Eurovision 2024 Rehearsals Day 2: Second set of eight Semi-final 1 countries run their first rehearsals
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Eurovision 2024 rehearsals continue in Malmo Arena with the second set of seven countries taking the stage to run their first technical rehearsals.
Good morning Europe, this is Malmo calling! After months of national finals and preparations the final countdown for the 68th Eurovision Song Contest is underway as the first rehearsals unfold in Malmo Arena.
Eurovision rehearsals are closed to all but a number of photographers and TikTokers with special access to both the arena and the Eurovision Reddit account.
Day 2 in Malmo Arena and the second set of eight Semi-final One countries are taking the stage to make their first rehearsal and implement their staging plans. Namely the eight countries to rerhearse today are: Iceland, Slovenia, Finland, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg.
Here is how the rehearsal program will unfold on Day 2 in Malmo Arena:
First Rehearsals impressions
Iceland - Hera Bjork (Scared of heights)
photo credit: EBU/ Sarah Louise Bennett
Rehearsals Day 2 commence in Malmo Arena with a famliar face to the Eurovision family as Hera Bjork from Iceland marking her comeback on the Eurovision stage after 2010. Hera is singing 'Scared of Heights' and is delivering her emporwering message on the Eurovision floor.
Hera takes the stage wearing a glamorous sparkling golden jumpsuit and begins here song on a black plinth. She's accompanied by four backing dancers. Gold graphics and dancers figures on the LED screen create a party sensation on stage.
photo credit: EBU/ Corinne Cumming
A few words for Hera
Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir (born 29 March 1972) is an Icelandic singer. She is known for representing Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Je ne sais quoi", where she finished 19th, and at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival 2013 with the song "Because You Can", where she won in the Best Song category.
Also in 2009 she had taken part in the Danish national final of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix with the song 'Someday'. She has a several released albums and singles on her record among which Ilmur af Jólum (2000), Landslag Bylgjunnar (2001), Hera Björk (2006), Je Ne Sais Quoi (2010), Ilmur af Jólum II (2013).
Slovenia - Raiven (Veronika)
Photo Credit:EBU/ Sarah Louise Bennett
Second up for her first rehearsal is the Slovenian delegate, Raiven, singing 'Veronika'. The song is inspired by the story of Veronika Deseniška, a Slovenian noblewoman who fell in love with a member of the royal family and was accused and acquitted of witchcraft. Notably behind the song we find last year's Slovenian act as leading vocalist of Joker Out, Bojan Cvjetićanin.
Raiven performs in a dark silver body suit backed by five dancers in nude bodysuits. Raiven begins her song on the floor and as the song progresses the dancers unwind a contemporary body choreography similar to that of the official music video.
photo credit: EBU/Corinne Cumming
A few words for Raiven
Raiven is no stranger to the Eurovision fans as she has attempeted to represent the country in past national finals. Namely, Sara Briški Cirman, better known as Raiven, in 2016 she finished second in EMA, the Slovenian national final for Eurovision with “Črno bel”. She released her debut album “Magenta” in 2017 and won Record of the Year at the Zlata piščal Awards later that year. Her second and thired attempts to represent Slovenia came in 2017 with “Zažarim” and in 2019 with “Kaos”, placing third and second respectively.
Her music stands out for its versatility as it combines in harmony the sound of realms of pop and opera while she defines herself as a mezzo-soprano singer, author, songwriter and harpist.
Finland - WindowsMan95 (No Rules)
photo credit: EBU/ Alma Bengtsson
The Finnish delegates, Windows95man, is the next act on stage ready to rehearse for the first time his 'No Rules' song.
Windows95man has teamed up with Henri Piispanen delivers a bop on stage covneying along with energy in a more polished staging from UMK 2024 performance. However, the cloudy backdrop on the LED screen is there even more intense, the tiny shorts are there and from waht eurovsision.tv reports the handheld fireworks and eggy smoke remain in the picture of act on stage that is fun.
photo credit: EBU/ Corinne Cumming
A few words for WindowsMan95
Teemu Keisteri (born 22 August 1985) is a Finnish visual artist and DJ who is known for his stage persona Windows95man. As a visual artist, he gained recognition in Finland for creating the character Ukkeli (lit. 'Old man') in 2008. As a DJ, his artistic style and appearance draw inspiration from the late 1990s, during which the Windows 95 operating system was produced.
He has joined forces with Henri Piispanen along with who he won the Finnish national final earlier this year with 'No rules'.
Moldova - Natalia Barbu (In the middle)
photo credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBU
Last act rehearsing for the first time just is Moldova's Natalia Barbu with her song 'In the Middle', which fits the occasion as we are half way through before the lunch break.
Another Eurovision returning act as Natalia Barbu is marking her second time on the ESC stage after her participation for Moldova back in 2007. Natalia takes tha stages standing alone with a spectacular backdrop dispalying seascapes, trees , flowers and butterflies.
The scenery gets more impressive when as she's playing the violin, the LED screen behind projects two big open angel wings and with Natalia in the middle, she looks like an angel on stage.
A few words for Natalia
Natalia Barbu born 22 August 1979, is a Moldovan singer and songwriter. She is best known for representing Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Fight".
Throughout her career, Natalia has worked with a group of musicians called Trigon on an alternative jazz-folk experiment. She writes her own lyrics, composes the music for most of her songs, and collaborates on the arrangements with her crew.In 2006, Natalia Barbu signed a three-year contract with Cat Music Records (Sony Music) office in Bucharest.
Her main success has been the release of her single "Îngerul meu" (My Angel) in Romania. The song remained in the Romanian Top 100 for 11 weeks at No.1, and was much featured on MTV Romania. On 14 December 2006, Barbu was selected to represent Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Fight".At the contest, she qualified from the semi-final on 10 May 2007 and ultimately placed 10th in the final on 12 May 2007, scoring 109 points.
Azerbaijan - FAHREE feat. Ilkin Dovlatov - Özünlə Apar
The lunch break is over and up next to rehearse his song for the first time is Azerbaijan's hopeful Fahree featuring Ilkin Dovlatov.
The Land the of fire is brigning this year a bilingua song with Azerbaijani and English lyrics. Fahree delivers this lovely ballad song with his beautiful smooth voice while Ilkin Dovlatov adds in some Mugham vocals making up a contemporary songs with a touch of Azerbaijani tradtional notes.
Fahree appears on stage wearing a black silver outfit while Ilkin is too in black. On the backdrop a huge animated figure comes progressively out of the water. The monochrome lighting and the contradicting contemporary and traditional sounds the consists of have an atmospherical impact in the arena making you travel away.
photo credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU
A few words for Fahree and Ilkin
Fakhri Ismayilov born 10 April 1995)known professionally as Fahree, is an Azerbaijani singer and songwriter.
Fahree was born in 1995 in Baku. He was raised in an artistic family, his father being a jazz drummer and his grandfather being an actor. He has both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in law. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he devoted himself more to music and pursued his childhood dream of becoming a musician.In 2022, Fahree released his debut single, "Dance". He later on went to release two more singles.
Ilkin Dovlatov also took part in this year's the Azerbaijani Eurovision selection along with Mila Miles and Etibar Əsədli and the song “İnsanlar” (People). He got in the spotlight of fame after achieving a second place on the first season of Səs Azərbaycan. Doğma Nəğmələr (The Voice of Azerbaijan: Native Songs).
Australia - Electric Fields ( One Milkali (one blood)
Photo Credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBU
It's time for the Aussies to the stage with Electric Fields brigning to Malmo their song 'One Milkali (One Blood)'. They are familiar to the Eurovision Community as they were the runner ups at the Australian national final back in 2019 finishing behind Kate Miller-Heidke.
This song certainly stands out even before we to look the staging as it adds in the Eurovision history book one more language , Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal language.
Zaachariaha Fielding’s is wearing an impressive white dress with the whole performance illuminated by a space explosion feature and colours on the LED wall and the floor.....Michael Ross supports Zaachariaha on keyboards, along with two backing singers.
A really impressive staging the visuals of which will catch the viewers attention when they hit the screen the night of the semi-final.
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/ EBU
A few words for Electric Fields
Electric Fields is an Australian electronic music duo made up of vocalist Zaachariaha Fielding and keyboard player and producer Michael Ross. Electric Fields combine modern electric-soul music with Aboriginal culture and sing in Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and English. The duo have released an EP and several singles.
The pair has been performing as Electric Fields since 2015. Their repertoire moves across pop, soul, and electronica, while being described as "Daft Punk meets Nina Simone in the Deep Forest". In June 2016, the duo released their debut EP Inma (which derives its name from the cultural ceremony of Aṉangu women known as inma.
In December 2018, the duo was announced as one of the entrants in Eurovision – Australia Decides in an attempt to represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.lectric Fields performed at the competition with their song "2000 and Whatever" on 9 February 2019 and came second in both Jury and Audience vote, and second overall score.
Portugal - iolanda (Grito)
Second last rehearsal of the day is for Portugal's delegate, ioland, singing 'Grito'. Ioland secured her spot in this year's Eurovision class after winning the Portuguese national final Festival Da Cancao.
The song that translates 'Shout' brings on stage a mixture of pop and R'N'B sounds with a touch of Portuguese Fado music. An atmospherical ballad song that carries you away in a wolrd that 'shouts out' traquility and Maro's 'Saudade Saudae' vibes.
Iolanda is dress in white along with the five backing dancers also wearing white outfits and covered faces.
photo credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBUA few words for Iolanda
Iolanda Costa, born 4 November 1994, known as Iolanda, is a Portuguese singer and songwriter. She became known for her participation in the first season of the program Uma canção para ti, broadcast by TVI in December 2008.
olanda was born in 1994 in Figueira da Foz, but she moved to Pombal as a child. From an early age she revealed a great passion for music, and her vocation did not go unnoticed by her parents, who sent her to study music at Tecnimúsica, a school in Pombal, and later at the Conservatory.
After her participation in Uma canção para ti, in 2012, at the age of 17, she tried her luck again on a television program, this time in the 5th season of Ídolos, on SIC, but did not reach the live gala stage.
In 2014, Iolanda took to the stage of the Blind Tests of the second season of The Voice Portugal, on RTP1, but her performance of "Who You Are", by Jessie J, failed to impress any of the four mentors.In 2022, she made her debut at Festival da Canção, the Portuguese selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, as co-author and co-composer of the song "Mar no fim", performed by Blacci. In 2023, Iolanda released her first EP, entitled Cura, which she wrote during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Luxembourg - Tali (Fighter)
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/ EBU
Closing rehearsal for Day 2 takes place for Luxembourg's Tali who marks the comeback of the landlocked central European state after 31 years of absence. Tali won the national final with her song 'Fighter' which combines French and English lyrics.
Tali is wearing a black bodysuit while her five backing dancers are dreesed in various red colored outfits. The song itself is really catchy and Tali along with her dancers certainly know how to pass that energy to the audience as the first images of the staging testifies a rotation of movements that serves an eneergetic and vivid fun performance in Malmo Arena. A perfect way to close the first semi-final show!
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/ EBU
A few words for Tali
Tali Golergant born 26 November 2000),known mononymously as Tali, is an Israeli-born Luxembourgish singer, songwriter, actress and vocal coach.
She began playing the piano at the age of 7, and began singing, songwriting and acting in theatre at the age of 12. She was educated at the International School of Luxembourg, before moving to New York City to study musical theatre at Marymount Manhattan College.
Tali released her debut single at the age of 16, followed in 2021 by her debut EP Lose You. Along with her own band, she toured local New York venues including Rockwood Music Hall, Mercury Lounge, Arlene's Grocery, and Delancey Street. In addition, Golergant pursued a career as a stage actress, portraying Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof, Sue Snell in Carrie, and Éponine in Les Misérables, among others; she has also starred in the independent short film Agua.
That's it guys Day 2 of rehearsals reach the end here in Malmo Arena. Stay tuned as tomorrow the semi-final 2 countries begin their first reehearsals.
News Source: Reddit/eurovision
Cover photo: Peppe Andersson/SVT
AUTHORS
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Angelos D.
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