France were the hot pre-contest favourites at 2/1 so the expectations were high for their performance. In a season where the dance/EDM entries are plentiful, France needed to stand out from the bunch, and I'm here to say that they did. The voalist of the song Nicholas Petricca, a former DSC entrant with the band Walk The Moon, is in a box underneath Madeon's deck for the first half of the song, beofre he is released into the smoke and fog on stage before the breakdown in the song. The performance is shown in a cinematic style with black bars and slow-motion sections which makes you almost forget you are watching the DSC. This should be a sure fire qualifier.

Another DSC alumini from Mogadishu performed later in the stage under a new country. Netsky has returned to the DSC for Scotland, courtesy of well-known and vocal powerhouse, Emeli Sandé. This song has some innovative staging just like Netsky's last entry. Emeli Sandé walks out onto the stage accompanied with an orchestra projected onto this huge transparent curtain which shaped this performance completely. During the build up to the chorus, thunder appears striking the ground before the clouds disappear and the thumping beat starts. Netsky won the semi-final in Mogadishu for Belgium, will he do the same in Ruse?

The last song of the night was debutantes, Ukraine and their song Last Day of Summer performed by Max Barskih. This song and performance had almost more hype than any other on the build up to the contest mainly due to the technological aspect to Max's performance. Their HoD, Egor Kravets wanted Max's performance to be something that DSC fans will never forget, the DBU even stated that this entry has the most expensive staging ever seen in the DSC. The DSC.tv team couldn't believe that until we saw the performance. Max Barskih starts the performance kneeling by the coastline which is shown on the LED floor, before the sea sweeps him. The stage goes dark until the chorus when the walls and floor turn to water. The floor then crumbles below him spiraling out with shards flying all over the place. Max is shown just before the final chorus lying down when the girl he'd been singing about appears walking towards him on the LED floor. She disappears and the final chorus hits when a shower of water is released on stage. Possibly the best use of camera angles and the LED floor we've ever seen at the DSC. The DSC.tv team are crossing their fingers for Ukraine to make the final, we want to see this performance over and over again!