photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett With the ten finalists from the 2nd semifinal, we are complete. All the finalists are known. The 10 countries getting through to the Grand Final tonight are: Latvia Austria Netherlands Norway Israel Greece Estonia Switzerland Georgia Armenia
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The hosts Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman open the show with their own version of “Tattoo.” Malta In the Maltese act by Sarah Bonnici, there is a lot of movement and dancing. Later during the act, she is blindfolded, as are her dancers. Despite so much movement, Sarah manages to sing remarkably well. Albania Besa wears a turquoise gown with gemstones. The stage also includes several dancers, which might make it look a bit messy. However, many dancers are projected onto LED screens. Besa’s voice sounds a bit sharp here and there. Greece First, we see her purple boots, then the whole Marina Satti. She is also flanked by four dancers, but it looks much more organized. Greece has chosen a sophisticated entry not meant for casual listeners. A lot happens during this entry. Marina continues to sing well. Switzerland Nemo takes the viewer into his story with the song “The Code,” managing to crack the (binary) code. Their clothing says it all. Nemo has so far managed to enhance their narrative through fashion statements. Nemo jumps, skips, shows himself to be a balancing artist… and continues to sing crystal clear. We do not know if this is a winner, but we definitely respect their skills. Czechia You would expect Aiko to be standing on a pedestal during her performance. That’s not the case, but we find that the ceiling (one of the cubes) is very low. Aiko has four… Her nipples are no longer visible. Pay particular attention to the high note that Aiko effortlessly hits. Aiko surprises! During the first semifinal, Nicole (from Hugo) received a tribute, and in this semifinal, Jahn Teigen (ESC 1978, 1982, 1983) is honored. We are treated to a journey through Eurovision history with several participants who did not finish very high. France Slimane, dressed in white, starts singing while lying down, then sits up. Everything is shot in close-up, which makes the song even more intimate. Slimane pulls out all the stops in terms of his singing ability. The song has its distinct fans, but others are completely on the opposite end of the spectrum. Austria It’s interesting to put someone on stage who has held various other roles at the contest. Singing is clearly not Kaleen’s strongest suit. Regardless of how enjoyable the song may be found, the singing is forgotten in Austria. However, the act looks absolutely tight, and Kaleen knows very well what she is doing in terms of dance. Denmark It seems like you only see a singer sprinkling some sand and singing her song. However, we also see a second Saba in the background… A hologram, as it turns out, because at one point she disintegrates into sand. Occasionally, Saba tends to sing too loud, which makes the whole thing seem a bit shouty. Armenia Cheerfulness all over, garnished with typical Armenian sounds. Singer Jaklin Baghdasarian of Ladaniva plays a leading role throughout the act. The other band members and backing band stand behind her, but at one point, the flutist also comes forward. We see all sorts of things in the background: trumpets, chickens, and the artists themselves. Latvia Looking at his Instagram account, he is very cheerful and humorous: the Latvian Dons. But seeing him standing there in his sleeveless leather outfit amid a circle, and hearing his very serious ballad, we notice little of that. There is nothing wrong with this song, but that might also be the problem. Spain Both the singer and the dancers are dressed in black. The singing isn’t fantastic, but Nebulossa certainly knows how to throw a party in the hall. And of course, halfway through the act, the dancers strip off their clothes and continue dancing with bare chests and buttocks. At the end, a keyhole appears behind the singer Mery. The Spaniards really throw a party. San Marino We stick with the Spanish language, as San Marino sends the Spanish group Megara. Singer Kenzy Loevett is briefly flanked by two dancers in scary Easter bunny suits. Everything is pink and black in this act. It’s all rock, and the group tries to match the scariness of Bambie Thug, but it remains rather tame for a horror show. Georgia Nutsa Buzaladze is dressed in gold and stands in a circle of fire, which at one moment looks like a sun, the next a burning hoop. Nutsa is flanked by four dancers, and gives her all in terms of singing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. For Georgia, it’s definitely not a done deal. Belgium We had already seen photos of Mustii amid a circle of microphones, but he starts alone on stage. He then stands on a rotating platform. Later, he goes into this circle. Mustii is dressed in white. The singing we hear here is very cautious, with Mustii consciously staying below the high notes. He did not, as we previously reported, take his shirt off. But towards the end, we see the whole hall going wild with the Belgian entry! Estonia 5miinust and Puuluup are having a party on stage. The title of the song is, as previously mentioned, the longest ever. Whether the party really come across with all the “hey hey hey” is still a question. Possibly a finalist position for Estonia, but that is by no means certain. Italy Angelina Mango starts lying down, with roses projected under her. She has a sort of henna-like print depicted. This print also continues with the dancers. There are so many prints all over. There are so many details that you occasionally don’t see Angelina and her dancers at all. The singing is fine where it concerns Angelina. She ends a cappella. That takes skilsl, and Angelina has them. Italy will finish high, but perhaps not win. Israel The Israeli entry is the only ballad in this latter stage of the second semifinal. Just before she starts singing, Eden Golan leans back in a circle with lights. Five dancers flank her,
Austria: Here too, we have a different outfit. Kaleen was already wearing a swimsuit before, but the current one shows much more skin (read: flesh-colored bodysuit). The color is now silver. She is also surrounded by a group of four dancers. This act too is mainly focused on dance, with singing possibly taking a backseat. But we will only find out during the public rehearsals. Austria is ranked 14th at the bookmakers. Denmark: Little has changed in the Danish act compared to last time. Saba is still singing her ballad in a white dress. Like a real Sandman, she scatters sand. She is ranked 22nd by the bookmakers. Who knows, maybe she will break the negative spiral of not reaching the finals. Armenia: Armenia will actually be represented by a duo, which is not visible in the act. There is a lot of movement and several musicians have joined Ladaniva. A lot of cheerfulness is visible. And take note: you are not drunk, you really see the duo multiple times, displayed on the LED screens. The bookmakers give Armenia a 17th place. Latvia: We could now say that Dons’ hair is different from the last rehearsal, but that would be trivial. What we see in the photos is virtually the same as what we had seen two days earlier: Dons in blue in a circle, calmly singing his song. He is currently ranked 27th by the bookmakers. It will be a close call for Latvia whether Hollow will make it.
“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.
Armenia presented their song today. Only a few days ago, Armenian TV announced that the French/Armenian duo Ladaniva represents the country in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Now we know the song: “Jako”. The song is sung in Armenian; lyrics and music are from the duo itself, but the song is co-composed by Audrey Leclercq. Armenia will perform in the first half of the 2nd semifinal; this is the song:
© EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts MembersZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas Founded2019 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal Selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongJako (2024) Biography Ladaniva is a French world music band from Lille. Zhaklin Baghdasaryan was born in 1997 in Eghegnazor, Armenia. She grew up in Minsk, Belarus, before immigrating to France with her mother in 2014. Zhaklin has been singing since her early childhood and, after moving to Tourcoing, France, she enrolled at the Lille Conservatory. Louis Thomas, born in 1987 in Lille, France, comes from a family of musicians and is an accomplished jazz musician. Like Zhaklin, he attended the Lille Conservatory. In 2018, Jaklin and Louis met by chance during a jam session at l’Intervalle, a music bar in Old Lille. In 2019, they founded the world music band Ladaniva in Lille, France. The band draws its musical inspiration from around the world, particularly from the traditional music of the Balkans, Maloya, and Armenian folklore. The name “Ladaniva” is derived from a very rustic Russian 4×4, the Lada Niva. During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in March and April 2020, Ladaniva released two videos, “Vay Aman” and “Zepyuri Nman,” which gained significant popularity, especially within the Armenian community. Following this success, their video clip “Kef Chilini” quickly amassed 18 million views. In 2023, Ladaniva released their debut album, which is self-titled and was produced and distributed by [PIAS]. On March 9, 2024, it was announced that Ladaniva would represent Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Their song was called “Jako”. Ladaniva reached the final with the song and did pretty well there, ending up in 8th place. Entries Jako Country🇦🇲 Armenia Year2024 LanguageArmenian LyricsZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas MusicZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis ThomasAudrey Leclercq BackingsLouis DesseigneNinon ThomasPierre KastlerRomain Desreumeaux Results Semi Points: 137Position: 3Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: 183Position: 8Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/hAYXDoZzAyE?si=A7AjUUP2kdJCSgRI
The duo Ladaniva will represent Armenia in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what Armenian television announced tonight. Ladaniva consists of Jaklin Baghdasaryan, an Armenian vocalist, and Louis Thomas, a French multi-instrumentalist. Together, they create a unique fusion of Armenian folk music with diverse international influences. Their song for the Eurovision Song Contest is set to be unveiled shortly. Their music seamlessly integrates elements ranging from Balkan folk melodies to the rhythms of maloya, jazz, and reggae, illustrating a transcultural journey that merges traditional Armenian melodies with the duo’s rich experiences gathered from travels in Latin America, Africa, and Reunion Island. Ladaniva’s sound mirrors their mixed heritage and their deep fascination with exploring the music and cultures of the world. Armenia will perform in the 1st half of the 2nd semifinal. Note that “Shakar” is NOT their Eurovision song.
We already head to day 5: some rehearsals of the 2nd semifinal, and….. the big 5. 11.30 – 11.50 Denmark11.55 – 12.15 Armenia12.20 – 12.40 Romania12.45 – 13.05 Estonia13.10 – 13.30 Belgium 14.40 – 15.10 Germany15.20 – 15.50 France16.00 – 16.30 Italy16.40 – 17.10 Ukraine17.20 – 17.50 Spain18.00 – 18.30 United Kingdom
photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings Finland After the lunch break, it is time for a lot of energy: Finland. As expected, Käärijä wears the green bolero jacket we know so well. He is accompanied by four dancers wearing pink. The show starts with Käärijä in a huge wooden box, climbs on top of a couple of pallets and sings there before he goes to the floor to continue his performance. We can at least say Käärijä’s performance spots a lot of energy. With Käärijä’s rehearsal, we saw all the participants in the first semifinal rehearse. It is time to continue with the second semifinal. Denmark Reiley’s performance is cleverly designed with a revolving structure that showcases three different colored rooms as he passes through doorways, utilizing the LED floor and projected graphics to special effects. The visuals range from swirling clouds to hearts and emojis, creating an atmosphere that gives the performance a dreamy feel. It’s very much in line with Gen Z sensibilities according to Eurovision.tv. Reiley himself is wearing pink, a colour we saw before today. Armenia Brunette is wearing a white dress with black sewings. She starts her performance on a sloped structure that is put upright. The structure has blue and pink swirls projected on it. The graphics and lightning change halfway as the song is changing it’s tempo. Brunette leaves the sloped structure, the stage is quite white with white squares in the background. Eurovision.tv speaks of strong vocals. Romania Yellow is the colour when we talk about Romania. Yellow suits, a yellow jacket and even yellow Pikachu socks! Theodor Andrei starts off with only a guitar on an empty stage. In the second half of the song, that all changes with much more energy. There is a dancer on stage as well. The end of the presentation seems to be quite dramatic, although eurovision.tv does not give more details about it. Belgium Belgium surprises with a completely different outfit than he had in the national final. Gustaph wears a white suit and a white hat, and a pink blouse. Gustaph has his own flight of stairs, which he intensively uses. He is supported by three backing vocals who play a main role in the entire show. He has a LED backdrop of vogueing, drag queens. A dancer also has a role in the act. Cyprus Eurovision.tv mentioned being impressed by Andrew’s vocal capacities. Andrew is wearing a black sleeveless vest. There’s an exciting energy in the way this song gradually intensifies from its opening note to an even more explosive conclusion. The LED background alternates between serene waterfalls and fiery flames. The floor has smoke and four banks of flames. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists
Today is already the 2nd day of the rehearsals. What to expect today? After Sweden, we have another favourite in the contest today: Finland. But there is more: 11.30-12.00 Israel12.10-12.40 Azerbaijan12.50-13.20 Czechia13.30-14.00 The Netherlands15.10-15.40 Finland15.50-16.20 Denmark16.30-17.00 Armenia17.10-17.40 Romania17.50-18.20 Belgium18.30-19.00 Cyprus
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett With the ten finalists from the 2nd semifinal, we are complete. All the finalists are known. The 10 countries getting through to the Grand Final tonight are: Latvia Austria Netherlands Norway Israel Greece Estonia Switzerland Georgia Armenia
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The hosts Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman open the show with their own version of “Tattoo.” Malta In the Maltese act by Sarah Bonnici, there is a lot of movement and dancing. Later during the act, she is blindfolded, as are her dancers. Despite so much movement, Sarah manages to sing remarkably well. Albania Besa wears a turquoise gown with gemstones. The stage also includes several dancers, which might make it look a bit messy. However, many dancers are projected onto LED screens. Besa’s voice sounds a bit sharp here and there. Greece First, we see her purple boots, then the whole Marina Satti. She is also flanked by four dancers, but it looks much more organized. Greece has chosen a sophisticated entry not meant for casual listeners. A lot happens during this entry. Marina continues to sing well. Switzerland Nemo takes the viewer into his story with the song “The Code,” managing to crack the (binary) code. Their clothing says it all. Nemo has so far managed to enhance their narrative through fashion statements. Nemo jumps, skips, shows himself to be a balancing artist… and continues to sing crystal clear. We do not know if this is a winner, but we definitely respect their skills. Czechia You would expect Aiko to be standing on a pedestal during her performance. That’s not the case, but we find that the ceiling (one of the cubes) is very low. Aiko has four… Her nipples are no longer visible. Pay particular attention to the high note that Aiko effortlessly hits. Aiko surprises! During the first semifinal, Nicole (from Hugo) received a tribute, and in this semifinal, Jahn Teigen (ESC 1978, 1982, 1983) is honored. We are treated to a journey through Eurovision history with several participants who did not finish very high. France Slimane, dressed in white, starts singing while lying down, then sits up. Everything is shot in close-up, which makes the song even more intimate. Slimane pulls out all the stops in terms of his singing ability. The song has its distinct fans, but others are completely on the opposite end of the spectrum. Austria It’s interesting to put someone on stage who has held various other roles at the contest. Singing is clearly not Kaleen’s strongest suit. Regardless of how enjoyable the song may be found, the singing is forgotten in Austria. However, the act looks absolutely tight, and Kaleen knows very well what she is doing in terms of dance. Denmark It seems like you only see a singer sprinkling some sand and singing her song. However, we also see a second Saba in the background… A hologram, as it turns out, because at one point she disintegrates into sand. Occasionally, Saba tends to sing too loud, which makes the whole thing seem a bit shouty. Armenia Cheerfulness all over, garnished with typical Armenian sounds. Singer Jaklin Baghdasarian of Ladaniva plays a leading role throughout the act. The other band members and backing band stand behind her, but at one point, the flutist also comes forward. We see all sorts of things in the background: trumpets, chickens, and the artists themselves. Latvia Looking at his Instagram account, he is very cheerful and humorous: the Latvian Dons. But seeing him standing there in his sleeveless leather outfit amid a circle, and hearing his very serious ballad, we notice little of that. There is nothing wrong with this song, but that might also be the problem. Spain Both the singer and the dancers are dressed in black. The singing isn’t fantastic, but Nebulossa certainly knows how to throw a party in the hall. And of course, halfway through the act, the dancers strip off their clothes and continue dancing with bare chests and buttocks. At the end, a keyhole appears behind the singer Mery. The Spaniards really throw a party. San Marino We stick with the Spanish language, as San Marino sends the Spanish group Megara. Singer Kenzy Loevett is briefly flanked by two dancers in scary Easter bunny suits. Everything is pink and black in this act. It’s all rock, and the group tries to match the scariness of Bambie Thug, but it remains rather tame for a horror show. Georgia Nutsa Buzaladze is dressed in gold and stands in a circle of fire, which at one moment looks like a sun, the next a burning hoop. Nutsa is flanked by four dancers, and gives her all in terms of singing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. For Georgia, it’s definitely not a done deal. Belgium We had already seen photos of Mustii amid a circle of microphones, but he starts alone on stage. He then stands on a rotating platform. Later, he goes into this circle. Mustii is dressed in white. The singing we hear here is very cautious, with Mustii consciously staying below the high notes. He did not, as we previously reported, take his shirt off. But towards the end, we see the whole hall going wild with the Belgian entry! Estonia 5miinust and Puuluup are having a party on stage. The title of the song is, as previously mentioned, the longest ever. Whether the party really come across with all the “hey hey hey” is still a question. Possibly a finalist position for Estonia, but that is by no means certain. Italy Angelina Mango starts lying down, with roses projected under her. She has a sort of henna-like print depicted. This print also continues with the dancers. There are so many prints all over. There are so many details that you occasionally don’t see Angelina and her dancers at all. The singing is fine where it concerns Angelina. She ends a cappella. That takes skilsl, and Angelina has them. Italy will finish high, but perhaps not win. Israel The Israeli entry is the only ballad in this latter stage of the second semifinal. Just before she starts singing, Eden Golan leans back in a circle with lights. Five dancers flank her,
Austria: Here too, we have a different outfit. Kaleen was already wearing a swimsuit before, but the current one shows much more skin (read: flesh-colored bodysuit). The color is now silver. She is also surrounded by a group of four dancers. This act too is mainly focused on dance, with singing possibly taking a backseat. But we will only find out during the public rehearsals. Austria is ranked 14th at the bookmakers. Denmark: Little has changed in the Danish act compared to last time. Saba is still singing her ballad in a white dress. Like a real Sandman, she scatters sand. She is ranked 22nd by the bookmakers. Who knows, maybe she will break the negative spiral of not reaching the finals. Armenia: Armenia will actually be represented by a duo, which is not visible in the act. There is a lot of movement and several musicians have joined Ladaniva. A lot of cheerfulness is visible. And take note: you are not drunk, you really see the duo multiple times, displayed on the LED screens. The bookmakers give Armenia a 17th place. Latvia: We could now say that Dons’ hair is different from the last rehearsal, but that would be trivial. What we see in the photos is virtually the same as what we had seen two days earlier: Dons in blue in a circle, calmly singing his song. He is currently ranked 27th by the bookmakers. It will be a close call for Latvia whether Hollow will make it.
“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.
Armenia presented their song today. Only a few days ago, Armenian TV announced that the French/Armenian duo Ladaniva represents the country in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Now we know the song: “Jako”. The song is sung in Armenian; lyrics and music are from the duo itself, but the song is co-composed by Audrey Leclercq. Armenia will perform in the first half of the 2nd semifinal; this is the song:
© EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts MembersZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas Founded2019 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal Selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongJako (2024) Biography Ladaniva is a French world music band from Lille. Zhaklin Baghdasaryan was born in 1997 in Eghegnazor, Armenia. She grew up in Minsk, Belarus, before immigrating to France with her mother in 2014. Zhaklin has been singing since her early childhood and, after moving to Tourcoing, France, she enrolled at the Lille Conservatory. Louis Thomas, born in 1987 in Lille, France, comes from a family of musicians and is an accomplished jazz musician. Like Zhaklin, he attended the Lille Conservatory. In 2018, Jaklin and Louis met by chance during a jam session at l’Intervalle, a music bar in Old Lille. In 2019, they founded the world music band Ladaniva in Lille, France. The band draws its musical inspiration from around the world, particularly from the traditional music of the Balkans, Maloya, and Armenian folklore. The name “Ladaniva” is derived from a very rustic Russian 4×4, the Lada Niva. During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in March and April 2020, Ladaniva released two videos, “Vay Aman” and “Zepyuri Nman,” which gained significant popularity, especially within the Armenian community. Following this success, their video clip “Kef Chilini” quickly amassed 18 million views. In 2023, Ladaniva released their debut album, which is self-titled and was produced and distributed by [PIAS]. On March 9, 2024, it was announced that Ladaniva would represent Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Their song was called “Jako”. Ladaniva reached the final with the song and did pretty well there, ending up in 8th place. Entries Jako Country🇦🇲 Armenia Year2024 LanguageArmenian LyricsZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas MusicZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis ThomasAudrey Leclercq BackingsLouis DesseigneNinon ThomasPierre KastlerRomain Desreumeaux Results Semi Points: 137Position: 3Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: 183Position: 8Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/hAYXDoZzAyE?si=A7AjUUP2kdJCSgRI
The duo Ladaniva will represent Armenia in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what Armenian television announced tonight. Ladaniva consists of Jaklin Baghdasaryan, an Armenian vocalist, and Louis Thomas, a French multi-instrumentalist. Together, they create a unique fusion of Armenian folk music with diverse international influences. Their song for the Eurovision Song Contest is set to be unveiled shortly. Their music seamlessly integrates elements ranging from Balkan folk melodies to the rhythms of maloya, jazz, and reggae, illustrating a transcultural journey that merges traditional Armenian melodies with the duo’s rich experiences gathered from travels in Latin America, Africa, and Reunion Island. Ladaniva’s sound mirrors their mixed heritage and their deep fascination with exploring the music and cultures of the world. Armenia will perform in the 1st half of the 2nd semifinal. Note that “Shakar” is NOT their Eurovision song.
We already head to day 5: some rehearsals of the 2nd semifinal, and….. the big 5. 11.30 – 11.50 Denmark11.55 – 12.15 Armenia12.20 – 12.40 Romania12.45 – 13.05 Estonia13.10 – 13.30 Belgium 14.40 – 15.10 Germany15.20 – 15.50 France16.00 – 16.30 Italy16.40 – 17.10 Ukraine17.20 – 17.50 Spain18.00 – 18.30 United Kingdom
photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings Finland After the lunch break, it is time for a lot of energy: Finland. As expected, Käärijä wears the green bolero jacket we know so well. He is accompanied by four dancers wearing pink. The show starts with Käärijä in a huge wooden box, climbs on top of a couple of pallets and sings there before he goes to the floor to continue his performance. We can at least say Käärijä’s performance spots a lot of energy. With Käärijä’s rehearsal, we saw all the participants in the first semifinal rehearse. It is time to continue with the second semifinal. Denmark Reiley’s performance is cleverly designed with a revolving structure that showcases three different colored rooms as he passes through doorways, utilizing the LED floor and projected graphics to special effects. The visuals range from swirling clouds to hearts and emojis, creating an atmosphere that gives the performance a dreamy feel. It’s very much in line with Gen Z sensibilities according to Eurovision.tv. Reiley himself is wearing pink, a colour we saw before today. Armenia Brunette is wearing a white dress with black sewings. She starts her performance on a sloped structure that is put upright. The structure has blue and pink swirls projected on it. The graphics and lightning change halfway as the song is changing it’s tempo. Brunette leaves the sloped structure, the stage is quite white with white squares in the background. Eurovision.tv speaks of strong vocals. Romania Yellow is the colour when we talk about Romania. Yellow suits, a yellow jacket and even yellow Pikachu socks! Theodor Andrei starts off with only a guitar on an empty stage. In the second half of the song, that all changes with much more energy. There is a dancer on stage as well. The end of the presentation seems to be quite dramatic, although eurovision.tv does not give more details about it. Belgium Belgium surprises with a completely different outfit than he had in the national final. Gustaph wears a white suit and a white hat, and a pink blouse. Gustaph has his own flight of stairs, which he intensively uses. He is supported by three backing vocals who play a main role in the entire show. He has a LED backdrop of vogueing, drag queens. A dancer also has a role in the act. Cyprus Eurovision.tv mentioned being impressed by Andrew’s vocal capacities. Andrew is wearing a black sleeveless vest. There’s an exciting energy in the way this song gradually intensifies from its opening note to an even more explosive conclusion. The LED background alternates between serene waterfalls and fiery flames. The floor has smoke and four banks of flames. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists
Today is already the 2nd day of the rehearsals. What to expect today? After Sweden, we have another favourite in the contest today: Finland. But there is more: 11.30-12.00 Israel12.10-12.40 Azerbaijan12.50-13.20 Czechia13.30-14.00 The Netherlands15.10-15.40 Finland15.50-16.20 Denmark16.30-17.00 Armenia17.10-17.40 Romania17.50-18.20 Belgium18.30-19.00 Cyprus
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett With the ten finalists from the 2nd semifinal, we are complete. All the finalists are known. The 10 countries getting through to the Grand Final tonight are: Latvia Austria Netherlands Norway Israel Greece Estonia Switzerland Georgia Armenia
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The hosts Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman open the show with their own version of “Tattoo.” Malta In the Maltese act by Sarah Bonnici, there is a lot of movement and dancing. Later during the act, she is blindfolded, as are her dancers. Despite so much movement, Sarah manages to sing remarkably well. Albania Besa wears a turquoise gown with gemstones. The stage also includes several dancers, which might make it look a bit messy. However, many dancers are projected onto LED screens. Besa’s voice sounds a bit sharp here and there. Greece First, we see her purple boots, then the whole Marina Satti. She is also flanked by four dancers, but it looks much more organized. Greece has chosen a sophisticated entry not meant for casual listeners. A lot happens during this entry. Marina continues to sing well. Switzerland Nemo takes the viewer into his story with the song “The Code,” managing to crack the (binary) code. Their clothing says it all. Nemo has so far managed to enhance their narrative through fashion statements. Nemo jumps, skips, shows himself to be a balancing artist… and continues to sing crystal clear. We do not know if this is a winner, but we definitely respect their skills. Czechia You would expect Aiko to be standing on a pedestal during her performance. That’s not the case, but we find that the ceiling (one of the cubes) is very low. Aiko has four… Her nipples are no longer visible. Pay particular attention to the high note that Aiko effortlessly hits. Aiko surprises! During the first semifinal, Nicole (from Hugo) received a tribute, and in this semifinal, Jahn Teigen (ESC 1978, 1982, 1983) is honored. We are treated to a journey through Eurovision history with several participants who did not finish very high. France Slimane, dressed in white, starts singing while lying down, then sits up. Everything is shot in close-up, which makes the song even more intimate. Slimane pulls out all the stops in terms of his singing ability. The song has its distinct fans, but others are completely on the opposite end of the spectrum. Austria It’s interesting to put someone on stage who has held various other roles at the contest. Singing is clearly not Kaleen’s strongest suit. Regardless of how enjoyable the song may be found, the singing is forgotten in Austria. However, the act looks absolutely tight, and Kaleen knows very well what she is doing in terms of dance. Denmark It seems like you only see a singer sprinkling some sand and singing her song. However, we also see a second Saba in the background… A hologram, as it turns out, because at one point she disintegrates into sand. Occasionally, Saba tends to sing too loud, which makes the whole thing seem a bit shouty. Armenia Cheerfulness all over, garnished with typical Armenian sounds. Singer Jaklin Baghdasarian of Ladaniva plays a leading role throughout the act. The other band members and backing band stand behind her, but at one point, the flutist also comes forward. We see all sorts of things in the background: trumpets, chickens, and the artists themselves. Latvia Looking at his Instagram account, he is very cheerful and humorous: the Latvian Dons. But seeing him standing there in his sleeveless leather outfit amid a circle, and hearing his very serious ballad, we notice little of that. There is nothing wrong with this song, but that might also be the problem. Spain Both the singer and the dancers are dressed in black. The singing isn’t fantastic, but Nebulossa certainly knows how to throw a party in the hall. And of course, halfway through the act, the dancers strip off their clothes and continue dancing with bare chests and buttocks. At the end, a keyhole appears behind the singer Mery. The Spaniards really throw a party. San Marino We stick with the Spanish language, as San Marino sends the Spanish group Megara. Singer Kenzy Loevett is briefly flanked by two dancers in scary Easter bunny suits. Everything is pink and black in this act. It’s all rock, and the group tries to match the scariness of Bambie Thug, but it remains rather tame for a horror show. Georgia Nutsa Buzaladze is dressed in gold and stands in a circle of fire, which at one moment looks like a sun, the next a burning hoop. Nutsa is flanked by four dancers, and gives her all in terms of singing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. For Georgia, it’s definitely not a done deal. Belgium We had already seen photos of Mustii amid a circle of microphones, but he starts alone on stage. He then stands on a rotating platform. Later, he goes into this circle. Mustii is dressed in white. The singing we hear here is very cautious, with Mustii consciously staying below the high notes. He did not, as we previously reported, take his shirt off. But towards the end, we see the whole hall going wild with the Belgian entry! Estonia 5miinust and Puuluup are having a party on stage. The title of the song is, as previously mentioned, the longest ever. Whether the party really come across with all the “hey hey hey” is still a question. Possibly a finalist position for Estonia, but that is by no means certain. Italy Angelina Mango starts lying down, with roses projected under her. She has a sort of henna-like print depicted. This print also continues with the dancers. There are so many prints all over. There are so many details that you occasionally don’t see Angelina and her dancers at all. The singing is fine where it concerns Angelina. She ends a cappella. That takes skilsl, and Angelina has them. Italy will finish high, but perhaps not win. Israel The Israeli entry is the only ballad in this latter stage of the second semifinal. Just before she starts singing, Eden Golan leans back in a circle with lights. Five dancers flank her,
Austria: Here too, we have a different outfit. Kaleen was already wearing a swimsuit before, but the current one shows much more skin (read: flesh-colored bodysuit). The color is now silver. She is also surrounded by a group of four dancers. This act too is mainly focused on dance, with singing possibly taking a backseat. But we will only find out during the public rehearsals. Austria is ranked 14th at the bookmakers. Denmark: Little has changed in the Danish act compared to last time. Saba is still singing her ballad in a white dress. Like a real Sandman, she scatters sand. She is ranked 22nd by the bookmakers. Who knows, maybe she will break the negative spiral of not reaching the finals. Armenia: Armenia will actually be represented by a duo, which is not visible in the act. There is a lot of movement and several musicians have joined Ladaniva. A lot of cheerfulness is visible. And take note: you are not drunk, you really see the duo multiple times, displayed on the LED screens. The bookmakers give Armenia a 17th place. Latvia: We could now say that Dons’ hair is different from the last rehearsal, but that would be trivial. What we see in the photos is virtually the same as what we had seen two days earlier: Dons in blue in a circle, calmly singing his song. He is currently ranked 27th by the bookmakers. It will be a close call for Latvia whether Hollow will make it.
“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.
Armenia presented their song today. Only a few days ago, Armenian TV announced that the French/Armenian duo Ladaniva represents the country in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Now we know the song: “Jako”. The song is sung in Armenian; lyrics and music are from the duo itself, but the song is co-composed by Audrey Leclercq. Armenia will perform in the first half of the 2nd semifinal; this is the song:
© EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts MembersZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas Founded2019 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal Selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongJako (2024) Biography Ladaniva is a French world music band from Lille. Zhaklin Baghdasaryan was born in 1997 in Eghegnazor, Armenia. She grew up in Minsk, Belarus, before immigrating to France with her mother in 2014. Zhaklin has been singing since her early childhood and, after moving to Tourcoing, France, she enrolled at the Lille Conservatory. Louis Thomas, born in 1987 in Lille, France, comes from a family of musicians and is an accomplished jazz musician. Like Zhaklin, he attended the Lille Conservatory. In 2018, Jaklin and Louis met by chance during a jam session at l’Intervalle, a music bar in Old Lille. In 2019, they founded the world music band Ladaniva in Lille, France. The band draws its musical inspiration from around the world, particularly from the traditional music of the Balkans, Maloya, and Armenian folklore. The name “Ladaniva” is derived from a very rustic Russian 4×4, the Lada Niva. During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in March and April 2020, Ladaniva released two videos, “Vay Aman” and “Zepyuri Nman,” which gained significant popularity, especially within the Armenian community. Following this success, their video clip “Kef Chilini” quickly amassed 18 million views. In 2023, Ladaniva released their debut album, which is self-titled and was produced and distributed by [PIAS]. On March 9, 2024, it was announced that Ladaniva would represent Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Their song was called “Jako”. Ladaniva reached the final with the song and did pretty well there, ending up in 8th place. Entries Jako Country🇦🇲 Armenia Year2024 LanguageArmenian LyricsZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas MusicZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis ThomasAudrey Leclercq BackingsLouis DesseigneNinon ThomasPierre KastlerRomain Desreumeaux Results Semi Points: 137Position: 3Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: 183Position: 8Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/hAYXDoZzAyE?si=A7AjUUP2kdJCSgRI
The duo Ladaniva will represent Armenia in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what Armenian television announced tonight. Ladaniva consists of Jaklin Baghdasaryan, an Armenian vocalist, and Louis Thomas, a French multi-instrumentalist. Together, they create a unique fusion of Armenian folk music with diverse international influences. Their song for the Eurovision Song Contest is set to be unveiled shortly. Their music seamlessly integrates elements ranging from Balkan folk melodies to the rhythms of maloya, jazz, and reggae, illustrating a transcultural journey that merges traditional Armenian melodies with the duo’s rich experiences gathered from travels in Latin America, Africa, and Reunion Island. Ladaniva’s sound mirrors their mixed heritage and their deep fascination with exploring the music and cultures of the world. Armenia will perform in the 1st half of the 2nd semifinal. Note that “Shakar” is NOT their Eurovision song.
We already head to day 5: some rehearsals of the 2nd semifinal, and….. the big 5. 11.30 – 11.50 Denmark11.55 – 12.15 Armenia12.20 – 12.40 Romania12.45 – 13.05 Estonia13.10 – 13.30 Belgium 14.40 – 15.10 Germany15.20 – 15.50 France16.00 – 16.30 Italy16.40 – 17.10 Ukraine17.20 – 17.50 Spain18.00 – 18.30 United Kingdom
photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings Finland After the lunch break, it is time for a lot of energy: Finland. As expected, Käärijä wears the green bolero jacket we know so well. He is accompanied by four dancers wearing pink. The show starts with Käärijä in a huge wooden box, climbs on top of a couple of pallets and sings there before he goes to the floor to continue his performance. We can at least say Käärijä’s performance spots a lot of energy. With Käärijä’s rehearsal, we saw all the participants in the first semifinal rehearse. It is time to continue with the second semifinal. Denmark Reiley’s performance is cleverly designed with a revolving structure that showcases three different colored rooms as he passes through doorways, utilizing the LED floor and projected graphics to special effects. The visuals range from swirling clouds to hearts and emojis, creating an atmosphere that gives the performance a dreamy feel. It’s very much in line with Gen Z sensibilities according to Eurovision.tv. Reiley himself is wearing pink, a colour we saw before today. Armenia Brunette is wearing a white dress with black sewings. She starts her performance on a sloped structure that is put upright. The structure has blue and pink swirls projected on it. The graphics and lightning change halfway as the song is changing it’s tempo. Brunette leaves the sloped structure, the stage is quite white with white squares in the background. Eurovision.tv speaks of strong vocals. Romania Yellow is the colour when we talk about Romania. Yellow suits, a yellow jacket and even yellow Pikachu socks! Theodor Andrei starts off with only a guitar on an empty stage. In the second half of the song, that all changes with much more energy. There is a dancer on stage as well. The end of the presentation seems to be quite dramatic, although eurovision.tv does not give more details about it. Belgium Belgium surprises with a completely different outfit than he had in the national final. Gustaph wears a white suit and a white hat, and a pink blouse. Gustaph has his own flight of stairs, which he intensively uses. He is supported by three backing vocals who play a main role in the entire show. He has a LED backdrop of vogueing, drag queens. A dancer also has a role in the act. Cyprus Eurovision.tv mentioned being impressed by Andrew’s vocal capacities. Andrew is wearing a black sleeveless vest. There’s an exciting energy in the way this song gradually intensifies from its opening note to an even more explosive conclusion. The LED background alternates between serene waterfalls and fiery flames. The floor has smoke and four banks of flames. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists
Today is already the 2nd day of the rehearsals. What to expect today? After Sweden, we have another favourite in the contest today: Finland. But there is more: 11.30-12.00 Israel12.10-12.40 Azerbaijan12.50-13.20 Czechia13.30-14.00 The Netherlands15.10-15.40 Finland15.50-16.20 Denmark16.30-17.00 Armenia17.10-17.40 Romania17.50-18.20 Belgium18.30-19.00 Cyprus
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett With the ten finalists from the 2nd semifinal, we are complete. All the finalists are known. The 10 countries getting through to the Grand Final tonight are: Latvia Austria Netherlands Norway Israel Greece Estonia Switzerland Georgia Armenia
photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The hosts Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman open the show with their own version of “Tattoo.” Malta In the Maltese act by Sarah Bonnici, there is a lot of movement and dancing. Later during the act, she is blindfolded, as are her dancers. Despite so much movement, Sarah manages to sing remarkably well. Albania Besa wears a turquoise gown with gemstones. The stage also includes several dancers, which might make it look a bit messy. However, many dancers are projected onto LED screens. Besa’s voice sounds a bit sharp here and there. Greece First, we see her
Austria: Here too, we have a different outfit. Kaleen was already wearing a swimsuit before, but the current one shows much more skin (read: flesh-colored bodysuit). The color is now silver. She is also surrounded by a group of four dancers. This act too is mainly focused on dance, with singing possibly taking a backseat. But we will only find out during the public rehearsals. Austria is ranked 14th at the bookmakers. Denmark: Little has changed in the Danish act compared to last time. Saba is still singing her ballad in a white dress. Like a real Sandman, she scatters sand.
“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.
Armenia presented their song today. Only a few days ago, Armenian TV announced that the French/Armenian duo Ladaniva represents the country in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Now we know the song: “Jako”. The song is sung in Armenian; lyrics and music are from the duo itself, but the song is co-composed by Audrey Leclercq. Armenia will perform in the first half of the 2nd semifinal; this is the song:
© EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts MembersZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas Founded2019 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal Selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongJako (2024) Biography Ladaniva is a French world music band from Lille. Zhaklin Baghdasaryan was born in 1997 in Eghegnazor, Armenia. She grew up in Minsk, Belarus, before immigrating to France with her mother in 2014. Zhaklin has been singing since her early childhood and, after moving to Tourcoing, France, she enrolled at the Lille Conservatory. Louis Thomas, born in 1987 in Lille, France, comes from a family of musicians and is an accomplished jazz musician. Like Zhaklin, he attended the Lille
The duo Ladaniva will represent Armenia in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what Armenian television announced tonight. Ladaniva consists of Jaklin Baghdasaryan, an Armenian vocalist, and Louis Thomas, a French multi-instrumentalist. Together, they create a unique fusion of Armenian folk music with diverse international influences. Their song for the Eurovision Song Contest is set to be unveiled shortly. Their music seamlessly integrates elements ranging from Balkan folk melodies to the rhythms of maloya, jazz, and reggae, illustrating a transcultural journey that merges traditional Armenian melodies with the duo’s rich experiences gathered from travels in Latin America, Africa, and Reunion
We already head to day 5: some rehearsals of the 2nd semifinal, and….. the big 5. 11.30 – 11.50 Denmark11.55 – 12.15 Armenia12.20 – 12.40 Romania12.45 – 13.05 Estonia13.10 – 13.30 Belgium 14.40 – 15.10 Germany15.20 – 15.50 France16.00 – 16.30 Italy16.40 – 17.10 Ukraine17.20 – 17.50 Spain18.00 – 18.30 United Kingdom
photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings Finland After the lunch break, it is time for a lot of energy: Finland. As expected, Käärijä wears the green bolero jacket we know so well. He is accompanied by four dancers wearing pink. The show starts with Käärijä in a huge wooden box, climbs on top of a couple of pallets and sings there before he goes to the floor to continue his performance. We can at least say Käärijä’s performance spots a lot of energy. With Käärijä’s rehearsal, we saw all the participants in the first semifinal rehearse. It is time to continue
Today is already the 2nd day of the rehearsals. What to expect today? After Sweden, we have another favourite in the contest today: Finland. But there is more: 11.30-12.00 Israel12.10-12.40 Azerbaijan12.50-13.20 Czechia13.30-14.00 The Netherlands15.10-15.40 Finland15.50-16.20 Denmark16.30-17.00 Armenia17.10-17.40 Romania17.50-18.20 Belgium18.30-19.00 Cyprus