Latvia’s Samanta Tina has taken to the Rotterdam Ahoy stage for her first rehearsal of “The Moon Is Rising” at Eurovision 2021. We know she is a queen of the night, but was she a queen of the stage? Let’s see..
Latvia’s Samanta Tina “The Moon Is Rising” — Eurovision 2021 first rehearsal
Oliver: The colour palette here screams royalty — the Latvian songstress is wearing a pine green frock and her backdrop has hints of gold, including a pair of hands forming a crown. The opening is dramatic and suspenseful — Samanta starts her performance facing away from the camera, lit by vertical runway style lights. But once she turns around and joins her harness-clad visor-donning dancers, the payoff is underwhelming. There’s little movement and Samanta looks very small on stage, drowned out by vast emptiness. The message of the song is lost, too. Unfortunately, it feels less about celebrating women and more of a vehicle to showcase Samanta’s (fantastic) vocal talent. But this is incohesive, confusing and lacklustre.
Padraig: Emerald eleganza. Samanta looks stunning in a gorgeous green gown that stretches to the floor. She accessorizes with gloves and an ornate neckpiece that stretches over her shoulders and cleavage. She’s also joined by her squad of visor wearing women from her 2020 music video. The staging is golden. We see a giant set of hands, which melts down before they come back later on to form a crown. The performance is less jarring than the studio, which is both a blessing and a curse. It will be less likely to scare people away, but it’s also less memorable.
Reaction to Latvia’s first rehearsal at Eurovision 2021
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What do you think? Did Samanta Tina live up to your expectations? Let us know in the comments below.
Sorry but it’s a big No for me, my number 39… is annoying, the styling is cheesy. I don’t see any “royalty” thing in this, just crap
Very try hard and her hair/dress choice is Tamara Todevska’s gone crazy.
I’m afraid I don’t like anything about this staging. But I’m glad the backing vocals play a big part on it.
Everything about this act is fake. Style over content. I don’t even buy the “woman-empowerment” here. She would sing ANYTHING to get attention and she figured out the feminist row would be the most rewarding one. Poor attempt. Absolutely last place in my ranking. Hopefully we don’t see this in the final.
I understand that criticism itself isn’t bad, but imagine the artists reading some of these comments.. some of them are so harsh. Have some compation, everybody is unique and Eurovision isn’t only about winning and/or being perfect. Let the girl be herself even if it isn’t something you particularly love and enjoy. Peace
This looks more like the staging for still breathing rather than the moon is rising. Why isn’t Samantha surrounded by a couple of dancers?
Why does she love the dancers’ outfits this much? And just like the song the staging looks messy and I can’t see this qualifying
I have a question. Who is in the running to be this year’s Barbara Dex winner?
Destiny
Green like Conan Osiris doesn’t automatically means Barbara Dex. Malta is by far the worst or maybe for the first time it will go for some dancers like the creepy San Marino ones
Horrible staging, outfits. Very kitsch, remind me of the old and awful Eurovision aesthetics.
Very bad choices Samanta, why 🙁
And the Barbara Dex Award 2021 goes to… Samanta Tina! At least she won something
So true! Take for example Azerbaijan, Malta, Romania, Israel and Croatia.. All of them are amazing songs, but the outfits… not so much
I am speechless and not in the right way
I dob’t want to be negative, but I just genuinely think even Georgia and Poland have more chances to qualify than Latvia. I’ll be shocked to see this even 10th in the SF.
I would mind, if it qualifies. It’s bad to sound like a drill, if you’re not second wave electronics. Her dress looks like a one hundred second-hand. She even can’t be saved by vocals like Slovenia. Also, I hate this popular on ESC last years “fem-vote-begging” with all the songs ’bout female improvement the deep meaning of which was invented on PR conference. It’s as cheap as play “I’m so anti-racist/so pro-LGBTQ+” game every time when you want to achieve more points.
Samanta has clearly worked hard to deliver her vision for Eurovision. The Moon Is Rising is a marmite entry—but she’s knows this, no one is everyone’s cup of tea and she won’t try to be that—but I can see and tell from the reviews that she’s at least attempting to bring more people on board. It’s an undeniably ballsy entry that marches to the beat of its own vibrant bonkers drum. She’s never looked more radiant. I think she’ll qualify.
Then you missed the point entirely, dear—but considering you asked me to leave you out of things, you do have an odd habit of commenting on my various recent posts 😉
…do you need some fresh air, Bean?
Careful, that’s almost sweet.
The song has some elements of a complete cacophony, but credit where credits due. Samanta radiates all the power and all the confidence this needs on stage. Plus, the green visuals will stand out among all the blue and pink. Uncertain on whether it will go through, but it won’t go unnoticed.
PS. But yeah, I also agree that without other diverse women to support this idea, this could pass off as pure self-indulgence.
I like the song, but I feel like the staging doesn’t match the song and the message it wants to convey. Now it’s more about Samanta herself and recreating the idea they had planned for 2020. It just not it. I fear it will be seen more as Samanta praising herself than being about woman empowerement. I really want Latvia to qualify after so many years, but I feel like some other countries have better shot at it e.g. Albania and Czech Republic.
That crown thing she does with her hands is NOT a thing and she should stop trying to make it such.
It’s cringey
It is a thing for her, let her be.
Agree. Plus is overdone already, even in ESC there are too many people putting crowns on their heads. Rihanna was the only one who could really pull it off 🙂
“Hey my song is bad, but look what I can do with my hands” – Samantha Tina, 2021
If it was some kind of sign language or charade contest she might win the whole thing.
#AvantGarde
Well I know I’ll probably be watching it on mute anyway…so I’ll let you know.
Deal!
Wouldn’t mind finding out what some of the other contestants can do with their hands, the list would be quite long! Sorry to be tacky the excitement is getting to me.
Any particular hands, Jofty?
Perhaps some Danish bacon!
They are cute together!
I’d answer that question but I don’t think I could honestly type what would be in mind lol
I won’t mind if it doesn’t qualify.