First 2016 Super Saturday: Semi final bonanza to watch this Saturday

If anyone was in doubt, the national selection has really started. This Saturday, we have no less than six semi finals taking place, many of them featuring artists returning from previous years. We warm up to the heats in Sweden, Iceland, Finland, Hungary, Ukraine and Lithuania.

This Saturday, the 6th of February six semi finals will be broadcast. Below you can read the details about them and get ready to pick your favourite, as they all head one step closer to the Eurovision shows in Stockholm, Sweden on May 10th, 12th and 14th. The times for the shows are in brackets (CET) to help you plan your Saturday, this very first Super Saturday for the 2016 season.

SWEDEN MELODIFESTIVALEN WEEK 1 (20:00)

Sweden kicks off its much anticipated Melodifestivalen 2016 with Anna Book disqualified and now down to six competitors, including past alumnus Ace Wilder and Samir & Viktor. Six competitors will be vying for the “direct till final” slots where two will go, while two others will go forward to the “Andra Chansen ” in four weeks time.

Samir & Viktor – Bada nakna
Pernilla Andersson – Mitt guld
Mimi Werner – Ain’t No Good
Albin & Mattias –  Rik
Robin Bengtsson – Constellation Prize
Ace Wilder – Don’t Worry

Below you can watch some of the great highlights from past Swedish entries hopefully seeing content that you haven’t seen before.

ICELAND Söngvakeppnin Semi 1 (21:00)

The first heat of the Icelandic final gets underway also this weekend, with returning Eurovision competitor Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir opening the show. Three of the acts will continue to the final on 20th of February, all thanks to tele voting.

Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir – Raddirnar
Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir & Hjörtur Traustason – Hugur minn er
Ingólfur Þórarinsson -Fátækur námsmaður
EVA – Ég sé þig
Karlotta Sigurðardóttir – Ó stöðvandi
Sigga Eyrún – Kreisí

We’re going big with our Icelandic highlights offering you a bumper eight years of memories and moments which we believe will contain joyful content that you haven’t seen before.

FINLAND UMK HEAT 1 (20:00)

Six competitors will compete in Round 1, hosted by former Finnish competitor Krista Siegfids and Roope Salminen. Three acts will qualify through to the final to be held on the 27th of February. 

Saara Aalto –  No Fear
Mikko Herranen – Evil Tone
Stella Christine – Ain’t Got Time For Boys
Eini – Draamaa
ClemSO – Thief
Pää-Äijät – Shamppanjataivas

Below you can watch a compilation of the last 5 years of Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. We did our best to find our greatest footage, and maybe you’ll see something you haven’t seen before.

HUNGARY A DAL HEAT 3 (19:40)

The third round of A Dal will see returning competitors, Bálint Gájer and Ív, who were both beaten by Boggie and Wars For Nothing last year. Five of these acts will automatically qualify for the final, while a sixth will go through after a second round of televoting. The Hungarian Grand Final will take place on the 27th of February.

Szilvia Agárdi – It Is Love
B The First – You Told Me That You Loved Me
Andi Tóth & Olivér Berkes – Seven Seas
Bálint Gájer – Speed Bump
Juli Horányi – Come Along
Ív – Love Kills Me
Nika – Beautiful Love (Emlékkép)
Parno Graszt – Már Nem Szédülök
Petruska – Trouble In My Mind
Viki Singh – Katonák

Below you can watch a compilation of the last 5 years of Hungary in the Eurovision Song Contest.  Again we did our best to find our greatest footage, and maybe you’ll see something you haven’t seen before.

UKRAINE  SEMI FINAL 1 (18:00)

 A huge welcome back to the Eurovision scene to Ukraine, who missed out last year. On Saturday, nine acts will take part in the first Ukrainian semi final, and Ruslana (Eurovision winner for Ukraine 2004) will be one of the judges. Three of the acts will go on to the final to be held on the 21st of February. Most of the songs are not yet available for preview, but should be any day by now. Anastasia Prikhodko represented Russia in 2009 with Mamo.
Jamala – 1944
The Hardkiss – Helpless
Brunettes Shoot Blondes – Every Monday
Svetlana Tarabova – Never Again
Vladislav Kurasov – I’m Insane
Aida Nikolaychuk – Inner Power
Lavyka – Hold Me
Antonina Matviyenko – Tin Whistle
Anastasia Prikhodko – I Am Free Now

More details on the Ukrainian selection can be found on Ukraine’s Eurovsion web-site.

Below you can watch a compilation of the last 7 years of Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest. We did our extra best to find our greatest footage, and maybe you’ll see something you haven’t seen before.

LITHUANIA EUROVIZIJA WEEK 5 (20:00)

Lithuania have extended their competition and as a result only two of the Second Chance contestants will be eliminated this week. Their final is now scheduled for 12th of March.

Baiba – – May Day
Berta Timinskaitė – Stars in a Rainbow
Ieva Zasimauskas –Life (Not That Beautiful))
Neringa Šiaudikytė – Never Knew Love
4 Roses – Butterfly
Ruslan Kirilkinas –You Bet
Aistė Pilvelytė  – You Bet
Saulenė Chlevickaitė – Strong
Milda Martinkėnaitė – Long Way From Home
E.G.O-  Long Way From Home

Below please enjoy highlights from Lithuania from the last five years. Hopefully there is some material that you have not seen before.

Source: yle finland, mtva hungary, ntu ukraine, youtube
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