On stage, full of rage and a man in a cage.
Hatari upped their game in Iceland’s first rehearsal at Eurovision 2019.
The performance is choreographed around a giant cage, in which one of the dancers, sporting black contacts writhes around.
Matthias is dominant from the outset, holding court centre stage, and delivering his growl vocal perfectly.
Pyros and smoke effects add more kinetic energy to the piece as we move through verses and choruses. At various points red waves of energy fizzle into life, including chains at several points.
Klemens enters later, supported by backing dancers / backing vocalists, sashays around the stage, then submits during the climax of the track.
This came across far more polished than at the national final or in pre-party season. Hatari have added choreography, but they have also spent shekels on the stage: there is pyro, fresh outfits and an enormous visual stone bust of Matthias’ head on the screens.
Similar to a few other entries today there is some camerawork that needs ironing out, but otherwise Iceland looks to be in a good spot.
The vocal is there, the choreography is on point, in short the artists are doing what they need to. Now it is about the production tying together the loose ends.
Hatari — “Hatrið mun sigra”: Reviews and Reactions
Iceland: First rehearsal at Eurovision 2019
Iceland: First press conference 2019
Read all of our Eurovision rehearsal reviews
Photo Credit: EBU
This looks stunning. Iceland has the most interesting entry in years !!!
!
I was kinda hoping for a few more surprises. No-one is going drastically away from what they did in their NF (or at least, not in a good way, Montenegro, Belarus…). It’s a solid job but I thought they were really going to go for this!
their NF was super solid tho. If it aint broke, don’t fix it…
I think this can pull a Russia 2016 and narrowly miss the first place. They will do great in televoting, but juries will be divided.
The best scenario for them would be to follow the Conchita route and gain momentum after their live performance in SF1.
Controversy sells, especially if it has a message.
Looking solid. I had 3 problems with the national final performance: couldn’t see enough of their faces, the lack of a narrative and frenetic camerawork (in other words, too much going on at the same time). Based in the rehearsal pictures and reactions, they’re dealing with all of those, making it more accessible without toning down the provocation. Glad to know we’ll see more of the dancers, they’re great!
I was going to send my notes, until I realised they were exactly the same as yours! 🙂
I like the staging so far. Looking forward to the graphics overlay next.
I’m confident they’ll get things right and make us pleased about it, Mask. 🙂 They must make use of all the distinctive, strong, good looking faces they have to show here.
I got a feeling they might win the televote in sf1, but not the semi overall and it’ll be mostly the juries fault for that.
for the juries, i think they’ll be split between liking and hating it
As much as I love them, not crazy about this
It perhaps looks too similar to their NS staging in terms of lighting and styling
Not saying I expected anything different but since I’ve seen it before, I’m like “cute, ok”
The people at home who’ll be seeing it for the first time though, they’ll probably have a bigger response to it
And as long as I have a face, my boy Matthias will always have a place to sit
Nothing special…
Well, I don’t get the hype about this one. Just screaming. Punk-rock? Lordi was rock and their outfits were another league. These guys are late regarding to their looks. I honestly can’t even like it or listen to it. Can someone just explain how this is soooo special?
It is not designed to be “special”. It is the listeners who decided whether they like it or not. Obviously this type of music is resonating with people, otherwise it would not be talked about. This is not Lordi, this is not punk rock, the alternative music scene is incredibly diverse and you comparing them to these shows your ignorance. You can choose not to like it, but please have some knowledge before spouting your vitriol.
In order for a criticism to have weight, it has to be grounded in an articulate knowledge of what you are criticising. Given the amount of times people get criticised for not understanding the situation in the Middle East, you would have thought that you would understand that? Please tell me when I said that I “expect to be respected”? I said that you earn respect, I didn’t say I was to be respected in any way. I was only pointing out that you should not criticise something of which you have little understanding. Oh, the irony!
It’s not “soooo” special IMO. It’s just has many elements not normally seen in Eurovision or mainstream pop in general. Plus, in simple “quality”, it beats all other songs this year.
Close your eyes, and listen to the soft falsetto in the chorus over the magnificent techno instrumental. I think that piece of music is one level above the competition. Focus on the sound, not the looks, and perhaps you’ll like it better.
They might win the televoting, they have the shock value that Lordi and Conchita had.
However, they look a bit desperate so it might turn against them. It’s a good song and interesting staging, too hardcore for a family friendly show.
It will be interesting to see how the juries will reach (it would depend on the age group of the jurors) but televoters will vote for it for many reasons.
YES. Reykjavik 2020!
i hear the booo they gonna get…..oh ohhh what a booo…they wanted politics they will get politics
listen to their press conference before down voting…they deserve the booo they will get…i wont be surprised if the ebu will send them back to iceland
what did they say
I have just watched their press conference – please enlighten us on the mystery of why they “deserve the boo”?
You dont express stupid politic opinions like “end the occupation and there will be peace”. this is not done when you come to be a guest in a country. or to invite the israel prime minister for a kind of traditional Icelandic fight. it started not today in the press conference, even ola sand went to iceland to warn them. they should be boycotted from participating for involving politics in the contest…and i bet they have no clue about the conflict, but its a trend to bash israel, especially in europe…650 rocketts on israeli cities in the last 2 days… Read more »
Grow up – they were pushed into a corner by insistent journalists and you know it. You choose to focus on 5 seconds of a 20 minute interview where they came across as intelligent and funny throughout. Until you realise that you are contributing to the problem, you will never solve it.
The journalist was from iceland as well and she, exactly like them, wanted
to involve politics in the contest…the interviewer made the mistake, she should have said:”im handling the press conference and its over” .
these pigs will respect my country…
Oh dear, I think you have confirmed my suspicions – you earn respect.
you give respect when you are a guest what is not clear? this is what i do when im not in my country. dont come to make problems, we have enough here
You don’t own Eurovision just because it is in your country. If you don’t feel able to accept and tolerate visitors, give the contest to a country that will.
we do, we pay everything including their stay and food…visitors should behave and no one will tell them anything…why there is no problem with other countrues? because they behave not like pigs
They don’t need your food and hospitality, they could pay for it themselves. Please, have some humility and remember that you have been trusted with Eurovision.
if you dont understand that they should behave in the country that host them, you have a problem as well.
are you from iceland as well? i think you have a problem in the education system…and if to tell the truth i think that the eurovision will be canclled, soon the palestinians will shoot rocket on tel aviv in order to cancel it, send them the flowers
I really hope that you are in a minority of people in Israel.
same for you in iceland
Which is unlikely given Iceland voted for this song?
sorry for your country….one day the education system will teach you what is respect…dont mess with nation pride, you just dont do it, especially when you are a guest
Have I been duped? Are you doing some reverse psychology and being so jingoistic to make me like Iceland more? If so, then you are one very clever individual.
i know you have a problem to understand simple things…what can i do? get help
I would love to see Hatari winning the whole thing. Just to see Israeli reaction.
they have no chance so dont dream about it
William has just uploaded an excellent interview with Hatari on YouTube, you are going to really enjoy it. Please report back once you have. Much love.
Yeah i saw it and i hope yan ola sand saw it as well…they called once again israel apartheid state etc…what are you si proud about…iceland should be shame for acting like this at the host country…i just hope the israelli crowd will do simeething really extreme
Don’t bother Gili, most eurofans don’t give a single damn about this situation unless a rocket lands on expo tel aviv and their little bubble gets burst. Just enjoy the eurovision and root for a more tasteful act in the final. Peace and shalom from the Netherlands.
i dont expect people here to admit that hatari group dont know how to behave at a host country…its a shame for iceland, i dont really care, but in the contest i will boooo them, its bigger then us(:
@Frisian esc: Sorry, but that is not correct, speaking for myself. For one, I happen to work in the media when I’m not doing music, and what is happening out there very much matters to me. I wish we could have more of an open discussion about the world at ESC, but sadly, the organisers have told us this cannot be done because it is not a means towards peace. I couldn’t disagree more, as I have learned the most in my life when my own preconceptions and knowledge are challenged.
The only person I see getting booed today is you gili
And I live lol
yeah sure, you are all from iceland here…but in the contest it will be israelis including me…so trust me…we will handle them
lmao I’m not from iceland but i noticed the only people seeming to have a tantrum over them are from israel.
also i noticed multiple israeli news sites tend to tell blatant lies about them sooo….
of course only israelis….dahhh…if it was your country you would be mad as well, especially when hindered of rockets are thrown on israeli cities…..they really found the best time to start with us…and no one is telling a lie, dont troll here
Uhhh, yeah, there’s new articles that lie
News articles: “This icelandic band is planning on protesting against israel on stage!!!!!”
Hatari, repeatedly: “We intend to follow the rules of the competition while on stage and do not intend to do anything on stage other than try to win”
Well, the first sentence was true until yan ola sand went to iceland to warn hatari group that if they will do so icaleland will not participate in eurovision in the coming years so they agreed to the rules….the second sentence was said by hatari after they were warned.
As i said…dont troll here
Aaaaaanyway i hope hatari wins just because it’d annoy you lmao
Girl you are obsessed. Stop giving them so much attention, which is exactly what they want. Get her a ticket sir SHE’S A FAN SIRRRRR
Remember to v o t e #13 HATRID MUN SIGRA
Unfortunately it will be a shocking NQ. The staging is not good, I was expecting something more stylish from the band and the song itself will put off some of the juries.
Love them so much!!
Don’t get the hype tbh. If I had to choose between ”weird” entries, I would choose Portugal.
Too provactive, which means it will win the televoting like Lordi and Conchita.
I think juries will support it but not all of them. It’s up to Russia and Netherlands now
Well yes, the performance itself is pretty exciting. Some people may be shocked by some bdsm but, in my opinion, it’s ridiculous to be shocked by this in 2019. Their song is cute, Matthias is cute (and he is my current eye candy), they are sending a good project on this stage. It’s not my favourite song, I already said that, it’s pretty outdated for me, but still a very high quality song and performance. They deserve to be in the final and to be in the top 10. I hope I didn’t say nothing too obscene or offensive for… Read more »
Iceland is only the one Norway has to worry about, because Iceland entry has strong and important massage for the world. world is getting worst in terms of evil, and hatari acts as warning that needs imediatr attentions. Iceland and Norway are in my top 2, then Cyprus, then netherland then italy, by the way Cyprus, nethetland and Italy are nit my favourite just prediction in top 5
This is AAAAWFUL
I don’t think this will impress both jury as televote. It will get some freak show-points though. But definitely not top 5 material imho.
Internet is full of praise for Australia and Iceland. Now they are both challenging for the win. Kinda feeling sorry for Estonia now, it has the risk of being completely swallowed.
their outfits are cruelty free.
Top 5 in the final televoter AT LEAST, I love the prop and they were vocally great even tho they were probably holding back. Today is already a lot more interesting than yesterday.
i’m glad they didn’t overdo the leds, after all they’re the visual centerpiece of it all
lmao, just need to watch Portugal’s…this section is out of this world (Australia, Iceland, Portugal and maybe Greece)