Tonight, 15 countries will compete for the final 10 spots in Saturday night's Eurovision grand final.
They will join the six automatic qualifiers - hosts Denmark, and 'Big Five' members United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy - and the ten qualifiers from the first semi final on Tuesday - Sweden, Iceland, Hungary, Montenegro, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, San Marino and the Netherlands.
Listed by running order, here's my quick guide to tonight's contestants. Click on the country's name to view the video.
01 - Firelight - Coming Home (Malta)
Hoping to make the final for a third successive year, Malta achieved their best result since 2005 with Gianluca's happy foot-tapping song Tomorrow. Looking to continue this run are Firelight, a pop folk band which includes four siblings. Coming Home is definitely a grower and I would be surprised if it misses out on qualifying. Momentum builds throughout the song and this should translate in the band's performance on the big stage Folk has rapidly regained popularity both critically and commercially in recent years and Malta are hoping to take advantage of this.
Israel have missed out on the final in recent years, but this run should change with Mei Feingold. Her pop-rock-dance number is proving popular with fans and should go down well with casual voters too - think Kelly Clarkson with a dancy breakdown. Traditionalists will enjoy the middle verse being sung in Hebrew, and her vocals are powerful enough to command the gigantic stage in Copenhagen.
This year Norway have gone with a melancholy number that is among the early favourites. Tonight's performance could seal that status. There's no doubting Silent Storm is a powerful track, which Carl sings flawlessly, but I wonder if it will be instant enough to really mount a challenge. There may well be another Nordic victory this year but I doubt it will be this one.
With an interesting title like Three Minutes To Earth, it's hard not to be disappointed by Georgia's track this year. Mariko has a strong voice but she is let down by her fellow competitors. This sounds like the sort of thing aging hippies would love after one joint too many. There's no discernible chorus or melody, just lots of noodling on acoustic guitars. Outsider.
Poland return to Eurovision after two years absence with this and look set to return to the final for the first time since 2008. Already a big hit in Poland long before it was confirmed as their country's entry, My Slowanie is available in three versions - Polish, English and the contest version which mixes both languages. A catchy if repetitive hip hop fusion with traditional Polish folk, some of the lyrics don't sit as comfortably in English but it still has enough to place in the top ten tonight.
06 Conchita Wurst - Rise Like A Phoenix (Austria)This year's most controversial contestant, bearded lady Conchita definitely knows how to bring attention to herself and her entry. Conservative nations such as Russia and Armenia have voiced their disapproval and there have been calls from some to remove her from the contest. No such luck for them as the majority of Europe seems to be a fan of her and her song. For me, Rise Like A Phoenix is disappointing given the hype, and sounds like a below par James Bond theme. There's no doubt she will qualify though and is likely to give Austria their best result in years.
07 Vilija - Attention (Lithuania)This is one of the worst entries in the contest this year and if there is any justice it will be left behind after tonight. The chorus is a mess, the stuttering vocals are annoying and the music is just noise. The staging leaves a lot to be desired as well. It's a shame because Lithuania have improved in recent contests, but I won't be sorry if they fail to make the final for the first time in four years.
Finland will hope to improve on last year's disappointing near-bottom finish from Krista Siegfrieds despite her song Marry Me being a fan favourite and lots of media attention for her same-sex kiss in the finals. Unfortunately I don't think Softengine will do that. It's good to hear rock at Eurovision much more commonly now than in previous years (mainly down to compatriots and winners Lordi) but Something Better's problem lies in its simplicity. It is a good track - but it sounds too similar to well known bands like 30 Seconds To Mars and My Chemical Romance to stand out and make you want to vote for it. Doubtful whether they will get through.
The Irish have the best history in Eurovision with seven victories, but it is fast approaching twenty years since their last win. Some entries have been questionable in recent years (Dustin the Turkey springs to mind), but Jedward, Ryan Dolan and now Can-Linn have submitted worthy contenders. Heartbeat's chorus is one of the strongest in the contest this year and they have found a winning way of importing traditional Irish instruments into an electronic pop track.
Oh dear Belarus. Robin Thicke and his Blurred Lines have a lot to answer for. Teo tries his best to look like Mr Thicke in the Cheesecake video but the whole thing comes across as a cheap rip off. Cheesecake is a poor song too. Teo is fed up of being this girl's sweet cheesecake indeed. It tries to be cool but sounds like a Justin Timberlake cast off. In his N*Sync days. This is unlikely to improve Belarus's poor record of three finals appearances in their ten attempts so far.
I think this is the period in the show I'll be topping up my drink. To The Sky is better than Cheesecake at least. It's not saying much. Tijana even sounds bored on this run of the mill dance track about taking it to the sky. Another country with a below average qualification record, though it's not really a surprise when they send stuff like this.
Switzerland have been very unlucky in recent years at Eurovision. They consistently send decent songs that mostly end up failing to qualify, quite what Takasa did to the juries last year to end up 13th after finishing 5th in the televote I don't know. Happily, Sebalter's mix of folk, pop and whistling should see them make the final this year. The whistling is catchy, not annoying and the singer is likable - he is this year's smiliest contestant - and more importantly his song is one of the best this year.
Greece go back to more familiar ground with this quality dance number after Koza Mostra brought us skirts and ska last year. This is probably the most commercial song in the contest this year and I expect to see it on iTunes charts across the continent before the end of the week. Greece have an excellent record and have never failed to qualify from the semi finals. It's not a run that is going to end this year either.
Slovenia keep trying but it's a rarity when they do qualify for the finals - just twice since the advent of semis in 2004. This is one their better efforts, and surprisingly features 2013 flop Hannah Mancini credited as one of the lyricists. This downtempo, brooding track has gone under the radar for a lot of people, but it may surprise a few people by making Saturday's final.
15 - Paula Seling & Ovi - Miracle (Romania)Romania are one of those Eurovision countries whose entries I struggle to remember. Excluding Cesar, I'm still having my ears bleached to try and forget last year. Eurovision veterans Paula & Ovi are back this year, hoping for a similar result which saw them take third in 2010. They are another country with a 100% qualification rate, and Miracle is likely to continue that. There are better songs, and both Paula & Ovi's voices don't sit quite right with the fast production for my taste, but they will undoubtedly qualify once again.
So, which countries will miss out? I think Belarus, Georgia, Finland, Macedonia and Lithuania will miss out. Let me know your thoughts.
With thanks to Eurovision, EBU and the national broadcasters for the pictures.
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