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| Battle of the Eurovision ballads | Battle of the Eurovision ballads |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| By Michael Osborn Entertainment reporter, BBC News Advertisement | By Michael Osborn Entertainment reporter, BBC News Advertisement |
| A glimpse of this year's Eurovision songs | A glimpse of this year's Eurovision songs |
| The 2008 Eurovision Song Contest was peppered with comic entries, led by a hapless puppet turkey from Ireland. | The 2008 Eurovision Song Contest was peppered with comic entries, led by a hapless puppet turkey from Ireland. |
| This year's musical mash-up in Moscow - which gets under way on Tuesday night - promises to be a more sober affair, with virtually all countries sending songs they feel have more credibility. | This year's musical mash-up in Moscow - which gets under way on Tuesday night - promises to be a more sober affair, with virtually all countries sending songs they feel have more credibility. |
| On this occasion, the first time the contest has been held in the Russian capital, the winner won't be determined by the great European public alone - half the vote has been given to juries of musical experts in an effort to dampen down neighbourly voting. | On this occasion, the first time the contest has been held in the Russian capital, the winner won't be determined by the great European public alone - half the vote has been given to juries of musical experts in an effort to dampen down neighbourly voting. |
| The luminaries will be looking for well-written songs and may not take kindly to over-the-top performances masking vacuous vocals. | The luminaries will be looking for well-written songs and may not take kindly to over-the-top performances masking vacuous vocals. |
| Welcome to the new world of Eurovision... | Welcome to the new world of Eurovision... |
| LADY BALLADEERS | LADY BALLADEERS |
| Many of the 42 countries vying for musical glory this year have plumped for the good old ballad, several of them delivered by solo females - historically a successful Eurovision category. | Many of the 42 countries vying for musical glory this year have plumped for the good old ballad, several of them delivered by solo females - historically a successful Eurovision category. |
| The United Kingdom - desperate to bounce back from a string of poor results - drafted in renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to compose blousy, theatrical ballad It's My Time, co-written by US lyricist Diane Warren. | The United Kingdom - desperate to bounce back from a string of poor results - drafted in renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to compose blousy, theatrical ballad It's My Time, co-written by US lyricist Diane Warren. |
| Youth and experience: Iceland's Johanna and French star Patricia Kaas | |
| His young muse Jade Ewen has been tasked with hitting some high notes and delivering a touch of class to proceedings. | His young muse Jade Ewen has been tasked with hitting some high notes and delivering a touch of class to proceedings. |
| Fellow newcomer Johanna is hoping to steer Iceland into their second successive final, with a gentle song more suited to radio airplay than the West End stage. | Fellow newcomer Johanna is hoping to steer Iceland into their second successive final, with a gentle song more suited to radio airplay than the West End stage. |
| But both singers are relative elders compared to teenager Christina Metaxa from Cyprus, whose winsome tune Firefly was penned by her older brother. | But both singers are relative elders compared to teenager Christina Metaxa from Cyprus, whose winsome tune Firefly was penned by her older brother. |
| At the other end of the scale is Patricia Kaas from France - a smoky songstress with millions of record sales and reams of concert experience under her belt. | At the other end of the scale is Patricia Kaas from France - a smoky songstress with millions of record sales and reams of concert experience under her belt. |
| The singer said in a recent interview that her performance will be "simple, elegant and sober". | The singer said in a recent interview that her performance will be "simple, elegant and sober". |
| In another old school twist, the ballad delivered by male-female duets will be on show, thanks to Slovakia who are returning to Eurovision after 11 years in the wilderness. | In another old school twist, the ballad delivered by male-female duets will be on show, thanks to Slovakia who are returning to Eurovision after 11 years in the wilderness. |
| Their dramatic offering is a full-on contrast to Croatia whose old-fashioned song is like a breath of warm Adriatic air on a summer's evening. | Their dramatic offering is a full-on contrast to Croatia whose old-fashioned song is like a breath of warm Adriatic air on a summer's evening. |
| MALTA'S GREAT HOPE | MALTA'S GREAT HOPE |
| Malta's singing star Chiara is making an impressive third attempt to capture the island nation's first win in Moscow - and could be the ballad performer to beat. | Malta's singing star Chiara is making an impressive third attempt to capture the island nation's first win in Moscow - and could be the ballad performer to beat. |
| Chiara captured the vote with her song Angel in 2005 | Chiara captured the vote with her song Angel in 2005 |
| She narrowly missed out to Israeli transsexual Dana International in 1998, and finished second in Kiev four years ago. | She narrowly missed out to Israeli transsexual Dana International in 1998, and finished second in Kiev four years ago. |
| The singer, blessed with a gutsy yet sweet voice, is renowned for performing on stage alone and says this time will be no different. | The singer, blessed with a gutsy yet sweet voice, is renowned for performing on stage alone and says this time will be no different. |
| Some Eurovision fans have warned that her latest song, What If We, is her weakest to date, but Chiara's Eurovision pedigree will prove an advantage. | Some Eurovision fans have warned that her latest song, What If We, is her weakest to date, but Chiara's Eurovision pedigree will prove an advantage. |
| Another star coming back to the fray is Sakis Rouvas from Greece, who came 3rd in 2004 and co-hosted the show two years later. | Another star coming back to the fray is Sakis Rouvas from Greece, who came 3rd in 2004 and co-hosted the show two years later. |
| His new dance song is a far cry from cheesy, cheeky hit Shake It and could leave voters disappointed. | His new dance song is a far cry from cheesy, cheeky hit Shake It and could leave voters disappointed. |
| FIDDLERS AND BELTERS | FIDDLERS AND BELTERS |
| Some countries have decided the way to appeal to voters and the juries alike is to throw in stringed instruments and a touch of opera. | Some countries have decided the way to appeal to voters and the juries alike is to throw in stringed instruments and a touch of opera. |
| Norway's Alexander Rybak has already been anointed by contest fans as the hot favourite to win in Moscow with his self-penned song Fairytale, which comes complete with a liberal dose of folksy violin playing. | Norway's Alexander Rybak has already been anointed by contest fans as the hot favourite to win in Moscow with his self-penned song Fairytale, which comes complete with a liberal dose of folksy violin playing. |
| Strings on show at this year's Eurovision Song ContestEnlarge Image | Strings on show at this year's Eurovision Song ContestEnlarge Image |
| Estonia's female six-piece string outfit Urban Symphony are hoping a more understated affair can steer the country into its first final since 2003. | Estonia's female six-piece string outfit Urban Symphony are hoping a more understated affair can steer the country into its first final since 2003. |
| String quartet Quartissimo from Slovenia are pushing it to the limit - their entry is largely instrumental with just a few soaring vocals. | String quartet Quartissimo from Slovenia are pushing it to the limit - their entry is largely instrumental with just a few soaring vocals. |
| But it's Sweden - also doing less well in recent years - who have plumped for a high-energy pop-opera song from an authentic diva to claw back the good times. | But it's Sweden - also doing less well in recent years - who have plumped for a high-energy pop-opera song from an authentic diva to claw back the good times. |
| Bulgaria have gone one better and chosen tenor-altino vocalist Krassimir Avramov, which translates as a man who sings in a high voice. | Bulgaria have gone one better and chosen tenor-altino vocalist Krassimir Avramov, which translates as a man who sings in a high voice. |
| POP GOES EUROVISION | POP GOES EUROVISION |
| Contest watchers hoping for showy, uptempo songs won't be disappointed, but they may fail to impress the musical experts. | Contest watchers hoping for showy, uptempo songs won't be disappointed, but they may fail to impress the musical experts. |
| Turkey's infectious tune Dum Tek Tek promises scantily-clad dancers, while Spain's hopeful Soraya has a surfeit of hunks to add spice to her pop song. | Turkey's infectious tune Dum Tek Tek promises scantily-clad dancers, while Spain's hopeful Soraya has a surfeit of hunks to add spice to her pop song. |
| Spain's uptempo Eurovision entry | Spain's uptempo Eurovision entry |
| Svetlana Loboda from Ukraine also has a leather-clad male entourage to assist a raunchy and rather eccentric entry. | Svetlana Loboda from Ukraine also has a leather-clad male entourage to assist a raunchy and rather eccentric entry. |
| A summer-soaked catchy entry from Azerbaijan's Aysel and Arash is predicted to fare well, while Ireland have swapped a puppet for a breezy rock chick act. | A summer-soaked catchy entry from Azerbaijan's Aysel and Arash is predicted to fare well, while Ireland have swapped a puppet for a breezy rock chick act. |
| And to show that anything is possible at Eurovision, Serbia, whose previous entries have been earnest and worthy, are sending the only slice of semi-comic nonsense to grace the Moscow stage. | And to show that anything is possible at Eurovision, Serbia, whose previous entries have been earnest and worthy, are sending the only slice of semi-comic nonsense to grace the Moscow stage. |
| The Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals take place on 12 and 14 May and will be screened on BBC Three. The grand final is held on 16 May and will be shown on BBC One. | The Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals take place on 12 and 14 May and will be screened on BBC Three. The grand final is held on 16 May and will be shown on BBC One. |