The second day of rehearsals for Eurovision 2026 has just begun.
Taking the stage today will be the counties that will perform in the second half of semi-final 1:
This year, the rehearsal format will be different. Therefore, images might be available later on.
However, the ESBEAT team will do its best to supply all the required information and coverage.
This article will be updated throughout the day, so keep refreshing and visit us all day
Photos credits are reserved for Corrine Cumming and the EBU
Day 2: Sunday, May 3rd, 2026
First rehearsals Batch 2 (Semi-final 1, Second half without automatic qualifiers)
| Country | Rehearsal Time (CET) |
| Montenegeo | 10:30 – 11:00 |
| Estonia | 11:10 – 11:40 |
| Israel | 11:50 – 12:20 |
| Belgium | 12:45 – 13:15 |
| Lithuania | 13:25 – 13:55 |
| San Marino | 15:00 – 15:30 |
| Poland | 15:40 – 16:10 |
| Serbia | 16:20 – 16:50 |
1.🇲🇪 Montenegro: Tamara Živković – Nova Zora
- Tamara is wearing a black corset bejewelled with black gems and topped off with a black ruff collar.
- Regarding the make-up, her face is pained, and she has black lipstick.
- 4 female backing dancers accompany Tamara.
- She begins her performance, draped dramatically across the stage floor by four shadowy figures.
- Similar to the “Montesong” performance, the show will be split into 3 scenes, labelled by roman numeral: I, II, III.
- Thereafter, she contorts herself into a standing position so the audience can see her. The 4 dancers standing around her. The dancers are wearing skintight black with white collars
- In each scene, the 5 women perform another synced dance routine.
- The staging is characterized by dramatic light, mostly red and blue, with some effects like thunderers, lightning and lava.
2. 🇪🇪 Estonia: Vanilla Ninja – Too Epic To Be True
- The band has revamped the song: The bridge was changed, as the spoken recorded part (performed by a male vocalist) was removed. Instead, we got a more hymn-like part of the band chanting “Too Epic, Too Epic” with minimal production, in what sounds like a rock stadium piece. Overall, the song sounds a bit more modern.
- The band members upgraded their customers compared to the national final. They are still wearing white outfits with black tops, emphasise the girls’ rock credentials.
- Between the second and final chorus, they will be more connected to the audience.
- The performance concludes with pyro finish
3.🇮🇱 Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
- Noam will be accompanied by 5 female dancers.
- Noam Bettan is wearing a black leather jacket over a black silk shirt, with the outfit completed by black leather trousers. The fabric has been chosen to match the diamond.
- The female dancers are wearing leather short jumpsuits that are dual in tone; one side cream, one side burgundy.
- Israel will use one of the biggest props in Eurovision 2026 production: It is a huge diamond in the center of the stage with a mirrored exterior.
- The performance starts inside the diamond. Noam begins while surrounded by a reflective surface that gives the illusion of him being inside a crystal chamber.
- He’s beckoned out from his giant diamond by a sole dancer (the main character from the video clip), who takes him to the front of the stage, where we can find the rest of 4 female dancers.
- Most of the time, the dancers are around him, performing some hand choreography.
- The lighting palette will differ from dark blue to bronze and gold.
4.🇧🇪 Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
- ESSYLA is wearing a cape of long fabric. It is almost transparent, and thin like a sheet of ice. Underneath, she is wearing an all-white custom, where laced-up leather is the main motive: Combining a white dress, one boot, paired with a silver pump, and over-the-shoulder armour with a long, sharp crystals jutting out of it.
- She starts the performance static, and then starts to move on stage.
- There will be the use of a wind machine as well as a snow machine during the performance.
- She is accompanied by 4 male dancers, who stand in front of the stage. ESSYLA is walking along the stage to come closer to them. Thereafter, they remove the upper part of her costume, so it becomes out of sight.
- When she dances, alongside her dancers, we can see the effects of the floor’s tiny crystal parts beneath her feet.
- The staging will show us a kind of contrast of visuals of fire and ice. So the lighting is mainly blue and orange.
5.🇱🇹 Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Sólo Quiero Más
- The performance will be bold due to its visuals, concept and vocals.
- The Lithuanian performance will feature a bold prop: A costume installation created especially for the performance, which dramatically falls apart right on stage
- According to a press release, the black stage sculpture comprises metal elements and tensioned steel cables, held in place by an electromagnet system. While the system is active, the structure remains stable and appears on stage like a petrified sculpture.
- However, the electricity is turned off, a magnet releases the metal elements, the cables loosen, and the entire structure suddenly collapses.
- Lion will appear in silver make-up, his outfits are composed of 2 parts: a giant hooded cloak or a spiky figure in a gothically tailored suit.
- English-language subtitles will be presented on screen during the bridge and before it.
- The performance will feature black and white effect, that will come just before the outfit reveal.
6.🇸🇲 San Marino: Senhit feat. Boy George – Superstar
- Senhit and Boy George are accompanied by 4 male dancers.
- Senhit is wearing a mirrorball-themed jumpsuit. She may switch her outfit to another one. Boy George will appear with a hat (as always) and a black elegant suit.
- There are at least 2 props planned for the show.
- The spotlights will shine in rainbow theme lights. They are pointed outward into the audience too, so that everyone is illuminated.
- The stage is packed full of chrome and mirror
- The lights are bright and joyful, resembling a lot of the 1980s music scene.
- Towards the end, Boy Georgie and Senhit are walking hand in hand down the catwalk and off into the rainbow sunset, while pyro blasts behind them in their rear-view mirror.
7.🇵🇱 Poland: ALICJA – Pray
- Everything has pretty much changed compared to the national selection, besides her silver outfit.
- ALICJA will be accompanied by 4 backing dancers. who are wearing high-fashioned gleaming white shirts tucked into high-waisted, wide-legged black trousers, with a cummerbund
- The performance will focus on a special monumental prop. For us, it looked a bit similar to the prop from Brunette’s “Future Lover” (Armenia 2023).
- It is a standalone prop (which hasn’t been specified yet), and what’s special about it is the way the Polish team will interact with it.
- The press release highlight the camara work around the light and shadows.
- The camera work shines, especially in the goapel part.
8.🇷🇸 Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj mene
- The basis of the performance remained quite similar to the “PZE” concept, but was upgraded in some manners.
- The band members are wearing black outfits. The lead singer, Luka, wears a fur-trimmed cloak with oversized metal embellishments on top. His shoulder armour is significantly big. His make-up is mostly based on black eye-liner
- During the performance, he will get rid of the heavy weight armour.
- The performance features a big sword, which later on, is tabbed down into a rock, giving it a platform to serve as a mic stand for Luka.
- The performance is more dynamic, as Luka will start slumped on the stage floor. and later on staggers and swings to his feet.
- The performance will feature dark scenes, blue lights, and smoke.
- In parallel to the first growling part, the pyro will be dominant.
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