Eurovision 2022

Day 5: A sun that doesn’t move, a Greek tavern and COVID19

Today we saw the second rehearsals for the first 14 countries from the first semifinal. For the first time the press was allowed to see the rehearsals on large TV screens in the press center. It is now certain that the kinetic sun does not rotate. During the first rehearsals it turned out that the time between performances was too short to move the center part of the sun. As a result, several countries had to adjust their graphics, because they were not or only partially visible ALBANIA: The outfit had been changed and Ronela Hajati also had her own blond hair again, instead of the pink hair she had during the first rehearsal. It was a dynamic performance, in which there was almost constant dancing, together with her four dancers and a dancer. After the first rehearsal, there were some comments about an allegedly offensive dance move by Ronela with her dancer, but she kept it in anyway. LATVIA: The six were wearing the familiar colorful suits and the decor was also very colorful. Various types of vegetables were displayed on the LED screen. In the middle of the song there was a moment for the saxophonist. The performance ended with the singer making a split. LITHUANIA: Monika Liu stood alone on the big stage in Turin and mainly sang her song into the camera. She moved elegantly and attracted all the attention. The song doesn’t really need anything more. SWITZERLAND: Dressed all in black, Marius Bear was on stage and a broken heart was visible on his face and on the floor. So emotions abound. SLOVENIA: As said before, it was a big disco ball that mainly caught the attention of the Slovenian act. The boys wore 1970s-style velvet suits and the drummer appeared to be drumming above the disco ball. Compared to the previous rehearsal, there was little change. UKRAINE: There was a lot to see on stage, besides the colorful costumes there was a lot of visual spectacle. It was traditional, ethnic with a modern twist, just like last year’s contribution. Because of the war in Ukraine, this performance has something emotional and that is subtly reflected in the visual spectacle. BULGARIA: The performance started with a split screen, showing the drummer on one side and another member of the group. A small rock concert with all the trimmings, including a lot of fire(work). THE NETHERLANDS: There were few noticeable changes from the first rehearsal of S10. In the Netherlands, there was some fuss about the singer’s bare belly, but it is still naked for a while. A lot has been taken out of the lighting of S10. MOLDOVA: After the intimate moment of the Netherlands, a party erupted on stage with the contribution of Zdob şi Zdub, who are participating for the third time. They used the entire stage for their folklore song: Hey ho, let’s go…, but no train on stage. Lots of color, matching the contribution. CROATIA: During rehearsals today, Mia had problems with her in-ears. No surprises at Mia’s performance. The postcards were also shown to the press today. A drone searches for the location where the artist of the country in question can be seen and we see the visual artist in the area. DENMARK: The beginning was just like in the national final, Siggy starts alone at the piano, with her quieter part of the song and then the rock show starts. Last year we went back to the eighties with Denmark, now it seems back to the nineties. In case you don’t remember the name of the band, REDDI appeared on the LED screen. AUSTRIA: Of course there is a Halo on stage. Lots of fireworks and strong staging. The vocal part of the duo was, as we can see now, quite disappointing. GREECE: For those who don’t understand the act of Greece: Amanda seems to be in a Greek tavern; hence the chairs around her. But some of the seats have fallen over. That fits with the lyrics of the song. Amanda could count on a big round of applause from the audience. PORTUGAL: A delegation member from Portugal tested positive for corona, so the entire delegation had to go back to the hotel and be tested. Fortunately none of the ladies tested positive and they were able to rehearse for their performance, but later than planned. After all the rehearsals had been completed, Portugal was allowed to go on stage after Greece. During this rehearsal it was clear that it was one of the background singers who tested positive for corona. The ladies were lined up in a circle and brought this atmospheric contribution in a good way.

Day 4: new sun troubles, a Swedish circle and many more

Today is the day of the stage again. Today the EBU has made an official statement about it: “During the technical tests in Turin, the production team has experienced challenges with how long it takes to adjust the “sun” to different positions in the time between the different performances. Together with the host station RAI it was therefore decided that the sun will remain in the same position during all 40 songs, to ensure a fair competition for all participating countries.”. What position that is, is still being discussed. So to be continued again. It is certain that a number of countries now have to make changes in their staging. Meanwhile, 9 countries rehearsed for their performance in the second semifinal. IRELAND: Brooke takes the stage in a bright blue suit. During her performance she is assisted by four dancers. They start the song lying on the floor! Ireland uses many floor projections. Brooke is also praised by Eurovision.tv for her strong voice. Pyrotechnics are used at the end of her performance. NORTH MACEDONIA: Andrea stands alone on the podium for North Macedonia. She sings her song completely wrapped in black leather. In her performance she uses the lifting bridges over the water. Shadows of hands are visible on the LED screens. The sun is not only orange but also white and blue. ESTONIA: Stefan starts his performance on the B stage. He is accompanied only by his guitar. Later in the song, he goes wild: then he uses the entire stage to present his performance. The two cowboys from the national final stayed home. ROMANIA: WRS from Romania wears glittering wetlook trousers. He also wears a red blouse, but according to Eurovision tradition, that goes off. He turns out to be wearing a sleeveless shirt with glitter underneath. There is a lot of dancing. As a result, the Romanian likely gets a lot of attention from the crowd. POLAND: The Polish competitor Ochman is also in black, he wears a black suit. He is assisted by four dancers, who seem to represent some kind of water spirits. Flashing light effects can be seen during the performance. The waterfall on the stage is also used… what else could we expect with a song about a river? MONTENEGRO: Vladana has her entire performance on the B stage. She wears a blue dress during her performance. The background is also blue, with splashes of white as graphics. Vladana mainly remains in one place. BELGIUM: The Belgian Jérémie Makiese impressed with his song. Jérémie is flanked by four dancers. He himself wears blue-grey trousers, a black shirt and a silver jacket, while the dancers wear black jackets. At the end of the act all the light falls on Jérémie, who is standing on a platform on which flames are projected. SWEDEN: Cornelia Jakobs ranks high among the bookmakers. As the Swedes always do, Cornelia Jakobs also puts on the same act as during the national final Melodifestivalen. The starry sky at the beginning, the large, first green and then red, circular plate right behind Cornelia, even the silver-black clothing and the bare feet are the same. CZECH REPUBLIC: The Czech group We Are Domi is the last to rehearse today. The group uses a lot of light, which makes you feel like you’re in a disco. Funny effect: the ‘sun’ on stage looks like a vinyl album here. Eurovision.tv mentions the cello-string guitar: the guitarist made it himself.

Day 3: start of the 2nd semi rehearsals

Day three of rehearsals: the second semifinal has started. Nobody knows about the stage anymore. We try to keep you informed. For the time being, we’ll stick to the nine countries that rehearsed. FINLAND: Expectations were obviously high with a big name like The Rasmus in da’ house. In black and yellow rain gear, the stars stood on stage between huge black balloons. Eurovision.tv praises the professionalism of the band members. ISRAEL: It was quite exciting whether Israel would participate or not. However, the security issues died down. And so Michael Ben David stood on stage in white, surrounded by his dancers. Remarkable: eurovision.tv reports that there is good singing. That has not been done so far. SERBIA: Konstrakta’s act is little different from what we saw during the national final. She has the healthy hair of Megan Markle, which she also sings about. She washes her hands regularly. The dancers around her carry towels. Everything to stay “In corpore sano”, in a healthy body. AZERBAIJAN: It was to be expected: Azerbaijan has a standout act. Nadir Rustamli sings from a sort of staircase that looks like a grandstand. There is also a dancer in that stand. Halfway through the act, the stand is split in two and the dancer and singer can see each other. GEORGIA: Circus Mircus represents Georgia. And clowns belong to a circus. A singer in a leather jacket and flying goggles, a man with an eye patch and a belly organ and a bassist who seems to have borrowed the hat from the Ukrainians. That last man has a beard of flowers. Many colors can be seen on stage. Surreal is how even the official site describes it. MALTA: Emma Muscat performs in a dress covered with silver. She is flanked by four dancers. Later during the act, she sits behind a huge piano. She also uses the so-called B-stage, just in front of the green room. The sun springs into action and gives off its golden light during this act. SAN MARINO: You can expect a striking act from Achille Lauro. He wears body stocking, cowboy boots and hat, a black boa and he is at a red rodeo. While you’d expect that with the title “Stripper,” the clothes don’t come off. Where there is smoke there is fire: that certainly applies to this act, which ends with a lot of pyro technics. AUSTRALIA: Of course Sheldon Reily wears his jeweled mask. Surprising is the huge white suit he is also wearing. At the bottom of the suit is a huge tow. Eurovision.tv compares it to a wedding dress that drags on the floor. It almost seems as if Sheldon is staying in the clouds. CYPRUS: Andromache is singing in a purple dress with what looks like a huge fan behind her. The dancers move around that fan. The fan is also used to display the graphics. Different colors are visible.

Culinary Turin – the best places to visit during Eurovision 2022

Last week we told you all about the highlights and must sees. This week, we’re taking a deep dive in all things foods and drinks. In doubt about where to go after a long day of exploring the city? Or looking for a place to dance the night away after watching the Eurovision show? Look no further, we’ve got you covered!

Day 2: Another eight rehearsals

The second day of rehearsals: For now, there seems to be no solution in sight regarding the kinetic sun on stage. Meanwhile, the second group of semifinalists made their appearance for rehearsals. We still get little information. We do not know how the participants sing. What we get is mainly the picture. What you can do best, is read this article and follow Kal’s Italian journey on Youtube, Instagram and TikTok PORTUGAL: “Saudade” is one such word that occurs in only one language. It’s what MARO sings about. MARO is on the back podium, close to the green room. She and her backing vocals form a circle, MARO in purple in the spotlight. The graphics are kept simple: some indefinable figures in different colors. Before we forget: the smoke machine is working. CROATIA: Is Croatia your guilty pleasure this year by any chance? Mia is wearing a pink-red dress, with at least one leg clearly visible. The three dancers are wearing less bright colors. They tell a story with their movements. DENMARK: The Reddi girls wear orange, green, red and checkered purple suits. They all have an instrument in their hands that makes you wonder if they can play it at all. Retro 70s, that’s what we see. The graphics consist of checkered neon colors. AUSTRIA: LUM!X and Pia Maria stand in a kind of illuminated circle, in which we see the colors of the Austrian flag. There is a lot of movement and dancing on the stage. Bright lights and pyrotechnics are not lacking in this act either. ICELAND: “Með Hækkandi Sól” is the name of Systur’s song. The ladies are dressed in retro 70s outfits. One of the three is wearing an imposing hat. The graphics consist of glitter. According to Eurovision.tv, that gives the whole thing something magical. The show seems to end in bright orange light. GREECE: Amanda wears a long silver-white dress. She is alone on stage. Around her, in blue light, chairs stand and lie in a circle. Eurovision.tv reports an echo on the vocal, but what they exactly mean by that is not clear. NORWAY: For those who have been following Subwoolfer for a while, the Norwegian performance will contain few surprises. Keith and Jim, who we still don’t know who they really are, wear their yellow wolf heads. They are assisted by three dancers, also completely wrapped in yellow. All wear sunglasses. Behind them DJ Astronaut is standing on a platform, he is completely dressed in gold. ARMENIA: Rosa Linn from Armenia performs in a special setting: a complete bedroom! The furniture and walls seem to be made entirely of scrap paper. Rosa Linn sits in the midst of it all with her guitar, playing her song.

Rehearsals, day 1: an overview

Today was the day of the still sun. The latest update is that the water may well be replaced by virtual water on the LED screens. The sun can then rotate again. Today was also the day of the first nine rehearsals. And yes, that included bookmaker favorite Ukraine. We will go through all the performances with you. ALBANIA: What immediately stands out is Ronela’s hair: it’s pink. Furthermore, she is in black with a silver shining bra. She is surrounded by four bare-chested dancers. No fireworks for Albania, but smoke. LATVIA: In multicolored suits, the Latvian group Citi Zēni performs the cheerful “Eat your salad” accompanied by graphics with lots of fruit. The text has been slightly modified. The group still eats veggies, but no longer mention pussy. It is, after all, a family program. LITHUANIA: The jazzy ‘Sentimentai’ is performed by Monika Liu against a purple background. She herself wears a dress covered with silver. At the end of the song, the now infamous waterfall comes into view. Whether that remains the case remains to be seen. SWITZERLAND: After Lithuania, there is another act that is all alone on stage: the Swiss Marius Bear performs in black, with only a spotlight aimed at him. The folks at eurovision.tv were eager to say that Marius is very strong vocally. SLOVENIA: A huge disco ball on stage with the group LPS from Slovenia. The drummer seems to be hiding behind that. The men from Slovenia wear classic sixties tailoring during their performance. UKRAINE: Partly due to the circumstances, Ukraine is the top favorite for the final victory. Kalush Orchestra performs in traditional outfits combined with something indefinable, which most resembles the brushes from a car wash. The graphics are special and use, among other things, the Ukrainian colors blue and yellow. BULGARIA: The guys from Intelligent Music Project are, it seems, in their usual clothes. But they sure rock! Bulgaria is the country that readily uses the pyrotechnics at the end of their performance. NETHERLANDS: The Dutch S10 wears a black suit; she has a bare belly that makes her navel suddenly play a leading role in the act. Lots of smoke and dramatic light, that’s how everyone who has seen something of it describes the act. In any case, it is considered appropriate for the song. MOLDOVA: It is Zdob si Zdub that concludes today’s nine. This is the group’s third time participating. They’ve gone full neon on the lighting and the graphics, AND there are even a couple of little dance routines in the chorus. But there is no striking act, as before with a grandmother and with pointed hats. Maybe the happy Moldovan song doesn’t need that either.

Rehearsals have started today (UPDATE)

Rehearsals for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest have started today. For the first time in the history of the song festival, these rehearsals are not accessible to the press. However, on a daily basis we will keep you informed about what is happening in Turin. In addition, we have reporter Kal on location, who will provide regular updates on Instagram and TikTok. We can report the first news we have right away: According to the newspaper La Stampa, there would be technical problems with the control of the kinetic sun that is present on the stage. These problems would not be solvable. That means the kinetic sun will move less than intended. UPDATE: It seems that water that got over the cables on the stage is the problem. The kinetic sun no longer rotates at all. To be continued…

Malik Harris: the setting is going to be intimate

Malik Harris is the guy who is going to represent Germany this year. The 24-year old son of the US ex-showmaster Ricky Harris grew up in Issing near Vilgertshofen near Landsberg am Lech. His paternal grandfather was an opera singer, his maternal grandmother was a pianist, and his father played numerous musical instruments. His first singles “Say the Name” (2018) and “Welcome to the Rumble” (2019) became hits in the airplay charts and on streaming platforms such as Spotify. Malik Harris was the first German artist to be seen on a Times Square billboard in New York City for a week when his single “When We’ve Arrived” was released in October 2020. Our reporter Kal managed to elicit statements from Malik about the staging. “The setting is going to be intimate, very close, very raw”. Why? Watch the video and you’ll know it!

Emma Muscat: Many people can relate to “I am what I am”

Emma Muscat will perform for Malta in the second semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2016 she released her first single “Alone” on her YouTube channel and later in 2017 she released her second single “Without You”. In 2018 she released her first EP. A year later, her first official single was released, “Avec moi”, featuring singer Biondo. In 2020 followed the hit “Sangria”, a duet with the Italian rapper Astol. Our reporter Kal spoke to Emma; of course he asked her why she traded in the winning song from the Maltese final. Many people can relate to “I am what I am,” she explains, making more comparisons between the two songs in the meantime. Which of the two does she like best? That’s what she tells in this video… or not?

Sam Ryder: we wrote the song in about 10 minutes

The UK is back! Sam Ryder is the favorite of many people. Although he started as a session musician in 2009, his real breakthrough came thanks to Corona: during the first lockdown he started posting songs on TikTok. He quickly became the most watched singer on the platform. Our reporter Kal Engels talks to him about his childhood, about the song (I wrote it in about ten minutes) and about his and others’ expectations for the UK. So watch!