Yesterday saw the second set of countries from the First Semi-final take the Eurovision 2025 for the very first time. We bring you a wrap up from yesterday’s rehearsals (part 2).
The first and second rehearsals for Eurovision 2025 are being held behind closed doors without the presence of the media. The Eurovision Song Contest’s official Reddit account is running a live blog daily from the rehearsals with the latest developments.
In this article we bring you the ‘I’ve Arrived Videos’ and excerpts from Eurovision’s Official Reddit account’s live blog:
Albania
Shkodre Elektronike- Zjerm
Eurovision’s official Reddit account reports:
So – the lego lights have been lowered, with the ones at the back of the stage lowest and getting progressively higher towards the front of the stage. It creates a more intimate space for Shkroda Elektronika to perform, like they’re underneath a lit staircase. Hard to explain, but it’s really effective.
Very little of the Festival ii Këngës staging has made the trip from Albania, it’s had a complete revamp. There’s still the red and black colour scheme that plays out with geometric shapes on the LED backdrop, the lego lights, the LED floor and the frame. The animation really drives the performance, and provides a striking contrast to their main performance area, which is a structure of black and white light boxes in the centre of the stage, where Kolë stands in this middle with his drum. Beatriçe uses much more of the space for her unique dance routine and armography, which has stayed much the same, and in the final chorus dances down the walkway for the big finale.
Costume-wise, Beatriçe is still in red, but it’s different dress from the one we saw at Festival ii Këngës – she’s wearing a dress of red crepe satin with sparkle on the bodice and lots of draping – we’re just been introduced to her mum, who made it. One red glove on her right hand, but not on the left – the whole look is VERY glamorous, and that includes Kolë – he’s wearing a double breasted military jacket, like a pea coat. Sorry if pea coats aren’t a universal thing – if you google it you’ll see exactly what it looks like.
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Netherlands
Claude- C’est la vie
Eurovision’s official Reddit account reports:
The start of this starts with a handful of piano notes that made us hold our breath, then it builds and builds, through the first English verse into the chorus, where the bassline drops and the party starts. Aside from his vocal talents, Claude has a natural connection with the camera that makes this feel like a powerful bit of visual storytelling, and he infuses the whole performance with pure joy from start to finish, with two contemporary dancers who dance around him and in and out of shot like they’re just passing through his party.
Many of you will have seen Claude’s outfit on Insta earlier – a purple suit with pearl detail. So far this year has been an excellent advertisement for effortlessly cool male tailoring, which we’re very here for.
This is one of the first performances we’ve seen so far that features less of the LED wall, and now we know why – in the final chorus there’s an explosion of pink and blue flowers that take up every square inch of the wall, the floor and the frame – you almost expect them to flow into the arena. WHAT a finale.
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Croatia
Marko Bosnjak – Poison Cake
Eurovision’s official Reddit account reports:
OK – forget everything you saw at Dora, this is now full Shakespearean drama. The lego lights are in full effect here, criss-crossing each other to create a more intimate stage space that has the added bonus of providing dramatic lighting, backed by red and green storm clouds and flames.
Costume-wise, Marko’s black outfit with the pointy shoulders has been replaced with something completely unexpected – a full-length cape with fur around the shoulders that’s giving evil Tudor prince. In the middle of the stage is a grey cauldron, which Marko and his four dancers cast their spells into for the first verse and chorus. The dancers all wear matching blue and white outfits with frills and ribbons, and for the second half they head to the frame stage – at the end Marko sheds his cape to reveal a matching blue and white shirt.
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Cyprus
Theo Evan- Shh
Eurovision’s official Reddit account reports:
“Two scaffolding towers are placed on stage, and the performance opens with Theo Evan and the two dancers forming the shape of a mysterious figure referenced in the lyrics – a silhouette that will be immediately recognisable.
As the performance unfolds, the towers shift positions to create different formations. Theo and his four dancers incorporate them seamlessly into the choreography. Stunning visuals and dynamic lighting enhance each movement, adding depth and intensity to the staging.”
Sounds exciting, no? We’d back that up, watching it live – it’s a super-slick, high energy three minute workout which does things with scaffold towers and very gymnastic men that we didn’t know were even possible. The lighting shifts from black and white at the start, to black and red in the middle, then back to black and white, and there’s a moment at the end before the final drop when everything stops and Theo just…breathes, with a clever camera effect that make it looks like he’s dissolving into the ether.
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