Eurovision 2024 Semi-Final 2: Dress/Jury Rehearsal Live Commentary

You’re welcome to join our live review of the day.
ESCBEAT will be watching the full live show as part of the accredited Eurovision journalists (to be approved by the EBU).
The post will be gradually updated throughout the day, so don’t forget to refresh from time to time!

You can find the full rehearsal schedule here

19 countries will take the stage today – those are the countries that have been allocated to perform in semi-final 1 (including 3 automatic qualifiers)

🇲🇹 Malta: Sarah Bonnici – Loop

Sarah Bonnici wears a sparkly silver bodysuit with some sequins.
The LED screens will show some graphics, while the lighting will be blue, green and purple
The performance will feature a dance break, and we can even see her lying on the floor.
As in “MESC 2024”, we can expect a bold dance routine, as Sarah will be accompanied by 4 male dancers wearing black leather outfits. We can also recognize some salsa moves and shoulder lifts.
The flip movement will be kept, and this time the dancers will lose their shirts.During the flip they will cover their eyes with blindfolds
We can expect some pyro: Towards the big note in the last chorus, fireworks will take the energy higher. The performance will also be finalized with a big firework.
The C part high note was a bit challenging for her.

🇦🇱 Albania: Besa – Titan

Besa wears a different outfit from the one in the previous rehearsals. It is a one hood turquoise dress with suitable makeup
esa will be accompanied by 2 backing singers and 3 female backing dancers, who will dance around her in a contemporary style. The dancers are wearing gray bodysuits, while the backing singers are wearing gray dresses
The LED screen will present her dancers with the cubes as wellThe lighting will be red, blue, yellow and peach orange.
The floor will show big hands and pre-recorded video of dancers. It will create a visual of Besa haunted by them.
The dancers characters are duplicated through the videoart on LED screens

🇬🇷 Greece: Marina Satti – Zari

Marina Satti is wearing a purple short sparkly skirt, a light purple top and black heeled boots. She also has a silver necklace with orange and red decorations, and suitable earrings.
Marina will be accompanied by dancers: 3 male and a female. They will create a demanded ethnic atmosphere. They will make some street dance with Greek elements. The dancers are wearing black outfits with white decorations. They will also wave white napkins.
The performance starts with 9:16 recording format. We can see floating red hearts emojis floating on the screen.
At some point, she will lie on the floor with the dancers around her. Later on, the dancers will dance around her in a circle and the floor will show flickering colorful lights.
The majority of the performance will be filmed in a one-shot technique. The camera will focus on Marina at the beginning, and this is how she will communicate with the audience.
We will have the word “Zari” printed in neon pink on the cubes LED.
The LED floor will be designed with colorful dots.
The LED wall will present some urban graffiti. Lighting will be diverse: From purple to blue and even tourquise.

🇨🇭 Switzerland: Nemo – The Code

Nemo are wearing a short peach pink skirt, all stars shows and red/pink fur jacket with some colorful decorations
The main prop is a huge white circular platform with a diameter of 2-3 meters. It is moving around its pivot.
During the performance we can see Nemo climb this platform, slide it off, jump on it and dance on top of it.
We will see some LRD effects like shiny stars.
This performance can be described as a very challenging one, as one should be on time with the rotations of the platform while singing.
The scene is quite dark, with neon yellow, white and blue lighting.
Vocally it was flawless, and this is very challenging due to the seamless moves on stage.
The camera angles serve the story and increase the drama. Nemo communicates with the viewers.

🇨🇿 Czechia: Aiko – Pedestal

Aiko is wearing a black outfit, where the top part is like a half transparent net. Underneath she has a glittery red sleeves outfit.
She is accompanied by 4 female dancers, with sparkly mesh face coverings and black outfits. In the 2nd rehearsal, their haircut is identical to the one of Aiko, making them 4 doppelganger of her
The staging will convey the message of 5 morning/grief during the breakup stages, each one of them will be represented by one of the dancers or Aiko: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
The Czech delegation chose to utilize the LED cubes, putting it very close to Aiko’s head at the first shot, helping to convey the intensity derived from the text.
The lighting is mainly red, blue and black strobes.
Towards the end, the 4 dancers are lifting her up over their heads.
The LED screen will present various video artwork, among them one that looks like a pop-rock concert.
During the choruses and the bridge, we will have fire jets. They will return at the end of the performance as well.
Vocally, Aiko has improved.
At the peak point the scene is quite dark, and we can see a “broken screen” to showcase how this relationship is broken.

🇫🇷 France: Slimane – Mon amour

Slimane is wearing a quite elegant and pure outfit: White pants, white sleeve-less shirt, a thin white half transparent jacket and white shoes.
He is sitting and kneeling on a white rectangular object that is located on the stage.
The scene is quite dark, obtained by black and blue lights.
One of the main elements is white smoke. He expresses his emotions through different movements and facial expressions.
We also have wind machines to increase the drama.
He is singing the final chorus of the song acapella (with no melody) within a cloud of smoke.

🇦🇹 Austria: Kaleen – We Will Rave

Kaleen wore a glittery silver outfit composed of one part with some black and transparent decorations. The outfit will enable her expose her legs.
She is starting the performance wearing a white coat with a train, but this will be removed as the bass kicks in. Kaleen has 2 options for the white coat, the second one is more fluffy.
Austria brought a prop to the stage: an inverted pyramid made of metal scaffolding hanging that shoots lasers. This pyramid hangs about the middle of the stage. This will create a visual similar to the warehouse from the video clip.
Kaleen is accompanied by 4 male dancers, wearing black cargo pants, sleeveless jackets and oversized wraparound shades.
The performance is based on a lot of dance moves, including a very contagious swirl move alongside the “rum-de-dum-dum-da”.
The laser light are mostly blue, white, green and purple.
There will be a use of pyro through smoke and steam jets.
Vocally, she has started a bit hesitated. She relies on some backing vocals. In the chorus, she was sometimes off.

🇩🇰 Denmark: SABA – Sand

Saba is wearing a simple white sleeveless-outfit, while her arms are covered with white fabric. It is a kind of pant-suit with pockets.
She is standing on a low rectangular platform. The lighting is mainly blue and white, but in some cases it will warmer: yellow, bronze and orange.
The staging is revealed a layer after layer, from simple lights to more flashing ones and graphics.
Saba is equipped with sand in her pockets, and she scatters on stage while performing arm choroeography moves.
You will see a mirrored version of Saba presented on the LED wall.
During the performance, the floor will be filled with smoke.
The camara angles sometimes makes the viewer confused: Whether see the actual Saba or the one on the VR?
Overall, the LED graphic and light effects goes hand by hand with her moves.
However, I felt like she struggles vocally from time to time.

🇦🇲 Armenia: LADANIVA – Jako

Jako is wearing a long white shirt with a suitable skirt, her outfit also features red fabric and some decorations. She is also wearing a retro belt and silver jewelry. Louis is wearing gray pants and a white shirt with retro silver belt. Louis is equipped with 2 wind instruments.
The experience might be similar to a live concert. They will be accompanied by 4 players who are wearing gay pants and jackets (one is gray, another is light blue, the other two in white).
Louis and the 4 additional players played on different instruments during the performance: flute, drums, electric guitar, trumpet, bouzouki and more.
The middle of the stage features a brightly colorful plinth island, which is based on like a tiny stage on stairs.
In the second half of the performance, we can see rick video artwork, including chickens and Armenian motifs.
The lighting comes in hot colors like yellow, gold, red and orange. In other words, the Armenian flag colors are the dominant one.
During the performance, Jako is coming really close the camera lens and interacting with the viewers.
The camera work is based on varied angles: From showing the cheering audience, the band members facial expressions, the whole scene and some circular rotations.

🇱🇻 Latvia: Dons – Hollow

As expected, Dons is wearing a royal blue sleeveless pantsuit
The staging includes a huge vertical circular prop with a diameter of 3-4 meters. This prop isn’t dynamic. It is mostly lit in orange/brown.
Dons is standing on this prop at the beginning of the performance. Behind him, we can see an elliptical white and purple shape created by the LED. When you look at these combinations, it looks like a star in galaxy.
The LED walls show pulsing lights and circles behind him.
In verses, the lighting is more intimate, coming through circular, slow-moving blue lights. In the chorus, we can see brighter and white lights. We can also see purples lights from time to time.
The camera angles are quite sophisticated and we can see a neon purple tree with a lot of branches flickering on the LED wall.
The video art show the band members dancing in quite similar design to the stage.
As expected, Dons performed the song accurately. However, I felt it wasn’t enough in order to engage the audience.

🇪🇸 Spain: Nebulossa – ZORRA

The lead singer is wearing a sheer lace catsuit with flared trousers and giant puffy shoulders
The lighting is orange, red and yellow.
The performance starts out within the middle cube, which is brough down and gives a view of inside the box. We can see a shadow of a woman with hills.
The familiar red sofa from the “Benidorm Fest” is part of the staging, but this time it feature a golden part in the middle.
Mary is accompanied by her other half of the duo on the Keytar, and and a female drummer. In addition, she is accompanied by 2 male dancers.
The dancers are wearing elegant black suits and thick gold collars in the beginning. Later on, they stay with thonged corsets and PVC thigh boots. They remain chest-bared.
Floor smoke and fireworks (during the choruses) will be part of the package..

🇸🇲 San Marino: Megara – 11:11

Megara’s lead singer Kenzy is wearing a pink and black furry coat and a black collar. The rest of the band members wearing outfits that featured pink and black zebra stripes.
LED screens present black and pink artwork, including trees and dragons. This helps them to create a fairy story on stage.
During the performance she takes off her coat and reveals a pink PVC armor with a dinosaur spine.
Kenzy (the lead singer) will lie on the floor and a black-white-pink swirl will appear on the LED floor. The performance concept looks like she falls asleep or waking after a dream
As you can see in the official video, the flamenco dance will be part of the performance as well.
The band is accompanied by 2 female dancers who are wearing fur boots, fur-coats and skeleton bodysuits underneath.
The performance features smoke and flame balls, while some fire jets will be used towards the end

🇬🇪 Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze – Firefighter

Nutsa is wearing a short bronze/gold dress with separate suitable sleeves. She wears black heels with strings attached.
Nutsa is accompanied by 4 Italia n make dancers, who are wearing long black skirts, leather shoes and transparent black tops with no sleeves.
She started the performance alone on stage, on a raised platform under a red spotlight and red smoky graphics.
The 4 dancers joining her in the first verse.
The performance includes a lot of dance routine, it is energetic and Nutsa hits the notes precisely
The performance included a lot of flames, as can be expected from a fire fighter.

🇧🇪 Belgium: Mustii – Before The Party’s Over

Mustii is wearing white pants, a open white shirt with a glittery gem-encrusted top underneath and golden floves. This will allow for an effect that will reflect the arene lights.
He will be alone on stage. The main prop will be a smokey platform with a circle of microphones on top (same visuals can be seen in the official video). The platform is slowly turning during the performance.
He starts the performance with a dark scene, there are some light around him but we can only see his shadows.
LED wall and floor will feature cloudy graphics.
As the song progresses, Mustii walks through the front stage.
The lighting is mainly white, yellow, orange and blue.
We will see the use of smoke.
I found the performance quite tense and over dramatic.

🇪🇪 Estonia: 5MIINUST, Puuluup – (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi

All 6 members of 2 band are wearing black: 5MINUUST in black suits, while Puuluup in black outfits with a one sleeve only.
The Estonian delegation chose to use the LED cubes as well: The cubes are down, lit up in different colors (green, pink and yellow) and graphic.
The same graphics are presented on the LED wall as well.
The performance is based on aerobic dance routine.
The band members will go on stage with traditional instruments such as the talharpa.
The lighting will mainly be orange, white and light blue.
The LED wall presents a video of the band members dancing.

🇮🇹 Italy: Angelina Mango – La noia

Angelina is wearing a sparkly red corset with print and elements of plants on her arms and legs.
She is accompanied by 5 female dancers who are wearing a bodysuit with the same design as her (not red though). In the first part of the song, they dance in the front stage.
The performance starts with 4 of the 5 cubes lowered down to the floor. An artwork of branches is presented on them and it creates the visuals of enclosing the dancers.
We can see “La Noia” written on the backdrop LED in a green and red flowery font.
The lighting is red, orange, brown and yellow.
The scene is designed like a forest of naked trees.
Trees, flowers and plants are the main design line here and it also featured though the LED screens.
The prop on stage is a huge throne made of interwoven twigs and branches with some red roses.
Towards the end, we have a imaginary fire rain.

🇮🇱 Israel: Eden Golan – Hurricane

Eden is wearing a long flowing white dress, she is accompanied by 5 dancers: 3 males and 2 females. The dancers are wearing off-white and gray outfits.
The performance will be quite similar to the style presented in the official video.
Eden starts the performance with stretching her back against one of the sides of the circles while we hear the dramatic intro.
The dancers join her during their first verse.
In the chorus they are dancing in 3 pairs with painful faced and sharp moves.
The main prop will be a circular platform with a built-in wind machine that will represent the hurricane. It also features some ladders to help the dancers to go up and down.
The platform will be lit-up with neon lights.
The dancers that will move around her is a contemporary style. They will move around the circle and to the front of the stage.
The LED wall will feature colorful neon swirling colors. Part of the visual will resemble the rising sun from the clip, but it will be more gold than orange.
There will be a use of smoke effect. These effects have been more dominant in the second rehearsal.
Some of the camera shots are above the ceiling. They are lying on the floor and make some circular moves, while the floor is lit in yellow.
The end is very intimate and exciting, her vocals sounded amazing with natural echo.

🇳🇴 Norway: Gåte – Ulveham

The lead singer (Gunnhild) is wearing dark green wide trousers with a suitable top. One of the shoulders is decorated with fabric which creates leaf effect.
The rest of the band members are wearing black outfits.
The performance will be quite similar to the one in the “Melodi Grand Prix 2024”.
The main prop will be a circular spinning platform with trees and rocks.
The LED screen will feature spooky swirling graphics, alongside laser lights and a green spotlight.
The scene will be quite dark and mysterious.
The band members will throw their instruments in the air and will catch it.
We will have low swirling fog as part of the staging. The colors looks more sharp and rich.

🇳🇱 Netherlands: Joost Klein – Europapa

Joost Klein is wearing a blue pant-suit with pointy shoulders, black sunglasses, a white shirt underneath, and elegant black shoes.
His keyboard player will have a blue chicken custom, with yellow beak, yellow pants and yellow shots. This chicken looks like the European Union logo.
The performance starts with Joost face presented on the LED floor as a video.
The LED wall will guide you through the lyrics. We can see there an animated character of Joost, as well dishes and famous sites from Europe.
Thereafter, it looks like Joost steps on the globus and reach different countries on the map.
Joost is accompanied by two dancers in white tracksuits.
The majority of the performance is composed of catchy dance moves.
The lighting is mostly yellow, red and blue. The performance ends with Joost dedicating the song to his parents, with corresponding writing on the LED wall.
The rate of photos presented on the LED changes quite fast. We can see different views on the floor like keyboards.
Vocally, it wasn’t that accurate

Eurovision 2024 will be held in Malmö, Sweden.
The semi-finals will be held on the 7th and 9th of May 2024, and the grand final will be held on the 11th of May 2024.