The lady wore white.
We’ve seen variations on white dresses, but Anna Odobescu took us outside of the box at Moldova’s first rehearsal at Eurovision 2019.
That’s because she paired her dress with a rose in a glass box and sand art from Kseniya Simonova.
The projections are mesmerising and seriously elevate Moldova’s package. There was a technical hitch in the first run, and in the second we also lost visuals, but did get to see her belting out the big notes in the climax.
Anna’s vocal was on point from the get go. Some singers hold back in rehearsals but she is not one of them.
There are not a lot of closeups in this performance. Instead the focus is the sand art and the narrative. And with the sand art alone this stands out from the crowd.
What is clear is that Moldova is firmly on course to qualify.
Anna Odobescu — “Stay”: Reviews and Reactions
Moldova: First rehearsal at Eurovision 2019
Moldova: First press conference 2019
Read all of our Eurovision rehearsal reviews
Photo Credit: EBU
the juries r gonna vote for this non-event!! WELP!! It’s Tako Gachigache Georgia 2017 all over again!!!
Moldova trying to wrap their mediocre song with an interesting staging like they’ve been doing over the past years. I’m going to forget the fact that is a copy of Ukraine 2011, because casual viewers won’t remeber that. Moldova will grab some points but this time they won’t be that lucky.
We, here, are not the casual viewers 😉
Are we?
My mother won’t remember that the sand-drawing idea was used but I will.
And for sure someone who goes to ESC (if not the performer then head of delegation at least) should know if something has been used before 🙂
Effects (used before in ESC) to cover a fact that the song is low average, just nothing special.
Copycats make me angry and for sure, won’t get my vote. (Not mentioning -the song is obvious trash.)
Ukraine 2011… back in Moldova 2019…
Sweden 2015… back in Iceland 2016 and Russia 2016…
Moldova 2013… back in Estonia 2018…
and so on…
Just like many movies about the same issue.
Most of remakes is trash 🙂
And Austria 2018…back in Sweden 2019
Cyprus 2018…back in Switzerland 2019
That Austria 2018… back in Sweden 2019?
I don’t get it.
What is similiar in their stage performance?
Cause that’s what Moldova is copying -idea for the performance, not the music genree (?)
I see nothing similiar in performances of Austria 2018 and Sweden 2019.
I don’t think Russia 2016 is a copy of Sweden 2015, he may have used a screen like Mans but it was like a massive upgrade on it. Germany also used a stage last year don’t forget :). I do agree with the Moldova and Estonia comparison though. Austria and Sweden 2018/19 are not the same at all and Cyprus and Switzerland are also a wrong comparison. So what? a lad can’t dance with dancers and a red background? Get over it. If you think Switzerland and Cyprus 2019 and 2018 are the same, you should listen to the mashup… Read more »
Russia 2016 and Iceland 2016 both used the same idea as Sweden 2015 had.
The idea of interacting with the video projected just behind them. No question.
Germany 2018? haha
No interaction. Video used just to have a better impact on last chorus (as he would do with LED screens if only it was available)
Copying is copying.
Moldova 2019 copied the idea from Ukraine 2011 or used their idea unintentionally. Though it should be checked by head of delegation before.
The way the reviewers are reacting so positively we’re on course for 13 songs qualifying from this semi. They can’t all go through.
She should have copied Silvia Night. LOL. What are the sand artists supposed to do? To have just one job in their entire life? What about golden rain/fire/fireworks/wind machines/holograms?
“golden rain/fire/fireworks/wind machines/holograms” are part of stage equipment able to be used by everyone (if they can afford it)
Copying general idea for presentation is copying. Period.
It looks good, but Moldova shouldn’t be rewarded for recycling Ukraine’s idea. The same way that Anna’s good vocals shouldn’t compensate the weak song. But for those who won’t remember 2011 and won’t pay enough attention to what they’re hearing for the first time, it’s possible it will be enough to make it a qualifier.
Are you ok? What Ukraine’s idea? Is like saying that wind machine is Carola’s idea.
Wind machine is a technical part of stage equipment able to use by everyone.
Fact that someone uses a certain type of light does not mean that anyone else is forbiden to use it…
But if you use a video-projecting dress, or sand painting… and so on… you just copycat others ideas for presentation.
Moldova was the most creative Eurovision country in terms of staging. This is a big disappointment, and also desperation.
100% agree with Sabrina and ESCJudge, you shouldn’t be rewarded for blatant copying and a weak song. There were endless options for staging really and this just insults many esc fans, they feel cheated.
This is what shameless plagiarism looks like ladies and gentlemen
She could have copied Ukraine 2019 staging instead as it was not seen before on the ESC.
LOL. But at least the staging would have a meaning with the song. If a woman do a MARUV for me I promise I stay AHAH
Don’t worry, no woman will do a MARUV for you, but you’ll stay anyway, because you’re like the plague.
Its only one Mika Newton this is just bad coppy with bad song
How is this good? ahahah So other countries have bad clothing (Portugal), bad song (Estonia), non-circus elements (Sbruk) are NQ but this boring song and wannabe bride with some random sand-art is amazing?? Give me a break!
Jamala: Moldova 2019 is Ukraine?
Joke aside, of course no one but ESC fans would remember that performamce. It was ages ago.
This is not a bad staging. Moldova always has good staging. They just moved up from sure NQ to borderline qualify with this
Finally someone is saying it out loud: Ukraine 2011 was a dull song wrapped in impressive staging!!!! Sometimes staging gets you far despite the song. But that said… This is such a strong semifinal so not sure if Moldova can qualify…. But then again Lithuania won the jury vote in its semifinal in 2011 with the worst song ever… So everything is possible.
To me Lithuania 2011 was one of the best songs that year – granted, maybe a bit cheesy and generic, but it had that sort of Disney quality – that was just a classy ballad.
I know that non-eurofans won´t remember this from 2011… but shouldn´t this kind of copy-paste be penalised? I mean, do you want to see every year the same acts, gimmicks, staging? One thing is “inspiration” (see women with projections in their dresses) and another thing is an exact copy of another act. I don´t know… very disappointed with Moldova.
That’s like saying country X can’t have their singer sing alone on stage, because country Y has already done it before.
It’s not like she’s performing the same “sand-art” they obviously changed it around. This happens all the time: a succesfull gimmick sometimes gets re used. I do think however they could have made it a bit more different, but I don’t see anything wrong with them doing it again.
What? Let’s penalize Australia 2019 for copy of Slovenia 2016 (joke) Let’s penalize Czech Republic for having boxes like UK 2010, or like Ukraine 2008 (joke)
Oli, you don’t know what copy-paste means.
Clearly, people don’t understand the situation. Moldova 2019 is a blatant copy of Ukraine 2011. I mean how random is it to have a sand artist? It’s so obvious what they are doing. I wouldn’t have minded if the sand artist came back as an interval act, but for a country when the song has no correlation whatsoever to it. Why doesn’t every country every year do it if it gets a good placing? Because they realize that they shouldn’t blatantly copy a unique staging. You’re taking the piss if you seriously think the Czech Republic should be penalised for… Read more »
Elegant, but little related to the song. However, Anna did the best she could IMHO. Any ”big” staging would be weird for this song, but any simpler would go totally unnoticed. I guess, as good as it comes with this song.
What’s so special in boring sand art tho?
“Got talent” competitions are full of these sand shows. I’m sure she didn’t thought “Let’s copy Ukraine”.
Oh come on….
Moldova is back in game for final. Only ESC fans remember Ukraine 2011
Nah. I’ve asked several people that aren’t fans of Eurovision and Ukraine 2011 was one of the entries most of them DID remember. It was far more memorable than people think.
2011 is back! the song predates 2011 – its a tough semi final already: WON’T QUALIFY
The fact that it’s a nice gimmick doesn’t mean that it can be ignored that it’s a shameless copy of Ukraine 2011.
I don’t find it nice gimmick either, it’s rather annoying, distracts attention from the singer and song, no connection with the song too
Ukraine not in Eurovision at this time but Moldova decided to remind us about them. Thank u Moldova it’s very original !!!
Why hate? Moldova always does something for staging. Moldova never had just a singer with a microphone, like it or hate it. And sand being out of fashion? Oh come on! I wish her more luck than Sunstroke and Doredos. She will not do better than them, but anyway, she is so lovely.
No one minds them doing extravagant staging but this is just a blatant copy of 2011 and just shows us they thought this song was way too weak to qualify :(.
Welcome back, Kseniya!
It was a one-time thing, imo.
LOL, welcome to 2011
Ukraine 2011, anybody?
Nice gimmick, still not enough to make them qualify.
Yes, great idea, but already used by Mika Newton. Mika achieved the brilliant 4th place, but it was also due to her awesome song.
ukraine 2011’s song was actually stay level of bland and boring if not worse, so she has a chance
Oh man…”Angel” was my #1 that year. (Don’t hurt me).
Mine too 🙂
i mean i like it too, it’s the eurovision’s own illuminati classic, but it’s objectively vanilla
in 2011 it got a little bit distracting to watch because you kept seeing Kseniya’s arms come across the LED screen at the back: I hope they’ve found a fix for that
odobexcuse me haters, but moldova did THAT