May 15

And just like that, it was time to show the world what we have been cooking for months! Live Broadcast of Semi Final 1!!!!!!

Of course we started the whole thing with a over the top performance with the winner from last year: Netta! Love Love Love this girl!

Our hosts Erez Tal, Lucy Ayoub, Bar Rafaeli and Assi Azar welcoming our audience and starting the competition. 17 songs in total, 10 making it to the Grand Final. GAME ON!

Australia choose to ignore my advice about sharks with lasers and put three girls on sticks instead! It worked!

Belarus had some pyro cases and heavy fog machines on stage. That worked too!

Cyprus brought their own LED panels and danced away all the way to the final!

Czech Republic danced even more, and that worked too!

Estonia was not so much dance, but a lot of storm. Europe loved it!

Greece had swords in their performance. It’s not exactly sharks with lasers, but it’s a start! It worked!

Iceland decided to try with a BDSM version of Rammstein, and they whipped themselves right into the Saturday show.

San Marino said Na Na Na 1 324 times in 3 minutes, and so did we!

Serbia had a baby tornado that we created with heavy fog and 8 wind machines. Blew competion out of the water!

Slovenia did pretty much not a thing, but the song was strong enough to carry them through anyway.

As you can see, we have the, by far, best production photographer in the world in our team. I hope you enjoy the amazing photos from my dear friend Ralph Larmann!

We got back to the hotel at 01:30, tired but happy. Just to set the alarm for an early start tomorrow, when we start all over with Semi Final 2!

Stay out of trouble! We try not too!