Today is the day for the first semi-final and the third and final dress rehearsal took place this afternoon. Anticipation was high to see how are acts perform before the main event tonight.

All the dress rehearsals are covered by different individual writers to gain a wider opinion about the songs. 

The show begins with a short postcard film about Denmark. Then a choir begins and Emmelie de Forest takes to the stage to perform Only Teardrops in an alternative version with them. Emmelie is wearing a white t-shirt and black trousers for this run through.

The three hosts take to the stage Lise Rønne, Nikolaj Koppel and Pilou Asbæk. They are all dressed casually in this rehearsal for the main event tonight.

So here we go with the songs and performances –

01. Armenia: Aram Mp3 – Not Alone 

Aram MP3 is alone in the centre of the stage. He gives a big performance of this year’s bookmakers favourite. The lighting is very effective with strobe flashes as the song reaches it climax. His vocals are very strong and full of emotion.

02. Latvia: Aarzemnieki – Cake to Bake 

Here we go with a novelty and fun song for Latvia. The four piece group look like they are having fun on the stage. The lead singer uses the catwalk during the running with his guitar. The song is a little silly and I am not sure that Europe will understand this.

03. Estonia: Tanja – Amazing 

Tanja is dressed in a white top and white shorts and she is joined by male dancer also dressed in white. There is a lot of energy in this performance. Tanja’s vocals are perfect considering also that she is moving and dancing a lot through the performance. A great upbeat dance song with a feel good factor.

04. Sweden: Sanna Nielsen – Undo 

The hugely popular Sanna takes to the stage for this gentle ballad. She looks very pretty in a black dress. This is an emotional performance and Sanna’s vocals are perfect. The lighting complements the overall fine performance. You can count on this to qualify for sure.

05. Iceland: Pollapönk – No Prejudice 

The four piece male band are dressed separate bright colours. They remind me of the Teletubbies as they perform this 70s type rock type song. The chorus reminds me of My Sharona by The Knack (a big hit around the world in 1979). The stage is colourful and it looks like they are having fun.

06. Albania: Hersi – One Night’s Anger 

Hersi’s soft and gentle vocals are clear as she performs this pop/rock song. She is joined by a male guitarist and drummer and two female backing singers. This is an interesting song but may be a little unusual for the public watching for the first time. But a strong performance for sure.

7. Russia: Tolmachevy Sisters – Shine 

The Russian twin sisters give a unique stage performance. There is use of a seesaw by the girls during the song. The lighting complements the stage show. The sisters have good vocals that blend really well. Today they are dressed in jeans and hooped t-shirts.

08. Azerbaijan: Dilara Kazimova – Start a Fire 

Dilara is dressed beautifully in an elegant red dress. She is joined on stage by a male trapeze artist and there is background of a church window. A very strong performance with good vocals. This song reminds me a little of the 2012 Azerbaijan entry by Sabina Babayeva, When The Music Dies.

09. Ukraine: Mariya Yaremchuk – Tick Tock 

This for me is the best stage performance of the semi-final. Mariya gives a faultless performance of this upbeat song. She looks beautiful in her black dress designed by famous Ukrainian fashion designer, Anna Osmkhina. There is male dancer going round and round and running in a hamster type wheel. The whole stage and lighting blend perfectly with this outstanding show. 

10. Belgium: Axel Hirsoux – Mother 

For mums everywhere this gentle ballad flows with a top vocal show by Axel. He is wearing a black tuxedo and he looks like he is ready for the opera. You can feel the emotion in the performance. The song has a nice melody and this could surprise a few people with it’s showing.

11. Moldova: Cristina Scarlat – Wild Soul 

Cristina is dressed in a dress that is half gold on one side. She is joined by a male dancer. She gives a strong vocal performance and the set looks great but in my opinion the song is not strong enough. I am not sure it will receive enough votes to qualify. 

12. San Marino: Valentina Monetta – Maybe

Valentina is back for the third consecutive year and she looks elegant and beautiful in her long white dress. The background lighting is blue mainly. She gives a perfect vocal performance for this mid tempo and melodic song. Is it third time lucky for Valentina? 

13. Portugal: Suzy – Quero Ser Tua 

Suzy is having fun on stage for this Lambada inspired song. There are two large drums being played on stage by two male dancers. The camera connects well with Suzy and the stage performance is fun and colourful. Sometimes Suzy’s vocals were a little strained but a good performance nontheless.

14. The Netherlands: The Common Linnets – Calm After the Storm 

The stage is quite dark for this performance. The floor is designed like a moving highway. The duo give this country type song a good performance. The rhythm reminds me of the song Every Breath You Take by The Police (a big international song in the 80s). A confident and solid show by the Dutch.

15. Montenegro: Sergej Ćetković – Moj Svijet 

The gentle Balkan ballad by the tallest man in the contest. Sergej is a very confident and strong singer. He looks very smart in his dark suit and the background lighting is mainly blue. There is a female rollerskater on the stage making some elegant and stylish moves. A strong performance.

16. Hungary: András Kállay-Saunders – Running 

He is wearing a black t-shirt and is joined by two dancers (one female and one male). It is a strong ending to the show as András delivers are fine performance on stage. The background has strong use of flashing and strobe lighting. The dancing also adds to the strong feel of the performance.

The 10 qualifiers –

The countries that I believe will qualify for the final are –

Armenia, Estonia, Sweden, Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Belgium, Montenegro, The Netherlands, Hungary.

This article is based on the writers experience of the dress rehesarsal and does not necessarily express the opinion of EuroVisionary.com.