And now, of course, the usual collection of points starts. This means that Sydney will connect with 56 locations in Europe, Asia, North America and Australia itself.
[NOTE: the abysmal OTL practize of recent years to let each country award Points twice, once the televote results and once the jury's choice, doesn't apply here. In the Catherverse it is either-or. Most countries count the televote, in countries with Jury's, I will remark on that.].
The first results come from Armenia, and they send their 12 points to Cyprus. Next is France, sending 12 points to Romania which shoots to the first spot (having already scored 12 from Armenia). Vermont is the first North American country, their twelve Points are the first points for Meghan Trainor. Belgium and Romania are now tied in the lead, both with 23 Points. But also Portugal has managed to receive points from all three very different countries. Georgia, not the CS state, but the Caucasus republic, gives the first points Azerbaidjan, but switch the roster to two different leads: Rocky Mountain and Portugal now lead ahead of Romania and Belgium. Iceland is the first country to have Blanche from Belgium as their favourite, she now leads with a sudden 5-point-lead against Portugal. Shawn Mendes receives the first twelvy from Palestine and is suddenly in 3rd place, they also let Portugal almost catch up with Belgium's Blanche. Latvia's 12 points let her consolidate, though. She remains in the lead although only getting two points from East Germany. Berlin is the first country today to use a jury instead of a televote. Poland is their favourite. The Lithuanian vote for now separates the three favourites, Belgium, Portugal and Romania, as the top 3. Baden passes 12 points across the Bodensee to Austria. The Netherlands award 12 points to the American Southwest, and while Belgium receives 10 and is in a comfortable lead at 77 points, DNCE joins now the Sun Stroke Project and Marcia as the only contestants having passed 50 points already. Poland's favourites are again Belgium and the SWC. San Marino's gives 12 points to their only neighbour, Italy, but also Portugal receives 10 points, Belgium 8. They award the very first points to the Netherlands, so at this Point, only Switzerland, Iberia and actually host Australia and New Zealand are still at disappointing 0. Serbia also employs a Jury and they help Australia/NewZealand to their first two points, while Portugal harvests ist first 12, Marcia now being only 8 points behind Blanche. Surprising 12 points give a boost to Sweden from Slovenia's jury. However, 6 new points push Belgium first over the 100-point-threshold. Iberia, alongside Switzerland, is still last and now not able to change that. Their twelve points go to the American Southwest, allowing DNCE to rush past the Romanians, but 10 points to Portugal brings Marcia to 102 points, barely 5 points behind Blanche. Sweden, however, rewards Belgium. The Czech Republic again award 12 points to DNCE, so they are also beyond 100. Belgium loses some ground receiving only 2 points here. Alma from France, which seems to have started so well with Initial 10 points from Azerbaidjan, can rely on la Francophonie and 12 points from Quebec bring her from 22 to 34 points. Also Ontario scores big, receiving 10 points here. Blanche gets only 6 points here, but still #1. The results from Hungary bring 12 points and 2nd place for DNCE, 10 points for Romania bring the Sun Stroke Project in the +100-club. Blanche recives further 8 points here, but only three from London. The United Kingdom chose Marek Cwiertnia as their favourite, but 10 points go to New England, 7 for Portugal bring Marcia back to the second spot, just 8 points behind Blanche. Ten more points to Poland come from Bavaria, however Württemberg's Phillip Poisel receives their 12; and it is the first six points for Switzerland, leaving Iberia last. Twelve points from Estonia catapult Belgium to 150, and once again a 10 for Poland, from the North German Rundfunk in Federal Germany's largest city Hamburg again 12 for Marek, 10 for Austria, 8 going to Württemberg, 7 to Switzerland, six to East Germany...and only five to Belgium which can still expand the lead. Macedonia Awards 12 points to the Southwest Confederation, and 10 to Croatia which so far only scored 19. Norway proves to be fully out of tune with Scandinavian bloc voting and sees Romania fit for 12 points, 10 go to Portugal. Blanche's lead is set to shrink now as we connect to Brussels. The Belgians send only 3 points to France, they allow Marek Cwiertnia to get across 100 points with 5 more, pass 7 to Romania, 8 to Portugal which is now only 4 points behind Belgium, 10 to the Netherlands (which doubles now to 20, apparently, the Vlaams have been voting like crazy)...and full 12 to "Cake by the Canyon" so DNCE is only 3 points behind Márcia and only 7 behind Blanche. Denmark pushes DNCE past Marcia to second place, now only 3 points away from the top. We are still in Scandinavia, and as Finland gives 12 points to Estonia, but 10 to Belgium, the present order is cemented. Francesco Gabbani from Italy gets 8 points and reaches 100 points now as well.
Estonia stuck a chord with the Veronese- or with all of Italy? Suddenly a second 12 points fro Koit & Laura. Ten points go to Romania, eight to the Southwesterners- just two Portugal and one to Belgium- so we suddenly have a change in the lead. Joe Jonas and his band can cheer as they reached 184 points while Blanche is just at 183; followed by Márcia (173) and the Sun Stroke Project (165).
Portugal is now certain to lose ground, as its jury is contacted next. Their 12 points benefit the Soviet Naviband, 1o points go to Azerbaidjan, but 8 to Belgium which Returns into the lead. Seven points bring the Romanians just behind Márta who is only one point ahead. Points from Montenegro mainly go to Croatia,Italy and Hungary, but none to America. Blanche makes four points only, Márcia 6 and the Sun Stroke Project 3. The Grand Prairie is the first Nation to send 12 points to the Quin Twins from the Rockies. Ten points push DNCE again just one point behind Blanche.
Cyprus gives a huge boost to "Cake by the Canyon". Twelve points blasts themover the 200 mark, they are now directly 9 points ahead of "City Lights" which only receive two points. With seven points, "I Can't Go On" from Sweden proves untrue, as Robin Bengtsson can go past the 100-point-mark. The Albanian Jury prefers the Portuguese song, but "Cake By The Canyon" still receives six points. Zero points for "City Lights" suddenly makes even the second place for Blanche very shaky. The Southewest's success continues as Malta gives them 10 points, only one to Portugal and five to Belgium. Blanche is now also beyond 200 points, but 20 behind DNCE. Italy scores 12 here.
Vienna, last year's contestant: Marco Michael Wanda; under an unbuttoned blazer the white undershirt unaccompagnied by an actual shirt, loose tie, unkempt hair, the cigarette not leaving the edge of his mouth, presents the Austrian points. Just one "für den Wilden Westen", two for Belgium, three for the Federal Republic ("fesches Maderl"), 4 to Romania, 5 to Italy, 6 to Hungary, 7 to Croatia ("should get disqualified, there was a second guy with the other voice under that shirt"), 8 to ("Hausfrauenmusik from") East Germany, ten to Poland and twelve to "den unerträglich langweilgen Phillip Poisel aus Württemberg". And greetings to Bilderbuch, "we made third place last year, it would have been unfair to send anyone good this year".
Palestine attributes further twelve points to the Southwestern Confederation (now at 235), ten to Portugal and seven to Romania, so both are now beyond 200 points. Belgium still second at 210. The jury of Soviet Russia pushes Portugal to 2nd place. Romania awards twelve points to Hungary, ten to Poland - so eight are still good news for DNCE. From Azerbaidjan, Belgium receives 12 points and is now tied with Portugal (getting 5). Ten go to Romania. The Southwest receives only 4 points. Twelve more points to Romania from the Ukraine, that bring them into striking distance to the almost tied Belgium and Portugal. The Southwest only receives two points, so that lead shrinks again. Ten points to the Soviets bring them to exactly 100 points. The sympathies of Ireland are with Meghan Trainor, Romania receives 10, Belgium 8, Poland 7, Portugal 5 and the Southwest - none. Five points now separate DNCE from Blanche, further five from Márcia and mere four her from the Sun Stroke Project. Twelve surprising points from Bulgaria reach France. Romania receive ten so they overtake Portugal (+5), six points bring Hungary into three-digit-territory. Belgium gets four points, thus to 248. DNCE is stuck at 249. Four acts in the 240s at this point of the show! That is unusual!
Württemberg gives 12 points to Austria, 10 to Poland, 8 to the Federal Republic (now at 22) and seven to Belgium. That brings Blanche into the lead! Croatia passes 12 to Hungary and 10 to Austria; eight to Portugal make DNCE fear for their second place, six for Romania keep them directly behind Márcia. With five points, Belgium can hardly consolidate - the top four are within 9 points of each other.
As to be expected, Greece 's Jury puts Cyprus first. But ten points to Portugal mean that Márcia passes both DNCE and Blanche. Six points go to Romania, so DNCE, despite receiving two points, is actually on the fourth spot. Seven points behind Márcia.
Australia and New Zealand itself, represented by a masked Sia Furler, guarantees more change: Romania receives 12 points, and now leads.
***
The last eight nations still have to share their opinions. Among them, the Southwestern Confedderation, which puts DNCE at a disadvantage.
The Top 10 right now:
1. 269 P. Romania - Sun Stroke Project - Hey Mamma!
2. 268 P. Portugal - Márcia - Agora
3. 264 P. Belgium - Blanche - City Lights
4. 260 P. Southwestern Confederation - DNCE- Cake By The Canyon
5. 180 P. Italy - Francesco Gabbani - Occidental Karma
6. 165 P. Poland - Marek Cwiertnia - I Tak I Tak
7. 139 P. Sweden - Robin Bengtsson - I Can't Go On
8. 116 P. Soviet Russia - Naviband - Story of my Life
8. 116 P. Hungary - Joci Papai - Origo
10. 98 P. Ontario - Shawn Mendes - Stitches
