The third part of the second rehearsals of the second semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 took place tonight at the Globen arena in Stockholm, Sweden.
First up this evening is Denmark.
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Denmark: Lighthouse X – Soldiers Of Love
One thing you can say about Denmark is when they find a formula, they won’t change it. Three rows of white lights flow down from above, to yet another primarily blue stage.The group all stand in line, dressed in black. The microphones are illuminated.
Søren has pulled his microphone to the right, one verse too early in the first and third rehearsal and wow, Johannes totally messes the lyrics in round two. The lights are flashing off and on throughout the whole performance. They all walk in line, towards the satellite stage towards the end, where they perform the last verse.
Again a group who work well together, glancing over at each other now and again to keep the performance cohesive. Pyrotechnics used at the end for more visual impact.
Ukraine: Jamala – 1944
Starting as if she’s walking through an underground aquarium, Jamala appears in her dark navy blue dress. Walking forward she enters the centre of the stage as the coloured lights start to appear.
Yellow, red and green lights appear furiously on the stage floor and red strobe lights pierce through the walls. Spotlights shine up from the floor. Eventually the whole floor is awash with red.
The show is a mass of colour and Jamala is now really selling the song. The relaxing music and the angry vocals go really well together.The wind machine is blowing a gale and Jamala’s hair goes all over the place. Yellow lights shoot up to the ceiling at the crying wail,This is sailing through to the finals.
Norway: Agnete – Icebreaker
Beautiful Agnete appears wearing the same white dress in which she won the Norwegian finals. This is the only chance we are getting to see her. Her stage of course is awash with ice blue lights. She starts singing on the right of the stage, while her dancer is on the left.
An icy light illuminates Agnete at the start of the song. She walks of her platform and heads towards the front of the stage. Her performance is simple as she sings the song to the camera and her dancer , dances along to the side of her.
The flashlights are turned on during the whole performance similar to her Nordic neighbours Denmark. Many are asking why Agnete is not very visible in Stockhom. She told VG earlier in the year”- For many years I struggled mentally in the sense that I can not control the thoughts that I want. I can not think positively and simply go into the basement. Everything is negative, sort of. A hell simply”. Agnete is being treated for bi-polar disorder. She says “music is like medicine for me.”
Georgia: Nika Kocharov and Young Georgian Lolitaz – Midnight Gold
The four piece band from Georgia start out in black and white silhouette. The group are presented as if through a mirror, as if performing in duplicate and in places quadruple. Four Nikas – what a treat.
A row of pipes which looks like a radiator is lit up at the front of the stage. The band are being compared to Brit pop acts from the nineties.
There are pink and blue lights in the background which are not colours you would associate with Brit pop usually. At the chorus when the tempo changes a mass of yellow lights flash to give a more energetic effect and the band are shown in a mass of kaleidoscope colours The camera work flashes between colour and black and white at random moments.
Albania: Eneda Tarifa – Fairytale
Raven haired Eneda is wearing a gold flashy dress tonight. Her performance is much more alike to when she won the Albanian final. It has the same anger as it did in its original Albanian.
Eneda starts looking straight into the camera while the lights on the stage are blue, yet again. There are three backing singers and Eneda stands centre stage while just singing the song.
The stage turns to gold too as the song moves along and Eneda looks more regal as it progresses. There are moments of flashlights blasting in the background. A true professional, do not dismiss this from qualifying yet.
Belgium: Laura Tesoro – What’s The Pressure
Laura sings well enough but the problem is she only knows four notes, Is a dancey number the right song to end the semi final.
Dressed in sparkly silver jacket and shorts, she struts onto the stage with her four backing boys, all dressed in white and waving flags The beat of this song needs to be turned way up.
In their staging they are trying to create a disco with thumping lights on the floor. To a certain extent they have succeeded. The floor is filled with pounding yellow lights as the youngsters strut over the floor, However it looks a little too junior.
