She set foot on Israeli ground on Sunday and yesterday Denmark’s Leonora had her debut on the Eurovision stage — and what a debut. The 20-year-old singer served nothing but Danish delight during her rehearsals and Leonora herself was very satisfied with her and her team’s performance.
“It went very well. We’ve made some small changes compared to the show in Denmark, but it will be really good”, Leonora tells DR’s Grand Prix site.
“I actually feel very calm, because it was a good rehearsal,” she says.
Leonora’s first rehearsal revealed that the changes are in relation to the staging. Besides the two dancers, the “Love Is Forever” singer is now also joined on stage by two backing singers. This means that there are five people on the giant chair, swaying from side to side at the end of the song. Also, now, you can actually see Leonora climbing the chair herself, whereas she was lifted up during Dansk Melodi Grand Prix.
As we reported yesterday, Leonora received one of the loudest cheers in the press centre, and Eurovision boss at Danish national broadcaster DR, Jan Lagermand Lundme, is also over the moon about Leonora’s first rehearsal.
“Leonora shined all the way through. A lot has happened since Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. She has become more secure in her things and really sparkled on stage,” he says and calls it “a good first rehearsal”.
DR: Stop criticising Leonora for participating
Besides praising Leonora, the DR boss is also, once again, underlining why Denmark is participating in this year’s Eurovision in Tel Aviv. In a Q&A on DR’s Grand Prix site, Jan Lagermand Lundme explains thoroughly why Denmark is not boycotting the contest, and he specifically criticises those on social media who attack Leonora for participating in Israel.
“People can use me or DR for criticism, but to use our artist, who has won Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, I don’t think that is okay”, he says. “Eurovision is about things other than politics. It’s about music and music across borders. Yes, there are some things happening around Europe and in the rest of the world, but it has nothing to do with Eurovision.”
It is not the first time Jan Lagermand Lundme has gone public with sharp comments on why Denmark is participating, and how Eurovision is a non-political event. The DR boss already took a firm stand on Israel’s right to host Eurovision in September 2018, and he reiterated this in February.
And we are glad that Denmark is here in Israel, because Leonora is filling us with the love that we, and the world, all need.
What do you think about Leonora’s first rehearsal? Do you think she will make it to the final? Let us know in the comments below.
I am addicted to Leonora’s “Love is Forever” since it was one of the first ones that I heard. Now it goes round and round in my head and I can’t help singing it. I don’t even know that I am doing it until my daughter tells me to be quiet! I did however notice that there has been the addition of a little violin melody in the song when I last streamed it. Love it Leonora, you are very talented!
I don’t know what I feel about this performance. It’s simple and happy, but also weak and insufficient. Romania and Albania are more complex than this
shock, she feels emotions? cause she doesnt have any during her perfomance
Do you feel better now?
Truth hurts I know
Danes don’t feel emotions overall. Babies barely cry. it is a neurotic culture of repressed feelings. Avoid it at all costs