Eurovision Song Contest: The first semi-final starts with a bang.

Moldova kicks things off with Satoshi and the patriotic "Viva, Moldova!", a song that relies heavily on folk-pop energy and audience engagement. Sweden's Felicia, wearing a mask due to social anxiety she's suffered from since childhood, brings "My System," a modern electro-pop production in keeping with Scandinavian Eurovision tradition.

And here's Croatia, represented by the all-female group LELEK with the cosmic "Andromeda," a rather complicated song that tells of a people scarred by war . Meanwhile, Greece relies on Akylas, one of the favorites, and the magnetic "Ferto," which in Italian means "bring it to me." Dressed as a Pokemon, he rides across the stage on a scooter, past video games, Greek statues, and women in traditional dress.

Portugal celebrates Lusitanian tradition with Bandidos do Cante and "Rosa": their (not entirely successful) goal is to blend the Alejandro Choral tradition, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with contemporary sounds. They at least have the merit of making us listen to something different first. From Georgia, meanwhile, come the very young Bzikebi with "On Replay": winners of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 in Cyprus with the song "Bzz..," dressed in yellow and black like wasps, they fly away without leaving a mark.

And finally, here's Sal Da Vinci: out of the running for direct access to the final, with "Per sempre sì" he stages an Italian wedding with chandeliers, fireworks, lemon trees, and golden lights . The groom—Marcello Sacchetta, a guest star on Amici and X Factor who choreographed the song—chooses his suit with his friends while Sal sings in a white suit designed by a Neapolitan designer. And then the bride, Francesca Tocca, also a familiar face on Amici, slowly walks down the catwalk and then transforms into the Italian flag while Sal symbolically becomes the celebrant.

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