I can feel the end coming. There is only one more week. Thank goodness. I miss really good Monday night movies with friends to watch this, and I regret it every time I make the decision.
That being said, Snoop is still the best host of all time. I honestly wish Kelly would have come out matching him because it would have been the best fitting outfit she has worn so far. After this, I would much rather have Snoop at the helm of any project because he makes things like this watchable.
I only got two people going through right. Thoughts on who went through: Oklahoma was a surefire go through because she is by far the most popular contestant. If she wouldn’t have, there would have been riots in the streets. Colorado makes sense because it is a summer jam with a very polished stage show. Kentucky was a no brainer because it is exactly the kind of songs that wins song competitions. I was shocked that Alabama made it; I really thought they only got through because of the jury last time.
The Songs
Puerto Rico — Christian Pagán — “LOKO”
Originally In: Round 1
Original Jury Ranking: 4
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 7
Will It Go Through? It’s possible. My husband pointed out that his dance moves are so stiff that it’s hard to believe he gets “loko”. That said, he is polished. While this song is slow, it is one of the better songs from the night.
North Carolina — John Morgan — “Right In the Middle”
Originally In: Round 5
Original Jury Ranking: 3
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 4
Will It Go Through? It should. This song has been popular on streaming. As far as a country song goes, it is one of the better ones in the competition. Since he will not have to compete with Tennessee for votes, he should go through.
Kansas — Broderick Jones — “Tell Me”
Originally In: Round 2
Original Jury Ranking: 2
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 2
Will It Go Through? It is hard to say. He got a big boost from the jury the last time he went through. This time their say doesn’t count. In terms of playlist songs, I dig this one. But the performance leaves a lot to be desired.
New York — ENISA — “Green Light”
Originally In: Round 2
Original Jury Ranking: 9
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 11
Will It Go Through? I doubt it. This time she has to contend with California. Their song had better vocals and will likely take her votes. It’s a shame because ENISA clearly has watched Eurovision and knows what a stage show should look like. She has polish.
North Dakota — Chloe Fredericks — “Can’t Make You Love Me”
Originally In: Round 2
Original Jury Ranking: 5
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 6
Will It Go Through? I wish it would, but I doubt it will. I think her votes will go to North Carolina. It makes me sad because I think Chloe Fredericks is the best female vocalist in the competition. She deserves better.
Connecticut — Michael Bolton — “Beautiful World”
Originally In: Round 1
Original Jury Ranking: 5
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 5
Will It Go Through? That is a tough one. This song follows the traditional love and peace messaging of a high ranking Eurovision song. I think if Justin Jesso had kept this song for himself that it could have won. I think this will be on the bubble.
Texas — Grant Knoche — “Mr. Independent”
Originally In: Round 3
Original Jury Ranking: 4
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 8
Will It Go Through? His performance is polished, but this song is meh. He probably grabs the young teen girl vote, but will have to contend with both California and New York for those votes. I think he has a shot.
California — Sweet Taboo — “Keys to the Kingdom”
Originally In: Round 5
Original Jury Ranking: 2
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 3
Will It Go Through? I think it will, but it will be close. There are multiple entries that will split the vote with them. Their performance is polished, and the song isn’t bad.
Tennessee — Tyler Braden — “Seventeen”
Originally In: Round 3
Original Jury Ranking: 1
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 1
Will It Go Through? It is no surprise that this entry went through. They really love this song. I think it’s boring and not even close to the other country songs in the competition.
Georgia — Stela Cole — “DIY”
Originally In: Round 4
Original Jury Ranking: 6
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 9
Will It Go Through? Yes. She is popular online. This song is a cut. I like her pink outfit more than the purple one she had last time. While it bothered me that she looked so different all done up than she did on the street while talking about authenticity, this is exactly the kind of song that is a strong contender in a song contest.
American Samoa— Tenelle — “Full Circle”
Originally In: Round 5
Original Jury Ranking: 4
Semi-final 2 Jury Ranking: 10
Will It Go Through? It should. She is one of the better female vocalists in the competition. She has a great spirit that shines through in her performances. I want her to go through, but it will be on the bubble.
Predictions
If I was picking songs that I like to go through, it would be Georgia, North Dakota, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico. I think these four entries have a good mix of song with performance. But, I know this is not how it will work out.
Let’s take a look at what happened with streaming leading up to the competition.
If we went just upon this alone, we would expect Georgia, Connecticut, New York, and Kansas to go through. However, that would be unfair to later competition entries like North Carolina. Here is what I expect will happen: Georgia, North Carolina, California, and Texas. On the bubble is American Samoa and Connecticut.
