Finland’s Saara Aalto went for a spin. Cyprus’ Eleni Foureira brought us some fiery hot dance moves. And Austria’s Cesar Sampson came out of the darkness. Nine more acts had their first rehearsal, completing the first semi-final of Eurovision 2018. Which of FYR Macedonia, Croatia, Austria, Greece, Finland, Armenia, Switzerland, Ireland and Cyprus was your favourite?
You can watch all of our reviews of today’s rehearsals in the playlist below. Then vote in our poll. You can vote for as many countries as you like, but you can only vote one time, so make it count. Be sure to click the box next to each act you want to support before pressing submit.
Poll: Who had the best first rehearsal of April 30?
[polldaddy poll=9989984]We’ll close our poll tomorrow evening and release the results shortly after that. In the meantime, we’d love to hear what you thought about the first day of rehearsals.
Saara Aalto
The first half of this semi is tough, cuz 3/10 acts are also the TOP 3 Contenders of the whole competition. The second half will not be as thrilling as the first, but its definitly more difficult to pick up who goes through to the FINAL, since there are a lot of so called “Borderline Qualifiers” My prediction (Part II) ——THROUGH—— 1) Cyprus = bambastic song, its a good prelude to a hot summer, it can become a hit, like Euphoria back in its day. The performance looks flawless – Elenis stage presence is awesome, simple staging makes ppl concentrate… Read more »
hey thnx for telling me!
I wrote a comment (pt I) on the Poll of the first day of rehersals, but i forgot to mention it here in the end. So in my opinion the song is beautiful, a true grower, the performance won the press poll and the hearts of the wiwi-pannel, but I think that because of the running order (between Czech Rep and Israel, which are both sure qualifiers) it will be hard for the public to concentrate/remember it..
29th April rehearsals were way better. As for Cyprus, cheap song, bad lyrics/vocals, but she can dance, that’s all. No finals for Cyprus.
Hate the stage. No LED, no sophisticated technology. Just cheap props. Looks like an 80s disco club except cheap, old and worn out. Worst stage since 2000.
I have been very quiet during these first two days. Just watching and reading all your opinions. I’m still in shock at how the stage is relying on real props and choreography rather than fancy modern tech. This has changed the game this year a little bit. Fortunately a good song is still a good song, no matter the choreography. 🙂
My congratulations to the Cyprus team.
Clearly Cyprus is the winner of first round of rehearsals. They moved to 5th place in the algorithm over night. I dare to say Cyprus is now a sure qualifier and Greece is a very likely non-qualifier. Cyprus is swiftly closing the gap with holy trinity of Israel, France and Australia. 1 Israel 95.81 (+1) 2 France 95.47 (-1) 3 Australia 93.26 4 Bulgaria 86.28 5 Cyprus 85.93 (+5) 6 Sweden 83.60 (-1) 7 Estonia 77.91 8 Czech Rep 77.44 9 Austria 75.93 (-1) 10 Norway 75.70 (+1) 11 Finland 71.86 (-1) 12 Belgium 71.16 13 Spain 67.67 14 Belarus… Read more »
I think Greece will qualify anyways, but not as winner of the Semi or neither Top 5. Greece would probably be the 9th or 10th qualifier.
Things are not looking good for Greece or FYR Macedonia (one of my faves). Another interesting observation: 2 SJB songs are next to eachother now: Bulgaria and Cyprus.
That’s what you do when you dont waste your time from preparty to preparty but spend it preparing best show seen at Eurovision EVER. Eleni is bringing a new concept to ESC, a full packet more like a Beyonce show, high quality. Sobral said important was song but you know what? If you want to just valorate the song just do that constest by radio. But this is a TV show honey and Eleni knows how to bring it up. Winner alert? Maybe in a year with no LEDs and only important thing will be staging, this can be a… Read more »
A new concept? Do you really think that a dance choreography is something new? Do you really think that using your sexy body and your hips to defend a basic composition is something new? I understand the hype, her performance was great and cheered up another boring day of rehearsals. But I told you all the very first time I heard this song: it’s all about hips and not about musical quality.
To continue with your comment… Saying that participating in the preparties is a waste of time is somehow unrespectful to all those great artists who made an effort to be there and to all eurofans who enjoyed it. Are you really going to support a contestant that didnt even made the effort to participate in any of them?
MY TOP 10 GO TO FINAL:
1.- CYPRUS
2.- ESTONIA
3.- BULGARIA
4.- ISRAEL
5.- GREECE
6.- AZERBAIJAN
7.- FINLAND
8.- FYROM
9.- ALBANIA
10.- CZECK REPUBLIK
There’s gonna be augmented reality this year, Azerbaijan, for example, will have it. People need to wait for the full vers on tv before hyping and bashing some entries.
Ranking of tonight’s rehearsals from Peru: 1. Cyprus: Eleni brought the “fuego” all the way to Lisbon! Absolutely entertaining and catchy! And the vocals weren’t much bad either, plus her choreography really rocked. 2. Finland: I think this time away from the favorite spot has made Saara a favor. This new performance and vocals were totally unexpected and really amazing! Finland needs to play under the radar more, it brings them good results. 3. Croatia: Even though the song is rubbish and it won’t probably qualify (but just maybe), the rehearsal performance was stellar. Her voice was on point and… Read more »
Shut the F up! Don’t care about what Puruvian’s view on Eurovision. Go F yourself so SOB. It’s not like you know what music is from that third world country.
Are you done?
How about you don’t read it then, idiot? And Marcelo’s thoughts are interesting, unlike your childish pathetic racism.
You don’t deserve the right of free speech if that’s how you’re using it.
My qualifiers:
01. Albania
02. Iceland
03. Armenia
04. Bulgaria
05. Greece
06. Finland
07. Ireland
08. Switzerland
09. Macedonia
10. Austria
It’s quite obvious Cyprus achieved the best performance today (voice, dance, sexy). The question is. … will this be enough to convience the juries, taking into consideration the simplicity of a song which sounds somehow dated and too basic in all senses? I guess No. I hope No. I they do, they would devalue and underestimate the quality work achieved by sooo many other entries this year.
Lol @ so many people below thinking Croatia is a sure qualifier… Lord…….
Her performance was really good but even that can save her rubbish song from non-qualification. I would say she’ll end 12th-15th in the Semi. But, same as last year, nobody thought Jacques Houdek would qualify and look what happened.
Rubbish you said? And what about, Cyprus, Finland…cheap pop songs and many more… you cant say it’s rubbish when it’s not…
he is one of those people who think that their taste is the criteria for quality and no one else is correct….Croatia will qualify because the song is good, staging, performance and the voice are amazing and it will be totally deserved
I’ll call that the “Lucy Jones/Artsvik effect”. They managed to make the song likable, which doens’t necessarily mean qualification.
My personal qualifiers are:
1. Estonia
2. Bulgaria
3. Ireland
4. Czech Republic
5. Austria
6. Croatia
7. Azerbaijan
8. Albania
9. Israel
10. Switzerland
Who I think will qualify:
Estonia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Austria
It’d be a real shame for Ireland and Albania to miss out. They’re such good songs with great vocals. Unfortunately there are certain countries who can send sub-standard songs and still qualify.
Replace Croatia with Albania and we agree.
Albania is already there.
In the “I think will qualify” list. Even with a stellar performance, the chances of Croatia qualifying are very slim.
As soon as you realise you are irrelevant Marcelo, it will be better for all of us
My qualifiers in no particular order:
Israel
Bulgaria
Finland
Estonia
Czech Republic
Cyprus
Austria
Belarus
Greece
Lithuania
What does everyone think?
Comment down below!
You’re qualifying 6 consecutives performances, I don’t think that will happen.
These are the performances that stand out the most. For me the obvious choice is to exlude is Lithuania, but they had a great response in the press room and it’s in the same category of song as Ireland and obviously Ireland are dwarfed big-time from Cyprus so their performance won’t look as good. Yes, Lithuania is before Israel but I have a feeling it will stand out enough and juries will support it. If anyone is in danger in that group it’s Czech Republic as I can’t see enough jury support behind it. I wish Estonia weren’t in my… Read more »
I am pretty sure Greece will not make it. The others are very likely I would replace Greece with Azerbaijan, Switzerland, or if they can fix the train wreck, Belgium.
Greece will be in the final.
haha I told you all. FUEGO is the BOP!
Wigs pelican fly-fly-flyin’
I voted for Croatia and Switzerland. This was based on the clip mostly uploaded by Eurovision channel, because this is the most reliable source to use right now, even though the clips are kinda random and don’t look like how they are gonna be in TV. I’m sure Cyprus will qualify and the show will be amazing from TV, but the clip didn’t live up to that hype for me. I really liked Switzerland’s singer’s outfit.. she’s just so cool and I love how she is moving and being sassy. I also kinda liked Croatia, although I don’t like the… Read more »
Definitely qualifying:
1.Cyprus
2.Croatia
3.Austria
4.Finland
5.Greece
6.Estonia
7. Israel
8. Bulgaria
Can go either way:
9. Lithuania
10. Macedonia
11. Azerbaijan
12. Czech Republic
13. Albania
14. Belarus
Definitely out:
15. Switzerland
16. Armenia
17. Belgium
18. Ireland
19. Iceland
Slightly overrated score for Belarus Andy Azerbaijan there. If they qualify, they really don’t deserve it.
I wouldn’t rule out Armenia, Switzerland or Ireland just yet. Those 3 could go either way.
So far, the only definite NQ is Iceland, while the only definite Qs are Cyprus, Finland, Bulgaria, and Estonia
Finland is no way a definite qualifier. I would say Israel or Czech Republic have more chances than Saara as for now, but Finland would probably qualify in the end. Also do people really believe Croatia is a definite qualifier just because a rehearsal? Also, consider than feedback from Greece and Austria’s rehearsals wasn’t very positive.
Please make video about your predicted qualifiers following 1st rehearsal, like you did last year after first rehearsal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pldKJsr2onc
For me only this is the weaker half, but I still have a soft spot for Croatia and she delivered. I also like Greece, dreamy…
Eurovision 2018 rehearsals my top 9: #1 Cyprus (Eleni Foureira – Fuego) >> I have Infinity War tickets to whoever can find my wig! #2 Finland (Saara Aalto – Monsters) >> Finally fixed their NF performance. Well, done. #3 Austria (Cesar Sampson – Nobody But You) >> It’s a well done staging and he’s taking us to church. #4 Ireland (Ryan O’Shaughnessy – Together) >> That actually work out fabulously than expected. #5 Switzerland (Zibbz – Stones) >> I was expecting that they’ll do the onetake but I guess this is okay. #6 Greece (Yianna Terzi – Oneiro Mou) >>… Read more »
Please move Czech Republic to semi 2 so he can recover and we save an extra deserving qualifier in semi 1.
You know that’s up to the EBU or the broadcaster to decide, right?
haha of course! but maybe wiwibloggs can talk to someone who has some influence about it?
Well, they are willing to move his rehearsal, maybe they’ll be willing to change this too.
I think that’s impossible right now cause it’s too late for the production. It would cause a logistic nightmare. One example is the voting procedure in each and every country setting up phone lines and sms numbers. An other example is the starting position in the show. That affects other delegations who might object.
That’s a great idea actually!!!
Off topic: hey wiwi team, i know that right now you have to much work on your hands with all this rehearsals, however i think that just in order to relax a bit, it would be important if u did a video without the main focus. So, just some ideas:
Please a video talking about lisbon if the wiwi team is happy with the cousine, if the people are friendly or not, what your first impression about the hosts that are doing the press conference…
Thanks!
Nice work, best coverage, best esc channel by miles!
😉
I really loved Cyprus, Greece and Ireland. Croatia actually disappointed me a lot I was expecting more from Franka
Are you being sarcastic right?
Croatia surprised. Cyprus and Finland delivered. Greece and ironically Macedonia disappointed.
Yesterday, I’ve voted for Albania, Estonia and Lithuania. Today, for Croatia and Cyprus. I think those first rehearsals made things even more confusing about the bloodbath semi. Some favorites failed to impress and some dark horses upped their game. The only country i can’t see getting to the final is Iceland. But this is just the start, the important thing is to be on the top of their game on May 8th.
Same here, like always 😀
By the way, I am really enjoying this stage without LED-s. Looking back on Kiev it was almost like a backdrop competition. And most were quite tacky. I love that there’s a better focus on artists now.
I think we should give everyone credit for their performance in these rehearsals. Quality of songs are getting better and better every year. Anything can happen next week. There will be surprises, disappointments and shocks. Semi Final 1 will be down to the wire. 20 sec snippets doesn’t tell you much, but from the write up and feedback, favourites are shifting places. From what I saw, and this is my own opinion, the best performances seems to be Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Cyprus and Lithuania. Greece is a beautiful song, but it is beginning to be a tad overrated together with… Read more »
Cyprus and Croatia killed it!
Based on these first rehearsals I’d say that my qualifiers from semi 1 would be: Albania, Lithuania, Israel, Estonia,Bulgaria, Austria, Finland, Cyprus, Greece and Switzerland/Croatia( can’t decide).
Sure qualifiers for now would be: Israel, Estonia, Bulgaria and Cyprus.
Most likely qualifiers ( I don’t see them not qualifying actually): Austria, Finland, Greece ( even though it’s kinda borderline too after today).
Borderline, but elevated by staging, voice, charisma etc: Albania, Lithuania, Switzerland, Croatia.
My sure non-qualifier would be only: Iceland.
For all the others we still have to wait for the next rehearsals.
I am so afraid Albania will not qualify. It is so competitiv and people go for the visuals
Are you sure that he still thinks Albania is one of the 10?
As a Greek I knew that foureira is slaying at the stage and I was sure that after her first rehearsal she would amaze everyone (she is at the 9th place at the bets). And for my country Greece, Yianna has as a part of her staging fire smoke and augmented reality effects that nobody show and I’m sure that I will look amazing at tv(that’s why at her 3rd rehearsal she got interrupted by the fyrom singers, because the Greek delegation didn’t want anyone to see how it wil look like because it’s a surprise)
Cyprus was the biggest surprise in today’s rehearsals, but I definitely bet on Greece to reach the top of the scoreboard after these effects that you mention become part of its performance.
Interesting didn’t know that at all.
Macedonia can interrupt me any day… they slayed it!!
I have to ask afther today.
Do you think that the favorites until sunday could not qualify?
Could Israel, Estonia, Bulgaria and Czech Republic stay in the semifinal?
It’s just that the songs we considered as non-qualifers did well…
That’s what I worry about, there were great stagings and performances today and outside of those 4 “sure” qualifiers there are only 6 places to fill
I voted for cyprus but I still prefer estonia.
Journalist poll?
It’s quite stupid to judge a performance based on a 40 sec clip. It’s Tuesday when you’ll have the chance to judge.
Foureira is famous for her big shows so no surprise there..i can’t rate the other rehearsals since i don’t know anybody else’s capacities, maybe 2nd rehearsals might give me a closer look to the whole concept of each one of them but it’s still nothing compared to the screen action.
I might end up voting for more or maybe no one..u never know
sorry this was not meant to be an answer of your question..but the top 3 were cyprus, austria and croatia
Thanks – where you finding the results?
Greece, Austria and Cyprus
I definitely think Croatia grew a lot with their staging concept and Franka’s performance!! They are back in it!
Cyprus is the only 100% qualifier based on this.
I had put Greece as a 100% qualifier before but Cyprus might steal Greek votes and Yianna seemed to sound a bit off?
I never thought I would ever vote for Cyprus and Croatia in any poll, but here I am voting for them for the first time, and seeing the result of the poll so far I’m happy that most of us agree. So, my favorites from semi 1 so far have been Albania, Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia and Cyprus.
Can we all agree that this year’s Eurovision is really quality music? There is no song that I can’t remember, which used to be the case with Eurovision before. I feel really sorry for so many amazing acts that won’t be able to sing at the grand final. There’s only one act in semi 1 that isn’t really finale-worthy.
We’ll have very exciting shows this year. There’s music for all kinds of tastes. Also, most of the performers are very consistent.
Eleni Foureira left everyone BALD.
Her fuego got their hair on fire?
How come her own didn’t?
Yes she isn’t that good looking her botox lips were awful on the interview what I saw after reheasal
Greece.
Good luck from Sweden
Well if you wanted a boom-shakalaka performance it definitely turned out to be Cyprus, not Israel. Today’s best.
Croatia definitely the biggest suprise! That woman was really amazing today
«I see a sea of blood on May 8th» -Portuguese TV News
Croatia and Cyprus rehearasal is overrated by some eurovision fans. They looks beuaty, sing solid but not brialiant and their song is not good enough.
If we look rehearsal of all participants from I semi, for me they not impresed me so much and I don t see winner from this semi. Maybe some chance have Estonia.
Well, you may not like her song, but Franka`s voice is absolutely outstanding.
I loved Cyprus, Croatia, Greece & Finland. They were by far the best performances of this day. Also, FYR Macedonia was a bit too messy for me, Ireland was just not my type of music. Switzerland was okay, but didn’t fully understand why the guy was turned around in the rehearsal clip. Armenia & Austria were ok, but Cyprus and the others beat them by miles.
Croatia welcome again in final and maybe dark horse this year esc #Team Croatia
Good thing about this simple stage Lisbon provides this year is that there’s no room for distracting gimmicks and other B-$hite.
Bad songs are exposed. Artists may elevate them with their performances, but at the end quality music will prevail.
Thanks Salvador Sobral & Portugal for making music the main factor of this contest and now giving us a stage for music to shine above the rest of things.
I agree at 300% with you. Last year, LED was a kind of ”selfie crutch” for so much countries (ex: Australia, Malta, Czechia, etc.)
Simple stage is advance for rich countries like Sweden, Azerebaijan… to bring from their home some effects from LED to other things.
Loreen didn’t win with LEDs. Emmelie De Forrest neither.
Agree LEDs are not needed, although what helped Loreen was the way the camera was shot. She had her own huge platform in Baku, brought in from Sweden, bit like a boxing ring. Her whole performance was staged on their own platform, with a close up camera shot. Not saying Sweden will do it again, but their own neon platform will give them an advantage. Watching all the videos and mini clips, it seems the stage is made for Estonia. Not my cup of tea as a song, but the staging and performance could captivate everyone’s attention.
Also, LED, if not well used, can be very harmfull (ex: France, 2016). Also, I understand that Sweden is always able to manage it’s own scenery. But, I think that if you have a good song, a good singer/groupe, a good dressing, a good artistic director, a good sens of how to use elements already available on the stage, you can win. The best exemple is Germany in 2010. Very simple, but everything worked.
Croatia and Cyprus stole the show today!
Everybody is really bringing their a game this year
Opposite of last year; As if, in 2017, nobody really wanted to win…
I think Bulgaria wanted)
There’s always an exception for everything 😉
MACEDONI AMAZING!