Liverpool live: about sparks, costumes and a lightbox

We’ve had the second half of today’s rehearsals. Here is what we saw and heard today.

photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings

Ireland

Spotlights are on Conor, the singer of Wild Youth. He has a rock gold catsuit with flares. There are stairs on stage. And there will be pyro technics. A lot of sparkles are visible by the end of the performance. Eurovision.tv is enthousiastic about the singalong capacities of the song. “Even on the first rehearsal, it’s easy to imagine the crowd in the Liverpool Arena singing along to this euphoric chorus.”

Croatia

As expected, the members of Let3 wear the costumes they also had in the national final. At eurovision.tv they speak about ‘high fashion hat/dress combo’s’. However, we do not reccomend you wearing this to a party. At the end of the song, they strip down to their underwear and they wave with huge missiles. On the LED-screen you see the faces of the band members. The missiles emit a shower of sparks over the Let3 members! 

Switzerland

As in 2021 and 2022 it is Sacha Jean-Baptiste who is responsible for the Swiss staging. Where you would expect Remo Forrer alone on stage with a spotlight on it, nothing less is true. There are dancers with Remo on stage and he also dances himself. There’s also pyro technics: a short interlude of smoke and red fireworks raining down from the roof.

Moldova

For the second time, Pasha Parfeni enters the Eurovision stage. We saw him for the first time in 2012. He is surrounded by huge drums, a flutist and two backing singers with horned headdresses. A lot to see and a completely different act from what we saw 11 years ago.

Sweden

Loreen currently tops the bookmakers. She has the same act as in Melodifestivalen, herself sitting under the huge lightbox. The one from Melodifestivalen however was too heavy, so a lighter version can be seen in Liverpool. It is also lifted a little bit off the ground. The catsuit, the long nails and everything else is the same as in Melodifestivalen, including Loreen’s strong vocals.

Related news

Eurovision 2026

🇦🇿 Song: JIVA’s Eurovision song “Just Go” released for Azerbaijan

📷 EBU JIVA’s Eurovision song “Just Go” has officially been released. It gives Azerbaijan its full package for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. The track premiered this evening through its music video. It immediately adds an emotional sound to this year’s line-up. For fans, The artist was already known, but now the song is finally here. According to broadcaster İctimai Television, “Just Go” is an emotional ballad about love, heartbreak and inner strength. The song focuses on finding yourself again after disappointment in a relationship. That theme gives JIVA room to do what she does best: deliver a sincere performance built around strong vocals and clear emotion. As a first impression, Azerbaijan is choosing intensity over gimmicks, and that could help the entry stand out in a busy field. In other words, Azerbaijan has opted for atmosphere and authenticity. There is also experience behind the release. “Just Go” was written and composed by Azerbaijani-American composer Fuad Javadov, while the official music video was directed by Farhad Ali. JIVA, whose real name is Jamila Hashimova, is no newcomer either. She won The Voice of Azerbaijan in 2025, sings in Azerbaijani, Russian and English, and already reached the top three of Azerbaijan’s national selection back in 2011. Now that “Just Go” is published, the attention will quickly shift to the Eurovision stage in Vienna. JIVA will perform for Azerbaijan in the first half of the second semi-final. It will be Azerbaijan’s 18th appearance at Eurovision since debuting in 2008. After an internal selection process that started with 186 submitted songs, the country now sends a track that aims straight for feeling and connection. Tonight, Azerbaijan has finally shown its hand. JIVA’s “Just Go” is in the race.

Read More »
Eurovision 2026
Martijn

🇦🇿 Song: JIVA’s Eurovision song “Just Go” released for Azerbaijan

📷 EBU JIVA’s Eurovision song “Just Go” has officially been released. It gives Azerbaijan its full package for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. The track premiered this evening through its music video. It immediately adds an emotional sound to this year’s line-up. For fans, The artist was already known, but now the song is finally here. According to broadcaster İctimai Television, “Just Go” is an emotional ballad about love, heartbreak and inner strength. The song focuses on finding yourself again after disappointment in a relationship. That theme gives JIVA room to do what she does best: deliver a sincere performance built around strong vocals and clear emotion. As a first impression, Azerbaijan is choosing intensity over gimmicks, and that could help the entry stand out in a busy field. In other words, Azerbaijan has opted for atmosphere and authenticity. There is also experience behind the release. “Just Go” was written and composed by Azerbaijani-American composer Fuad Javadov, while the official music video was directed by Farhad Ali. JIVA, whose real name is Jamila Hashimova, is no newcomer either. She won The Voice of Azerbaijan in 2025, sings in Azerbaijani, Russian and English, and already reached the top three of Azerbaijan’s national selection back in 2011. Now that “Just Go” is published, the attention will quickly shift to the Eurovision stage in Vienna. JIVA will perform for Azerbaijan in the first half of the second semi-final. It will be Azerbaijan’s 18th appearance at Eurovision since debuting in 2008. After an internal selection process that started with 186 submitted songs, the country now sends a track that aims straight for feeling and connection. Tonight, Azerbaijan has finally shown its hand. JIVA’s “Just Go” is in the race.

Read More »
Follow Us: