After the Eurovision fame: Dima Bilan

Day six of rehearsals at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna is the one that the Grand Final delegations have been waiting for. While the semi-finalists spent the past week breaking in the Wiener Stadthalle, Italy, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and host country Austria stepped onto that same stage for the very first time today. First rehearsals remain closed to press. Each delegation receives a 30-minute slot on stage, with official photographs released approximately 24 hours after each performance. The official EBU live blog on the Eurovision subreddit is the primary source of real-time descriptions; Eurovision Universe has supplemented those accounts with broadcaster statements, social media posts from the artists, and national press coverage. Second rehearsals for all five countries follow on Saturday, 9 May. All five compete directly in the Grand Final on Saturday, 16 May. 🇮🇹 Italy — Sal Da Vinci, “Per Sempre Sì” Running order: Grand Final position TBC | First rehearsal: 7 May, 13:00–13:25 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The performance opens with a suit fitting. A pair of groomsmen assist a happy fellow choosing threads for his impending special day, while Sal performs at the front of the stage dressed in a white suit, modern in style but representative of Neapolitan design, made especially for him by a Neapolitan designer. For the next scene, a chandelier is lowered as Sal ushers the audience into an extravagant ballroom. An excited groom and his best men showcase choreography, including backflips, as the wedding reception begins to take shape. Then comes the big moment. The blushing bride walks slowly up the catwalk of the stage, while Sal himself moonlights as the marriage officiant. The song closes with the wedding reception itself. It’s set among lemon trees and lights, with fireworks depicted on the LED graphics.  Sal Da Vinci, born Salvatore Michael Sorrentino in 1969, is one of the most recognised voices of the Neapolitan pop scene, with a career spanning theatre, television and chart music. He secured his place in Vienna by winning the Festival di Sanremo 2026 with “Per Sempre Sì”, a victory that marked a full-circle moment in his long relationship with the festival. Italy’s second rehearsal takes place on Saturday, 9 May. Sources: EBU official live blog / RAI / Instagram @saldavinciofficial 🇩🇪 Germany — Sarah Engels, “Fire” Running order: Grand Final position TBC | First rehearsal: 7 May, 15:00–15:25 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The centrepiece of the staging is a cube-shaped prop that gives Engels her own elevated performance platform. According to the official Eurovision subreddit live blog, she opens the performance lying on top of it, delivering a piano-ballad version of “Fire” directly to the camera positioned above her. It is a moment of stillness and control. However, it does not last long. The track ignites, the banger takes over, and Sarah Engels is off. The outfit is gold, head to toe. A bodysuit with a corset section designed to resemble roaring flames, with sparkling rhinestones scattered across it like golden embers. Four dancers join her on stage, also dressed in gold. The Reddit live blog notes that some staging surprises have been kept under wraps at the delegation’s request. What it can confirm is that the performance closes with a pyrotechnic finale. Given the song is called “Fire”, it could hardly end any other way. Sarah Engels first rose to national recognition in 2011 through Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar. She has since built one of Germany’s most varied careers across Let’s Dance, The Masked Singer, Dancing on Ice and her current lead role as Satine in Moulin Rouge! She won Das Deutsche Finale on 28 February 2026. Germany’s second rehearsal takes place on Saturday, 9 May. Sources: r/eurovision official live blog / ARD-SWR / Instagram @sarahengelsofficial 🇫🇷 France — Monroe, “Regarde !” Running order: Grand Final position TBC | First rehearsal: 7 May, 15:35–16:00 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May At just 17 years old, Monroe is one of the youngest artists ever to carry the French flag at Eurovision. The delegation around her has made one thing clear: “Regarde !” is a full theatrical event, not simply a televised pop performance. Head of delegation Alexandra Redde-Amiel has pushed the staging in a more theatrical direction than France’s recent entries, with the team working extensively on the song’s dramaturgy to bridge lyrical music with pop and musical theatre elements. The central phrase, “look at me”, reaches beyond the song’s lyrical meaning and functions as a directive for the entire visual concept. The French delegation has deliberately withheld staging details ahead of rehearsals, reinforcing the idea that this performance will only fully reveal itself in the moment. Five performers join Monroe on stage. For her first ever live performance of “Regarde !”, she brought over a dozen dancers. Eurovision’s stage rules cap the total to six, Monroe included. Monroe Vata Rigby, born 19 November 2008, grew up between France and the United States, discovered her love of classical music singing in a church choir, and won the eleventh season of Prodiges on France Télévisions in early 2025. France Télévisions selected her internally on 6 March 2026. France’s second rehearsal takes place on Saturday, 9 May. Sources: EBU official live blog / France Télévisions / Instagram @monroe.musique 🇬🇧 United Kingdom — LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER, “Eins, Zwei, Drei” Running order: Grand Final position TBC | First rehearsal: 7 May, 16:10–16:35 CEST | Second rehearsal: 9 May The British entry arrives at the Wiener Stadthalle with a supersized office that explodes into a synthesiser wonderland. As the song begins, rows of desks occupy the stage. Joining LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER for his shift are four co-workers.They are wearing computer monitors for heads. These co-workers embody precisely how the artist feels about the soul-crushing drudgery of office life. As the track kicks in, LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER breaks free and escapes. The office desks become a choreography centrepiece. Before long a stage makeover reveals his signature synthesisers and keyboard. The