Pandas love bamboo.

And at Austria’s first rehearsal at Eurovision 2019, Austria’s Paenda proved she is no exception.

She began her performance amongst a forest of light-up bamboo-like sticks alone on stage.

Paenda wore a simple black outfit, sat on a stool and nailed her vocal.

In one run she even shed a tear, which communicates the emotional impact of the song, and shows her strength of feeling.

This did elevate to a degree from the studio cut, but a greater sense of progression will help.

Initial runs were actually black and white, which was not intentional.

Paenda had one of the best voices today, but there is room for the production to be improved.

Paenda — “Limits”: Reviews and Reactions

Austria: First rehearsal at Eurovision 2019

Austria: First press conference 2019

Read all of our Eurovision rehearsal reviews

Photo Credit: EBU

36 Comments
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Jo.
Jo.
5 years ago

I’d love to see this qualifying, but I don’t think it will happen.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
5 years ago

Austria just got themselves some jury votes.
Don’t know if it’s enough to pull an Anja but it might not have to. In a SF with the likes of Ireland, Latvia and Moldova…this might not come in the bottom three of the televote. Could sneak in!

Loin dici
Loin dici
5 years ago

If you guys actually watched the music video, there is only some room left for complain. That’s the exact piece she is wearing from the MV, and I think she feels proud wearing it. Plus, this feels more wecoming and vulnerable rather than the zebra suit or the floral dress she wore at Dancing Stars.

Loin dici
Loin dici
5 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

On the other hand, I just want to change her pants, and her pants only. A black denim might suit better.

Alex
Alex
5 years ago

Nice visuals but please change the outfit, cmon guys tell her to find something that looks better! It’s distracting and not suiting the song’s mood.

It doesn’t stand any chances to qualify unless juries go crazy again with Austria.

poe-tay-toe-chips
poe-tay-toe-chips
5 years ago

…Is that really what she’s planning to wear?

Jeez, why is everyone this year dressing in such unfitting clothing?

I get she wore that in her music video, …but it legit looks like something you’d lounge around your house in

Yana
Yana
5 years ago

Don’t like her outfit at all

Cesar's salad
Cesar's salad
5 years ago

I am Austrian and I don’t know what will happen. But ORF does me proud with their professional approach year after year. I am so worried that the new management, which is in charge soon and delegated by the right-wing government, won’t care anymore about song contest by 2021. So I hope and pray that we will slay.

Btw. Limits hit me like a truck. I teared up like a grief-stricken widow when I heard this for the first time. Love my paenda gurl so much.

LiliWood
LiliWood
5 years ago

The best of the day. And it was a surprise for me too

marty
marty
5 years ago

that looks very promising.

Sabrina
Sabrina
5 years ago

It looks minimalist, gentle and ellegant, just as the song. The way William and Angus described it got me curious. I’ll probably like it (you were right this time, Zena), the jury may respect it, but don’t know if the televote will respond.

Anita
Anita
5 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

It is my winner of today and ESCUnited who saw it had it also as a winner of today..

Sabrina
Sabrina
5 years ago
Reply to  Anita

I’m glad to know it did well with people who were there. It gives me hope that the audience still can connect to the song as much as I do.

zzxxz
zzxxz
5 years ago

Nice staging, her vocal on the point, I pretty like this song but, chorus could to be effective.

Ezal
Ezal
5 years ago

Nice effort, but I don’t know if this could qualify, maybe when I see complete staging. That “costume” ruins the performance.

Sabrina
Sabrina
5 years ago
Reply to  Ezal

I won’t say the costume ruins it, but it’s not very flattering.

Tusán
5 years ago

Yeah the forest setup worked for Germany in 2016 as well. Lol

Alex
Alex
5 years ago
Reply to  Tusán

The problem was the ridiculous appearance of the artist. Don’t blame it on the background

Komentator
Komentator
5 years ago

I expected much more from her…Song and vocal deserve much better stage performance and suitable costume…I’m sorry but bookmakers didn’t make a mistake…

NickC
NickC
5 years ago

Great staging, but again, the song is not strong enough to qualify me thinks.

Karl Fradgley
Karl Fradgley
5 years ago

This 100 percent deserves the final – I have a bad feeling that North Macedonia will have similar staging and they wil cancel each other out. Austrian entry one of my personal favourites

Denis
Denis
5 years ago

Neither the song nor staging is convincing. It’s OK

miramax09
miramax09
5 years ago

Odds are droping already 🙂 I knew it, well done ORF, you did everything right this year. Cheers

IVANOV
IVANOV
5 years ago
Reply to  miramax09

Fake crying yes well done.

Henry
Henry
5 years ago
Reply to  IVANOV

Really? are you here just to tear down EVERY country except Russia?? poor you.

Hector
Hector
5 years ago

Don’t know about the camera angles, but the staging looks very promising!

Loin dici
Loin dici
5 years ago

From the looks of it, people were not convinced yet. But we haven’t seen camera angles yet — some of the other game-changing factors are in the camera angles. If Austria does it right, we might see it snatching some other people’s spot.

Colin
Colin
5 years ago

I have a strong hunch that semi 2 will have at least one surprising qualifier and Austria is likely it. The juries will eat this up and honestly, it’s more engaging than Latvia when it comes to simplicity.

PP77
PP77
5 years ago
Reply to  Colin

My prediction surprising qualifier can be Romania,Ireland intead Armenia, N.Macedonia ,if we looking betting odds who will qualify. And maybe Lithuania took place instead Norway. Lithuania have UK,Ireland,Latvia plus other ex Soviet Union Moldova,Armenia,Azerbaijan,Russia, and they will get some points from Nordick Sweden, Denmark,Norway.

Conor K
Conor K
5 years ago

Austria will qalify quite comfortably in my opinion. Its a charming song and the staging is great

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
5 years ago

Austria is qualifying this year with THAT staging. I said it.
Hear me out: it’s simplistic, but super effective and moving. Juries are gonna go crazy once this song is on, and I think that the televote will respect her talent and the rawness of the performance.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
5 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

juries might fall for this, but the public ? nah

IVANOV
IVANOV
5 years ago

No way they have already the NL for sob stories.

KuhKatz
KuhKatz
5 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

Televote will kick this one out for sure.

Nicolas
Nicolas
5 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

On a weak SF maybe but Austria is on the same league as The Netherlands, North Macedonia. No way all three of these songs will qualify together.

Minerva
Minerva
5 years ago
Reply to  Skiwalko

I also think there is something about the singing & staging that grabs the attention. We’ll have to wait and see the full dress rehearsal before the semi-final.