We’re more than halfway through day five of Eurovision 2021 rehearsals. Now, two more acts from semi-final one take to the Rotterdam Ahoy stage for their second rehearsals. Norway and Croatia are next up for their second run-throughs. What’s changed since day one? Let’s see…
Second rehearsals at Eurovision 2021: Norway and Croatia
Norway’s TIX “Fallen Angel” — Eurovision 2021 second rehearsal
Oliver: Another good run-through from TIX. No immediately noticeable changes but the laser lights from behind the stage seem slightly more intense, adding a layer depth without pulling focus away from the Norwegian performer. Regardless of how you may feel about the angel versus devil staging concept, the execution here is sublime. Again, it looks professional and world tour-worthy. TIX suffered a couple of vocal hiccups on his first rehearsal as he adjusted to the smoke machine, but that issue seems to have been resolved.
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Padraig: Just like Cyprus before it, Norway pretty much nailed the first rehearsal, so there was little to be done for the second one. It’s very easy to see why TIX is one of Norway’s biggest selling artists domestically. There were no material changes to note.
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Croatia’s Albina “Tick-Tock” — Eurovision 2021 second rehearsal
Oliver: This is a lot to process. Albina’s movements are fierce and her confidence shines through. The lighting is much better also, but there’s still a bit too much going on. It wouldn’t be a reach to suggest Team Croatia’s wardrobe came from a space age Whoville where Willy Wonka is the mayor. Certainly unique and memorable, but perhaps not for the best reasons. And vocally, she’s still being drowned out by her backing. Some improvements still needed.
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Padraig: Going into Rotterdam, “Tick-Tock” was one of my favourite upbeat numbers and I definitely preferred it over “El Diablo”. However, now that we’ve seen the staging of both, I feel that Croatia suffers when compared with the earlier bop. That’s not to say that the staging is bad. Albina pulls off her futuristic hero look and works the stage confidently. Her choreography is slick, and there’s a nice moment where her dancers lift her up above the brightly lit LED floor. It’s perhaps unfortunate that this pink and blue are so popular at this year’s contest, otherwise the staging would have popped that bit more.
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Read more Eurovision 2021 rehearsal news here
Photos: EBU / ANDRES PUTTING / THOMAS HANNES
Bardzo mi si? podoba Chorwacja, Albina, tancerze, chofeografia ca?y team! Albina ma to co? w sobie, piosenka jest super. Musz? przyzna?, ?e inne kraje te? wysoko zawiesi? poprzeczk?. Mimo wszystko trzymam kciuki i g?osuje na Albine bo jest najlepsza! 🙂
Albina makes music for children, not for adults. She’s in the wrong contest, she should take part into the JUNIOR Eurovision Song Contest.
Norway: It’s been a while since I’ve watched his MGP’s performances, but in my memory there wasn’t this calming blue tone and I think it makes smoother and less over the top. Still can’t say I’m totally on board with the concept though.
Croatia: This is looking better on camera than on pictures. William and Suzanne think Albina looks like a Bondgirl, but I feel her costume is more like a Barbarella thing. It’s clearly not as polished as Cyprus, but the snippet interested me much more than the one from Israel.
No mention about it, so is Albina costume finally sewn on the butt or are the dancers forced to touch the naked buttocks during the lift up?
Hmmm I’ve said this since the first time I saw his performance on mgp but this staging is so awful. Reminds me of Roko. This staging makes the song look completely awful. And that headband saying TIX? Ew. Clear NQ.
Croatia. I love her so much. The vocals are good the staging is amazing the dance moves the costume are so good too and she is HOT. I hope this qualifies. Currently fifth in my ranking
I hear that Albina singing is off tune and a kind of nasal, it hearts my ears. I hope she will sing better when the competition starts. Interesting that these clips are more reveling than than the first ones. I don’t think she will pass to the final if she cannot hit those notes.
You aren’t hearing well 🙂 She had only three or four minor false notes and that’s it.
So you heard them as well.
Albina looks fierce and confident.. Love the 2nd rehearsal and the dance routine.. 🙂
Croatia is so so good. I love the intergalactic theme, the dance and the close ups of Albina are great, she works well with camera
Very much agree, I don’t even see possibility for Croatia NQ anymore.
Me (Croatian), after 1st rehearsal: we got this in the bag.
Me, after 2nd rehearsal: sh*t, sh*t, sh*t
Wait why? Am I missing something
I’m afraid it will become boring to people after half a song.
Noo, I don’t think so. They are not showing the “most interesting parts” yet. there are 4 holograms of Albina at one point and she’s shooting lasers lights with her hand. So don’t worry. But still, I really loved this part as well!
Exactly what you just wrote.. wait for the whole performance and judge accordingly.. 🙂
Disagreed.. This was sooooooo good.. 😀
Off-topic. Terribile news.
Kate won’t rehears today, because she is not feeling well and a standing singer will replace her. I really hope she is not positive, it would be terribile for one of the best and confidenr vocalists to have to send the Live on Tape.
She just posted on her instagram story “I am ok” so hopefully she’s getting well very soon!
Sadly yes, Eurovision buddies youtube channel read a statement from the EBU that said Kate has undergone a pcr test for Covid and won’t rehearse today. The other memebers of the band are negative in the rapid testing so they will rehearse with a stand-in singer
We shouldn’t forget that even if Covid is such a thing, there is also the possibility to don’t feel well without it. Let’s hope it is that way.
The rest of the group were tested negative.
I hope she’ll be too
Same. I am faithful
Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe that at this point they would use the first rehearsal recording rather than live-on-tape from Kyiv, right?
I really don’t know. I hope so. It wouldn’t make sense to have a recording with a random standin singer.
Norway: I was a bit ‘meh’ about this one before, but I kinda like it now? I wouldn’t say it’s one I would listen to (still too cheesy and throwback), but on stage it’s a nice entry. Don’t know about qualification, could go either way
Croatia: don’t like the outfits, but everything else is great! Again, I’m not a Bop lover, but this one is one of the best together with Cyprus this year! Final worthy imo
Norway will qualify, for sure! Amazing artist and the song has a general appeal
I love Tix, the song and the performance.
It really connects with me.
I have a similar feeling with Manizha and Russia.
And Norway does have something very different to the other countries.
First time in years that I’m not behind my own country (Norway – and I’m not a bitter Keiino supporter). It would feel very unfair if TIX were to squeeze out one of the other brilliant performances/voices in semi 1 (e.g. Australia). Good luck to him, though!
Well at least he won a qualifying competition!
If someone is squeezing others out, it’s because the juries and/or people responded to their song more than to others’. Now, in Tix case it will more than likely depend on people voting, so how can you claim advancing won’t be fair? Juries always have their preferences and biases, but you can’t say that public vote is not fair unless someone is cheating.