During the second Semi-Final of Hungary’s national selection show A Dal 2018 the last four finalists have been determined. Now we are only one step away from finding out who will represent the Central European country in Lisbon. One thing is already for sure: it’s not going to be a female artist. Grand Final next Saturday!
The songs
The following nine songs have been performed during the second Semi-Final
- AWS – Viszlát nyár
- Ceasefire X – Satellites
- Cintia Horváth & Tomi Balogh – Journey
- Tamás Horváth – Meggyfa
- Viktor Király – Budapest Girl
- Odett – Aranyhal
- Nikoletta Szőke – Attila Kökény – Róbert Szakcsi Lakatos – Életre kel
- Tamás Vastag – Ne hagyj reményt
- yesyes – I Let You Run Away
Some of the performances saw a couple of changes compared to the heats: Cintia Horváth and Tomi Balogh performed a longer version of their song, Odett was joined by four female vocalists this time on stage, while Tamás Vastag had brand new LED graphics. The band yesyes has made some changes in their music.
The show
Our hosts of the show were once again Krisztina Rátonyi and Gábor Alfréd Fehérvári or, as we all know him from 2016, Freddie. Members of the jury panel were rock musician Károly Frenreisz, actress Judit Schell, the lead singer of the band Magna Cum Laude, Misi Mező, and songwriter Miklós Both. The combination of the scores given by them and the viewers at home have determined the first three qualifiers. The fourth and last finalist has been chosen by only the televoters.
During the show it was been revealed that Odett’s song Aranyhal has won the award for the Best Lyrics of the Year. Hungary’s 1998 Eurovision representative Charlie, and Adrien Szekeres (who finished 2nd behind Csézy at Hungary’s national selection back in 2008) performed a wonderful duet as tonight’s interval act.
The results
| Artist / Song | Károly | Judit | Misi | Miklós | Viewers | Total / Rank |
| AWS – Viszlát nyár | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 46 / 1st |
| Ceasefire X – Satellites | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 40 / 4th |
| Cintia Horváth & Tomi Balogh – Journey | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 36 / 9th |
| Tamás Horváth – Meggyfa | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 38 / 5th |
| Viktor Király – Budapest Girl | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 42 / 3rd |
| Odett – Aranyhal | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 37 / 6th |
| N. Szőke – A. Kökény – R. Szakcsi Lakatos – Életre kel | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 37 / 7th |
| Tamás Vastag – Ne hagyj reményt | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 36 / 8th |
| yesyes – I Let You Run Away | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 45 / 2nd |
The Top 3 has automatically qualified to the Grand Final, The televoters have saved Tamás Horváth in the second voting round.
That means these acts still have a chance to get the right to represent Hungary at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon, alongside with the qualifiers from the first Semi-Final:
- Gergely Dánielfy – Azt mondtad
- Zsolt Süle – Zöld a május
- Gábor Heincz “BIGA” – Good Vibez
- Leander Kills – Nem szól harang
Hungary at the Eurovision Song Contest
Hungary debuted at Eurovision in 1994 in Dublin. Friderika Bayer’s 4th position from that year is still the country’s best ever result at the contest. After a longer period of withdrawals and returns, Hungary has participated at the Eurovision Song Contest every year since 2011.
In 2012, broadcaster MTVA launched the new national selection format; A Dal, which has quickly become popular and also successful. Since their 2011 return, Hungary has qualified to the Grand Final every single time – that means a series of seven qualifications in a row. On three occasions (2013, 2014 and 2017), they even finished in the Top 10 of the Grand Final.
This time let’s take a look back at Charlie’s performance at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest in Birmingham. He finished in 23rd position with his song A holnap már nem lesz szomorú.
