The Eurovision Song Contest 2008 was the 53rd edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest held in Belgrade, Serbia, thanks to Marija Šerifović, who gave the country its first-ever victory with the song "Molitva". Azerbaijan and San Marino made their debut while no country returned and Austria withdrew.
The Contest was the first to have two semi-finals because of the growing number of competing nations. Forty-three countries participated and Dima Bilan, who had finished as runner-up to Lordi two years earlier in Athens, won it for Russia with the song "Believe", the first time the country won since it began competing at the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 in Dublin.
Location[]
Bidding Phase[]
Participants[]
Returning artists[]
Artist | Note |
---|---|
Charlotte Perrelli | Gave Sweden its fourth win at the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 in Jerusalem with the song "Take Me to Your Heaven" |
Dima Bilan | Represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 in Athens with the song "Never Let You Go", finishing as runner-up to "Hard Rock Hallelujah" by Lordi of Finland |
Semi-Final 1[]
Germany and Spain voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final and the country highlighted in flax was chosen by the jury to go to the final:
Draw | Country | Performer(s) | Song | Language | Translation | Place | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Montenegro | Stefan Filipović | "Zauvijek volim te" | Montenegrin | I love you forever | 14 | 23 |
02 | Israel | Boaz Ma'uda | "The Fire in Your Eyes" | Hebrew, English | - | 5 | 104 |
03 | Estonia | Kreisiraadio | "Leto svet" | Serbian, German, Finnish | Summer light | 18 | 8 |
04 | Moldova | Geta Burlacu | "A Century of Love" | English | - | 12 | 36 |
05 | San Marino | Miodio | "Complice" | Italian | Accomplice | 19 | 5 |
06 | Belgium | Ishtar | "O Julissi" | Imaginary | - | 17 | 16 |
07 | Azerbaijan | Elnur & Samir | "Day After Day" | English | - | 6 | 96 |
08 | Slovenia | Rebeka Dremelj | "Vrag naj vzame" | Slovene | To hell with it | 11 | 36 |
09 | Norway | Maria Haukaas Storeng | "Hold On Be Strong" | English | - | 4 | 106 |
10 | Poland | Isis Gee | "For Life" | English | - | 10 | 42 |
11 | Ireland | Dustin the Turkey | "Irelande Douze Pointe" | English | - | 15 | 22 |
12 | Andorra | Gisela | "Casanova" | English, Catalan | - | 16 | 22 |
13 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Laka | "Pokušaj" | Bosnian | Give it a try | 9 | 72 |
14 | Armenia | Sirusho | "Qélé, Qélé" | English, Armenian | Let's go, let's go | 2 | 139 |
15 | The Netherlands | Hind | "Your Heart Belongs to Me" | English | - | 13 | 27 |
16 | Finland | Teräsbetoni | "Missä miehet ratsastaa" | Finnish | Where do men ride | 8 | 79 |
17 | Romania | Nico & Vlad | "Pe-o margine de lume" | Romanian, Italian | On the edge of the world | 7 | 94 |
18 | Russia | Dima Bilan | "Believe" | English | - | 3 | 135 |
19 | Greece | Kalomira | "Secret Combination" | English | - | 1 | 156 |
Semi-Final 2[]
The United Kingdom, France and Serbia voted in this semi-final. The highlighted countries qualified for the final and the country highlighted in flax was chosen by the jury to go to the final:
Draw | Country | Performer(s) | Song | Language | Translation | Place | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Iceland | Euroband | "This Is My Life" | English | - | 8 | 68 |
02 | Sweden | Charlotte Perrelli | "Hero" | English | - | 12 | 54 |
03 | Turkey | Mor ve Ötesi | "Deli" | Turkish | Crazy | 7 | 85 |
04 | Ukraine | Ani Lorak | "Shady Lady" | English | - | 1 | 152 |
05 | Lithuania | Jeronimas Milius | "Nomads in the Night" | English | - | 16 | 30 |
06 | Albania | Olta Boka | "Zemrën e lamë peng" | Albanian | Hearts trapped in time | 9 | 67 |
07 | Switzerland | Paolo Meneguzzi | "Era stupendo" | Italian | It was gorgeous | 13 | 47 |
08 | Czech Republic | Tereza Kerndlová | "Have Some Fun" | English | - | 18 | 9 |
09 | Belarus | Ruslan Alekhno | "Hasta la vista" | English | See you later | 17 | 27 |
10 | Latvia | Pirates of the Sea | "Wolves of the Sea" | English | - | 6 | 86 |
11 | Croatia | Kraljevi ulice & 75 Cents | "Romanca" | Croatian | Romance | 4 | 112 |
12 | Bulgaria | Deep Zone & Balthazar | "DJ, Take Me Away" | English | - | 11 | 56 |
13 | Denmark | Simon Mathew | "All Night Long" | English | - | 3 | 112 |
14 | Georgia | Diana Gurtskaya | "Peace Will Come" | English | - | 5 | 107 |
15 | Hungary | Csézy | "Candlelight" | English, Hungarian | - | 19 | 6 |
16 | Malta | Morena | "Vodka" | English | - | 14 | 38 |
17 | Cyprus | Evdokia Kadi | "Femme Fatale" | Greek | - | 15 | 36 |
18 | F.Y.R. Macedonia | Tamara, Vrčak & Adrian | "Let Me Love You" | English | - | 10 | 64 |
19 | Portugal | Vânia Fernandes | "Senhora do mar (Negras águas)" | Portuguese | Lady of the sea (black waters) | 2 | 120 |
Final[]
Draw | Country | Performer(s) | Song | Language | Translation | Place | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | Romania | Nico & Vlad | "Pe-o margine de lume" | Romanian, Italian | On the edge of the world | 20 | 45 |
02 | United Kingdom | Andy Abraham | "Even If" | English | - | 25 | 14 |
03 | Albania | Olta Boka | "Zemrën e lamë peng" | Albanian | Hearts trapped in time | 17 | 55 |
04 | Germany | No Angels | "Disappear" | English | - | 23 | 14 |
05 | Armenia | Sirusho | "Qélé, Qélé" | English, Armenian | Let's go, let's go | 4 | 199 |
06 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Laka | "Pokušaj" | Bosnian | Give it a try | 10 | 110 |
07 | Israel | Boaz Ma'uda | "The Fire in Your Eyes" | Hebrew, English | - | 9 | 124 |
08 | Finland | Teräsbetoni | "Missä miehet ratsastaa" | Finnish | Where do men ride | 22 | 35 |
09 | Croatia | Kraljevi ulice & 75 Cents | "Romanca" | Croatian | Romance | 21 | 44 |
10 | Poland | Isis Gee | "For Life" | English | - | 24 | 14 |
11 | Iceland | Euroband | "This Is My Life" | English | - | 14 | 64 |
12 | Turkey | Mor ve Ötesi | "Deli" | Turkish | Crazy | 7 | 138 |
13 | Portugal | Vânia Fernandes | "Senhora do mar (Negras águas)" | Portuguese | Lady of the sea (black waters) | 13 | 69 |
14 | Latvia | Pirates of the Sea | "Wolves of the Sea" | English | - | 12 | 83 |
15 | Sweden | Charlotte Perrelli | "Hero" | English | - | 18 | 47 |
16 | Denmark | Simon Mathew | "All Night Long" | English | - | 15 | 60 |
17 | Georgia | Diana Gurtskaya | "Peace Will Come" | English | - | 11 | 83 |
18 | Ukraine | Ani Lorak | "Shady Lady" | English | - | 2 | 230 |
19 | France | Sébastien Tellier | "Divine" | English, French | - | 19 | 47 |
20 | Azerbaijan | Elnur & Samir | "Day After Day" | English | - | 8 | 132 |
21 | Greece | Kalomira | "Secret Combination" | English | - | 3 | 218 |
22 | Spain | Rodolfo Chikilicuatre | "Baila el Chiki-chiki" | Spanish, English | Dance the Chiki Chiki | 16 | 55 |
23 | Serbia | Jelena Tomašević feat. Bora Dugić | "Oro" | Serbian | Yes | 6 | 160 |
24 | Russia | Dima Bilan | "Believe" | English | - | 1 | 272 |
25 | Norway | Maria Haukaas Storeng | "Hold On Be Strong" | English | - | 5 | 182 |