🔵 2007 Eurovision Song Contest SEMIFINAL Full Show From Helsinki

Dates: Semi-final: 10 May 2007 - Final: 12 May 2007
Host venue: Hartwall Areena, Helsinki, Finland
Presenters: Jaana Pelkonen, Mikko Leppilampi, Krisse Salminen (green room; final)
Directed by Timo Suomi
Executive supervisor: Svante Stockselius
Executive producer: Heikki Seppälä
Host broadcaster: Yleisradio (YLE)

The Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was the 52nd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Helsinki, Finland, following Lordi's win at the 2006 contest in Athens, Greece with the song "Hard Rock Hallelujah". It was the first time Finland had hosted the contest - 46 years after the country made its debut. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Yleisradio (Yle), the contest was held at the Hartwall Areena, and consisted of a semi-final on 10 May, and the final on 12 May 2007. The two live shows were hosted by Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi. In addition, Krisse Salminen acted as guest host in the green room, and reported from the crowds at the Senate Square.

Forty-two countries participated in the contest - three more than the previous record of thirty-nine, that took part in 2005. The EBU decided to put aside its limit of 40 countries, which would have meant excluding some countries using a ranking order scheme. The Czech Republic and Georgia made their first participation this year, with Montenegro and Serbia taking part as independent nations for the first time. Austria and Hungary both returned, after their absence from the previous edition. Meanwhile, Monaco decided not to participate.

The winner was Serbia with the song "Molitva", performed by Marija Šerifović and written by Vladimir Graić and Saša Milošević Mare. This was Serbia's first victory in the contest, and indeed, the first year they competed as an independent nation. Also, this was the first victory for one of the former Yugoslav republics. It was also the first winning song entirely performed in a country's native language since Israel's "Diva" in 1998. Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Bulgaria rounded out the top five. Bulgaria achieved their best result in the contest up to this point. Further down the table, Belarus achieved their best placing to date, finishing sixth. Meanwhile, Ireland achieved their worst placing in the contest, finishing twenty-fourth (last place). Of the "Big Four" countries Germany placed the highest, finishing nineteenth.

For the first time, the contest featured songs entered in languages other than a country's own national language or in English (coming from Cyprus and Latvia). Although this happened in 2003, this was the first time the contest featured countries doing this with actual languages as opposed to an imaginary one.

The semi-final was held on 10 May 2007 at 21:00 (CET). 28 countries performed and all 42 participants voted.

Results of the semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2007

R/O Country Artist Song Points Place

1 Bulgaria Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov "Water" 146 6
2 Israel Teapacks "Push the Button" 17 24
3 Cyprus Evridiki "Comme ci, comme ça" 65 15
4 Belarus Koldun "Work Your Magic" 176 4
5 Iceland Eiríkur Hauksson "Valentine Lost" 77 13
6 Georgia Sopho "Visionary Dream" 123 8
7 Montenegro Stevan Faddy "'Ajde, kroči" 33 22
8 Switzerland DJ BoBo "Vampires Are Alive" 40 20
9 Moldova Natalia Barbu "Fight" 91 10
10 Netherlands Edsilia Rombley "On Top of the World" 38 21
11 Albania Frederik Ndoci "Hear My Plea" 49 17
12 Denmark DQ "Drama Queen" 45 19
13 Croatia Dragonfly feat. Dado Topić "Vjerujem u ljubav" 54 16
14 Poland The Jet Set "Time to Party" 75 14
15 Serbia Marija Šerifović "Molitva" 298 1
16 Czech Republic Kabát "Malá dáma" 1 28
17 Portugal Sabrina "Dança comigo" 88 11
18 Macedonia Karolina "Mojot svet" 97 9
19 Norway Guri Schanke "Ven a bailar conmigo" 48 18
20 Malta Olivia Lewis "Vertigo" 15 25
21 Andorra Anonymous "Salvem el món" 80 12
22 Hungary Magdi Rúzsa "Unsubstantial Blues" 224 2
23 Estonia Gerli Padar "Partners in Crime" 33 22
24 Belgium The KMG's "LovePower" 14 26
25 Slovenia Alenka Gotar "Cvet z juga" 140 7
26 Turkey Kenan Doğulu "Shake It Up Şekerim" 197 3
27 Austria Eric Papilaya "Get a Life – Get Alive" 4 27
28 Latvia Bonaparti.lv "Questa notte" 168 5