Basel Bulletin: The Big 5 and Switzerland

The Big 5 and Switzerland are on today. We haven’t seen or heard anything so far about them but here they are! They rehearsed today!

EBU has decided to release photo’s of it only the day after. But still we can show you (if available) the national final performance or any other live performance so you got an idea what the artists are capable of. Disclaimer: for the description of the performance, we have to do it with what the EBU tells us.

🇩🇪 Germany

Germany’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 featured Abor & Tynna performing their electro track “Baller.” This is Germany’s first entry in German since 2007. The duo, who are siblings, originate from a musical family based in Vienna. The performance begins with Abor playing a white LED-lit electric cello in front of a tall curtain. As the beat drops, the curtain falls to reveal Tynna standing atop a large 1980s-style boombox prop, about three metres high. She performs the first verse and chorus there before descending to the stage. Four dancers use handheld spotlights to illuminate her as they freestyle around her.

Tynna’s outfit includes black military-style shorts, a crop top, knee-high boots, and leather gloves. The visuals feature intense white and blue strobes, industrial-style graphics, and the word “BALLER” in large LED lettering. For the finale, she dances on the walkway while Abor plays above. The final chorus includes pyrotechnics and a firework display.

🇫🇷 France

France’s Louane rehearsed her song “Maman” for the first time in Basel, presenting a minimalist and symbolic staging. She performs barefoot, wearing a long black lace dress, within a sand-covered circle at the center of the stage. Throughout the song, a steady stream of sand falls from above onto one side of the circle, representing the passage of time.

The performance includes a moment where Louane kneels and clears a patch of sand to reveal a mirror. Her movements are precisely timed with the musical arrangement and camera direction. The lighting builds gradually alongside orchestral strings, culminating in an intense sequence as the drumbeat grows louder.

All visuals are centered around the theme of time, with the hourglass imagery and falling sand reinforcing the song’s message about love, loss, and personal growth. The performance concludes with a wide, backlit shot, highlighting Louane’s stillness as the sand continues to fall.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s 2025 Eurovision rehearsal features vocal trio Remember Monday performing “What The Hell Just Happened?” The staging begins in a vintage-style boudoir on one side of the stage, designed to evoke the “morning after the night before.” A padded screen with a heart-shaped cut-out frames the trio as they begin the song in corseted dresses—pale blue (Lauren), pink (Holly-Anne), and yellow (Charlotte).

As the chorus hits, the group moves down the catwalk toward the main stage, where a large, tilted chandelier sits—around 2.5 to 3 metres tall—with candles and multi-coloured lighting. This prop represents the chaos referenced in the lyrics.

Throughout the performance, dynamic camerawork follows the trio’s movement, including overhead shots of the LED floor and a sweeping pan over the chandelier. The song concludes with the singers back in the boudoir, framed by the heart cut-out.

Pyrotechnics are expected in future rehearsals but were not included in this run.

🇨🇭 Switzerland

Switzerland’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 features Zoë Më performing “Voyage” in an intimate, cinematic setting. The performance, set entirely in black space with sculptural lighting, is filmed in one continuous handheld shot. There are no cuts, choreography, props, or LED content. Instead, the camera moves gently and closely around Zoë, responding to her presence in real time.

She begins seated and remains alone on stage throughout, wearing an off-the-shoulder black silk dress printed with abstract florals in deep reds, purples, and blues. The performance is shot on vintage Zeiss Super Speed lenses, creating soft highlights and a shallow depth of field that isolates her in the frame.

During the bridge, the quiet atmosphere ruptures with smoke, wind, and overexposed flashes, while the camera continues uninterrupted. As the performance resolves, the audience appears with phone lights raised, before fading to black. The concept focuses entirely on emotional detail and visual restraint.

🇮🇹 Italy

Italy’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 features Lucio Corsi performing his glam rock ballad Volevo Essere Un Duro. The 31-year-old singer-songwriter from Tuscany brings a 1970s aesthetic, both musically and visually, echoing Bowie-era piano ballads. The staging closely follows his Sanremo performance: Lucio begins seated at an extended piano, wearing a bright yellow, giant-shouldered bolero jacket and his signature white face makeup. He is joined on stage by guitarist and co-writer Tommaso Ottomano.

After the first third of the song, Lucio moves to the centre stage with his guitar. New for Eurovision are two large retro speaker props at the back—one square and approximately four metres high, the other slightly smaller. A sepia filter is applied to the broadcast, enhancing the vintage atmosphere, and English subtitles appear on-screen to support accessibility. A harmonica solo precedes the final chorus, one of the few live instrumental moments in this year’s contest.

🇪🇸 Spain

Spain’s first rehearsal for Eurovision 2025 features Melody performing her uptempo track Esa Diva. Known for her long-standing career in Spanish pop, Melody presents a completely reimagined staging compared to her Benidorm Fest performance. Previously seen elements such as the swing, throne, and neon pink visuals are no longer present. Instead, the new staging introduces a more refined and structured concept.

The performance is now divided into three distinct acts, each marked by a specific visual theme. First, Act One uses purple lighting and graphics. Then, Act Two shifts to red tones, adding intensity. Finally, Act Three transitions into pure white, blending with a mountain backdrop projected on the LED screen.

Throughout the performance, Melody is joined by five dancers—three male and two female—who perform different routines for each act. Additionally, her outfit features a black corseted design with sharp shoulders and hips, paired with a fedora and thigh-high boots. The performance opens in silhouette and concludes with a powerful, high-energy final dance sequence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Vienna 12 points: saturday’s rehearsals

The 70th Eurovision Song Contest officially kicked off today in Vienna. First rehearsals remain closed to press — only three approved images per country will be released. Meanwhile, the official Eurovision subreddit is providing live descriptions of each performance. Eurovision Universe tried to find more information than the Eurovision blog provides us. We hope we succeeded in that. All countries below compete in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, 12 May. 🇲🇩 Moldova – Satoshi, “Viva Moldova!” Running order: 1 | Rehearsal: 10:30–11:00 CEST Moldova opened the entire contest on Saturday morning, and Satoshi hit the Wiener Stadthalle stage first among all 35 competing nations. In the lead-up to today’s rehearsal, he spoke openly to Moldovan state broadcaster Moldova 1 about his methodical preparation. “We record every rehearsal and analyse our performance, repeating exactly the movements we will make. We don’t have a rigid choreography, but we do have set positions. I feel quite confident. Things are happening as we planned.” Moreover, producer Roman Burlaca confirmed sweeping changes to the staging. Costumes are completely new, LED visuals have been upgraded, special effects added. A surprise “repeatable element” will be built in, though Burlaca stayed tight-lipped: “You will see it soon and understand.” Additionally, Satoshi announced on his Facebook page that the official music video was directed by Roman Burlaca, recorded by Nicu Lungu, and features the JOC National Ballet. Moldova performs 1st in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. Moldova1 + 2 🇸🇪 Sweden – FELICIA, “My System” Running order: 2 | Rehearsal: 11:10–11:40 CEST According to the official Eurovision Reddit live blog, the performance opens with a smoke machine parting to reveal FELICIA, mask firmly on, before lasers engulf the entire stage. Crucially, Vienna brings something entirely new: in the second verse, FELICIA physically battles the lasers with her bare hands before taming them to frame her poses. Furthermore, the synths near the song’s climax make the arena floor physically vibrate. As a finale, a giant projection of FELICIA climbs out of the screens and into the audience. Swedish press were enthusiastic ahead of Vienna. Matilda KällĂ©n of Dagens Nyheter called the staging “maxed out, well-choreographed, and ready for Eurovision,” while Johan Hammerby of Hallandsposten dubbed it “world-class.” 🇭🇷 Croatia – LELEK, “Andromeda” Running order: 3 | Rehearsal: 11:50–12:20 CEST According to the Eurovision Reddit live blog, the performance opens with a walk down the full catwalk from the Green Room to the main stage. The five members then perform in deep blood-red robes, a visual step up from their Dora-winning look. LED screens carry the audience from a cave through a forest before closing with a wormhole sequence. Croatia Week described “Andromeda” as an atmospheric, cinematic ethno-pop track with powerful vocals, dramatic builds, and elements drawing from Croatian and Bosnian historical and cultural themes. This addresses generational trauma, resistance, and the strength of women across generations. At the heart of the song lies the tradition of sicanje. As Croatia Week explains, sicanje is a practice in which Croatian Catholics in parts of Bosnia, Herzegovina and Dalmatia tattooed crosses on their skin as a mark of identity and protection, particularly during times of oppression or the threat of forced conversion. Ahead of Vienna, HRT Magazine reported that LELEK themselves described the pressure of being favourites as “wind in our backs rather than a burden,” adding: “We don’t even want to imagine how it will be. We want to absorb the first emotion when we go on stage.” Furthermore, Telegrafi noted that the song’s lyrics, written by Tomislav Roso, with music by Filip Lacković, Lazar Pajić and Zorja Pajić, sparked international attention even before the Vienna rehearsals began, including a debate in Turkey over the song’s historical references.  Croatia Week + 3 🇬🇷 Greece – Akylas, “Ferto” Running order: 4 | Rehearsal: 12:45–13:15 CEST Greece enters Vienna as one of the strongest favourites, yet the delegation is actively keeping the full staging under wraps, a strategy that immediately recalls Joost Klein (Netherlands, 2024), who famously refused to reveal his “Europapa” staging until the live show in Malmö. Today’s Reddit live blog confirmed that Akylas performs in an orange and black outfit with furry boots and a distinctive hat, building a video game-like world on stage. Then he stops, removes his shades, and addresses his mother directly. However, key elements of the staging deliberately remain hidden. Speaking to ERT before flying to Vienna, Akylas said: “I don’t feel stressed, mainly excitement. We have studied everything and I believe that we will perform very well.” Creative director Fokas Evangelinos added: “It is a three-minute story with a beginning, middle and end, full of humour and emotion.” True to that approach, when a fan asked on Instagram after the stand-in rehearsal how it went, Akylas replied with just three words: “We’re doing very well.” No spoilers. No details. Exactly as planned.  🇵🇹 Portugal – Bandidos do Cante, “Rosa” Running order: 5 | Rehearsal: 13:25–13:55 CEST Portugal closed the opening rehearsal block. The group departed Lisbon Airport at 08:00 on 1 May, arriving in Vienna with their first Wiener Stadthalle rehearsal scheduled for the very next morning. In the days before arriving, broadcaster RTP actively posted on social media that the staging of “Rosa” has been reworked for Vienna, though the group deliberately kept the exact changes under wraps. The Portugal Post described “Rosa” as a performance that translates Alentejo heritage into something resonant across language barriers. That heritage is Cante Alentejano. This is a traditional vocal style the Alentejo region carries proudly.It even is UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Bandidos do Cante offer something genuinely different: five voices, one tradition, and a song that quietly demands your full attention.  Lidador Noticias + 3 🇬🇪 Georgia – Bzikebi, “On Replay” Running order: 6 | Rehearsal: 15:00–15:30 CEST Georgia’s Eurovision 2026 rehearsal brought Bzikebi back to the big stage with a clear nod to their Junior Eurovision past. The trio wore black and yellow, but in a much more futuristic version than in 2008: yellow catsuits

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Vienna 12 points: saturday’s rehearsals

The 70th Eurovision Song Contest officially kicked off today in Vienna. First rehearsals remain closed to press — only three approved images per country will be released. Meanwhile, the official Eurovision subreddit is providing live descriptions of each performance. Eurovision Universe tried to find more information than the Eurovision blog provides us. We hope we succeeded in that. All countries below compete in Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, 12 May. 🇲🇩 Moldova – Satoshi, “Viva Moldova!” Running order: 1 | Rehearsal: 10:30–11:00 CEST Moldova opened the entire contest on Saturday morning, and Satoshi hit the Wiener Stadthalle stage first among all 35 competing nations. In the lead-up to today’s rehearsal, he spoke openly to Moldovan state broadcaster Moldova 1 about his methodical preparation. “We record every rehearsal and analyse our performance, repeating exactly the movements we will make. We don’t have a rigid choreography, but we do have set positions. I feel quite confident. Things are happening as we planned.” Moreover, producer Roman Burlaca confirmed sweeping changes to the staging. Costumes are completely new, LED visuals have been upgraded, special effects added. A surprise “repeatable element” will be built in, though Burlaca stayed tight-lipped: “You will see it soon and understand.” Additionally, Satoshi announced on his Facebook page that the official music video was directed by Roman Burlaca, recorded by Nicu Lungu, and features the JOC National Ballet. Moldova performs 1st in Semi-Final 1 on 12 May. Moldova1 + 2 🇸🇪 Sweden – FELICIA, “My System” Running order: 2 | Rehearsal: 11:10–11:40 CEST According to the official Eurovision Reddit live blog, the performance opens with a smoke machine parting to reveal FELICIA, mask firmly on, before lasers engulf the entire stage. Crucially, Vienna brings something entirely new: in the second verse, FELICIA physically battles the lasers with her bare hands before taming them to frame her poses. Furthermore, the synths near the song’s climax make the arena floor physically vibrate. As a finale, a giant projection of FELICIA climbs out of the screens and into the audience. Swedish press were enthusiastic ahead of Vienna. Matilda KällĂ©n of Dagens Nyheter called the staging “maxed out, well-choreographed, and ready for Eurovision,” while Johan Hammerby of Hallandsposten dubbed it “world-class.” 🇭🇷 Croatia – LELEK, “Andromeda” Running order: 3 | Rehearsal: 11:50–12:20 CEST According to the Eurovision Reddit live blog, the performance opens with a walk down the full catwalk from the Green Room to the main stage. The five members then perform in deep blood-red robes, a visual step up from their Dora-winning look. LED screens carry the audience from a cave through a forest before closing with a wormhole sequence. Croatia Week described “Andromeda” as an atmospheric, cinematic ethno-pop track with powerful vocals, dramatic builds, and elements drawing from Croatian and Bosnian historical and cultural themes. This addresses generational trauma, resistance, and the strength of women across generations. At the heart of the song lies the tradition of sicanje. As Croatia Week explains, sicanje is a practice in which Croatian Catholics in parts of Bosnia, Herzegovina and Dalmatia tattooed crosses on their skin as a mark of identity and protection, particularly during times of oppression or the threat of forced conversion. Ahead of Vienna, HRT Magazine reported that LELEK themselves described the pressure of being favourites as “wind in our backs rather than a burden,” adding: “We don’t even want to imagine how it will be. We want to absorb the first emotion when we go on stage.” Furthermore, Telegrafi noted that the song’s lyrics, written by Tomislav Roso, with music by Filip Lacković, Lazar Pajić and Zorja Pajić, sparked international attention even before the Vienna rehearsals began, including a debate in Turkey over the song’s historical references.  Croatia Week + 3 🇬🇷 Greece – Akylas, “Ferto” Running order: 4 | Rehearsal: 12:45–13:15 CEST Greece enters Vienna as one of the strongest favourites, yet the delegation is actively keeping the full staging under wraps, a strategy that immediately recalls Joost Klein (Netherlands, 2024), who famously refused to reveal his “Europapa” staging until the live show in Malmö. Today’s Reddit live blog confirmed that Akylas performs in an orange and black outfit with furry boots and a distinctive hat, building a video game-like world on stage. Then he stops, removes his shades, and addresses his mother directly. However, key elements of the staging deliberately remain hidden. Speaking to ERT before flying to Vienna, Akylas said: “I don’t feel stressed, mainly excitement. We have studied everything and I believe that we will perform very well.” Creative director Fokas Evangelinos added: “It is a three-minute story with a beginning, middle and end, full of humour and emotion.” True to that approach, when a fan asked on Instagram after the stand-in rehearsal how it went, Akylas replied with just three words: “We’re doing very well.” No spoilers. No details. Exactly as planned.  🇵🇹 Portugal – Bandidos do Cante, “Rosa” Running order: 5 | Rehearsal: 13:25–13:55 CEST Portugal closed the opening rehearsal block. The group departed Lisbon Airport at 08:00 on 1 May, arriving in Vienna with their first Wiener Stadthalle rehearsal scheduled for the very next morning. In the days before arriving, broadcaster RTP actively posted on social media that the staging of “Rosa” has been reworked for Vienna, though the group deliberately kept the exact changes under wraps. The Portugal Post described “Rosa” as a performance that translates Alentejo heritage into something resonant across language barriers. That heritage is Cante Alentejano. This is a traditional vocal style the Alentejo region carries proudly.It even is UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Bandidos do Cante offer something genuinely different: five voices, one tradition, and a song that quietly demands your full attention.  Lidador Noticias + 3 🇬🇪 Georgia – Bzikebi, “On Replay” Running order: 6 | Rehearsal: 15:00–15:30 CEST Georgia’s Eurovision 2026 rehearsal brought Bzikebi back to the big stage with a clear nod to their Junior Eurovision past. The trio wore black and yellow, but in a much more futuristic version than in 2008: yellow catsuits

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