She’s working with famed Swedish choreographer Sacha Jean-Baptiste. But after her first rehearsal at Eurovision 2017, Georgia’s Tamara Gachechiladze should ask for a refund. The staging — essentially a red screen with white baubles and some waves — gets bland very quickly. The LED floor, also red, looks like blood. Tamara stands on a plasma-like bubble which made us think of menstruation.

However, the staging did improve with each take. During her second run-through she wore a translucent red cape, which she unveiled Edurne-style early in the song. During her third run-through she added a lot of smoke and pyrotechnics, helping bring the song home. When the flames explode one does get tingles.

That’s all very nice, but we can’t help but think that her song has lost some of its gravitas since the Georgian national final — the newspaper headlines she used back then helped explain the song’s message of perseverance instantly. At the moment we just have a beautiful woman with a pretty song and OK staging. It’s classy, but is it a qualifier?

Tamara Gachechiladze — “Keep the Faith”: Reviews and Reactions

Georgia: First rehearsal at Eurovision 2017

Georgia: First press conference 2017

Read all of our Eurovision rehearsal reviews

Read all of our Georgia Eurovision news here

Photo: Eurovision.tv (EBU)

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Eva M.
Eva M.
6 years ago

This is so underrated here. I see Georgia gualifying ahead of Finland. Tamara’s vocals are amazing, I am sure she will deliver a flawless performance. I also saw a couple of youtube videos showing her staging, and it looks beautiful. Keep the faith is also a way more positive message than lamenting for a lost lover. Also Tamara completely connects with the song–she wrote it and she totally owns it on stage.

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
6 years ago

The backdrop is taking a page out of the UK entry(the white orbs floating). Looks like Georgia is coming to snatch Lucie Jones’ wig. BBC better step their staging!

Grete Paia
Grete Paia
6 years ago

Too much redness

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

From the 30sec clip, I can see there is a beautiful background!
I also see there were some flames towards the end I guess!
There’s also a point where she removes a red cape she’s wearing!

In general, there was a lot going on in this rehearsal! But it’s the 1st rehearsal so they try things at this point!

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
6 years ago

It looks fairly boring at the moment. Maybe more to come?

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

They eliminated the drama factor, too bad. But she did better than the 3 following her.

M_K
M_K
6 years ago

Seems like even Sacha Jean-Baptiste didn’t really know what to do with this. As far as I can tell from the 30 sec snippet, the backdrops are as random as possible and I’m not sure if the costume change does anything for the song.

[The best costume change of this kind is still Croatia 1998, of course, because it was actually reflective of the idea of “waiting for dawn after darkness” that was in the lyrics.]

Mattias Sollerman
Mattias Sollerman
6 years ago

Can someone please tell me what ‘realness’ means?
It always seems somewhat tongue in cheek. I’m thinking ‘conceived authenticity’.
Can there be bad realness? Or does it always have positive connotations?
Sorry if it’s a silly question. English is not my native language.

Mattias Sollerman
Mattias Sollerman
6 years ago

Thank you, that helps!
Thing is, whenever someone is using a phrase like “he/she is bringing/serving realness” they very often seem to mean the exact opposite of authenticity.
I can’t, for instance, imagine anyone saying Salvador Sobral is bringing realness. But if someone tried to emulate his style and did it well, that could very well be said to have realness. (Perhaps I’m wrong, but you get the point.)
I don’t think there’s a word quite like it in Swedish, which is regrettable.

Grete Paia
Grete Paia
6 years ago

For example if the Portugal singer collapses on stage, william will say he served a surgical realness to his performance. Its just a way of granting immediacy to the song.

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

yeah i will keep the faith baby, finally not too overpowering staging for a diva bond theme song

Tako looking so stunning in red 🙂

definitely a qualifier to me

Harut
Harut
6 years ago

Staging could help to make it to the final but it’s gonna be so hard for her maybe 9-10 in semi Final .She can sing no doubt but boring song

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago

Any instagram suggestions?

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

Someone just told me Georgia were using pyro! I take it back; this might qualify after all! 😛

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Yeah she’s using it, a lot!:) but Sacha still dissapointed me..

M_K
M_K
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I don’t think that using pyro is such a big deal these days anymore…

Eve
Eve
6 years ago
Reply to  M_K

I doubt she will qualify, dated pyro doesn’t help at all.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

I have lost the faith. I don’t think this is qualifying. Sorry. 🙁