28 December 2024

Another year is about to close, and it’s another year in which Kyiv 2017 wins the annual Eurovision Battle! With the Eurovision Song Contest of Malmö 2024 generally recognised as not a stellar one, there’s no point even trying to build any drama this year, and simply reveal that, indeed, Kyiv 2017 won comfortably. While I could have adjusted a point here and there, it would not matter overall given Kyiv 2017 won by 8 points, while also winning the individual rounds, 20 to 15. Kyiv 2017 remains undefeated in these battles, starting from the first one against Stockholm 2016.

As a reminder, I pitch each country against its counterpart from the other year, and decide on points which is better. I use the system in boxing where the winner of the round gets 10 points and the loser gets 9 or less depending on the severity of the defeat. Most important of all, there’s always a winner. If a country has no counterpart, then I just award +1 or -1 depending if I like the entry.

Where Kyiv 2017 does so well is in its eveness and that I really like some of the lower rated entries, like Czechia, Georgia, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Ukraine (all won their rounds for Kyiv 2017). While 2017 was notorious for some stinkers (Lithuania, San Marino and Spain) and begins each battle with the underwhelming Albania, Armenia and Austria, and cops Slovenia near the end, it contains some powerful entries like Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Romania, which easily make up any deficit. With the Ineligible Associate Member (Australia) deleted from the battle due to my recent boycott of it, that actually helps Kyiv 2017 because Isaiah Firebrace would typically lose by a few points. Countering that, Romania in 2017 lost its usual easy win due to no 2024 counterpart. Bulgaria hasn’t been around for two years either.

Netherlands

The only country I struggled to separate was Netherlands. I stuck with the sisters that comprise O’G3NE because I much prefer the song and regard that as more important than Joost Klein’s zany performance.

2017 OG3NE – Lights And Shadows

2024 Joost Klein – Europapa

France

France was another tricky one. While Slimane in 2024 was breathtaking in his performance, I prefer Alma’s Requiem from 2017 and, indeed, Alma herself!

2017 Alma – Requiem

2024 Slimane – Mon amour

Enjoy the new year and let’s see if Basel 2025 can finally unlock the code to beating Kyiv 2017.

Kyiv 2017 vs Liverpool 2023 – The Battle!

Stockholm 2016 vs Kyiv 2017 – The Battle!