Céline Dion appears rare when five countries are kicked

Céline Dion released rare during the first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest with a short, predetermined message.

De Ster won the Switzerland competition in 1988, and it was rumor that she would enter the stage if the ceremony returns to the country this year.

“I would like nothing more than to be with you,” she said in a video, apparently excluding that possibility. “Switzerland will forever have a special place in my heart. It is the country that believed in me and gave me the chance to be part of something so extraordinary.”

The semi -final saw 10 acts qualify for the grand finale of Saturday, including the Swedish participants Kaj, whose song Bara Bada Bastu is the running favorite.

Their song, an accordion-guided comic song whose title translates into “Let’s Take a Sauna”, has a 40% chance of winning, according to Bookmakers.

If the prediction comes out, it would be the eighth Eurovision title of Sweden – making them the most victorious country in the history of the competition (they are currently connected to Ireland, on seven victories each).

Fifteen actions were carried out in the semi -final on Tuesday in Basel’s St Jakobshalle. These are those who made the cut.

• Norway: Kyle Alessandro – Lighter
• Albania: Shkodra Electronic – Zjerm
• Sweden: Kaj – Just swimming sauna
• Iceland: Wæb – calm
• The Netherlands: Claude – It’s Life
• Poland: Justyna Steczkowska – Gaja
• San Marino: Gabry Ponte – All Italy
• Estonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso Macchiato
• Portugal: NAPA – Displaced
• Ukraine: Ziferblat – Bird of Pray

That means that the Eurovision of Azerbaijan, Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia and Slovenia all ended before 2025.

The biggest surprise was the Red Sebastian of Belgium, whose Rave Anthem Strobe Lights was predicted to end between the top five.

His disqualification came on the day of his 26th birthday.

Ten more actions will claim the main competition after the second semifinal on Thursday.

The countries “Big Five”, which contribute most to the competition (France, Germany, Spain, the UK and Italy) automatically qualify, just like last year’s winners, Switzerland.

Dion’s video message came during the interval of the ceremony, when votes were cast.

Although she could not be there personally, it was a coup for organizers. In recent years, the singer has left the spotlight because of health problems with regard to the stiff-person syndrome (SPS), a neurological disorder that causes muscle spasms and makes it difficult for her to walk.

After a four -year break, she made an emotional comeback at the Paris Olympic Games last summer and sang the classic hymn à l’amour of Edith Piaf from the Eiffel Tower.

Speculation about a potential Eurovision -appearance has not been noticed since the Swiss singer Nemo won the 2024 match.

In her video, Dion said that it was “beautiful and emotional” to see the young singer lift the trophy and remembered that her victory in 1988 “was a life -changing moment for me”.

“To the people of Switzerland, thank you for your love,” she continued. “This night is yours and I hope you feel as proud as me.”

After repeating her message in French, several former Eurovision participants appeared on stage to cover the winning song by Dion from 1988, Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi (not leaving without me).

However, organizers said that they had not given up hope at the star that appeared at the final this weekend.

“We are still in close contact with her,” they said in a statement.

The semi-final of Tuesday was opened with the Icelandic group Væb, two brothers with the unregulated energy of former Irish participants Jedward.

They were followed by the Polish star Justyna Steczkowska, who hung dangerously above the stage on two ropes, singing her witchy hymn to Mother Earth, Gaja.

The acrobatics continued with the Slovenian musician Klemen, who was suspended during his ballad, how much time do we have left?

The song was a tribute to his wife, who recently recovered from cancer, but the emotional performance was not enough to conquer him a position in the final.

Taking a lighter memorandum was the Tommy Cash of Estonia, whose idiosyncratic national anthem Espresso Macchiato was interrupted by a “theater infier” – actually a dancer who replicated his noodle prayer dance movements.

The Arena was flooded with the Ukra flags for Ziferblat, whose prog-pop Volksliedvogel van Bid is a message from hope and resilience to families separated by the constant war of the country with Russia.

Lucio Corsi of Italy brought the 70s Glam Rock-Vibes with his song Volevo Esse Un Duro, who even had a visual call-back David Bowie and Mick Ronson’s iconic 1972 version of Starman on top of the Pops.

The Bosnian singer Marko Bošnjak was all black eyeliner and sinister energy for his murder of-Semies Volkslied Gif Cake, while the Dutch singer Claude followed the opposite approach, full of positivity during his cheerful performance of C’est La Vie.

And the Swiss singer Zoë was in a sea of ​​mobile phone lights while performing Voyage, a modest and fairly beautiful plea for friendliness and understanding.

Kaj, however, were the artists to defeat – with the entire audience stamped to their Goofy Sauna – Volkslied (“Damn, raise the heat! ))

The number, executed in the Vörå dialect, is a radical deviation from the proven formula of Sweden of slick Pop -Volksliederen.

It was the surprise winner at the melodifestivalals, the Fel-Drinkhow that selects the Eurovision entry of the country and went out the Swedish pop hit lists for 11 weeks.

Speaking with the BBC, said the band – who actually comes from Swedish -speaking part of Finland – that it was strange to participate in the competition as the supposed favorite.

“We feel the pressure a bit,” she admitted, “but we go outside, have fun, bring the steam, bring the sauna culture and we will see how far it goes.”