Day 4: new sun troubles, a Swedish circle and many more

Today is the day of the stage again. Today the EBU has made an official statement about it: “During the technical tests in Turin, the production team has experienced challenges with how long it takes to adjust the “sun” to different positions in the time between the different performances. Together with the host station RAI it was therefore decided that the sun will remain in the same position during all 40 songs, to ensure a fair competition for all participating countries.”. What position that is, is still being discussed. So to be continued again. It is certain that a number of countries now have to make changes in their staging.

Meanwhile, 9 countries rehearsed for their performance in the second semifinal.

IRELAND: Brooke takes the stage in a bright blue suit. During her performance she is assisted by four dancers. They start the song lying on the floor! Ireland uses many floor projections. Brooke is also praised by Eurovision.tv for her strong voice. Pyrotechnics are used at the end of her performance.

NORTH MACEDONIA: Andrea stands alone on the podium for North Macedonia. She sings her song completely wrapped in black leather. In her performance she uses the lifting bridges over the water. Shadows of hands are visible on the LED screens. The sun is not only orange but also white and blue.

ESTONIA: Stefan starts his performance on the B stage. He is accompanied only by his guitar. Later in the song, he goes wild: then he uses the entire stage to present his performance. The two cowboys from the national final stayed home.

ROMANIA: WRS from Romania wears glittering wetlook trousers. He also wears a red blouse, but according to Eurovision tradition, that goes off. He turns out to be wearing a sleeveless shirt with glitter underneath. There is a lot of dancing. As a result, the Romanian likely gets a lot of attention from the crowd.

POLAND: The Polish competitor Ochman is also in black, he wears a black suit. He is assisted by four dancers, who seem to represent some kind of water spirits. Flashing light effects can be seen during the performance. The waterfall on the stage is also used… what else could we expect with a song about a river?

MONTENEGRO: Vladana has her entire performance on the B stage. She wears a blue dress during her performance. The background is also blue, with splashes of white as graphics. Vladana mainly remains in one place.

BELGIUM: The Belgian Jérémie Makiese impressed with his song. Jérémie is flanked by four dancers. He himself wears blue-grey trousers, a black shirt and a silver jacket, while the dancers wear black jackets. At the end of the act all the light falls on Jérémie, who is standing on a platform on which flames are projected.

SWEDEN: Cornelia Jakobs ranks high among the bookmakers. As the Swedes always do, Cornelia Jakobs also puts on the same act as during the national final Melodifestivalen. The starry sky at the beginning, the large, first green and then red, circular plate right behind Cornelia, even the silver-black clothing and the bare feet are the same.

CZECH REPUBLIC: The Czech group We Are Domi is the last to rehearse today. The group uses a lot of light, which makes you feel like you’re in a disco. Funny effect: the ‘sun’ on stage looks like a vinyl album here. Eurovision.tv mentions the cello-string guitar: the guitarist made it himself.

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Vienna 12 points: From MUSEXPO to Musical

Several countries start their second rehearsals in Vienna. As we still don’t have access to the rehearsals, we will do something else. Per entry, we highlight one subject and give you some more information. That can be something about the artist, the song, the lyrics or even something completely different.  Switzerland — Veronica Fusaro, “Alice” Running order: 7 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 15:00–15:25 CEST MUSEXPO is one of the music industry’s key meeting places, where artists, labels, publishers, managers and media professionals come together to discover new talent and discuss the future of music. Founded by A&R Worldwide, the event combines panels, networking sessions, awards and live showcases. It has been held in Los Angeles and has also had European editions, including London, making it a truly international platform. For Eurovision fans, MUSEXPO is interesting because it often gives rising artists a stage before a wider breakthrough. Singer Veronica Fusaro performed at MUSEXPO in London and Los Angeles, showing how the event can connect young talent with influential people from the global music business. Unlike a traditional festival, MUSEXPO is mainly aimed at professionals. Its goal is not only entertainment, but also discovery, cooperation and new opportunities across the music, media and technology world, especially for artists ready to grow internationally today.  Cyprus — Antigoni, “Jalla” Running order: 8 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 15:35–16:00 CEST Tsifteteli is a lively dance style from Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and the wider eastern Mediterranean. The name comes from the Turkish çiftetelli, often linked to a “double string” musical style. In Greek culture, tsifteteli is known for fluid hip movements, expressive arms and a sensual, celebratory feeling. It is often compared with belly dancing, but it also belongs to everyday social life: people dance it at parties, weddings and festivals, not only on stage. That background gives extra colour to Antigoni’s Eurovision lyric “Shake my hips to tsifteteli”. As a British artist with Greek-Cypriot roots, she uses the word as a cultural reference, not just as a dance instruction. In “Jalla”, tsifteteli helps create a Mediterranean party atmosphere, mixing modern pop energy with sounds and movements that many Greek and Cypriot listeners will instantly recognise. For international fans, it is a small word with big cultural meaning at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna.  Latvia — Atvara, “Ēnā” Running order: 9 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 16:10–16:35 CEST Ēnā meaning is central to Latvia’s Eurovision 2026 entry by Atvara. In Latvian, ēna means “shadow” or “shade”, while ēnā means “in the shadow” or “in the shade”. That small grammatical change gives the title extra weight, because the song places its main character inside darkness, not just near it. The lyrics show someone losing confidence, hiding feelings and drifting away from the light. Atvara links this image to the pain of growing up around another person’s addiction, which gives “Ēnā” a personal and emotional meaning. For Eurovision viewers, the title explains the dark atmosphere of Latvia’s entry. This song does not tell a simple story about sadness. It explores fear, family pressure and the courage someone needs to step out of darkness in Vienna at Eurovision 2026. That makes it a strong title for a dramatic performance. “Ēnā” proves how one Latvian word can carry emotion, memory and resilience.  Denmark — Søren Torpegaard Lund, “Før vi går hjem” Running order: 10 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 16:45–17:10 CEST Matador musical brings one of Denmark’s best-loved classics to the stage. The story comes from DR’s “Matador”, with scripts by Lise Nørgaard and direction by Erik Balling, and takes audiences back to the fictional town of Korsbæk. There, banker Hans Christian Varnæs and newcomer Mads Skjern represent two families, two social worlds and a changing Denmark before and during the Second World War. In 2024, One & Only Musicals presented a new original version with songs by Lise Cabble and Burhan G. The production mixed nostalgia, humour, ambition and family drama with a fresh musical sound. Søren Torpegaard Lund played Daniel Skjern, the son of Mads and Ingeborg Skjern. His role gave him a touching solo moment with “En dreng som mig”, a song about expectations and identity. For Eurovision fans, Matador shows the theatre background behind Denmark’s 2026 artist and adds context to his performance skills on the Eurovision stage in Vienna.  

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Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Vienna 12 points: From MUSEXPO to Musical

Several countries start their second rehearsals in Vienna. As we still don’t have access to the rehearsals, we will do something else. Per entry, we highlight one subject and give you some more information. That can be something about the artist, the song, the lyrics or even something completely different.  Switzerland — Veronica Fusaro, “Alice” Running order: 7 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 15:00–15:25 CEST MUSEXPO is one of the music industry’s key meeting places, where artists, labels, publishers, managers and media professionals come together to discover new talent and discuss the future of music. Founded by A&R Worldwide, the event combines panels, networking sessions, awards and live showcases. It has been held in Los Angeles and has also had European editions, including London, making it a truly international platform. For Eurovision fans, MUSEXPO is interesting because it often gives rising artists a stage before a wider breakthrough. Singer Veronica Fusaro performed at MUSEXPO in London and Los Angeles, showing how the event can connect young talent with influential people from the global music business. Unlike a traditional festival, MUSEXPO is mainly aimed at professionals. Its goal is not only entertainment, but also discovery, cooperation and new opportunities across the music, media and technology world, especially for artists ready to grow internationally today.  Cyprus — Antigoni, “Jalla” Running order: 8 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 15:35–16:00 CEST Tsifteteli is a lively dance style from Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and the wider eastern Mediterranean. The name comes from the Turkish çiftetelli, often linked to a “double string” musical style. In Greek culture, tsifteteli is known for fluid hip movements, expressive arms and a sensual, celebratory feeling. It is often compared with belly dancing, but it also belongs to everyday social life: people dance it at parties, weddings and festivals, not only on stage. That background gives extra colour to Antigoni’s Eurovision lyric “Shake my hips to tsifteteli”. As a British artist with Greek-Cypriot roots, she uses the word as a cultural reference, not just as a dance instruction. In “Jalla”, tsifteteli helps create a Mediterranean party atmosphere, mixing modern pop energy with sounds and movements that many Greek and Cypriot listeners will instantly recognise. For international fans, it is a small word with big cultural meaning at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna.  Latvia — Atvara, “Ēnā” Running order: 9 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 16:10–16:35 CEST Ēnā meaning is central to Latvia’s Eurovision 2026 entry by Atvara. In Latvian, ēna means “shadow” or “shade”, while ēnā means “in the shadow” or “in the shade”. That small grammatical change gives the title extra weight, because the song places its main character inside darkness, not just near it. The lyrics show someone losing confidence, hiding feelings and drifting away from the light. Atvara links this image to the pain of growing up around another person’s addiction, which gives “Ēnā” a personal and emotional meaning. For Eurovision viewers, the title explains the dark atmosphere of Latvia’s entry. This song does not tell a simple story about sadness. It explores fear, family pressure and the courage someone needs to step out of darkness in Vienna at Eurovision 2026. That makes it a strong title for a dramatic performance. “Ēnā” proves how one Latvian word can carry emotion, memory and resilience.  Denmark — Søren Torpegaard Lund, “Før vi går hjem” Running order: 10 | Rehearsal: 8 May, 16:45–17:10 CEST Matador musical brings one of Denmark’s best-loved classics to the stage. The story comes from DR’s “Matador”, with scripts by Lise Nørgaard and direction by Erik Balling, and takes audiences back to the fictional town of Korsbæk. There, banker Hans Christian Varnæs and newcomer Mads Skjern represent two families, two social worlds and a changing Denmark before and during the Second World War. In 2024, One & Only Musicals presented a new original version with songs by Lise Cabble and Burhan G. The production mixed nostalgia, humour, ambition and family drama with a fresh musical sound. Søren Torpegaard Lund played Daniel Skjern, the son of Mads and Ingeborg Skjern. His role gave him a touching solo moment with “En dreng som mig”, a song about expectations and identity. For Eurovision fans, Matador shows the theatre background behind Denmark’s 2026 artist and adds context to his performance skills on the Eurovision stage in Vienna.  

Read More »
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