As we already did for the first semi-final, we have noticed that some of the entries have had a massive improvement compared to the national finals while others keep their staging almost intact for Eurovision. Let’s take a look at the acts competing in the second semi-final tonight.
Apart from the required changes to the figure that joins him on the digital projection who will be wearing dungarees and a balloon instead of an umbrella, Sweden’s Måns Zelmerlöw will keep pretty much the exact same performance from Melodifestivalen. There is really not much to say either from Maraaya’s staging which will be basically nothing different from what we have seen from the national final. Raay’s piano, Marjetka’s white dress, the headphones and the violin dancer will still be there.
Mørland & Debrah Scarlett will keep the staging from the national final and, as in Norway, it will be quite sober with just a few orange and white lighting effects. Their costumes have been changed. Mørland will wear a white jacket and black trousers instead of his maroon suit while Debrah will be wearing a white dress.
The young Irish artist Molly Sterling has not made so many changes from her performance at the national final. She will be playing piano and will even be wearing similar clothes (a black leather jacket). Molly will be joined on stage by two backing vocalists, a cellist, a drummer and a double bass. The latest is replacing the bass from the national final. The backdrop, which was practically nonexistent in Ireland will be beautiful in Vienna showing a lovely autumnal wood.
John Karayiannis will be alone standing in the middle of the stage and he will have the same intimate staging from the Cypriot national selection with some added sparkles and stars after the second chorus. The most notable difference is the a capella bridge which now has a melody in the background that reminds of lullabies.
Leonor Andrade from Portugal will keep the simple staging from the national final, alone on the centre stage with a standing microphone and joined by four backing singers to the left. Her black outfit will be pretty similar from the one she wore at Festival da Cançao. The LED screens in Portugal were more colourful and dynamic while in Vienna it will predominate be the blue colour with a neon cityscape.
Aminata will keep her characteristic arms choreography and, as at Latvia’s national selection, the staging will be simple. Latvia will do a great use of lighting with lots of red and white lights with some kind of cathedral windows on the screens. Aminata will be on top of a platform hidden by her dress which will make her look taller than she really is. She will be wearing a spectacular gown and the only thing that resembles the dress she wore in Latvia is the red colour. Just like in the national final, Aminata will be joined by three female backing vocalists to the left.
Amber’s song will sound pretty different. While the original version that we heard at the national final was a bit more pop, the Eurovision version includes some orchestral arrangements. In Malta she delivered a passionate performance that might be greatly missed, tonight since she will be more focused on flirting with the cameras. As in the national final, the graphics will be amazing. The main colour of the stage will be blue and then it will turn into fiery yellow and orange and she will be alone on stage wearing a black lace dress.
Monika and Vaidas from Lithuania will be opening the show. Since the national final we have seen so much chemistry between these two and they always manage to add the right cheesy touch to the performance (including the famous kiss). Their choreography looked very natural in the national final while they seemed a bit forced at the rehearsals in Vienna trying to use all the space of the huge stage. They have improved their outfits which will make them look stunning tonight. About the screens, in Lithuania they were very colourful but quite static while in the background in Vienna we will see some flowers and sunshine-ray effects. The main difference is that they will be joined on stage by four backing vocalists while in the national final they were alone.
Mélanie René will keep the drama from the national final with a dark staging. She will replace the black dress by a beautiful white one. She will be also wearing a cape that she will take off during the first chorus. In Switzerland she was joined by three backing singers and a drummer but for Vienna she has opted for four female drummers. The atmosphere was very well created by blue flash lights in the national final but for Eurovision she will have a backdrop showing a dark forest.
María Ólafs will bring to the Eurovision stage a beautiful landscape where we will see the Northern Lights and Icelandic mountains. The staging is really sophisticated and María will do a great use of light effects. It has nothing to do with the simple yellow lighting she had at the national final. At the national selection she was joined by two backing singers who will be replaced this evening by five backing vocalists (including former Eurovision participant, Hera Björk) so she might look a bit alone at times. She will be wearing a sparkly dress as she did in the national final but this time it will be a pink tutu. One can only see a coincidence, she will be barefoot.
The second semi-final of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest take place this evening at 21:00 CET.
