Day 5. Live Blog 2nd Rehearsals

Today we will follow the 2nd rehearsals in Ahoy, and will keep you informed live.                                                 In Cooperation with: Eurovision Artists. Photo & Video Credits: EBU

17.15 – Ukraine

Last of the day Go_A, performs with a stand-in (Emmy) for singer Kateryna Pavlenko. Kateryna did not feel quite fit this morning, and in accordance with the security measures, she remains in quarantine pending a Covid-19 test. Whether the stand-in Emmy sings live, or whether the tape recording from the first rehearsal was used, is not entirely clear. Fact is, whether you like this genre or not … the act is rock solid. With a 9th place in the polls, Ukraine will undoubtedly easily qualify for the final.

16.50 – Azerbaijan

Also today, Efendi puts down a solid rehearsal. Here and there some minor flaws in song and dance, and a little more conviction than last Sunday. 21st place in the poll. A place in the final is certainly not excluded.

 

16.25 – Romania

Roxen performs in the same comfortable as last Sunday. Although vocally a little bit stronger than during the 1st rehearsal, Roxen comes across as nervous and anxious, which does not help her voice and the strong message of her song. 16th in the polls … Final perhaps , if she manages to recover.

16.00 – Israel

During the first rehearsal it became clear that it is sometimes difficult for Eden to combine singing and dancing. The whole act looks energic and modern, but also today, Eden has trouble with the combination of singing and dancing. 17th in the polls, but will Israel make it to the final?

 

15.35 – Belgium.

Hooverphonic still impresses today with their modest, sober and well-thought-out act. A welcome change from all the visual violence. Only a 20th place in the polls, but hopefully thanks to the professional jury we will see Belgium back in the final.

14.45 – Croatia

Vocally, this rehearsal sounds a lot better than the first. The act is well put together, Albina herself still seems a bit insecure and nervous. Hopefully she will get over that before Tuesday. Own the stage girl!! With a 19th place in the polls, a final place should certainly be possible.

14.20 – Norway

Today TIX puts on a much better rehearsal than last saturday, when the nerves seemed to be playing tricks on him. TIX has a high favor- and sympathy factor, and with a 15th place in the polls, we would like to see him back in the final.

13:55 – Cyprus

Elena once again puts on an okay rehearsal, occasionally she sounds a bit out of breath. With seventh place in the polls, Cyprus will reach the final without too much trouble.

1.30 pm – Ireland

Hard work has been done in the Irish camp in recent days. The whole thing seemed very messy last Saturday, during the 2nd rehearsal all the graphics come into their own much better, and it seems as if Lesley is running barefoot through a book, turning the pages. Vocally, there is still some gains to be made. With a 24th place in the polls, the question is whether it is all good enough for a final place.

 

13.05 – North Macedonia

While there were some minor flaws in his vocals last Saturday, today Vasil puts down a solid rehearsal, although it seems that, especially at the end during the last blow, he is holding back to spare his voice. North Macedonia ranks 32 in the polls. It is very doubtful whether Vasil will be able to qualify for the final.

 

11.40 – Australia

Just like last Saturday, no rehearsal in Ahoy , since Montaigne is not present in Rotterdam, but an exclusive preview

11.15 – Sweden

Tusse had still some problems with his voice last Saturday, this now seems to have recovered completely. On stage there was an apparently self-assured, radiant Tusse, with a well-thought-out, slick act as we are used to from Sweden. Sweden ranks 10th in the polls. We will certainly see Tusse in the final

 

10.50 – Russia

No changes in the act here either. Solid and stable act and vocals. The powerful message / ode to the Russian woman is very clear! Russia is ranked 14th in the polls. Finals should not be a problem. We would not be surprised if Russia managed to get a top ten, perhaps even a 5 position  in the final

10.25 – Slovenia.

In the second rehearsal for Slovenia, Ana comes out better than last Saturday. More confident in her singing and movement across the stage, although it seems her shoes are killing her. Slovenia is in 35th place in the polls. A final place will be a challenge.

10.00 am – Lithuania. The Roop shows  a solid,  dynamic act again in the 2nd rehearsal, with little or no changes. The Roop is ranked 8th in the polls. A top ten listing should certainly be possible for the Roop.

 

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Vienna 12 points: another day of rehearsals

  Day two of rehearsals at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest is underway in Vienna. First rehearsals remain closed to press — only three approved images per country will be released, with official photos published approximately 24 hours after each performance. Meanwhile, the official Eurovision subreddit is providing live descriptions of each performance. Eurovision Universe tried to find more information through social media, national broadcaster coverage, and press reports. All countries below compete in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, 12 May. 🇲🇪 Montenegro – Tamara Živković, “Nova Zora” Running order: 8 | Rehearsal: 10:30–11:00 CEST Tamara Živković opened Sunday’s rehearsal block at the Wiener Stadthalle. According to the official Eurovision subreddit, she starts “Nova Zora” lying on the floor, surrounded by four shadowy figures who gradually reveal themselves as her dancers. As the song begins, she slowly rises, pulling dramatic poses along the way. The stage shifts between deep red and small flashes of blue as the choreography moves from sharp, uniform steps into something rawer and more primal. Ahead of Vienna, Tamara told CdM that the staging carries over from Montesong in concept. Her goal is a performance combining emotion, energy, and visual impact — one that makes the audience truly feel the power of the “New Dawn.” She and broadcaster RTCG confirmed that the revamped version stays largely in Montenegrin but adds a short line in English. Tamara stated she carefully considered fan feedback on social media before finalising those adjustments. Montenegro performs 8th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision/RTCG 🇪🇪 Estonia – Vanilla Ninja, “Too Epic To Be True” Running order: 9 | Rehearsal: 11:10–11:40 CEST According to the official Eurovision subreddit, Vanilla Ninja’s staging stays largely in line with their Eesti Laul performance as the trio return to the Eurovision stage after 21 years. The team revamped the song slightly to give it a stronger rock feel, aiming to appeal to both the public and the juries. Their outfits are also upgraded from the Eesti Laul look, sharpening the rock identity they bring to Vienna. Audience participation plays a central role, with the track edited to build a clear “hype moment” in the middle-eight. The performance closes with a large blast of pyrotechnics in its final seconds. Vanilla Ninja formed in Tallinn in 2002. Kerli Kivilaan, Lenna Kuurmaa, and Piret Järvis make up the current trio. They represented Switzerland at Eurovision 2005 with “Cool Vibes,” finishing 8th. The band disbanded in 2008 and reunited in 2020. Estonia performs 9th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision 🇮🇱 Israel – Noam Bettan, “Michelle” Running order: 10 | Rehearsal: 11:50–12:20 CEST Noam Bettan opens his performance inside a massive diamond-shaped prop. Broadcaster Kan describes it as the largest stage prop at this year’s contest. The diamond’s interior uses infinite mirrors to create the illusion of countless reflections — a direct visual reference to the music video for “Michelle.”  A solo dancer draws Bettan out of the diamond and leads him to the front of the stage, where four more dancers await. Kan reports that Bettan’s vocal performance drew enthusiastic reactions from those present in the arena. Director Yoav Tzafir called it a pleasure to work with Bettan. Note that the official Eurovision reddit reports about the performance of this song, but doesn’t mention the country’s name a single time in their report.  Israel performs 10th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision/Times of Israel 🇧🇪 Belgium – Essyla, “Dancing on the Ice” Running order: 11 | Rehearsal: 12:45–13:15 CEST According to the official Eurovision subreddit, Essyla brings a sleek and dance-forward performance to the Wiener Stadthalle. RTBF, Belgium’s French-language national broadcaster, confirmed that Essyla performs with four male dancers: Max Lukaina, Axel Remezo, Julien Maniquet, and Tom Van de Weghe. Elena Gambardella and David Vandenplas choreograph the performance. Gambardella previously danced at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.  RTBF shared rehearsal footage on Instagram in the weeks before Vienna, giving the first public glimpse of how the team plans to bring “Dancing on the Ice” to the stage. When RTBF announced her selection, Essyla said: “I don’t fully realize. A part of me is still elsewhere, as if I were hiding the fact that I am the one who represents Belgium.” Belgium arrives in Vienna after two consecutive non-qualifications. Essyla also managed to speak with our reporter Kal in Vienna. “The stage is huge! It’s very spectacular. All the tech, all the lights! I’m lucky that i get to be doing this for the next two weeks. And just to think that my mother will be somewhere there in the big crowd in very surreal”, she told us. Belgium performs 11th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision/RTBF 🇱🇹 Lithuania – Lion Ceccah, “Sólo Quiero Más” Running order: 12 | Rehearsal: 13:25–13:55 CEST Lion Ceccah brings a technically complex staging to Vienna. A large metal sculpture built from tensioned steel cables and held together by electromagnets stands centre stage. At the emotional peak of the performance, the electricity cuts. The magnets release. The entire structure collapses, live, on stage, in front of the audience.  Lion Ceccah explained his vision to LRT directly: “This is not just a stage decoration, but a living stage sculpture, an installation that becomes the axis of the performance, transforms along with the music and ultimately collapses right on the stage. I wanted to create a spectacle that the audience has never seen before in any Lithuanian Eurovision performance.” Our reporter Kal also spoke to him. “It was great to be on stage. But for next time, I fix my nose”, Lion commented. It left us wondering what he meant, but probably he was talking about his make up. Head of Delegation Audrius Giržadas confirmed the structure works as planned and was sent to Vienna ahead of rehearsals for testing. He called it an incomparably more complex stage solution than anything Lithuania has previously transported to Eurovision. Born in Vilnius in 1991, Tomas Alenčikas performs as Lion Ceccah. He is a stage artist, songwriter, drag

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Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Vienna 12 points: another day of rehearsals

  Day two of rehearsals at the 70th Eurovision Song Contest is underway in Vienna. First rehearsals remain closed to press — only three approved images per country will be released, with official photos published approximately 24 hours after each performance. Meanwhile, the official Eurovision subreddit is providing live descriptions of each performance. Eurovision Universe tried to find more information through social media, national broadcaster coverage, and press reports. All countries below compete in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, 12 May. 🇲🇪 Montenegro – Tamara Živković, “Nova Zora” Running order: 8 | Rehearsal: 10:30–11:00 CEST Tamara Živković opened Sunday’s rehearsal block at the Wiener Stadthalle. According to the official Eurovision subreddit, she starts “Nova Zora” lying on the floor, surrounded by four shadowy figures who gradually reveal themselves as her dancers. As the song begins, she slowly rises, pulling dramatic poses along the way. The stage shifts between deep red and small flashes of blue as the choreography moves from sharp, uniform steps into something rawer and more primal. Ahead of Vienna, Tamara told CdM that the staging carries over from Montesong in concept. Her goal is a performance combining emotion, energy, and visual impact — one that makes the audience truly feel the power of the “New Dawn.” She and broadcaster RTCG confirmed that the revamped version stays largely in Montenegrin but adds a short line in English. Tamara stated she carefully considered fan feedback on social media before finalising those adjustments. Montenegro performs 8th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision/RTCG 🇪🇪 Estonia – Vanilla Ninja, “Too Epic To Be True” Running order: 9 | Rehearsal: 11:10–11:40 CEST According to the official Eurovision subreddit, Vanilla Ninja’s staging stays largely in line with their Eesti Laul performance as the trio return to the Eurovision stage after 21 years. The team revamped the song slightly to give it a stronger rock feel, aiming to appeal to both the public and the juries. Their outfits are also upgraded from the Eesti Laul look, sharpening the rock identity they bring to Vienna. Audience participation plays a central role, with the track edited to build a clear “hype moment” in the middle-eight. The performance closes with a large blast of pyrotechnics in its final seconds. Vanilla Ninja formed in Tallinn in 2002. Kerli Kivilaan, Lenna Kuurmaa, and Piret Järvis make up the current trio. They represented Switzerland at Eurovision 2005 with “Cool Vibes,” finishing 8th. The band disbanded in 2008 and reunited in 2020. Estonia performs 9th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision 🇮🇱 Israel – Noam Bettan, “Michelle” Running order: 10 | Rehearsal: 11:50–12:20 CEST Noam Bettan opens his performance inside a massive diamond-shaped prop. Broadcaster Kan describes it as the largest stage prop at this year’s contest. The diamond’s interior uses infinite mirrors to create the illusion of countless reflections — a direct visual reference to the music video for “Michelle.”  A solo dancer draws Bettan out of the diamond and leads him to the front of the stage, where four more dancers await. Kan reports that Bettan’s vocal performance drew enthusiastic reactions from those present in the arena. Director Yoav Tzafir called it a pleasure to work with Bettan. Note that the official Eurovision reddit reports about the performance of this song, but doesn’t mention the country’s name a single time in their report.  Israel performs 10th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision/Times of Israel 🇧🇪 Belgium – Essyla, “Dancing on the Ice” Running order: 11 | Rehearsal: 12:45–13:15 CEST According to the official Eurovision subreddit, Essyla brings a sleek and dance-forward performance to the Wiener Stadthalle. RTBF, Belgium’s French-language national broadcaster, confirmed that Essyla performs with four male dancers: Max Lukaina, Axel Remezo, Julien Maniquet, and Tom Van de Weghe. Elena Gambardella and David Vandenplas choreograph the performance. Gambardella previously danced at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021.  RTBF shared rehearsal footage on Instagram in the weeks before Vienna, giving the first public glimpse of how the team plans to bring “Dancing on the Ice” to the stage. When RTBF announced her selection, Essyla said: “I don’t fully realize. A part of me is still elsewhere, as if I were hiding the fact that I am the one who represents Belgium.” Belgium arrives in Vienna after two consecutive non-qualifications. Essyla also managed to speak with our reporter Kal in Vienna. “The stage is huge! It’s very spectacular. All the tech, all the lights! I’m lucky that i get to be doing this for the next two weeks. And just to think that my mother will be somewhere there in the big crowd in very surreal”, she told us. Belgium performs 11th in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. sources: Eurovision/RTBF 🇱🇹 Lithuania – Lion Ceccah, “Sólo Quiero Más” Running order: 12 | Rehearsal: 13:25–13:55 CEST Lion Ceccah brings a technically complex staging to Vienna. A large metal sculpture built from tensioned steel cables and held together by electromagnets stands centre stage. At the emotional peak of the performance, the electricity cuts. The magnets release. The entire structure collapses, live, on stage, in front of the audience.  Lion Ceccah explained his vision to LRT directly: “This is not just a stage decoration, but a living stage sculpture, an installation that becomes the axis of the performance, transforms along with the music and ultimately collapses right on the stage. I wanted to create a spectacle that the audience has never seen before in any Lithuanian Eurovision performance.” Our reporter Kal also spoke to him. “It was great to be on stage. But for next time, I fix my nose”, Lion commented. It left us wondering what he meant, but probably he was talking about his make up. Head of Delegation Audrius Giržadas confirmed the structure works as planned and was sent to Vienna ahead of rehearsals for testing. He called it an incomparably more complex stage solution than anything Lithuania has previously transported to Eurovision. Born in Vilnius in 1991, Tomas Alenčikas performs as Lion Ceccah. He is a stage artist, songwriter, drag

Read More »
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