If you play with fire, you may get burned. If you play with elaborate stage lighting during the first semi-final of Eurovision, one of them may cover your face. That’s the unfortunate lesson Sanna Nielsen learned this evening during her jury performance.
SvD reports that lighting problems have forced the Swedish delegation to lodge a petition, calling on the juries to evaluate Sanna’s performance during today’s afternoon rehearsal rather than the evening performance.
The paper quotes Anna Wilborg, the delegation’s press officer.
“During tonight’s rehearsal there was a technical problem with one of the spotlights. The light cone covered at one point Sanna’s face and took a lot of focus from the issue.”
The petition seems rather silly to us. We all know that Sweden will go through. Sanna has amazing vocals and a fantastic song. And although we know she wants to show off her new hairdo and those luscious lips, a spotlight in her face for a few extra seconds isn’t going to alter the jury’s view of her performance. She’ll start fresh in the final regardless of the split second flaw tonight.
It’s not yet lights out for Sanna…
Here is a picture of the cray cray lighting. Do you think it merits all this drama?
Wiwi contributed this report from Copenhagen. You can keep up-to-date on the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.
Photo: Sander Hesterman (EBU)
Do you remembered Sweden dress rehearsal for jury in final in 2012 and problem with fake snow.
Don’t know other petitions over jury performance last years. It may be a good sign. I have seen the list of juries they seem much more ok than last years in terms of gender (3 male, 2 female), age (2 older, 3 younger), qualifications (is a variety in every national jury). Plus their names are known and all their marks will be known when grand final is over.
nauportus90 Thank you for that link. Well its very important, because that single light messed up the performance as you can notice clearly and that it looks rather funny which is distracting viewers of which is having effect on performance, c’mon you woudn’t expect to see that during the show, and Sweden taking action is the right decison since they are competing with the show they put money on, so it must be taken seriously sinc eit is also not a joke, hope they fix the problem and it won’t happen during the semifinal and final, this is contender contemporary… Read more »
@ nauportus 90 – Is that it, really??? Hehe that light is crazy, but there is nuh-thing! I mean, I’d imagined some sort of “deer-dazzling on the road” malfunction. She just can’t have noticed while singing.
After all, it was not Drama Nielsen but her ball-breaker of a delegation…
here’s video of the malfunction: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1t7l1j_sweden-s-lighting-fail-dress-rehearsal_tv?start=2
I have no idea why they had to make such a big deal about it!
Its just lightning. Not all of the juries are made-up of perfectionists..
This made me laugh. LOL.
Can someone tell me what will happen now? Will she sing again or what?
Haha cray cray))
Do you guys think that Sanna lost any points because of the light?
I think she was great and I hope that the swedes just let this go.
The rules this year are that way that jury now has to rank voice,stage choreography or idk what but a lot of elements.
I’ve now listened to Sanna’s interview (Aftonbladet today) and she said she was’t disturbed at all by the runaway-light from one lamp. She was completely satistied with her song. Conclusion: this fuzz may be harmful for her concentration just before the semi-final – maybe she’ll be nervous for the lights if they’ll be ok or not. I am sure Sanna has a place in the final. If not, it would be the biggest surprise in the ESC history.
Sanna is far from a dramaqueen/diva, she did not sign the petition, she didn’t even notice that the light was out of place until the swedish delegation told her afterwards, and the picture doesn’t justify the issue, it looked a lot more out of place than that. I can understand that the swedish team got a little upset, they’re perfectionists. The majority of the artists as well, including Sanna (Eric Saade & Loreen are amongst the worst perfectionists, haha). They’ve worked really hard with the staging and when the juries FINALLY is watchin’ a little light decides to go YOLO-mode… Read more »
But from what I heard (through the audio feed of a rival website), her vocal performance was u-u-u-u-undone a little by the confusion.
This is why I feel we need to see the jury final in full, so that we can all understand why certain performances may have been marked down.
The fuzz around Sanna’s performance is so unnecessary. In fact it may give an impression of the Swedish delegation to be pedantic and trying to get extra attention. In fact, that may take even take much more focus from her good number than one “dramatic” mistaken ray of light. Sweden, you are in the final without making a noice about last night’s “big drama”.
This picture doesn’t really show it all. And Sanna had nothing to do with the petition. The Swedish delegation just want to have everything perfect, just like any other country?
I am a little bit worried that Sweden will struggle to qualify tonight. I hope all goes well for Sanna.
Sweden is a very simple song and plain old-fashioned. there is nothing original, that would be maddening and win. a story with a simple light to attract attention to themselves. that’s all
Hi guys.You dont understand the situation because you werent there!!!! You dont what happened or how it looked. I was very lucky and fortunate to be in the audience last night 🙂 Amazing show.As for Sweden and the lighting issue….one of lights to her left was tilted and was pointed directly at her rather than up in the air to create the cone.This created a glare on camera and Sanna’s face and upper body are not visable.Only a bright fuzzy glare. Its impotant because this affects the ‘overall impression’ of the performance which is one of the criteria the juries… Read more »
Not fair much? :’)
OMG people, some of you come up with the most unbelievable conspiracies! Speaking of James Bond 😉
Let it flow… they just pulled a Sanna-Drama to divify her, for her public image may be a bit too “I’ve just dropped the baby at the créche”. Nice try.
SEMI 1 is hours away!! Let’s enjoy a great show 🙂
DR want to sabotage other contestants in a worse way and will use this “Look it happened to Sanna too” for their alibi.
sweden is awesome.
The song’s a piece of shit anyway. It doesn’t matter about the lighting.
Ahhh c’mon! It’s not like a russian olympic ring that didn’t open 😛 this is just a light disaligned, such a big fuss about something unimportant, I doubt the juries will dismiss such a good song just because of a light.
Drama Nielsen?
I don’t really think this was necessary… at least if it didn’t affect her concentration or singing capacity in any way.
Whatever next the hamster wheel from ukraine will roll off the stage !
Where was Sweden freaking out when Loreen coughed because of the snow during her jury final performance? Haha she turned out just fine 🙂
Also I don’t see anything wrong in the screenshot in my opinion haha
DRAMA ! OH GOSH! Sweden will lose the contest thanks to the spot
Willy, don’t you think you are being rather biased by presenting Sanna having a great voice and a great song as fact? There is no guarantee that Sweden will qualify.
I dont understand…What will happen now?
NO NEED 2 WORRY. LOREEN SWALLOWED FAKE SNOW USED 4 HER PERFORMANCE DURING THE REHEARSAL & JURY NEVER DISCREDIT HER 4 THAT. AS LONG AS SANNA CAN SING THE SING LIKE SHE ALWAYS DID UP 2 NOW SHE WILL BE FINE
Aren’t the juries supposed to judge the song and performance rather than lighting?
EUROVISION 2014 PARODY!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAefW_iLZXU&noredirect=1
Sanna will win anyways. 🙂
It’s a competition and you can’t take any chances. I think it’s a smart petition (so long as it doesn’t prejudice the jury in the finals).
I guess it is only for the record. basically they want the best for sanna.. I understand the swedish team.
gooooo sanna
There are her type of women out there, that are hungry for attention … Good or bad. Such a Drama Queen. Big deal!!!!
Im from Sweden and I saw it. No worries.
But what will happen now?
Indeed, they do not have to worry a bit. If Sanna would be blind because of that light cone it would be somewhat worse
Hahaha oh COME on.. xD She has great vocals , I do not think jury will care about light. No need to worry about that.
I agree. Too much drama over nothing really.