Martijn

Malmö Messages: dancing, ballads and demons

Based on the posted photos, we can still share some details about today’s rehearsals. Cyprus: Not much seems to have changed compared to last time. The Cypriot song is mainly a dance act. The singing seemed to be of secondary importance at least. Cyprus once scored a 2nd place with Eleni Foureira in 2018. Whether Silia Kapsis can achieve the same is a big question mark. At the moment, the bookmakers predict a 23rd place for “Liar.” Serbia: Thunder and lightning and rocky landscapes during Teya Dora’s performance. In her song about Ramonda, she sang well before, and we have no reason to believe it’s different now. It was Marija Šerifović who once won for Serbia. Now, with a 24th place according to the bookmakers, it might be a bit more complicated. Lithuania: Especially the cheerfulness of the song and Silvester’s charisma are winning over many hearts. The lighting is still red and blue. The masks (or rather a kind of oversized hoodies) of the background singers are more noticeable now. The bookmakers predict a 16th place. Ireland: If you’re into witchcraft and demons, you’re in the right place. Bambie Thug is surrounded by candles, forming a sort of witches’ circle around her. The white-painted face with black remains the same as during the previous rehearsal. Her hair is styled as if they are two horns. The demon on stage is now much more heavily made up. With her song “Doomsday Blue,” Bambie Thug is currently in a good 9th place according to the bookmakers, something Ireland could only dream of in recent years. Ukraine: Jerry Heil wears a train that she drops, while Alyona Alyona wears a white coat. With Teresa & Maria, they once again manage to make Ukraine one of the competitors to beat. Sitting on the ground or standing back to back, the two ladies deliver their song with strong vocals. It’s no surprise that the bookmakers currently predict a fifth place for them. Poland: Pointed shoulders are not reserved for Joost alone. Polish Luna also has them as she sings “The Tower.” Additionally, she is followed by three demons (there they are again). However, the pop tune she brings might be just a bit too average to score high. The bookmakers, at least, are not too enthusiastic, giving her a 28th place. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Malmö Messages: interval acts announced

Sertab Erener Several famous singers from Eurovision will perform as interval acts at the Eurovision Song Contest. SVT, the Swedish broadcaster, announced two of these performances for the Semi-Finals. In the First Semi-Final, Benjamin Ingrosso will sing some of his recent songs. In the Second Semi-Final, three famous Eurovision winners – Helena Paparizou, Sertab Erener, and Charlotte Perrelli – will lead a big sing-along. People at home can also take part in this sing-along. Keep an eye on Eurovision’s official channels for an update on how to do so. Benjamin Ingrosso represented Sweden in 2018 with “Dance You Off” and since then, he’s become even more popular. He’s excited to perform in Malmö and hopes everyone enjoys his show. Benjamin Ingrosso, photo: EBU/Andres Putting The Second Semi-Final will have a special moment where people at home can join in singing classic Eurovision songs with Helena Paparizou, Sertab Erener, and Charlotte Perrelli. Helena Paparizou, who won for Greece in 2005, is thrilled to be back on the Eurovision stage after many years. Paparizou lives in Sweden, took part in Melodifestivalen and also represented Greece in 2001. Helena Paparizou Sertab Erener was the 2003 Eurovision winner, representing Turkey. Charlotte Perelli won in 1999, but also participated in 2008. We saw the latter hosting Eurovision In Concert, the preparty in Amsterdam, last month. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Malmö messages: Good morning from a sunny Malmö

Good morning from sunny Malmö. We from the Eurovision Universe team have now come together. Over the past few days, you were accustomed to us regularly providing you with updates on the rehearsals. We did this with the help of the eurovision live blogs. Last evening it became clear that there will be no live blogs today. We will keep you informed of all the news, but it will be in a different format than in the past few days. So, make sure to keep an eye on the site!

Malmö Messages:

The longest title ever comes from Estonia: “(nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi”. The performing group is 5miinust & Puuluup. The band members are dressed in black. They play their song under the cubes that are visible in various entries. These cubes change color, similar to what happens on the LED screens behind them. The entry from Israel is “Hurricane,” sung by Eden Golan. Like her Latvian counterpart, Eden also stands in a circle, but a smaller one. It is neon-lit. Inside the circle, there is a wind machine and ladders. Eden is flanked by a group of five dancers. Eden wears a white dress while her dancers are dressed in gray. Norway sings in Norwegian for the first time since 2006. The group Gåte will perform the song “Ulveham.” Singer Gunnhild Sunli stands on a rotating platform among rocks and trees, as if she is by a cave. The graphics are adjusted accordingly. She wears dark green wide pants with a matching top while singing the song. At the end of the performance, one of the guitarists throws his guitar into the air and then catches it again. Joost, representing The Netherlands with his song “Europapa”, wears his iconic blue suit, flanked by two dancers in tracksuits. This seems to be a nod to the gabber scene of the 1990s. Behind a kind of keyboard stands influencer Appie Mussa in a blue and yellow bird costume. Fellow influencer Stuntkabouter also stands behind a small keyboard, but in a ‘regular’ blue suit. The lyrics are projected on the LED screens. The people from eurovision.tv especially praise the boundless energy that emanates from this performance.Yesterday, Joost said about showing snippets of the rehearsals: “Why would you do that? You don’t do that for a magician as well”. We got the idea that we don’t know everything about the Dutch act yet….

Malmö Messages: circles, a lot of fire and an open white shirt

Latvia is represented by Dons with his song “Hollow”. Dons, dressed in a suit with a sleeveless blue jacket, stands alone on stage inside a sort of circle, also in blue with pink and orange. On the LED screens, we see gently blinking lights, as well as circles and other figures. For San Marino, the Spanish group Megara will perform. They sing “11:11”. Just like during the national final, the members of Megara are again dressed in pink and black, but now with a slightly different pattern. The LED screens also display black and pink; we see a forest and dragons; a mix between Snow White and The Addams Family. According to eurovision.tv, the dance moves don’t quite match what we expect from a rock band. And of course, there are fireworks: smoke and large fireballs. Nutsa Buzaladze will represent Georgia with a song about her Firefighter. Nutsa starts on a black platform, dressed in a golden mini dress with boots. She stands there alone in red light. Behind her is a glowing circle. However, after the first verse, four dancers in black appear. Throughout the song, the LED screens display fireballs. There is also a lot of, a great deal of fire on stage. It’s becoming a tradition. EBU/Corinne Cumming Then it’s Mustii’s turn. He will represent Belgium with his song “Before the party is over”. During the performance, Musti wears a white shirt that is open. He wears a top with inlaid sparkling stones. He builds the act slowly: at the beginning, he stands in a circle of microphones on a rotating platform. He is not only surrounded by smoke but also smoke appears on the LED screens. At the end of his performance, he steps forward. Then the choir, consisting of Eurovision fans who could send in their singing, can be heard. Especially this part seems to make a big impression.

Malmö messages: Fire, costume changes, sand and tradition

“Pedestal” is the entry that Aiko brings for the Czech Republic. The Czech team announced, although they had said this before, that they would be depicting the five stages of grief. By now, Aiko has reached the fifth stage, acceptance. The four dancers represent denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. The dancers are dressed in black. Aiko herself too, with wide-legged pants. The lighting mainly consists of red and black. And if we are to believe eurovision.tv, there will be flames throughout the song. The ESCZ Instagram account had images of this, but unfortunately removed it. Austria has a costume change act. During her song “We Will Rave,” Kaleen starts in a long white coat with a train, which she later removes. Underneath, she wears a glittery outfit and matching boots. All this takes place under an inverted pyramid, where she and her four dancers perform. The men wear huge sunglasses. Dance plays a major role in this act. Eurovision.tv reports that Kaleen wears a different coat during the second rehearsal. And there’s a lot of smoke. We’re very curious about the singing in this song. In contrast to Austria, Denmark’s performance is static: Saba sings her song “Sand” entirely in one spot. She stands on a raised platform. She wears, as during the national final, a white pant suit. Her pockets are filled with sand which she then scatters across the stage. Behind her, a large LED version of herself is projected. The smoke machine is in full operation. As we move to Armenia, we see a circle of torches. Amidst them, Ladaniva sings their song “Jako.” Singer Jaklin Baghdasaryan wears traditional Armenian attire and has her hair in traditional braids. Many traditional Armenian images are also seen on the LED screens and the cube above the duo.

Malmö messages: a bunch of dancers and a singer dressed in fur

Today, the favorite Switzerland takes the stage. Will Nemo live up to their role? We will see. For Malta, Sarah Bonnici will perform. She will sing “Loop” while incorporating dance moves she showcased during the national final. Sarah wears a silver swimsuit, and four dancers lift, place, and dance around her. The graphics display various colors. The dance break has been changed somewhat (so there is one!) and the act naturally ends with fireworks. photo: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett Albania is represented by Besa, who sings “Titan” in English. She is accompanied by two backing vocalists and three dancers. More dancers are visible on the LED screens. Besa wears a blue bodysuit with white sleeves. The lighting alternates between red and blue. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming Marina Satti will sing “Zari” for Greece. She wears a purple skirt and black boots, accompanied by four dancers in the act. During the act, she will showcase some street dance. The dancers, three men and one woman, somewhat resemble Marina’s personal gang. There are many close-ups according to eurovision.tv. They also report that the act is based on the same idea as the music video. photo: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett The favorite in the betting odds is Nemo, who sings “The Code” for Switzerland. According to eurovision.tv, Nemo doesn’t disappoint in their act. However, we decide for ourselves whether we are disappointed or not. So far, we have no reason to be. Nemo wears fur, though we’re unsure if it’s real or fake. It’s pink and white, and even their boots match. Nemo stands on a platform with a diameter of about two to three meters, which moves. This allows them to climb on it, jump off, and dance on it. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

🇸🇪 News about the postcards revealed

Swedish broadcaster SVT shared what the Postcards will before each singer’s performance will be like. People watching the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 from home can expect a new way of meeting the 37 artists competing in Malmö. The Postcards before each performance will now be much kinder to the environment. They’ll also be more personal, giving viewers a special greeting from the singer. These Postcards will also show a little bit of each country’s history in the Eurovision Song Contest. Per Blankens, who works on the TV show, explained the idea behind this year’s Postcards: “For the postcards this year we decided on a fun challenge. What if the postcards could be sent to us rather than us traveling in order to save the environment – and money. After all, they are called postcards.” With the Postcards being made in a greener way, we also get to see where each artist is coming from more clearly. Now, the artists themselves hold the camera, so we see things from their perspective, not from someone else’s. source: eurovision.tv

Malmö Messages: many cubes, flashy graphics and white clothes

For Azerbaijan, Fahree and Ilkin Dovlatov will perform this year. They sing a song with an Azerbaijani title, but mainly sung in English. Dressed in black and silver, they sing their song, with Ilkin taking on the traditional Azerbaijani mugham vocals, especially in the second half of the performance. Before that, Fahree stands alone on stage, with graphics of a figure slowly emerging from the water. Hands play a prominent role in this. photo: EBU/Sarah Cumming Electric Fields is the duo representing Australia with “One Milkali (One Blood).” No one had seen a live performance of this song yet. Zaachariaha Fielding, half of the duo, wears a white dress. The graphics initially depict a rainbow, later described as an explosion of color and light by eurovision.tv. Zaachariaha and Michael Ross are surrounded by cubes. The whole presentation is very flashy. photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Portugal is represented by Iolanda singing “Grito.” She performs in the same manner as during the Portuguese selection round. Iolanda is surrounded by five dancers dressed in white and masked. Above the heads of the six, a large cube is visible. photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett For the first time since 1993, Luxembourg is on the stage. Tali will sing “Fighter” for this country. She herself wears a dark bodysuit, her dancers wear red, but not uniformly. They use some kind of white blocks during the performance. Everything is visible: smoke, fireworks, and flames. The whole presentation looks very flashy. photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Malmö Messages: returning artists, strong women and underwear

Iceland is represented this year, 14 years after her participation in 2010, by Hera Björk. This time, she sings “Scared of Heights”. She starts on a sort of black platform. She has swapped her reddish-brown dress for a golden one with fringes. She is alone on stage without dancers. We see lots of lasers in the background. It seems like Hera is mainly focusing on singing. Given her past experiences, that will undoubtedly be good. And Hera is impressed, as she told us: “It was fantastic! It’s much bigger and more professional than in 2010”. Photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett After the Irish witch comes a song about a witch from Slovenia. That is to say: Veronika really existed and was accused of witchcraft. Raiven sings about her being a powerful woman. She wears a silver bodysuit. Those who know the music video will recognize a lot. She starts off sitting and adds a lot of drama to the whole performance. She is surrounded by five dancers; and no, they are not naked, but wearing a skin-colored bodysuit. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming Windows95man and Henri Piispanen show more or less the same act for Finland with “No Rules” as they did during UMK. Henri in denim and Windows95man in his underwear and then in a still not very revealing denim. The difference is that the Windows 95 logo is now blurred. It’s still advertising, and that’s just not allowed. Although he sings about the absence of rules, he still has to follow the rules. “I was nervous at first, but the more we performed the better it went. I burned my sock from the fireworks, so it was even quite dangerous. But it’s nice to be in Malmö and rehearse with all the professional technical stuff”. Photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming Also returning: Natalia Barbu. We have to go all the way back to 2007 for her last participation. Now she sings “In the Middle” for Moldova. Interestingly, she hasn’t brought the ladies who were around her during the national final. According to sources, that would be a matter of money. So Natalia is alone on the stage now. We see butterflies and blossoms at the LED screens. During the part with the violin, wings are shown on the LED screen, making it seem like Natalia is an angel. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming in collaboration with Eurovision Artists