Ireland has failed to make it through to the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/2022/05/11/ukraines-kalush-orchestra-reach-eurovision-2022-final/" target="_blank">Eurovision 2022 Grand Final</a> after Brooke Scullion’s performance of the pop break-up track <i>That’s Rich</i> did not make the cut. The singer, 23, who was third on <i>The Voice UK</i> in 2020 with mentor Meghan Trainor, was hoping to change Ireland’s recent fortunes in the contest. The country has competed in the competition 54 times, triumphing on a record seven occasions, but has not won since 1996 with Eimear Quinn’s <i>The Voice</i>. Despite receiving a rapturous applause after her energetic performance, Scullion — who wore a co-ordinated blue outfit as she opened her performance lying on a pink heart on the stage — failed to win over the international audience. <b>Scroll through the gallery below to see </b><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/music/2022/04/30/why-ukraine-is-hotly-tipped-to-win-eurovision-song-contest-2022/" target="_blank"><b>Ukraine finalists Kalush Orchestra</b></a><b>:</b> BBC Three commentators Scott Mills and Rylan Clark shared their commiserations with Ireland, with Clark saying: “I must say this as well, gutted for Ireland. But I know Brooke is just going to go out and have a really good night tonight.” Those who were successful in securing a place in Saturday’s Grand Final include the Czech Republic’s entrant We Are Domi, with their performance of <i>Lights Off</i>. The electro-pop trio met while studying at Leeds College of Music and made it into the top 10 with a strobe-fuelled show. In classic Eurovision style, the second semi-final featured a number of quirky performances including Serbia’s Konstrakta, who won over the audience with her peculiar song about Meghan Markle, securing herself a place in the top 10. Sweden also achieved a spot in the final, with Cornelia Jakobs who spent the majority of her performance on the floor illuminated by a colour-changing circle. Despite Australia’s representative Sheldon Riley’s diamante face-covering helping him to win a place in the final, unique looks did not help Georgia’s Circus Mircus, who failed to secure a top 10 place with their extravagant facial hair and accessories. <b>Scroll through the gallery below to see the first round of the Eurovision semi-finals:</b> San Marino’s Achille Lauro, who ended his performance on a bucking bronco after taking to the stage in a black feather bower and diamante encrusted cowboy hat, also missed out on a place in the final. Israel, Malta, Cyprus, North Macedonia and Montenegro were also unsuccessful. Finland had more luck with securing a top 10 spot as their representative, rock group The Rasmus, entertained audiences after opening the second semi-final with their song <i>Jezebel</i>. Romania, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Poland and Estonia are all also confirmed to compete in the final after acts from 18 countries took to the stage in Turin, Italy. The 10 successful countries will join the 10 who also secured places during the first semi-final round on Tuesday. As voting lines opened, the interval saw a performance from the competition’s hosts Mika and Italian singer Laura Pausini. Operatic pop group Il Volo, who represented Italy at Eurovision in 2015, also performed, but one of the trio’s members, Gianluca Ginoble, was absent owing to illness and featured only on the stage’s screens. The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final will take place on Saturday, where the 20 successful countries will compete to be crowned the winner. The UK is among the Big Five countries — also including Spain, Germany, France and Italy — who do not have to qualify from the semi-final stage and gain automatic access to the final. TikTok star Sam Ryder, 32, will represent the UK on Saturday with his uplifting pop song <i>Space Man</i>.
