🔵 2017 Eurovision Song Contest from Kyiv/Ukraine 1. SEMIFINAL (German commentary by Peter Urban)

Dates: Semi-final 1: 9 May 2017 - Semi-final 2: 11 May 2017 - Final: 13 May 2017
Host venue: International Exhibition Centre, Kyiv, Ukraine
Presenters: Oleksandr Skichko, Volodymyr Ostapchuk, Timur Miroshnychenko
Directed by Troels Lund, Alexander Kolb, Ladislaus Kiraly
Executive supervisor: Jon Ola Sand - Executive producer: Pavlo Grytsak
Host broadcaster: Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC)

The Eurovision Song Contest 2017 was the 62nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Kyiv, Ukraine, following the country's victory at the 2016 contest with the song "1944" by Jamala. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC), the contest was held at the International Exhibition Centre and consisted of two semi-finals on 9 and 11 May, and a final on 13 May 2017. The three live shows were presented by Ukrainian television presenters Oleksandr Skichko, Volodymyr Ostapchuk and Timur Miroshnychenko, being the first contest since the inaugural 1956 edition without a female host.

Forty-two countries participated in the contest. Portugal and Romania returned to the contest after a year's absence, while Bosnia and Herzegovina did not participate on financial grounds. Russia had originally planned to participate, but later withdrew after its representative, Julia Samoylova, was banned from entering Ukraine by virtue of having travelled directly from Russia to Crimea, a region that was annexed by Russia in 2014, to give a performance, which is illegal under Ukrainian law.

The winner was Portugal with the song "Amar pelos dois", performed by Salvador Sobral and written by his sister Luísa Sobral. The song won both the jury vote and televote, and Bulgaria, Moldova, Belgium and Sweden rounded out the top five. This was Portugal's first victory in 53 years of participation, the longest in Eurovision history. It was also the first winning song entirely performed in a country's native language since Serbia's "Molitva" in 2007. The top three countries – Portugal, Bulgaria and Moldova – all achieved their highest placings in their Eurovision history, while host country Ukraine received its worst placing to date, finishing 24th in the final.

The EBU reported that 182 million viewers worldwide watched the contest, 22 million fewer than the 2016 record.

Initially, on 31 October 2016, it was announced that forty-three countries were to participate in the contest, equalling the record set in 2008 and 2011. Portugal and Romania returned after a year's absence, while Bosnia and Herzegovina withdrew on financial grounds.[36] Russia had planned to participate but announced their withdrawal on 13 April 2017, after their representative, Julia Samoylova, was banned from entering Ukraine by virtue of travelling directly from Russia to Crimea, a region that was annexed by Russia in 2014, to give a performance, which is illegal under Ukrainian law. This subsequently reduced the number of participating countries to forty-two, the same number of countries as 2016.

Semi-final 1:

Eighteen countries participated in the first semi-final. Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final.

R/O Country Artist Song Points Place

1 Sweden Robin Bengtsson "I Can't Go On" 227 3
2 Georgia Tamara Gachechiladze "Keep the Faith" 99 11
3 Australia Isaiah "Don't Come Easy" 160 6
4 Albania Lindita "World" 76 14
5 Belgium Blanche "City Lights" 165 4
6 Montenegro Slavko Kalezić "Space" 56 16
7 Finland Norma John "Blackbird" 92 12
8 Azerbaijan Dihaj "Skeletons" 150 8
9 Portugal Salvador Sobral "Amar pelos dois" 370 1
10 Greece Demy "This Is Love" 115 10
11 Poland Kasia Moś "Flashlight" 119 9
12 Moldova SunStroke Project "Hey Mamma" 291 2
13 Iceland Svala "Paper" 60 15
14 Czech Republic Martina Bárta "My Turn" 83 13
15 Cyprus Hovig "Gravity" 164 5
16 Armenia Artsvik "Fly with Me" 152 7
17 Slovenia Omar Naber "On My Way" 36 17
18 Latvia Triana Park "Line" 21 18