Romania Roxen First Rehearsal Eurovision 2021

Romania’s Roxen has taken to the Rotterdam Ahoy stage for her first rehearsal at Eurovision 2021. Her performance is very similar to her music video, but how does “Amnesia” measure up on stage? Let’s see…

Romania’s Roxen “Amnesia” — Eurovision 2021 first rehearsal

Oliver: Almost a direct copy and paste from the music video, but with less dancers, updated outfits and a huge smoke machine budget. The stage backdrop looks good — with the absence of all her dancers, it shows silhouettes trying to break free from the screens. Roxen’s vocal is decent, but there’s no change to her diction or enunciation, which should have been a priority. As well, Roxen’s fatigue set in midway through the song and she occasionally lost her footing. The interpretive dance is also a rather bizarre translation on stage, but overall this is elevated from the music video. Perfecting this performance will be a monumental task.

Padraig: The stage show starts off dark and smokey and has a similar vibe to the music video. This gives way to light, as the backdrop is filled with a hopeful sunrise, radiating warm oranges, yellows and pinks. Roxen is wearing an oversized hoody, joggers and a giant pair of boots. It’s not exactly an outfit that screams Eurovision, but it appears to be a stylistic choice as her dancers are also dressed casually, albeit with an avant-grade flavour. Roxen acts the song, and you can hear the emotion in her voice. The fact that her vocal isn’t always perfect adds an extra emotional punch. However, the question remains as to whether the vocal cracking is down to emotion or the fact that she’s doing an awful lot of movement with her troupe of contemporary dancers.

Reaction to Romania’s first rehearsal at Eurovision 2021

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs)


What do you think? Did Roxen live up to your expectations? Let us know in the comments below. 

Read more Romania Eurovision 2021 news here

59 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Fun or ban?
Fun or ban?
2 years ago

A good move for the Romanian delegation would be to keep Roxen on the main stage on the second chorus, and to let the dancers go to the second little stage. Simply swap the places. Help her rest. I think the Romanian delagation made a huge mistake when they did not offer Roxen any backing vocals for the chorus, knowing she needs to move a lot on the stage. Poor judgement! Four dancers would have been enough.

JohnDoe
JohnDoe
2 years ago

Go Roxen,prove these negative types that your all that and the rehearsal means nothing!Canada is rooting for you!

Julian
Julian
2 years ago

Nobody cares about ESC anymore. The last singer people cared about was Laura. Since then only TVR knows what they want with this contest, no public involved hence no audience. It is just a big waste of money. Withdrawing would be the sound choice.

Seth
Seth
2 years ago
Reply to  Julian

Hmmm coming to a Eurovision website to complain about Eurovision and saying your country should withdraw. Do you really have nothing better to do?

Jake
Jake
2 years ago

I never thought this worked as a competitive song and now as a performance in a competition like this, even less…I never understood it’s appeal, but she genuinely looks lost on stage…what has happened to Romania lately…they were masters at Eurovision

Kirby
Kirby
2 years ago

Will Roxen be the new Sennek?

T.J.
T.J.
2 years ago

She seems lost on stage, not always knowing what to do next…

ESC fan
ESC fan
2 years ago

NQ

Roodi
Roodi
2 years ago
Reply to  ESC fan

lets see on the 18th of may

The truth
2 years ago

She needs to work on her vocals. They were pretty weak. It shows there was no auto-tune to help out.

Agent 007
Agent 007
2 years ago
Reply to  The truth

The song does not suit live performances. It was clear from the second I first heard it.

All W
All W
2 years ago
Reply to  The truth

Thats really sad as it looked she managed her vocals before. How will you solve that? There’s only a short time left?

Nati
Nati
2 years ago
Reply to  All W

In her rehearsals for 2020 eurovision when singing 5 sons to pick one, she did struggle with vocals too. But they might sort this.

Aeria
Aeria
2 years ago

Her styling is absolutely dreadful, so I pray they’ll change it. She also needs some vocal practice before the live shows. If not, Romania could very well be a shock NQ

Alex
Alex
2 years ago

great song message and performance but thye need to rehearse more. Roxen needs more help with backing vocals.

Cozmin COZMA
Cozmin COZMA
2 years ago

She is so beautiful!
I just felt that she was pretty nervous but hey, it’s just the first rehearsal. I think she will shine in the end …..
Also I think there is a lot of choreography for her to keep her vocals just perfect on point, the delegation can review perhaps this important element giving her the chance to perform in a better way.
Good luck, Roxen!

Teddy
Teddy
2 years ago

This is looking like a hot mess right now. We’re only a week away from the jury shows, she should be singing much better than this so late in the game. I hope Romania gets their act together because this semi is WAAY too cut throat for her to qualify with this

Colin
Colin
2 years ago

I LOVE this song, and I WANT it to qualify! Still, this clip shows that the staging could be too much to feel cohesive. This isn’t the semi to let yourself be out of focus. Please, Roxen, focus and qualify! I don’t want for some much inferior songs to come ahead just because they mastered the staging.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

I like the idea but needs to be towned down. Its never a good idea to look tired and over worked in your performance. Too many ESC acts have fallen in the trap of doing to much on stage..

Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago

I love the concept (the music video is by far my favorite between this year’ contestants), but the rehearsal snippet made me seriously concerned. It seems the choreographer forgot Roxen will have to sing too, she can’t run through the stage like that. I hope they have a plan B for the choreography, because it will be hard to perfect it under pressure.

Last edited 2 years ago by Sabrina
Kirby
Kirby
2 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

Good point!!!

nope
nope
2 years ago

The staging is a mess and she sounds like she’s gasping for air. I hope they fix this because I really like the song

Leo
Leo
2 years ago

This can totally work in the way Belgium 2017 worked

Popeye Spinach
Popeye Spinach
2 years ago

It could be that she`s wearing the green only at the rehearsal and not showing the real costume yet

Darren
Darren
2 years ago

This could go either way, though the nervousness she has could work in her favor as some kind of vulnerability, as the song is about not forgetting to love yourself.
Not writing Romania off yet, it’s one to watch.

McRoro2003
McRoro2003
2 years ago

She was so nervous and the choreography really didn’t suit her vocals.
I really hope Roxen and the Romanian delegation will fix what’s troubling them, because we all know Roxen can deliver a solid and emotional performance.
Fingers crossed for Romania!

Last edited 2 years ago by McRoro2003
Steven
Steven
2 years ago

She was in my top 10 but now I’m worried if she qualify for the grand final. Such a shame because this song is a masterpiece

VladF
VladF
2 years ago

Seriously? They had two years to prepare something impressive and they just presented this staging. I mean..seriously???

phone but on laptop
phone but on laptop
2 years ago
Reply to  VladF

fix your math, it was nowhere near 2 years

Vsl
Vsl
2 years ago

not TOO bad

Candy
Candy
2 years ago

If they get this right Romania could literally win. In this rehearsal tho the thing that is worrying me the most are her vocals. I hope she gets them right on 18th

Berco
Berco
2 years ago

Girl! Stop moving and give us your mesmerizing voice!

Thanos
Thanos
2 years ago

The staging is extremely ambitious. This means that this entry could go both ways. If it works it is going to be amazing. I am extremely worried about her vocals. I really hope their ideas work because I really like this song.

Theo
Theo
2 years ago

The first rehearsal is technical. Very few will go well in this rehearsal for most countries. The next one will be better. Good luck from Cyprus ?

Jo.
Jo.
2 years ago

I don’t think it was so bad, but if they get a camera shot wrong, the whole thing might falls down, it’s a very risky performance.

Ego Fuego
Ego Fuego
2 years ago

GO GIRL, GIVE US NOTHING!!!

Last edited 2 years ago by Ego Fuego
voix
voix
2 years ago

I saw someone judging Elena’s vocals. I am laughing.

Hello hi
Hello hi
2 years ago

Love the studio version and video production . Stage production is a mess. It reminds me of what happened with Armenia 2019 and what went wrong there

yeahyeahfire
yeahyeahfire
2 years ago

I want her so badly to qualify but with these vocals its very likely that this will stay in SM1

Kristian
Kristian
2 years ago

She was very out of breath . They need to make her run less.

Kwnos
Kwnos
2 years ago

She will definitely stay in the semis

WannaEatMySpaghetti
WannaEatMySpaghetti
2 years ago

Ouch. The staging seems messy to me and the vocals are bad. Romania was alreay 10th in my top of SF1 but now Roxen seems in danger.

Last edited 2 years ago by WannaEatMySpaghetti
Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago

roxen baby no… this needed minimal staging a la beautiful mess this is too much !!

gamarjoba
gamarjoba
2 years ago

Yikes! This mess of a performance makes even her Cherry Red self-sabotage look decent in comparison.

Grft
Grft
2 years ago

This looks so messy and sounds like a NQ to me.

Doris
Doris
2 years ago

It was so obvious when a studio version is so over autotuned that the live would be a mess.

kas
kas
2 years ago

Prefere her hair down. Nice choreography, wrong colors and clothes and Roxen was nervous enough. Unfortunatelly…with these bad vocals could be the shocked NQ of the semi 1. Actually, is the only song that has lost one place in odds, immediatelly after the first rehearsal. Hope to make the needed improvement.

Last edited 2 years ago by kas
IPA
IPA
2 years ago

Oh dear – those vocals are in trouble (and it’s not about saving her voice)! The girl ought to have a chat with Vasil!

mark dowd
mark dowd
2 years ago

It’s kind to suggest the frail, off key vocals are part of the song’s “emotion.” but it just sounds out of tune. Juries will punish that if she doesn’t get back on track. Shame , as it’s a decent song.

Viggz
Viggz
2 years ago

She was nervous, so let’s hope that her vocals will be better next time.

Sot
Sot
2 years ago

Oh no… That’s bad for Roxen

I don’t want her to NQ but… will the performance be emotional enough for her to qualify?
Plus she doesn’t look like the most confident performer out there

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago

She was good, but I have to say I’m a little bit disappointed by her vocals… I hope she will improve !

Escfan
Escfan
2 years ago
Reply to  Escfan

She should just drop her emotions and it will be 10 times better

VladF
VladF
2 years ago

So, the first of the two sad balkan princesses is out of the game. Let’s see what Viktoria will bring…

Sale
Sale
2 years ago
Reply to  VladF

This supossed to be fun? Well nobody laughed. Plus you can’t just rule them out yet. Remember the negative ractions Blanche got after rehearsals yet she still finished 4th.

Sale
Sale
2 years ago
Reply to  Sale

True 🙁

VladF
VladF
2 years ago
Reply to  VladF

Ahahah true, but I was talking just about the two sad ones!

JJ BB
JJ BB
2 years ago

She was really nervous

Leo
Leo
2 years ago

Why does she look like elves in that hoodie?
LOL!