Eurovision Song Contest 2021 - Grand Final Preview

It's finally here – the grand final of the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, live from Rotterdam!

736 days on from the final of the 2019 contest, it’s time to find out who will be the successor to Duncan Laurence as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.

The grand final begins at 5:00am in Australia (AEST), and here is a quick recap of the competing entries, and their odds of winning the competition.

There are a total of 26 nations competing in the grand final and you’ll find them below in the order they will appear during the show, but only one entry can claim the grand prize.

Please note, due to a positive case of coronavirus, Iceland will be using footage from their second rehearsal, the same footage used during their semi-final.

1 – Cyprus

Elena Tsagrinou – ‘El diablo’

Odds to win: $91 (12th)

Elena Tsagrinou isn’t just the singer who started out in Greek band OtherView, but is also known for her voiceover work, including in the movies ‘Free Birds’ and ‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’. Cyprus was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

2 – Albania

Anxhela Peristeri – ‘Karma’

Odds to win: $601 (24th)

Two-time Festivali i Këngës competitor, model, and Miss Albania Pageant representative Anxhela Peristeri will be bringing her amazing vocals and that stunning, shiny dress to the grand final on Sunday. Albania was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

3 – Israel

Eden Alene – ‘Set Me Free’

Odds to win: $401 (19th)

Eden Alene did ballet classes during her childhood, idolizes queen of pop Beyonce, and during the first semifinal, made Eurovision history for the highest note in a performance – a B5 whistle note. Israel was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

4 – Belgium

Hooverphonic – ‘The Wrong Place’

Odds to win: $601 (22nd)

They’re Belgium’s biggest musical export, they came to global fame following the release of their song ‘Mad About You’, their music has been used in movies, TV and commercials, and now they’re the first Belgian entrant to make it to the grand final since Blanche in 2017 with ‘City Lights’. Belgium was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

5 – Russia

Manizha – ‘Russian Woman’

Odds to win: $176 (14th)

Having fled the Tajikistani Civil War in 1994 to Moscow, Manizha is now representing her new home country on the world’s biggest stage in front of an audience of 200 million people with an entry about female empowerment. Russia was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

6 – Malta

Destiny – ‘Je me casse’

Odds to win: $7.50 (3rd)

With another banger about female empowerment, Malta’s Destiny is the latest in a string of artists to make the transfer to Eurovision from its younger counterpart, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Malta was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

7 – Portugal

The Black Mamba – ‘Love Is on My Side’

Odds to win: $41 (8th)

With a song written about a time they were in the Netherlands, when a woman told them her story of addiction and prostitution in her youth, The Black Mamba is representing Portugal with an entry entirely in English, a first for the country. Portugal was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

8 – Serbia

Hurricane – ‘Loco Loco’

Odds to win: $176 (17th)

Serbian girl group Hurricane features the stunning vocals of Eurovision 2016 representative Sanja Vučić, Ivana Nikolić, and the daughter of Montenegro’s 2015 representative, Ksenija Knežević. Serbia was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

9 – United Kingdom

James Newman – ‘Embers’

Odds to win: $601 (21st)

While not instantly recognizable as a singer, many of James Newman’s songwriting credits will be recognizable to most. He has written songs for some of the world’s biggest stars, including Little Mix, Olly Murs, ZAYN, Liam Payne, and Ke$ha. The United Kingdom is one of six nations to automatically qualify for the grand final.

10 – Greece

Stefania – ‘Last Dance’

Odds to win: $176 (15th)

After representing the Netherlands in Junior Eurovision in 2016, Stefania this year represents her parents home country of Greece, complete with invisible dancers wearing white and a whole lot of green screen. Greece was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

11 – Switzerland

Gjon’s Tears – ‘Tout l’Univers’

Odds to win: $10 (4th)

Having toured Europe’s talent shows, competing in the Albanian and Swiss versions of ‘Got Talent’ and the French version of ‘The Voice’, ‘Tout l’Univers’ spent a long time at the top of the bookmakers odds, and is still a hot favourite to win. Switzerland was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

12 – Iceland

Daði og Gagnamagnið – ’10 Years’

Odds to win: $19 (6th)

Iconic Icelandic group Daði og Gagnamagnið will not be performing live, instead using the footage from their second rehearsal, due to one of the members testing positive for coronavirus. Iceland was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

13 – Spain

Blas Cantó – ‘Voy a quedarme’

Odds to win: $601 (26th)

Blas has wanted to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest for nearly two decades, surprising for someone who’s only 29 years old. He first tried to go to Junior Eurovision 2004, competing in the national final, and even attempted to take part in regular Eurovision in 2011 as a member of a boyband, also failing to qualify from the national final. Spain is one of six nations to automatically qualify for the grand final.

14 – Moldova

Natalia Gordienko – ‘Sugar’

Odds to win: $401 (23rd)

Fifteen years after first gracing the Eurovision stage back in 2006, Natalia Gordienko returns with a song as sweet as sugar, written by the Eurovision-famous “Dream Team”. Moldova was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

15 – Germany

Jendrik – ‘I Don’t Feel Hate’

Odds to win: $601 (25th)

Heading to the Eurovision stage complete with his rhinestone-encrusted ukulele and a woman wearing a hand making a peace sign (which was changed from the middle finger, which was not allowed on the Eurovision stage), Jendrik brings along with him a background in German musical theatre productions such as ‘My Fair Lady’ and ‘Hairspray’. Germany is one of six nations to automatically qualify for the grand final.

16 – Finland

Blind Channel – ‘Dark Side’

Odds to win: $26 (7th)

Hailing from Oulu in Finland, this Finnish metal band won their national final with more votes than anyone else in it’s history, with more than 54% of the votes cast. Finland was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

17 – Bulgaria

Victoria – ‘Growing Up Is Getting Old’

Odds to qualify: $76 (10th)

First rising to fame after competing against Kristian Kostov on ‘X Factor Bulgaria’ in 2015, Victoria says about her song that “You can grow as a person in many different ways. Sometimes going back to your roots helps you find your purpose on Earth.” Bulgaria was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

18 – Lithuania

The Roop – ‘Discoteque’

Odds to win: $91 (11th)

They won their national final with an almost unimaginable 86% of the televote, opened the Eurovision Song Contest following its two-year hiatus, and now they’re on the path to win the whole contest. Lithuania was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

19 – Ukraine

Go_A – ‘Shum’

Odds to win: $10 (5th)

The sound of Ukrainian folklore is ringing around Europe following the qualification of four-piece electro-pop band Go_A on Wednesday morning with their folk-inspired Eurovision entry ‘Shum’. Ukraine was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

20 – France

Barbara Pravi – ‘Voilà’

Odds to win: $4 (2nd)

Now known for her chanson-style music and singing, Barbara Pravi started out her music career as a composer and film soundtrack and stage performer, and has written France’s two most recent and successful Junior Eurovision entries, Carla’s ‘Bim bam toi’ (which came 5th) and Valentina’s ‘J’imagine’ (which won). France is one of six nations to automatically qualify for the grand final.

21 – Azerbaijan

Efendi – ‘Mata Hari’

Odds to win: $251 (18th)

Pop and jazz singer Efendi has a talent for singing Eurovision songs about famous women in history. Her entry last year was intended to be ‘Cleopatra’, about the famous Egyptian Queen, and this year is ‘Mata Hari’, about the World War I Dutch spy. Azerbaijan was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

22 – Norway

Tix – ‘Fallen Angel’

Odds to win: $251 (16th)

With a stage name taken after the involuntary tics he has due to his Tourette syndrome, Tix is the biggest name in the Norwegian domestic music market, and he’s breaking out to take over Europe with his hit entry ‘Fallen Angel’. Norway was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

23 – Netherlands

Jeangu Macrooy – ‘Birth of a New Age’

Odds to win: $601 (20th)

Born and raised in Paramaribo, Suriname, Jeangu migrated to the Netherlands to study songwriting at the ArtEZ Conservatory, where he met music producer Perquisite, and has been singing and songwriting in the Netherlands since 2014. The Netherlands is one of six nations to automatically qualify for the grand final, following their win at the 2019 contest.

24 – Italy

Måneskin – ‘Zitti e buoni’

Odds to win: $3.30 (1st)

After taking part in the eleventh edition of ‘X Factor Italy’, Måneskin (whose name comes from the Danish word for “moonshine”) rose to fame in Italy, and describe their music aesthetic as rock with alternative, funk, rap, ‘stoner’, and glam influences. Italy is one of six nations to automatically qualify for the grand final.

25 – Sweden

Tusse – ‘Voices’

Odds to win: $91 (13th)

He traveled to Sweden alone as a refugee as a child, before winning over the nation’s hearts in ‘Sweden’s Got Talent’ and then the long-running national final ‘Melodifestivalen’, and now he’s hoping to win over the hearts of all of Europe with the entry ‘Voices’. Sweden was one of ten qualifiers from the first semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

26 – San Marino

Senhit feat. Flo Rida – ‘Adrenalina’

Odds to win: $51 (9th)

Theatre performer and Eurovision 2011 star Senhit is joined on stage by internationally famous rap sensation Flo Rida in the quirky and loveable Latin-inspired hit ‘Adrenalina’. San Marino was one of ten qualifiers from the second semi-final to make it through to Sunday’s grand final.

How can I watch?

You can tune into the live broadcast on SBS from 5:00am AEST, with the show also available on their online platform SBS On Demand.

SBS will also be airing a primetime repeat of the broadcast (as they do each year) at 7:30pm AEST on Sunday night.

How can I vote?

All competing nations are eligible to vote in the grand final, despite whether they qualify or not, meaning that Australians can vote for their favourite entries this year.

The voting window opens after the last song has been performed (don’t worry, our hosts will remind us), and ends 15 minutes later, and can only be cast during the live 5:00am broadcast.

To vote for your favourite entry, text the act number to 1991 3773 during the 15-minute voting window. Votes cast outside this window will not count, and you may still be charged.

Note: Limit of 20 votes per mobile number. Charge is 55c per vote.