Second rehearsals at Eurovision 2017: Croatia, Norway, Switzerland, Belarus

Operatic duets for one, men in masks and a Romanian diva descending a staircase — the second rehearsals of Eurovision 2017 are on! We continue with Croatia, Norway, Switzerland and Belarus.

Croatia: Jacques Houdek with “My Friend”

Singing a duet for one, the Croatian crooner gave each of his on-stage personas a different look by wearing one outfit in two halves. On his left side he wore what appeared to be a leather jacket (for the torch song singer), while on the right side he wore a tuxedo (for the opera star). Turning to the right or the left, each side of the outfit comes into sharper focus — and yet it still works as a whole when he stares straight into the camera during the soaring chorus.

Elsewhere he’s toned down the opening shot where he stares into the camera, serving as your friendly motivational speaker who tells you that life should be lived as a miracle. He seems further back and less in your face, reducing any creepy vibes we felt earlier.

Croatia’s Second Rehearsal at Eurovision 2017

Jacques Houdek, “My Friend”: Performance Preview

Norway: JOWST with “Grab the Moment”

Forget black and blue — JOWST want to leave you purple and white with just the right amount of pink. Once again they created major atmosphere with their track “Grab the Moment”, taking us to a mysterious lounge with masked DJs and drummers. The purple renderings of Alexander’s silhouette now appear in sharper focus on the left and right sides of the screen, but we never lose sight of the real deal as he stands in the centre dancing and singing.

Norway’s Second Rehearsal at Eurovision 2017

JOWST, “Grab the Moment”: Performance Preview

Switzerland: Timebelle with “Apollo”

Once again Miruna was the belle of the ball, standing atop her spiral staircase illuminated with a yellow spotlight, which matched her sunny dress with deep thigh-split. Channeling Eurovision princess, she wore her hair in a dramatic part, letting her locks fall in corkscrew curls past her shoulders. As you can see in our performance video below, her walk down the stairs seems rather perilous — especially given the height of her heels — but she handled it like a pro. Going into the final 40 seconds the long pause where she catches her breath before belting it out seems even more dramatic as the stage goes dark. Yellow LED baubles grow out of the floor surrounding the staircase, and a gentle breeze blows against Miruna at times, sending the fluffy lining of her dress into motion. They’re lovely little touches that give this added warmth.

Switzerland’s Second Rehearsal at Eurovision 2017

Timebelle, “Apollo”: Performance Preview

Belarus: Naviband with “Story of my Life”

Their song makes even the most bitter of Bettys bounce and bob. And today Naviband moved even more as they stood on their hydroplane with massive fans at back. They were even more playful and joyous — and that may be down to their new threads. Ksenia wore a translucent lace number with organza overlay that offered a tasteful and tantalising peak of what lay beneath. She also added henna tattoos to her hands, providing arresting new visuals for those close-ups. Arciom added a hat to his ensemble, turning him into the Clyde to her Bonnie. Towards the end of the song they hold each other close and spin in circles. It’s a dizzying finish to one of the happiest songs of the year.

Belarus’ Second Rehearsal at Eurovision 2017

Naviband, “Story of my Life”: Performance Preview