Best Semi-Final Non Qualifiers– Over the last two weeks, hundreds of our readers have voted for their Top 5 Best Eurovision entries that did not make it to the final. Each voter had ten points to distribute: 5 to his favorite, 4 to the second place etc. Out of these points we calculated the ultimate Top 15 of your favorite Semi-Final non qualifiers! You can see the other places and our other rankings here! Your place 8 goes to Finland.
In 2012, Finland sent a folk ballad in Swedish, the second official language. The complete newcomer Pernilla Karlsson performed the song “När jag blunder” (“When I close my eyes”) in a green and black dress that did not really go well with her fiery red hair and the atmosphere of the song. It was her brother Jonas who had written the song for his sister. Both belong to the Swedish minority in Finland. After 1990 it was only the second time that Finland used Swedish in Eurovision. It was also the first song in Swedish in 14 years. The viewers were not too impressed and Finland came 12th.
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What on earth is this song doing on this list??
It’s a good song that relies on its melody, orchestration and live vocals, Frovin. There are no gimmicks in sight.
Complete agree with you, Frovin ! It´s one of the wrost song of this year´s Eurovision. It shouldn´t be in this list
The singer takes the viewer on an emotional journey through some of the most breathtaking vocals, this is the true meaning of music, when a piece evokes emotion, it deserved to qualify it was a magical entry with exceptional vocals unlike the following entries which qualifyed: Ireland, Russia and Cyprus.
It’s a great song! Thats why.
Boring, tedious, long and old-fashioned.
Great to see it here! It’s an incredible song, nicely performed (except for the lack of charisma and a disappointing dress) but with such honesty, simplicity, it’s just a song, period. And we all wanted it in the final!
I could not agree more. I love this melody and its simple orchestration.
P.S.: Finland held one of the best NFs of the season. I still listen to ‘Hooked on wii’. LOL
at least there was no cheesy buterfly wings which sprang out from the dress during the performance (Belarus 2010 lol)
indeed yes! how could Belarus sneak in instead of Estonia in the same semi? :’(
No regret here – didn’t make it and so what?
Nothing more to add from what Morgan wrote. This pelicular Finnish melancholy that always get me in combination with such a non-complicated, honest composition results in a 5th place on my personal list. Yes, it’s true that Pernilla’s lack of charisma together with that dress sank the chances for a qualification, but the song itself is strong enough. The song is a dedication to Pernilla’s and Jonas’s mother on her 50th birthday, by the way.
Oops, I meant particular, not pelicular (what does that mean
).
and yet the thumbers are back, with -3 for saying I like this song and i’m glad it’s in the list… haters gotta hate
Indeed!
Say that you did vote for the song five times and then you might make a new record.
P. S. Just a tiny correction to EurovisionTimes, the song title is misspelled.
ahah ill try, -15 here i come lol
This really DOES come as a surprise!
I like it as a song but not THAT MUCH as a performance.
By seeing Finland 2012 on this list , does that mean that Slovenia / Netherlands 2012 are going to follow as well?
If yes , it seems that people tend to vote for recent things I guess…
Btw :
FINLAND 2012 : 7/12
SLOVENIA 2012 : 9/12
NETHERLANDS 2012 : 9/12
And why not for some Portugal or Croatia 2012 on this list too ?
Finland, Portugal and Montenegro were my favourites that did not qualify in ESC 2012. Croatia on my fourth place. But Finland was the only one from 2012 I did vote for in this poll.
Montenegro???
When I first listened to this, it left me kinda cold; but it grew on me, and I think that it deserved a place in the final. But, on the other hand, eighth best sfnq?! well…I don’t really know.
Btw, it was my brother’s #4 for this year
Because of that it didn´t qualify, because whan you listen to it, it left you cold.
By “when I first listened to this…”, I mean the first time I listened to this song back in their nf; since then obviously I changed my mind; judging, in particular, from the stage performance in the semi, I think that it definately deserved a place in the final.
One of my personal favourites from 2012. I love the feeling and the musical style as well, and if you understand Swedish, the lyrics are actually good.
Of course I was disappointed when it didn’t reach the final, but I think I can undersand why it failed to qualify. It doesn’t sound like contemporary pop, and it probably doesn’t appeal to a young audience. However I would have expected more points from the juries.
This one deserves to be in the top 10. It is honest, gentle, well done and very touching. I will probably never grow tired of listening to this song. A true calssic, and unfortunately one among many that did not get the result it deserved.
Certainly loads better than e.g. “Comme ci comme ça”. I was really sad when it didn’t make it to the finals. Finland is one of the few countries that add variety to ESC – and by variety I don’t mean glowing buttocks. May it continue doing so!
EXACTLY and to add there singing OAP’s too!
Yes! This got my 5 points! I hoped it would be higher but Im just glad it’s on here
När Jag Blundar *
Wow, what did suddenly happen? Now those of us who loves this song got a lot of thumbs up.
loved the studio version quite a lot … live it was a little bit boring. but its good to have it on this list
I’m surprised to see this one on the list. Being so recent was probably an advantage. This song was not quite in my top ten for BSNQ, but I love it and it’s a pleasant surprise to find it on this list. I’m glad to learn that so many fellow Eurovision fans appreciate it for the beautiful and underrated song that it is.
It is a nice song, which is probably completely forgotten in a few years, even by hardcore eurovision fans. Yes, I think recency plays a big role for it being in this list.
So, Finland has already been on the list two times – not surprising, since most of their good songs are usually underrated :/
I think the performance needed the blue/green background she had in her first rehearsal and more wind machine! The tails of the dress needed to be up in the air!
I love that song, one of my favorites this year! But I totally agree, its a very dissapointing performance, and that dress does not fit her well…. :/ Sad for such a beautiful song… :/
A nice song but its lack of success was somehow predictable.
A great song.Sadly the live performance was not of the same standard.