Tonight: Semi-final 2 of Eurovision Song Contest 2022

We already know the first 15 songs qualified for the Grand Final on Saturday. Tonight, the second Semi-final will decide the last 10 qualifiers.

18 participants will compete, but only 10 of these will qualify for Saturday's Grand Final. The show starts at 21:00 CEST, live from Pala Olimpico Arena in Turin, Italy, and can be streamed on YouTube. The hosts are Mika, Laura Pausini and Alessandro Cattelan.

The running order has been decided by Italian producer RAI based on an allocation draw.

Lineup Semi-final 2

After the 18 songs from the second Semi-final, a 1-minute preview of three of the five pre-qualified countries will be shown: Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. These previews were recorded yesterday at the jury rehearsals.

Opening: The Italian Way

The second Semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 starts with Alessandro Cattelan (one of the hosts) going through the show's backstage. There, he says it's almost showtime, and he has "no idea what to do." He looks for advice and introduces the viewers to the Italian way of doing things: the art of getting by.

In this short introduction video, part of the crew team advises Alessandro to start the show with a dancing act, which he seems not too keen on as he can't dance. Regardless, that's exactly how the show starts.

From backstage, we're now following Alessandro to the center of the stage. He's joined by multiple dancers and delivers a quite energetic and good dancing routine for someone who apparently can't dance.

The three hosts are now welcomed: Alessandro Cattelan, Laura Pausini and Mika. They reinforce a few notes to the public and, in an Italian way, it's time to...

LET THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2022 BEGIN!

Postcards

Before each of the 18 songs we will see a small "postcard" while the stage is being prepared for the respective song. Each of the 18 postcards feature the same idea:

Leo, the drone, is in charge of taking us through different locations in Italy, and of the postcard overall. Each card starts with blue skies and a few white clouds and gives place to a specific region or city in Italy. Pictures of the acts, as holograms, are shown in those different locations, and by the end it's Leo's job to project the final moving hologram of the act.

Commercial Breaks

After song number 6 (Malta), the evening's first commercial break takes place:

For viewers without commercials, we're back with Laura Pausini who engages the audience by singing what will be a reference to the Italian Festival di Sanremo. She goes on to talk about her experience, and how she won Sanremo when she was only 18.

A video segment about Sanremo follows. It's about the history of Sanremo, and it mentions the influence it had on the creation of the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956.

We're back to the Pala Olimpico arena with Mika and Alessandro. In this short segment, Mika teaches Alessandro how to get the best out of the live audience, and shortly after San Marino is introduced.

After song number 12 (Estonia), the second commercial break takes place:

Mika is sitting on the stage and talks about how we all perceived the sound of beauty in a different way. This gives place to a video where that theme is explored. We hear babies laughing, the sound of waves, bycicles, and bells, amongst many other sounds.

We're back again with the three hosts in the green room, or as they call it the "giardino italiano." They go on to say that it's a place with a lot of emotion, and that they can feel the tension even if not competing. Before moving on to Romania, they encourage the viewers to comment on the competition on social media using the official hashtag.

Interval Act: Mika & Laura, Il Volo

After all of the acts have performed, it's time to start voting. All countries in Semi-final 2, along with the three qualified countries Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, can vote in this Semi-final.

The three presenters explain the rules, and are quick to open the voting:

EUROPE! START VOTING NOW!

A recap follows, and shortly after Alessandro presents the first interval act of the night: a duet between Laura Pausini and Mika, who sing "Fragile" by Sting as well as "People Have The Power" by Patti Smith. Another recap, and the hosts encourage the viewers to vote.

EUROPE! STOP VOTING NOW!

It's time for the next interval act. It's the trio Il Volo, who represented Italy back in 2015. They perform an English/Italian version of their monster Eurovision hit "Grande Amore." Only two of the group members are physically on stage as Gianluca Ginoble tested positive for COVID-19. He's joining the two via a screen in the background.

The official Eurovision voice is back for another chapter of "Eurovison Confidential," where the fantasy theme is explored and references Zlata Ognevich (Ukraine 2013) and Rasmussen (Denmark 2018), amongst others.

Mika and Alessandro are back on our screen and take the time to thank the technical team, which they reference as a "big family." Since there are so many people to thank, they introduce a video of the backstage where part of the team has some time to shine.

Pre-qualified countries

There are five countries that are automatically pre-qualified for the Grand Final, the "Big-5" countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Before the announcement of the result, we're presented with three of the five pre-qualified countries for the Grand Final. These three countries will also broadcast and vote in Semi-final 2.

In this Semi-final, it is Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany.

A short interview with the three artists is followed by a preview of their songs recorded yesterday evening.

We're ready to know the 10 qualifiers. Martin Österdahl, the boss who oversees everything related to Eurovision, announces that all is set for the qualifiers announcement.

THE 10 SONGS QUALIFIED FOR THE GRAND FINAL ARE...

🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️🏳️

GOOD NIGHT EUROPE!

Voting

The voting procedure will be the same as the previous five editions. Each country will have two sets of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points to give. One set for each country's jury, and one set for each country's televoting.

• The 10 songs with most points will qualify for the Grand Final.
• Each of the 18 countries participating in Semi-final 2 will vote.
• The pre-qualified countries, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, will broadcast and vote in Semi-final 2.
• Each country has a national jury who has given one set of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points.
• Each country will have televoting, which also results in a set of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 points.
• The voting will not be revealed before the Grand Final has finished on Saturday.
• Only the 10 qualified songs will be revealed, and in random order.
• Televoters and national juries have equal weight in the voting.
• The national juries voted yesterday evening (Wednesday, 11 May) during the second dress-rehearsal.