Eurovision 2023 Day 1 rehearsals: First rehearsal footage of the first ten Semi-final One acts
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The first ten acts competing in the first half of the 2023 Eurovision First Semi-final are taking the stage today for their first rehearsal.
The rehearsals week is divided into two primary phases: the first rehearsals of all competing countries into the two semi finals take place while in the second phase the second reeharsals of all competing countries in the semi finals are held along with the first rehearsals of the Big-5 countries and the host nation.
This year all rehearsals are held closed to the press and without the presence of any audience as rehearsals material will be released on only on TikTok and eurovision.tv with photos and backstage content.
Check out the rehearsal footage and impressions of today's first rehearsal of Norway, Malta, Serbia. Latvia, Portugal, Ireland, Croatia, Switzerland, Moldova, Sweden.
Norway: Alessandra – “Queen of Kings”
Photo credit: EBU/Sarah Louisse Bennett
Alessandra Watle Mele , born 5 September 2002 in Savona, Italy is a Norwegian-Italian singer. She first rose to fame in Norway in 2022, when she participated in The Voice Norway. Already as a child she began to sing and dance, and she participated in her first singing competition at the age of six. She made her way to the Eurovision stage after winning Melodi Grand Prix with her song 'Queen of Kings'.
photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
Today Alessandra opened the rehearsals in M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool appearing on stage wearing the same outfit we saw at the national final performance. Alessandra seems to be giving 100% of herself on stage in order to grab that trophy and become the queen of Eurovision 2023.
Check out the Alessandra's first rehearsal footage on the Eurovision TikTok account
Malta: The Busker – “Dance (Our Own Party)”
Photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
The Busker is a Maltese musical group formed in 2012 and composed of David "Dav.Jr" Grech, Jean Paul Borg and Sean Meachen. The Busker were formed in October 2012 as a duo composed of singer and guitarist Dario Genovese and percussionist Jean Paul Borg. Two years later, bassist and keyboardist David Grech and saxophonist Sean Meachen were added. In 2017 they released their debut album, Telegram, followed the following year by Ladies and Gentlemen. Dario Genovese left the group in 2021.
photo credit: EBU/ Sarah Louise Bennett
The Busker won the Maltese national selection of MESC 2023 with their song "Dance (Our Own Party)" and will be flying the flag at Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool.The song was written and composed by David Meilak, Jean Paul Borg, Sean Meachen, Matthew James Borg and Michael Joe Cini.
The group takes the stage to run their first 30 minutes of reheasing their song and are ready to drive us with their energetic performance but their own car on stage o their own party. The audience has a lot to watch on stage as they deliver their song.
Take a look at the relased footage of The Busker's first reeharsal on the Eurovision TikTok account
Serbia: Luke Black – ”Samo mi se spava”
photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
Luke Black was born in Čačak, Serbia, and he has been making original music for over 12 years. During this time he recorded 7 full-length DIY albums – which were never heard by anyone except for his closest friends. In early 2015 he signed a recording deal with Universal Music Group, became the first solo artist from Serbia to have an exclusive contract with this worldwide music corporation. His debut single D Generation was released along with a music video in February 2015.
photo credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Luke Black secured his spot in the class of 2023 by winning the Serbian national selection back in March with the song 'Samo Mi Se Spava' (I'm Just Sleepy). However, Luke's performance it certainly not a song to sleep on with its atmospherical and impressive stage set up for his entry. He takes the stage wearing a short, kind of cropped, white shirt and sleeves with a lace type ending combined with black trousers. He is joined by four dancers all dressed in total black.
Check out Luke's first rehearsal scenes on the Eurovision TikTok account.
Latvia: Sudden Lights – “Aijā”
Photo credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Sudden Lights was founded in 2012 by Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis and Mārtiņš Matīss Zemītis. Later, Kārlis Matīss Zitmanis and Kārlis Vārtiņš joined the band. In 2015 the group won the first prize in the Pirmā Plate competition for emerging artists, thanks to which they had the opportunity to record their first studio single, Tik savādi. The debut album Priekšpilsētas was released in 2017. In 2019 they released their second studio album "Vislabāk ir tur, kur manis nav" while their third studio album, "Miljards vasaru", was released in 2022.
Photo Credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Sudden Lights made their first attempt to reach the Eurovision stage in 2019 taking part in the Latvian national selection Supernova finishing 2nd. This year they achieved their goal by winning Supernova with 'Aijā'.
The gorup takes the stage to rehearse for the first time their song with a casual attire with the leading vocalist in total black. The setting features big spot lights placed behnd the group's performing position giving a warm light to the whole stage. The stage lights up in white colors coming from spot lights on the backdrop.
Check out more content of Sudden Lights' first rehearsal on the Eurovision TikTok account
Portugal: Mimicat – “Ai Coração”
photo credit: EBU/Corrine Cumming
Marisa Isabel Lopes Mena (born October 25, 1985 in Coimbra, Portugal), better known as Mimicat, is a Portuguese pop and soul singer-songwriter.Her recorded falbum at the age of 9. Singer-songwriter self-taught of this very young, spent her younger years between school and recording studios.She participated, at the age of 15 and under the stage name of Izamena, in the 3rd semifinal of the RTP Song Festival 2001 with the song "Mundo Colorido", but did not make it to the final.
photo Credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
Author and composer of all her themes, she has introduced herself to the audience us a mature, warm and strong voice, characteristic of Soul/Pop, of Anglo-Saxon tradition.This year she made her way to Liverpool winning the Portueguese national selection of Festival da Cancao with the song 'Ai Coração'.
The Portuguese delegate appears on stage accompanied by four backing dances, two male and two female dancers. All of them are dressed in total red the color that dominates the staging too. Mimicat is wearing a feathered type dress and is surrouned in a circle formation by her dancer.
Take a look Mimicat's back stage and first rehearsal moments on the Eurovsion TikTok account
Ireland: Wild Youth – “We Are One”
Photo Credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
Up next for their her rehearsal are the delegates from Ireland Wild Youth. Wild Youth are a four-piece band from Dublin, who have a string of top hits in Ireland and have toured with names including Niall Horan, Lewis Capaldi, and Westlife. On top of their own sold-out tours of Ireland and the UK, Conor O'Donohoe from the band has also written a string of top hits for other artists and co-written with Moncrief and The Script.
Photo Credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennet
Wild Youth secured their spot in the Eurovision 2023 class after winning the Irish national final singing 'We are one'.
Their first rehearsal run featured the leading vocalist in a golden glittered outfit while the other three members are in black.Warm spot lights in motion illuminate the stage with a touch of fire works elevating their energetic show. What an impressive way to pass the message 'We are one'!
Check out further back stage scenes and rehearsal footage on the Eurovision TiKTok account.
Croatia: Let 3 – “Mama ŠČ!”
Photo Credit: EBU/ Sarah Louise Bennett
Croatia follows next with LET3 taking the stage for their first rehearsal. Let 3 (Croatian for "Flight 3") is a modern rock band from Rijeka, Croatia formed in 1987. The band is set to represent Croatia in Eurovision Song Contest 2023 with the song Mama ŠČ after winning Dora 2023. The frontmen are Damir "Mrle" Martinović and Zoran "Prlja" Prodanović. The band is popular in Croatia and other former Yugoslav republics due to their original approach to rock music and their obscene live performances. Sometimes provocative and vulgar lyrics and always shocking live performances with much nudity often polarise the Croatian public.
Photo Credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
LET3 take the stage for the first rehearsal of 'Mama ŠČ!' delivering their song in a performance Multi color military type trench coats, colorful skirts paired with shiny boots or high socks mark the most alternative appearance on stage for this year's contest.
Check out the color alternative performance of LET3 on the Eurovision TikTok account.
Switzerland: Remo Forrer – “Watergun”
Photo Credit: EBU/ Corinne Cumming
Up next to rehearse for the first time is Switzerland's Remo Forerr. Remo was born in 2001 (21 years old) in Hemberg in northeastern Switzerland. He started having interest in music from a very young age and learned how to play piano, guitar and accordion. In 2020, he won the third season of The Voice of Switzerland. After that, he released his first single “Home”. In 2022, he also took part in the German show “Zeig uns Deine Stimme”.
Photo Credit: EBU/ Corinne Cumming
Remo takes to the stage joined by four backing dancers and the overall set up is rather dark. He is wearing black shiny silk trousers paired on top with a black see through jacket. His dancers are also dressed in total black. A red colored firework and red and white spot lights on the backdrop interrupt the darkness of the whole staging. The photos convey a atmospherical staging that aims to pass the anti-war message of 'Watergun'.
Have a taste of Wild Youth's first rehearsal highlight on the Eurovision TikTok account
Moldova: Pasha Parfeni – “Soarele și Luna”
Photo Credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Second last to rehearse on Day 1 of rehearsals is Moldova's Pasha Parfeni. Pasha is no stranger to the Eurovision audience and is one of the returning acts of this year's contest as he represented Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he placed 11th with his song "Lăutar".He was formerly known for being the lead singer of the Moldovan band SunStroke Project.
Photo Credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Parfeni is returning on the Eurovision stage in Liverpool, after winning the Moldovan national final with the song “Soarele și Luna”(‘the sun and the moon) His first rehearsal resembles a lot to that of the national final performance with a pagan element featuring his appearance.
Check out for more details of Pasha's first rehearsal on the Eurovision TikTok account.
Sweden: Loreen – “Tattoo”
photo credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Last but not least closing Day 1 rehearsals is one more returning act , an former Eurovision winner and the favorite accroding to bookies and fan polls to offer Sweden their 7th trophy. No need for introductions for Loreen who after her Euphoric victory back in Baku ambitions to double her victories with her song 'Tattoo'.
photo credit: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett
Loreen made her comeback on the Eurovision stage after her victorious participation in Melodifestivalen 2023. Her staging is similar to that of the one in the national selection. She delivers her songs on the light box which is a smaller size of that we saw in Melfest. However, still impressive with the LED screen displaying a sea of smoke and Loreen is giving one more expressive captivating performance judging from the first impressions the photography leaves us.
Watch more highlights of Loreen's impressive rehearsal on the Eurovosion TikTok account.
News Source: Eurovision.tv
Cover photo: Sarah Louise Bennett
AUTHORS
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Angelos D.
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