Eurovision 2024 Rehearsals Day 3: First set of Semi-final 2 countries run their first rehearsals
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Eurovision 2024 rehearsals progress in Malmo Arena to the first set of Semi-Final 2 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 3 in Malmo Arena and the first set of eight Semi-final Two countries are taking the stage to make their first rehearsal and adjust the technical parameters to their performance. Namely the eight countries to rerhearse today are: Malta, Albania, Greece, Switzerland, Czechia, Austria, Denmark, Armenia
Here is how the rehearsal program will unfold on Day 3 in Malmo Arena:
First rehearsal Impressions( Semi-final 2)
Malta- Sarah Bonnici (Loop)
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
Day 3 rehearsals open with the Maltese delegate, Sarah Bonnici, singing 'Loop'. Sarah secured her spot in the Eurovision 2024 line-up after winning the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2024 national final.
Sarah has a previous Eurovision event experience as she was a backing dancer at Junior Eurovision 2010. Now it's her time to shine on stage and she certainly know how to do so in that in a sparkly silver bodysuit.
Sarah is accompanied by four backing dancers dressed in black, who at some point turn into shirtless dancers. The motion on stage is ongoing and energetic taking us into the 90's and millenium's pop icons choreographies. Among others a lift is included and the dancers use also blindfolds.
Such a set up couldn't miss out of course some pyro elements with the fireworks fitting in spectacularly in the setting.
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
A few words for Sarah
Bonnici was born 30 May 199 on the island of Gozo. She is the daughter of Marcel Bonnici, CEO of Mercury Towers and Ħamrun Spartans.She has a master's degree in accounting.
Bonnici was mentored by Miriam Christine from a young age. In 2009, she competed in Malta Junior Eurovision Song Contest, the national selection for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009, with "The Mambo Song", finishing in third place.The following year, she won the 4th edition of L-Għanja Tal-Maltin Song Festival, placing first in her age group with a song written by Miriam Christine and winning Best Voice within the same contest.In 2010, she participated in Malta Junior Eurovision Song Contest placing 7th with the song "Kitty Kitty Cat". This appearance gave her the opportunity to join Malta's representative Nicole Azzopardi, as a dancer, at the 2010 Junior Eurovision Song Contest.
Throughout her teenage years she participated in several international song competitions outside her native Malta, including the Trixie Festival in Bulgaria, the Carpathians Star Festival in Romania, and the Star to Born Festival Hungary.Bonnici placed first in her category at the Ti Amo Festival in Romania and also won the Original Song Category with the song "Vivrà ancora".She won the "New Talent" section of the Festival Kanzunetta Indipendenza in 2012, and the main category of the festival in 2018.Shortly after, she participated in the first edition of X Factor Malta.
Bonnici participated in Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with "Heaven" written by Aidan, placing 12th in the final.
Albania - Besa (TiTan)
Photo credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBU
Next up for her first rehearsal is Besa from Albania who is bringing on stage her song 'Titan'. The song is a revamp of the song in Albanian Zemrën N’dorë with which she won the Albanian natioanl final of Festivali i Këngës.
Besa appears on stage wearing a blue and black pantsuit with gold string decorating the ourfit and pointy shoulders. Two backing singers, and three female dancers in nude bodysuits join her on stage while the LED screens behind display more dancers figures filling up the scenery with more dancers.
Photo credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBU
A few words for Besa
Besa Kokëdhima born 29 May 1986, also known mononymously as Besa, is an Albanian singer. Kokëdhima was born on 29 May 1986 into an Albanian family in the city of Fier. At the age of 15, she emigrated to the United Kingdom to pursue higher education.
In 2003, Besa released her debut song "Më Beso", which was written by producer Florian Mumajesi, and featured the then newly formed Albanian group Produkt 28. The song was awarded "Mikorofoni I Artë" in 2003. Besa released her debut album which was titled "Besa", in 2006.The album was written in collaboration with well-known Albanian music industry personalities, including as Dorian Gjoni, Flori Mumajesi, Genti Lako, Andy DJ, and Stine.
In 2010, Besa competed in Top Fest, and won Best Female Singer with her single "Kalorësi i Natës." Since 2010, Besa has released a number of singles and, including the single "Fishekzjarre", in 2012, the single "Burning" in 2013, and "Zemrën Dot Nuk ta Lexoj" in 2014. These singles were commercially successful and well received.
In 2013, she won the 15th edition of Kënga Magjike. Besa was a judge on the Albanian television show The Voice of Albania since 2017. Besa made her debut in France with her French ballad "En Equilibre" in June 2022.
Greece - Marina Satti (Zari)
It's time for some 'Opa' and traditional Greek vibes, as up on stage is Greece's delegate Marina Satti, who is rolling the dice for us singing 'Zari' ( Dice in English).
Marina takes the stage wearing a silver purple skirt paired with a white cropped top and all this combined with high hell boots. Marina is joined by four backing dancers , three male and one female dancer all dressed in black trousers and back cropped tops with descrete white starps.
From the first images we are expecting a lot of close-up shots and the choreography combining street dance moves with tradional elements. The set up includes a colorful grafity style scenery and the the dice effect showcased on the LED screens.
Really uplifting performance and with the TA TA TA vibrating the arena people will all be standing for some OPA on spot.
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/ EBU
A few words for Marina
Marina Satti, born 26 December 1986, is a Greek singer, songwriter, and music producer. Her music is mostly characterized by combining traditional Greek, Arab and Balkan sounds with urban elements, rhythm, and production.
Satti was born in Athens to a Sudanese Arab father and a Greek mother, and raised in Heraklion, Crete. She began classical piano training at an early age and classical vocal training in high school.
Satti formed part of the EBU's European Jazz Orchestra. She also performed as a singer of the World Jazz Nonet at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington. Along with Bobby McFerrin, she formed the a cappella vocal group The Singing Tribe. In 2016, Satti founded Fonés ("Voices"), a female a cappella group performing traditional polyphonic songs.
In 2016, Satti released her single "Koupes" ("Cups"), which reached more than 24 million views on YouTube, and was included in Ravin & Bob Sinclar's Buddha Bar 20 Years Anniversary album. In 2017, her next single, "Mantissa" ("Seeress"), charted in the European Union's Official Top 100 and Bulgaria's Top 40.
In June 2018, Satti and Fonés presented YALLA!, a repertoire of world music and pop compositions while in May 2022 she relesed her debut album 'YENNA'.
Switzerland - NEMO (The Code)
photo credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU
Just before the lunch break NEMO is breaking 'The Code' representing Switzerland. The songs integrates different genres of music, a mix of rap, drum ‘n’ bass and opera. Judging from the pre-party performances Nemo is expected to showcase his vocal range and skills.
This staging is as impressive as the official music video of the song itself. Nemo appears wearing a fur pink and white outfit paired with fur boots. The Swiss delegate appears on a white circular platform on which he unfolds all of his choreographic motion in forms of balancing and breaking the code to an upper level.
photo credit: Corrine Cumming/EBU
A few words for Nemo
Nemo Mettler born on 3 August 1999, aka Nemo, is a Swiss rapper, singer and musician who plays the violin, the piano and drums.
Nemo's 2015 EP Clownfisch reached number 95 in the Swiss charts. Their 2017 single "Du" reached number 4 in Switzerland. On the second season of The Masked Singer Switzerland in 2021/2022, Nemo was unmasked as a panda and finished in fifth place.
Czechia - Aiko (Pedestal)
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
The lunch break is over and next up for her rehearsal is Czechia's representative, Aiko, ready to deliver her song 'Pedestal' on stage.
Aiko is joined on stage by four female dancers. The dancers are said to represent the four stages after a break up: Denial, Anger, Bargaining and Depression. Aiko herself represents the fifth and final stage of the post break-up porcess, Acceptance.
The four dancers are dressed in sparkling costumes, black bodystockings while Aiko’s dancers have sparkly mesh face coverings. Aiko has paired the top part with wide-legged trousers.
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
A few words for Aiko
Alena Shirmanova-Kostebelova (born 26 December 1999), known by her stage name Aiko, is a Czech singer and songwriter based in Brighton, England.
In 2015, Shirmanova participated in season 4 of the reality talent show Česko Slovenská SuperStar. She then moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a musical career, first settling in London and later in Brighton. Under the stage name Aiko, she released her debut self-titled album in 2018, followed by Expiration Date in 2020, when she released her first single "Hunt".
She was the first Czech artist to feature on the Times Square screens and the first Czech female to take part in the Spotify Equal Campaign. She performed at the Rock for People, ESNS, Metronome Prague, The Great Escape, Grape, Nouvelle Prague, Sziget and Waves Vienna festivals, as well as following Alice Merton, Black Honey, Lauren Ruth Ward and Tamino in some of their tours as a supporting artist. Some of her songs were included in the TV shows Teen Mom and Love Island. Aiko released her third album Fortune's Child on 13 October 2023.
Austria - Kaleen (We Will Rave)
It's time to bring the party on stage as Austria's Kaleen is up for her first rehearsal of 'We Will Rave'. Kaleen is no stranger to the Eurovision world as he has been on of the creative directors for years.
The Austrian hopeful appears on stage wearing a long white coat with a train but as the song progesses the coat is removed and a silver sparkly leotard comes forward paired with matching high black boots.Kaleen us accompanied by four male backing dancers, wearing black cargo pants and sleeveless jackets.
This song is a total warm up for the parties and Euroclub in Malmo..... yes we will rave for the next couple of weeks!
photo credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBU
A few words for Kaleen
Kaleen is a multifaceted artist who has been successful both as a singer and a dancer. Though she self-taught herself how to sing, she later fine-tuned her skills through formal singing education. Dancing has been a part of Kaleen's life since early childhood. She won her first national dance championship at the age of seven, followed by more than 100 national, European and five world championship titles, and various special awards.
Kaleen has been working as a choreographer and stage coach since 2020, among others for ORF's "Starmania" casting show. The first self-produced single came out in September 2021 under her own label, "Wifi Records". After three more singles, Kaleen took the bold step to write and record a complete album. Her debut album "Stripping Feelings" was released in September 2023.Kaleen has also been involved in the "Eurovision Song Contest" since 2018, first as a stand-in artist at the rehearsals of several countries, and as a dancer and choreographer for the interval acts in Lisbon. In 2021, she was
creative director for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for Spain and Bulgaria, and in 2022 she was both creative director for Spain and stage director for the entire production. During last year's Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, she helped put together the stage performances for Austria, Armenia, Germany, and Georgia.Denmark - SABA (Sand)
Photo credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU
Up next is SABA from Denmark making her own first rehearsal before we reach the last rehearsal. SABA is bringing a power ballad stage titled 'Sand'.
Saba is wearing a white pant suit and performs on a podium similar to that of the naitonal final. A wide use of spot lighting along with the addition of smoke creates an atmospherical surrounding fitting the song's melody and SABA's dynamic vocals.
photo credit: Corinne Cumming/ EBU
A few words for Saba
Anna Saba Lykke Oehlenschlæger born 11 August 1997, known simply as Saba, is a Danish singer, musical theatre actress and model.
Anna Saba Lykke Oehlenschlæger (born Saba) and her twin sister Andrea Lykke Oehlenschlæger (born Sara) were born on 11 August 1997 in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia.They were adopted at eight months old and were raised in Ringkøbing, Denmark.During her youth, Oehlenschlæger played football at DBU Jutland.
After dropping out of high school, Oehlenschlæger and her sister moved to Copenhagen, starting off as a model and entrepreneur in teeth whitening products, while her sister pursued a singing and musical acting career.On 23 February 2023, Oehlenschlæger replaced her pregnant sister in the role of Dionne for the premiere of the musical Hair at the Østre Gasværk Teater, making her debut as a non-stunt stage actress.
Armenia - Ladaniva (Jako)
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
Last rehearsal the day 3 is for Armenia's delegates LADANIVA. Ladaniva are closing today's rehearsal flooding the arena with ethnic sound from Armenia with their song 'Jako'.
Jako comes from the name Jacklin which is the name of one of the two members Ladaniva who has team up with French instrumentalist Louis. Their song in Armenian language is all about being yourself and free and not restraining yourself in stereotypes.
Jaklin’s dress has clear references to Armenian culture while in the middle of the stage there are plinths of various colors and diiferent heights. A setting with really bright and vivid colors dominating the stage contributing to an energetic performance.
photo credit: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU
A few words for Ladaniva
Ladaniva (named in reference to the off-road SUV Lada Niva) is a French-Armenian world music group originally from Lille. The duo, founded in 2019, consists of Armenian singer Jaklin Baghdasaryan and French multi-instrumentalist Louis Thomas. Their musical style is inspired by music from around the world, particularly traditional Balkan music, maloya and Armenian folklore.
Ladaniva was formed in 2019 in Lille as a result of the collaboration between singer Jaklin Baghdasaryan and multi-instrumentalist Louis Thomas. Baghdasaryan, born in 1997 in Yeghegnadzor, Armenia, grew up in Minsk, Belarus, before emigrating to France with her mother in 2014. She has been singing since her early childhood and, based in Tourcoing, enrolled at the Conservatoire de Lille. Thomas, born in 1987 in Lille and an accomplished jazz musician from a family of musicians, also attended the conservatory. One evening in 2018, they met by chance during a jam session in a music bar in Vieux-Lille, l'Intervalle.
In March and April 2020, while many countries hit by the COVID-19 pandemic were in lockdown, Ladaniva published two videos, "Vay Aman" and "Zepyuri Nman", which met with great success, particularly with the Armenian community. Then comes their video "Kef Chilini", which reached 18 million views in a few months.In 2023, Ladaniva released their first album, which is self-titled, produced and distributed by PIAS.
That's it guys! Day 3 of rehearsals are over with Day 4 coming up and the rest semi-final 2 countries taking the stage for their 1st rehearsals.
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