On Saturday night they’ll perform in the biggest Eurovision preview event of the year.
But on Friday a handful of the Eurovision 2017 stars turned out early and stayed out late for the Eurovision in Concert 2017 Welcome Party in Amsterdam.
Wiwibloggs was on the scene with our cameras out and our attitude on and enjoyed an evening of live performances and scintillating conversation, which took place high in the sky at the bar of this year’s official hotel (which shall remain nameless to keep the paparazzi at bay). How many Eurovision artists can you spot at the bar in the video below?
Guests — including Austria’s Nathan Trent, Belarus’ Naviband, Macedonia’a Jana Burceska, Ukraine’s O.Torvald and Norway’s JOWST — nibbled on hors d’oeuvres and sipped fine wine, while giving a handful of interviews to international and Dutch media.
San Marino’s Valentina Monetta has more experience at Eurovision than any other performer this year. So it was only natural that she and her duet partner Jimmie Wilson were the first to perform.
They turned the small stage into a club of their own, dropping their euro-dance track “Spirit of the Night”. And let’s just say they definitely had the spirit, with Valentina working her flame red hair and that beautiful voice.
HOVIG — who has previously performed his Eurovision number in Armenia and Greece — delivered an acoustic performance of his song “Gravity”.
Stripped back and pure, it really showcased his vocals, which we’ve been a fan of since he released “Stone in a River” back in 2015.
Afterwards he treated the crowd to a cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” — talk about versatile!
You can watch all of the performances on our YouTube playlist at the end of this post. You’ll see Manel Navarro cover Beyoncé’s “Drunk In Love”, Claudia Faniello slay “Breathlessly” and HOVIG slam dunk an acoustic version of “Gravity”.
But for now we just have to show you Epic Sax Guy in action. All these years later he’s still thrusting and dancing — we can’t take our eyes off of him!
Epic Sax Guy is life. #Eurovision #EurovisioninConcert @ESCinConcert pic.twitter.com/UDCX9bp5fN
— wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs) April 7, 2017
Before leaving the bar we pulled Israel’s Imri Ziv to the side for an interview by the elevator shaft.
The “I Feel Alive” singer told us about adopting a street cat, what it was like hosting more than 20 acts at Israel Calling and his love of airplanes and aviation. His heart is as big as his biceps. J’adore!
We’ll upload that in the days ahead. As for now, feast your eyes on him wagging that tongue!
And last, but certainly not least, we finally made contact with DiHaj — one of the edgiest and most avant-garde performers of the year.
Working super-high black platforms and plenty of black leather, the Azerbaijani beauty was serving face and attitude — she is a woman of our own heart.
We’re dying to hear “Skeletons” live and tomorrow we finally will. Dead!
Whose performance are YOU most looking forward to? Which acts remain a mystery to you and which ones are you just gagging to get closer to? Let us know in the comments box below.
And don’t forget: You can watch all of tonight’s performances in the YouTube playlist below.
I am so happy to read this. This is the type of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this greatest doc.
Is there a live stream somewhere ?
This guy Hovig ”bought” me with Redemption song, yeah! <3
(if only audience could stop chatting and taking selfies for a little, lol)
@he jia: i have a feeling she will bring 5 backing vocalists with her on stage to provide that choral sound in her song.
35 acts? Yeah!!
Definetely I’m looking forward to songs we haven’t heard yet at parties (Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Hungary, Albania and the Netherlands)!
As for the performances here, Sunstroke Project slay! I love these guys more than in 2010!
Also: I loved the acoustic version of “Gravity” by Hovig! Maybe it’s not a suitable song for an acoustic version. Still like it!
Azerbaijan is really an interesting country this year can’t wait to hear that live in Kiyev 🙂
Dihaj Aze <3
DiHaj is a band (Diana and her husband and a friend) so in the end only Diana will go to Eurovision?
OMG, I really hope my favourite, Azerbaijan doesn’t disappoint me!
I’m so looking forward to seeing Dihaj. Currently Skeletons is my favourite song hands down.
Hopefuly Dihaj will be just fine. It was painful to know her team was barred from songwriting for contest. I’m relieved to discover artists like this.
I also hope Joci will convey everything he wants to. Would be nice to hear more authentic version of song although I’m not sure if that will happen – way to packed line-up, less time to make it better.
IM INLOVE WITH IMRI!!!
so excited for Romania, Hungary and Dihaj tonight 🙂
here is a picture of Ilinca and Alex on their way to amsterdam 🙂
I love DiHaj with her everything. Everything she does suits her. She is not ordinary pop singer. I cannot imagine her with standard Hollywoodish gowns and attitudes on red carpet. She is like “old school but in new school” 🙂 She comes from jazz and classical music background which is supposed to have in every professional singer`s career in Azerbaijan like Sabina Babayeva, Elnur Huseynov. Though, I am not sure how well this Eurovision song will do on the stage but I am really thankful to know such different personality and talent.
@Stan
Salvador Sobral won’t be seen until Kyiv (Portugal statement). He is either in hospital because health problems, or he is hiding under a rock.
”sipped fine wine”
Yes, all of them had red faces, why doing that when you have to give interviews?
Tel Aviv was better, maybe less alcohol was the key.
I think Salvador Abral is currently on tour in Portugal and isn’t doing any promo-event. And also no Yulia Samaylova…
@Esc bear
Oh.. they don’t look good.. what a disaster! It’s just photos lol
Come on DiHaj and Imri are both fierce!
Can’t wait to hear first live performance of Dihaj! I love the song(in my TOP3) but I really don’t know what to expect with the live
I’m sure OG3NE are at this party at least. It’s too far for Isaiah to travel all the way from Melbourne to Europe and back again….
So who else is not coming to any of the pre-ESC parties at all? I know Australia and The Netherlands aren’t.
i think her haircut looks great. it is just a bad angle i think. girl needs to learn her angles!
can’t wait for her to perform tomorrow! hope she slays! <3
What an “awful” job must be when you get paid to go to parties. hehe 😉
I don’t like Imri’s facial pose.He is so handsome but he has a dump silly face on the photo though.
Dihaj looks like she is on drugs & has smoked a crack or something.I really don’t like her.Although I like her song.
omg….. Dihaj from Azerbaijan has very bad haircut ….. I am so scared when I am looking on her face……..
Can’t wait for Dihaj to perform. But I am equally excited about Hungary! Both are in my top five (together with Portugal, Italy and Bulgaria)