureaucracy, the patriarchy, the censors stepped in and said no, excuse me, ma'am, you cannot say the word at Eurovision. But she's like, I'm not saying, I'm saying EBU said we do not discriminate against here, one is a and we don't like god damn patriarchy. So they said we will not let you go on the stage and sing serving. So Miriana went back to the game board and is now singing serving. But the best bit, what I have seen is from every live performance yes, you, everyone at home, everyone in the crowd, you know the mission. Don't let them stop you, Don't let them censor you when it's on stage, sing it out and let's get ready to serve some. This is 100% going through. I don't even care if it's the worst vocal performance of the night. I don't care if the elastic slaps. She drops her jaws and falls off stage and a cameraman is accidentally killed by flying sequin. Put it through, Europe. Put it through.
Speaker 1:Next, following up from the absolute trash and treasure that is Malta, we have Georgia, who is bringing the Jewelry members' absolute wet dream. Mariam Shangolia is singing Freedom. At first, when this started, I was like I'm not going to like this. But oh, let it build. It has a weird build, it has a sense of opera, it has drama and I think the key note here is in the video performance. She actually has some traditional Georgian people coming out doing some extra Georgia dancing on the style. A lot of big men with mustaches leaping athletically through the air. I think that's going to be a very much a strong component of this.
Speaker 1:This one is guaranteed to go through the jurors. Well, the only way this will not go through is if the jurors is so busy touching themselves they don't actually have time to hit the 12 point bottom. I think this is going to get so many jury points it is going to go straight through. I love a bit of drama. That bippity bop beat gets picked up again by Denmark who was sending Sissel with hallucination. I don't normally like these kinds of songs, but this one is a little bit earwormy. What I can see from the live performance video.
Speaker 1:Oh, I'm really worried that they're just going to do some very awful staging with this one. Oh, it just seems it's a problem when, like Sissel is an absolute gorgeous woman but we see it every year Europe tends to be like oh, she's not a size eight, let's freak out, do something awkward, stick her up on a fake mountain or a weird stage. In the middle of the stage, the poor woman can't move. I hope they just give her time and space to perform. Look, I really hope this one goes through, but I have to be honest. I think semifinal two is definitely a lot stronger than semifinal one. I think if she was in semifinal one she would go through, but in semifinal two she's definitely going to have a bit of a struggle because there are some songs that are, quite frankly, either better or more memorable. So we'll see how she goes, I think, but I've got to be honest. I'd like it to go through, but I just don't think it will.
Speaker 1:On the night I'm adding it to my playlist anyway. I don't mind it. Now we're coming with Chetia, who's sending Adonis with Kiss, kiss, goodbye. I had heard nothing about this song until I played it. Oh, I got absolute chills, and when I say chills I mean the sexy chills. Hello, ohchita Worth's Rise Like a Phoenix.
Speaker 1:Kiss Kiss Goodbye could easily be the next James Bond theme tune. If you told me the next James Bond film was called Kiss Kiss Goodbye and this was the theme, I would absolutely believe it, 100%. This would go to Los Angeles, they'd put it up for an Academy Award and it would win. My God, this song is sexy. It does have a couple of moments of oh, I question, was it right to drop that dance beat in the middle of it? But I can't hold it against it. There is a sensuality, a decadence, a unadulterated sexiness. I want to play cards and then cry in a ball gown in a shower while a man puts his dinner jacket over me. Okay, that might be a weird specific fetish.
Speaker 1:But again, this is going to be so keen to the staging. Please don't stuff up the staging. The vocal performance is going to have to be on point. If it is, oh, it's an absolute killer. This is the Thunderbolt. Tom Jones, shirley Bassey moment oh, chills. So what is going to follow that? Well, obviously, nothing is going to compete and it's certainly not going to be Luxembourg.
Speaker 1:Laura Therns with La Poupe Mon Leçon. I don't know this one, just I don't know. Do you ever just hear a song and be like I have a creepy reaction to this. Like, do you ever just walk a song and be like I have a creepy reaction to this. Like, do you ever just walk past someone in a bar and get a vibe that you instantly don't like them? I don't know why, but this was the reaction I had to this song. Don't know why. Can't justify it, just don't like it.
Speaker 1:Moving on, next on the list, israel has sent Yuval Rafael let me know if I've said that. Right, mickey with her song New Day Will Rise. I like this song, combination of English, french and Hebrew. This is another song. At parts is just being more French than France. It's beautiful. Yuval has a beautiful, deep, raspy, sexy voice. But I'm going to be honest, this song is not as good as last year's Hurricane. I think that was a superior song. I still think this is a great ballad. It rises, it has emotion, it has a drama. I think this one will definitely go through.
Speaker 1:I have noticed with Yuval as well as Klavdia how do you get your hair so shiny Like it's? When my hair is shiny, it's just greasy and crap, but yours is shiny, but blowing in the wind and looking lovely and beautiful. How do you do it? I don't know. I think it's rude that you know and I don't. But not bitter, not bitter at all.
Speaker 1:Next on the list, serbia is sending Prince with Mila. Not that Prince, not the Prince. I mean that would be impressive if they could resurrect Prince to survive. There's a douce poire right there, but no different prince. He definitely looks like. He is the living version of a hero that you expect to see in a Disney film, with manicured eyebrows, beard and, again, shiny hair that I can only dream of. He looks like, basically, if Jesus came back and was a hairdresser in Soho, this is what it'd look like.
Speaker 1:I just looked up the lyrics for this song. I'm not even shitting you. The first two lines is let this be for me. The last supper Nailed it. See what I did there. Look, it has drama. It's got smoke machine Again. Apparently that's the thing for this year People just twirling around, there are bits of fabric. The juries are going to eat this up. I think Hot Jesus will probably go through to the grand final, or will he? Because, because we have one more song.
Speaker 1:Night two of the Eurovision 2025 semifinals is going to end in the most spectacular way with Finland. They are sending Erika Wickman with Iho me, iho me, oh my Lord, you know what? I'm not even going to say a word because I don't want to spoil a moment of what you're about to see. It is about strong sexual female empowerment of Erica, the vixen that she is. You know what. It's not even the best vocal performance, but I don't even care, because she has enough raw charisma to pull it off.
Speaker 1:My Lord, the juries are really going to be besides themselves. They are going to hate this so much. Then they're going to remember the milkshake man, then they're going to remember serving, and they just won't know what to do with themselves. What do they hate the most? That's going to be the biggest question of this year's Eurovision. Which one of these amazing novelty acts do they hate the most? Look, the sensible side of me says that there's no way they will let Finland go through. They're going to give it negative scores, the jury, but the public aren't going to love it so much. All right, so this is what I predict. You know what? I'm just going to go with my heart on Finland and say they're going to go through. If I've got to pick 10 to go through, I'm going to call it Finland, israel, czechia, denmark, georgia, greece, latvia, montenegro, malta and Austria. It's getting spicy.
Speaker 1:I've actually recorded a short reaction to all of these videos. Hopefully, if I can figure out this editing machine, we'll have it up soon on YouTube. I'll provide links on our Instapay. Just remember to hydrate, drink plenty of water and leave a glass of water, panadol and a banana by the side of your bed for those day after pick me ups. Rest easy, my friend, because we are going to be back here very soon and we are going to kick it off to the 2025 DJ Basil Bobo Eurovision in Switzerland. See you there.
