First rehearsals for Eurovision 2024 are continuing. On Monday 29 April, eight countries from semi-final 2 took to the Malmö stage for the very first time, providing us with a glimpse of the stage shows they’ve been preparing over the past few months.
Georgia’s Nutsa set the stage on fire, the Netherlands’ Joost Klein brought big bird’s blue cousin with him … and that was just two of today’s acts.
But which of the eight rehearsals impressed you the most?
Inspect the rehearsal footage for yourself, then scroll down to vote in our poll and share your opinions.
Eurovision 2024 first rehearsals: Tuesday 30 April
- Latvia: Dons – “Hollow”
- San Marino: MEGARA – “11:11”
- Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze – “Firefighter”
- Belgium: Mustii – “Before the Party’s Over”
- Estonia: 5MIINUST x Puuluup – “(nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi”
- Israel: Eden Golan – “Hurricane”
- Norway: Gåte – “Ulveham”
- Netherlands: Joost Klein – “Europapa”
Poll: Who had the best first rehearsal at Eurovision 2024 on Tuesday (30 April)?
You can vote for as many of the acts as you would like. But you’ll only be able to vote once — so choose wisely!
Who did you vote for? Who was your biggest grower of the day? Let us know in the comments below.
Israel should not be part of the contest. Boycott Israel
I hope there’ll be loud boos all across arena once Golum hits the stage.
Anyone who likes the Dutch song is a bit wrong in the head
That’s harsh, but I really don’t see the appeal. *plays No Limits*
Thanks’people for hating the bird, now he’s missing, DM Joost if you saw it.??
In my honest opinion as a person that absolutely love entertainment what I would consider as fair is there is too much red tape and political issues of who and what country should win. I believe to be fair the votes that should count the most is from non participating countries. Then you’ll truly see who needs to win regarding Talent, showmanship and overall performance and not voters that bombard votes for their country.
That would never be fair because some countries have a huge diaspora and some don’t
San Marino was great, but Norway… slowly climbing in the odds, but still too low. It’s beyond me how it is not regarded as a favourite. I think they are coming for the win. No backing track (beginning and the grawl only), it can even win juries, top 5 tele and that’s the win. Many will be surprised.
I don’t see anyone talking about Portugal… Maybe we are going to watch to an huge suprise…
They didn’t rehearse yesterday.
LOL I’m sorry i was wrong
The Netherlands are dropping in the odds (for all it’s worth) – no wonder after the cringe of yesterday!
Let the haters celebrate it now, next week Joost proves he is the one who will laugh most 🙂 cant wait to see haters fall in love with his performance.
I don’t like hate Basti … but that’s what his staging reminds me of, Germany 2021. He’ll need more than that to follow Norway.
Joost going down in the odds is not something to celebrate for Eurovision fans. An act which is very clearly going to destroy the televote going down in the odds because of a pre-conception that juries will destroy it for being “silly” will only result in the contest becoming less and less popular, and therefore having less and less money to devote to making it the show we all love. Music “experts” can have a pretentious competition if they want – they can host it in a shed with no-one watching. But Wiwibloggs will cease to exist so it’s a… Read more »
This show went strong 70 years before Joost, and it will go on long after Joost is dead. Don’t worry.
You missed the point
No it does not make sense. Televoters can vote twenty times, the points do not necessarily reflect popularity. Anybody voting only once for their favourite is overshadowed by obsessive fandoms.
If Sweden had won only once before, and Finland six times, probably Tattoo would have won the televote too. All sorts of external factors other than the song come into play.
Also, what debacle? The 50/50 system worked exactly as it was designed to do.
Mathematically speaking, it literally makes sense that the televote winner is the real winner. At least more real than whatever we want to call the other half of the voting system. And the more I think about it, yes, debacle is a very fitting word for last year’s travesty (which is another apt description)
What cringe really? We saw a couple of pics and a few seconds of the rehearsal. That’s it. People are jumping to conclusions like there’s no tomorrow. The “fandom” really has shown its hysterical true colors here, and those are not pretty. I’d even call them cringe.
Cringe is the new cool??
I loved Italy’s first rehearsal
Team Wiwi – I watched your video reaction to hurricane’s rehearsal and had to provide personal context to aspects of the staging that might’ve seemed out of place. To Israeli viewers, the dancers likely represent the Nova Music festival victims. The “fisting” seems reminiscent of a rave, they’re then seen retreating quickly, they flutter around like angels, and they march and dance like Jewish people do traditionally on holidays like it was the day of that festival. It’s all seemingly very relevant to the meaning of the song. The clothes are white to resemble the traditional outfits worn on holidays,… Read more »
Political song
a song reflecting feelings is not political.
your comment may be political!
Definately Dons, estonia , belgium and gåte!
Were you high watching these clips? Yes Gåte was great but those others you mention… 😐
Croatian fans seem to think that upvoting any negative comments towards the other contenders (and the other way around) is actually going to help their lasagna win it all, it doesn’t exactly work that way, haha
Lmao.. what a delusional flamingo you are
I love how Croatia lives rent free in yours heads.
Peeps…Joost is trolling you so hard right now. And it’s working. He’s got you all talking and hating…
They don’t want you to see anything. The TikTok video is super short, and it’s only showing a close up of him.
It. Will. Flop. So. Hard.
This comment, indeed 🙂 cant wait to see the meltdown when he ends up top 5 in the final 🙂
Top 5 now? Wasn’t he meant to win the whole thing just before the 1 rehearsal?
There are literally photos on Instagram of entire staging and other people on stage with him.
So 1 picture tells you everything about the entire 3 min act? Ok…
If I were Joost Maggie, I’d have no time for trolling, hard or otherwise. All my effort would be going into making sure I’m not overshadowed by what we’ve all just seen from Norway.
San Marino needs to be in final highly underrated I think personally
It’ll be a shame if Megara don’t make it as I can’t vote in this Semi
If they’re only depended on your vote then they won’t make it no..
😛
Norway is seriously underrated in this competition. They should get a good response in the arena from their Swedish neighbours, too. Classy.
They are. Pagan excellence, them and Raiven.
Will Italian jury once again not vote for countries that are frontrunners for the win, so they’d have better chance?
This has happened in recent years.
– Italian jury gave points to Portugal and Bulgaria in 2017. Italy got nothing back from their juries.
– Italian jury also voted for Malta and France in 2021. (Top 3 with bookies) Got nothing back.
2017 was 7 years ago.
In 2021 everyone knew that Malta was hot air, meanwhile they chose to not give big points to Switzerland
Such a random comment…totally unfair and untrue as well
Do you react in the same way to Danish jury who never give points to Italy but always give high points to Scandinavian countries?
I think you need to look at the juries in the past years who gave low votes to italy whilst italy were in top 10 with tele votes .
Them b******* gave no points to Rim Tim as an international jury on Dora. Rather transpatent.
Amd then they semd the bored spoiled rich kid to perform live in a succesdful prime time TV show. Puhleeze!
Norway…. Oh my God!!!! This is pure televote magic… No its not a dark horse I am sorry. Its here to win… You all keep forgeting that when Sweden hosts, the Nords get the trophy…!! I dont understand why you are not getting the vibes. If i am Greek and i can feel it here in the south imagine what the north will…!
Every year it’s the same story. Eurovision “fans” trashing frontrunners based on first rehearsals. Unless it’s a “slay queen” female singing a balled or a girly bop.
Real fans must know it’s a tv show first and foremost. Not just a stage performance. Photos of the rehearsals almost never do a performance justice.
Nemo and Joost have professional and smart teams behind them. I’m sure their performances will look great on screen. And that’s what it’s all about.
That doesnt change the fact that Netherlands has a trash and childish song 🙂
And most entries would never reach any audience because they are too local, too dated or just not good enough. So what’s your point. Joost is reaching a huge audience that seems too like it, so good for him.
Yes; the audience is the children 🙂
You are living in your own delusional bubble. I’ve seen more adults than kids love Europapa.
Disrespectful comment
The shory swiss man in pink is horrible
The short swiss man in pink is horrible
Right! The pictures might first look wow, but from TV could show with no impact.
Preach!
Objectively speaking, Georgia-Norway-Israel.
Very disappointed by the Dutch staging. Nothing out of the box or never seen before…the bird? really? WOW and i thought they could win before the rehearsal.
I dont have any strong feelings to any song here but I feel lime anyone who didnt vote for Norway has an agenda. I feel like it elevated the most. Netherlands staging seems disappointing unless they plan special effects and camera work to be the main thing
Ireland to win as a outside bet .Ireland ?
I got 50/1 which is not available now
They were honestly all good.
The Netherlands plummeting by the bookies after the rehearsal.
Big time. Out to 10 from 5.8 earlier. Fans can vote on here but the markets sense it’s over the top and heading into Guildo Horn territory.
I think Joost made a mistake. He can win if he delivers a Wadde hadde dudde da (Germany 2000), insted of Guildo Horn.
Im sorry but where? The lowest im seeing is 8.8 most of the other odds remained quite stable actually.
Currently 9.4 on Betfair at 00.55 BST. It was 5.8 at 1300 today.
So again, quite stable if it was at 10 first according to you, considering across the board, nothing really changed but 2-3 betting offices. And some actually went lower/shortened.
He lost the 3rd place to Italy now.
Explain how that is “plummeting”.
More Jendrik than Horn
But I loved Guildo Horn!
Plummeting ? 3rd to 4th place
Who’ll do better this year – Sweden or Ireland?
Whoever places higher should be considered the current record holder.
Ireland has finished second four times, and Sweden has only finished second once – so I’d say Ireland anyways
Fair, but less fun… !
30th anniversary tonight, right now, of Ireland’s three-in-a row.
And Riverdance, it was on the news
30th anniversary of the first appearance of Russia, Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovakia, and Hungary! Only three of the seven survive.
I think Roverdance is the best interval act in all 68 years. I think people forget that it was created especially for the contest, that it did not exist beforehand. Even without the dancing, Bill Whelan’s music alone would have been a wonderful interval.
RIVERDANCE
(Roverdance is Roverdance performed by a troupe of dogs)
Roverdance is RIVERDANCE as performed by dogs
(I did it again)
Today also the 36th anniversary of Celine Dion’s epic win, with a thrilling scoring sequence which can never be approached under the current system.
I believe a quieter song will win this year, all these quirky songs make me cringe and I think will turn off televoters.
I think France could do it.
Ireland for sure, might even win
It will probably be Sweden, but I’d much prefer Ireland.
Sweden have good song, Ireland is horrible
It’ll be sweden. The jury will eat it up. Ireland will have public support but it’s hard to get big scores when italy/netherlands/croatia will eat up the top marks on most countries.
Belgium have the best song this year. 10/10
No, Ireland has and great presentation of the song.
Amazing Musti!
At this point, I’m hoping for a surprise win from Greece or the UK.
The big favourites didn’t rise to the circumstances.
What do we think of the self–service/budget postcard idea?
Acts film themselves at home, on their smartphone.
Unfortunately Belgium’s staging once again seems to be pretty much nothing :/
Norway is stunning, I am really rooting for them to do well.
One specific detail that really bothers me with Belgium – in the tiktok, he is surrounded by microphones on stands, but holds the one he is actually using. Doesn’t this break the illusion and the whole thing just looks laughable? Why not have the real one on a stand too, so you kind of don’t know which one he’s using? I hope that’s the case at the beginning at least and then he takes it off, idk.
The microphone thing reminds me of a press briefing by a world leader. Those microphones belong to the reporters waiting with anticipation of a thrilling news announcement.
Is that what it is supposed to represent? The spotlight?
This is a very weak presentation if that is so.
The microphones represent all the voices of people we can hear in the last chorus. If you remember well, when Mustii and his team were finishing the production of the song they ask for fans to sing the lyrics of the last part of the song and they put them on the soundtrack. The microphones represent these fans.
Hm. I remember that, but still prefer my interpretation. I’m sure you are right, but I think drawing attention to the fake pre-recorded-ness and digital manipulation of it all is not good. Nice sentiment, though.
I don’t mind them as a visual – but they only work if you present them as an illusion. If one of them is real, but you don’t know which one… Sure, presumably the one in front of him, but if it’s the same as the others and put on a stand, it blends in. The way it is in the clip and photos, it just looks kind of stupid.
Reading Tino’s explanation above, it makes more sense if the mics aren’t actually HIS, but are for the public choir.
That is a good explanation, but wouldn’t it then make sense that he’s singing the end part in front of the microphones, not the beginning, when it’s just him?
True.
Norway all the way.
Joost is bluffing. Trust me the images you see and the chicken are all fake and to mislead. He and the Dutch delegation are smarter than that
No; image are real. Dutch them preferred to make this trash song more childish :/
Please…that was always the idea with this entry, they are not presenting a jury bait… it’s supposed to be a joke act, so no surprises about the staging.
95% of people are like sheep and believe what they see lol. I see through it. This is Dadaism (Google it)
you can see through the act, but can’t see that they are not bluffing…oh the irony lol
But they went over the top with the joke. Just like Finland, they took the idea of “no rules” to the extreme.
At least No Rules has some musical and performance elements
Crimea river.
Can you even do that at this stage? It’s a rehearsal, you can’t just use fake graphics. At best, you can change your styling a bit, but the lights and graphics can’t be completely different, these things are programmed in advance.
Not necessarily. As Christer tells it, the last time the contest was in Sweden it was he who totally revamped Poli Genova’s staging as they went along, ditching most of what they came with. He credits himself for her good result.
This is because Christer did what was right for the TV show, first of all. I don’t think the producers have time for nonsense, they need to get the work done.
He more likely sabotaged her
Do you have any evidence on this? They would not waste the time to play games and tricks. they only said they asked not to have everything revealed (i guess the outro with his family photo)
Comeon, eurocoint in blue and yelllow? After all that talking about «the staging we’ve never seen before»? Never been a fan of Europapa, but Joost deserve better than that…
I had to give it to Georgia, but Norway was just as clean and professional as always!!!
I like Nutsa. Strong voice, strong woman. Looks good.
I love Eden and Hurricane. Painful, delicate and hopeful. I understand all the feelings in the song. thrown from one emotion to the other. Looks beautiful. The dancers too.
Latvia, I like it, good. Nice guy.
Belgium, not so.
San marino, not my style.
Norway, loud voice, creepy lyrics. No connection with these themes. Bad vibe.
Joost. The chicken could be a nice rehearsal troll and I am waiting for the surprise ending with his parents. He seems like a good guy and I hope the performance is how he immagined.
Chicken is just makine Netherlands song more childish 🙁
I mean a troll during rehearsals, and something different during the show.
We’ll see.
They can’t perform one thing during rehearsals and a different thing during the real show, it would disqualify them.
It’s Croatia or Ukraine from the semis. Now let’s see the big 5…
Norway felt like the interval act of Rotterdam 2021. Been there, done that.
The Netherlands, ngl, it looks like it’s everything I don’t want in a Eurovision winner (except Joost as a person because he seems like a cool and smart guy) and I fear it could totally work. Drunk televoters who watch Eurovision for giggles could respond to this the same way they responded to the Russian grannies in 2012. We need a Loreen and hope it’ll be Gunnhild or Angelina.
Oh Ari, thank you. You are so tasteful. I always organize my books and clotheson color tones. I cannot stand it when it goes in the wrong order. I need structure and I also want to be able to predict everything.
Good to know. Nobody asked or wanted to know but I’m happy for you.
Dutch and Israeli bots working full time
Yeah, my super hero rob the AI is working non stop from Norway
Ugh, Rob, truly a superhero!
Thank you. Rob votes for Joost. You can always count on me, Sebas.
My thoughts on today’s rehearsals: LATVIA: Dons should qualify as he is in my top 10. I like the blue color palette used and the projections are also nice. I am not really sure the circular prop works but we have to see it through tv to judge. I don’t like what Dons is wearing though: I would switch his music video outfit that keeps the same color but with a different design. SAN MARINO: I am not a fan of Megara’s fuschia aesthetic and a lot of their extravagant clothes also seem unappealing to me. They bring energy to… Read more »
Also about Belgium: Of course a lot depend on his vocals. They seem to have improved and maybe he will also have backing vocals support. However he certainly seems more concentrated now (obviously) comparing to the pre-parties.
All in all the two semis are balanced this year. The second semi is perhaps a bit stronger overall. I am waiting for the “seen-through-tv” clips of the first semi tomorrow to form a better impression.
Now we finally know what puts you off. Thank you. And what does Europe think? Waving white napkins or full on videogames? We love you all!
Thank you! Finally someone who recognize Mustii’s work. I mean I don’t see it winning, I’m even scared he won’t do the top 10 but when I see people saying it might not qualify it gives me headaches. If this song doesn’t make it through while other uninspired songs do, I would be really mad. The same way I would be mad if Portugal and Slovenia don’t qualify for the final.
In my humble opinion, “Before the party is over” is musically the best song of the year. Maybe there are some problems in the live performance but still I would take it anyday compared to other uninspited songs. Also I agree about Slovenia and especially Portugal.
SEMI 2 DAY 2 ranking: 1:Belgium 2:Latvia 3:San Marino 4:Estonia 5:Georgia 7:Czechia 7:Netherlands II Greetings from Norway
Ok! We have seen all the semi finalists now! Have we seen already the esc winner 2024? Maybe…
Tbh at this point I don’t know anymore who could win. I was a 100% behind Nemo but I’m not completely sold with the first rehearsal. On the other hand I’ve never really been into Croatia but the staging seems more interesting on Eurovision stage than on Dora’s one. I don’t see Netherlands winning.
I think Italy can do really good and France could also show very interesting things.
Except dancers for Italy, and same staging but elevated for Spain, the big 5 was very silent about their stagings…we’ll see.
And yes I know that Olly will dance cause he shared weeks ago a vid of him rehearsing but other than that nothing more.
Israel is epic! And very emotional, not like Joowst who has a clown entry.. emotions and real music vs. vague song and not funny show
None ?
Vote for the Netherlands & world peace!
I think we’ve got a switch up and Joost Klein’s blue bird is supposed to come out of window 95 man’s giant egg.
1: Norway (EPIC) 2: San Marino (very positive surprise, great visual backdrop) 3: …..eh…none of the rest really impressed at all… Latvia: static, and I really don’t like the blue outfit…it’s like a member of Blue Man Group without the face make up.. Georgia: nothing special, a futuristic kinda outfit….we left those back in year 2000 thank you. Netherlands: just silly, silly, silly…SILLY, and not in a good way at all. When it comes to potential jury votes Croatia and Switzerland is leading way ahead of this one. Israel: basic staging, the ring prop looks like a 3rd of Ukraines… Read more »
Agree with your comment on Netherlands; staging was just silly. Italy, Switzerland and Croatia would get definitely higher jury points than Netherlands.
Still trashing the Dutch act.. With another nickname.. You are so pathetic and obsessed. Poor you.
Next time we make a mashup between Rotterdam interval act Water and Mia and Dion on the spinning disk to make up for it. Hahaha
That sounds kinda fun.
Get a life!
By far! ??
Did Joost have a huge blue chicken in that video? I’m not into that… (nothing against the song, of course).
Israel and Norway were the best in my opinion, and I’m crossing fingers to see San Marino qualifying
Norway obviously. It will be epic in the final. A worthy winner.
Joost wins it for the charisma.
Gate has got some exceptional graphics.
Netherlands, considering he’s all anyone’s talking about!
I think we’re definitely seeing Kaarija join Joost on stage somehow next Thursday for SF2.
For me today 1- Norway (jaw drop ping, this really has to win) 2- Israel (really good vocals! Staging is nothing special) 3- Netherlands (fun staging, I like It but I don’t think this can win) 4- Georgia (good perfomance and staging) 5- Latvia (Don is really good but the staging is too static and this could hurt the perfomance) 6- Estonia (like the song but not so much the staging) 7- San Marino (everything is ok, but her outfit is fire!) 8- Belgium (at the beginning I liked It, but now everything seems to me a bit boring and… Read more »
Our Euro-papa King Joost ofc!!
Hands down, with still some extra’s hidden from behind these Royal Blue shoulderparts.
Im all for it!!