Eurovision 2025 rehearsals Day 4: The rest eight semi-final #2 countries take the stage for their 1st rehearsal

• The Eurovision 2025 rehearsals continue to unfold in St' Jakobshalle Arena in Basel with Day 4 and the second set of eight Semi-final #2 countries  taking the stage for the first time.

  Following the first set of semi-final 2 countries which completed their first run of rehearsals , it was time for the 2nd group of  semi-final 2 nations  for their own first rehearsal in Day 4. 

  Similar to past few years, no media representative is permitted to view or access any individual artist rehearsals: Media representatives will not be able to view or access any individual artist rehearsals taking place between Saturday 3 May and Saturday 10 May either at the arena or in the Online Media Centre. This is to allow all artists to rehearse in private and the production to perfect each performance before it is seen in full when dress rehearsals begin on Monday 12 May.

  Unlike previous years, there will be no video footage uploaded from the first rehearsals. Excerpts from each country second rehearsals are expected to be shared on Eurovision's YouTube or other digital channels.

  The eight semi-final #2 countries to make their first rehearsal on May 6 were: 

   

  Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING

  

   The rehearsals opened with Malta's Miriana Conte on stage for her first rehearsal of 'Serving'. Miriana made her way to Basel after winning the Maltese national final of Malta Eurovision Song Contest. The young artist is familiar to the audience as he had attempted to represent Malta back in 2017 at the age of 16. 

  Miriana will be certainly Serving us an electifying performance in Basel. A set of huge sparkling red lips holding a spinning disco ball placed in the centre of the stage . We get to see again the catsuit that we saw at MESC, but now it's black and red and super sparkly.

   

  Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – Freedom

  

   photo credit: EBU/Alma Bengtsson

  Georgia’s Mariam Shengalia, singing her power ballad Freedom took to the stage for her first rehearsal. She took part in both The X Factor Georgia and The Voice Georgia. She’s also a member of Mixtura, a band of diverse musical influences. 

  She appears on stage wearing a stunning silver gown that looks like it’s made from satin with layers. Four male dancers join her on stage, all wearing traditional Georgian chokha coats in black paired with black boots. In the last chorus she steps out of her dress revealing a a red sequinned jumpsuit. 

   

  Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination

  

   Next delegate to take the stage was Denmark’s Sissal to rehearse her Eurodance song Hallucination. She booked her spot in the Eurovision 2025 class by winning the Danish national final Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. Sissal lives in Copenhagen but is originally from Thorshavn in the Faroe Islands.

  This time Sissal presents us a different stage set up that the one on the national final. Back in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix she appeared in a green sparkly leotard, accompanied by two contemporary dancers now she initially wears a fabulous blue and white coat with hundreds layers to reveal after the first chorus a long-sleeved leotard and high boots all in electric blue color while the backing dancers are now four. 

   

  Czechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss Goodbye

  

  Czechia’s ADONXS was up next to perform his dramatic ballad Kiss Kiss Goodbye. ADONXS ahas also worked as a professional dancer and model besides music. He booked his spot in Basel after an internal selection in Czechia. 

   Adonxs appears on stage in silver wide-legged trousers, with a white top that’s like a vest, but with sleeves and white gloves. Four dancers in matching outfits join Adonx on stage. 

  The Czech delegation shared the following about their staging to Reddit/eurovision: 

  “The main focus of this performance is Adonxs’ stage presence, vocals and charm. It’s a clean, elegant concept that fully embraces the possibilities offered by the Eurovision stage, using the latest lighting technology to create effects that create waves and evoke the movie Inception.

  The dance break and choreography have evolved for the Eurovision TV audience, creating an emotional, engaging and visually mesmerizing experience for both the viewers at home and the audience in the arena.”

   

   

   

  Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son

  

   25-year-old Laura Thorn from Luxembourg rehearsed next bringing in Basel the a fun, up-tempo French bop, La Poupée Monte Le Son translates as ‘the doll turns up the sound’. The song is  a throwback and a sequel to Poupée de cire, poupée de son, the legendary song that won Eurovision for Luxembourg’s France Gall back in 1965.

  She made it to Basel after winning the national final in Luxembourg at the end of January. The staging is pretty much like the Doll concept, with male dancers 60s-style motion with puppet references we saw in the national final of Luxembourg Eurovision Song Contest, but elevated with the use of huge LEDs.

   

  Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

  

   Up next is the Israeli delegate Yuval Raphael, with her ballad song New Day Will Rise, which includes lyrics in English, French and Hebrew. Yuval is 24 and comes from Ra’anana near Tel Aviv. She achieved to book her ticket to Basel after winning the Israeli talent show of HaKokhav HaBa (Rising Star) which was used to determine the country's representative. 

  Her staging features an impressive  circular structure with a curved staircase on one side. It s gets more narrowed from bottom to the top while a glittering curtain of silver strands hang from the bars all the way up as they form the circular frame of the structure. 

  Yuval herself is wearing a tailored black trouser suit with square shoulders and flamenco-like sleeves. The outfit, the gian prop along with the use of LEDs treat us with one of the most powerful images we have seen in the rehearsal so far. 

   

   

  Serbia: Princ – Mila

  

   Serbia’s Princ, and his love song Mila took to the stage next. Princ play guitar and drums. He's fronted a rock band, was a finalist on The Voice Bulgaria. He's no stranger to the Eurovision audience as he attempted to represent the nation back in 2023 but missed out as he came second behind Luke Black’s Samo Mi Se Spava.

  He’s wearing a tailored red suit while his  three male dancers are in black outfits .The moves of the backing dancers along with the interaction with Princ give us a bit of dramatic tone on stage while the use of LEDs and dry ice reinforce the dramatic sense of the interpretation. 

   

   

  Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME

  

   

  Last but not least for the day is Finland's Erika Vikman with her 'Ich komme' . She is a well established artist in Finland and who can forget the song Cicciolina she brought at the UMK national final back in 2020. 

  She’s wearing a different version of the black latex outfit with thigh boots we saw at UMK, this time with more leather and metallic studs on the waist combined with long black gloves. She delivers the song solo without any backing dancers featuring her staging. 

   

  Rehearsals progress tomorrow to Day 5 with the semi-final 1 countries returning for their second rehearsals.

   

  News Source: Reddit/eurovision

  Images: EBU/ @eurovision Instagram

  Cover photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming

   

   

   

   

AUTHORS

Angelos D.
Loyal follower of the Eurovision Song Contest since 1987, I've made the competition one of the stories of my life. After attending as accredited press the event for 13 consecutive years along with the 2017-2024 JESC editions, I also enjoy the last three years sharing more Eurovision music through the Eurofans radio's project.