On Monday 10 more countries had a chance to sing on the Eurovision 2023 stage for the first time. Among them was Israel’s Noa Kirel, who proved that she has the power of a unicorn, and Finland’s Käärijä, who had his dancers all boxed up in a massive crate. But who impressed you the most during their first rehearsal?
Watch all of the Day 2 rehearsal clips on the official Eurovision TikTok account. Then vote in our poll. You can vote for as many countries as you’d like, but you can only vote ONE time. Be sure to click the box next to each country you want to support before pressing submit.
You can watch all of our YouTube reaction videos in the playlist below if you want to hear what we thought.
Poll: Who had the best first rehearsal at Eurovision 2023 on Sunday (1 May)
Armenian fans you are funny 🙂
1. Armenia ?? – The staging was amazing!! The voice was beautiful as always and all I can say is that I have no words just none!! 2. Denmark ?? – Reiley did so much better than he did on the Madrid pre party which is amazing I love his song and hope it gets through to the next round 3. Cyprus ??- i loove this song. His voice is incredible and hes attractive too. The song is amazing and i dont know this song also gives no words 4. Czechia ?? – The group were spectacular .I loved the… Read more »
I think Armenia is the best and the most unique and she deserves to be the winner. I like the personality of Finland but there is no music and there is no song and it’s just screening . Honesty I don’t understand what exactly I should like about it. But I love his crazy videos and personality. The others are average as usual. Let’s be honest. With love from USA??
ARMENIA is the best!
What’s similar about Unicorn and Toy.
Answer when you hear them you can remember them and sing along with them, that’s what Eurovision is about or was. When Netta sang on the stage everyone sang with her. Just wait when Noa sings Unicorn everyone will sing with her.
I want to be a Unicorn.
Good luck to Noa and to Israel.
But Toy wasn’t a disjointed mess unlike Unicorn xd
Exactly. This botched up composition is way overrated.
Will we not have a Day 3 discussion forum for today?
Blanka’s staging looking sooooo cool <3
No live discussion day 3?
It’s sad for Azerbaijan to me this is one of their best entries. Hope they prove everyone wrong and go through.
My first thoughts
Israel- It dies look good, and it might elevate the song.
Azerbaijan- They still hanging on the Beatles vibes and I’m not sure what to do with it.
Czechia- I wanted them to have an aesthetic, but this is not what I was thinking about.
The Netherlands- It looks good in theory. The Dutch know to stage intimately, so, it might work well.
Finland- It does look good. YLE got some budget there.
Denmark- I’ve seen that type of staging work before (with Michela and Rosa) but still feeling something it’s lacking.
Armenia- It looks good. I like the light play.
Romania- Not fully convinced about the costume.
Belgium- A step up from the NF, it looks cool.
Cyprus- Is Sasha for them too? It feels her style.
I am a bit surprised by the result of the poll, because I feel this was a homerun for Finland.
Israel will be fine, as expected, but after claims about “show never seen before” we got a cube and acrobatics. Such innovative, much wow.
I think most of the hate towards Israel comes because of that attitude and going over the top about everything.
If you do that, you must deliver, and Israel is not doing that. It is just fine. Great dancer surely, attractive girl, the rest of it – mid, Frankenstein song, meaningless and generic.
Israel is female bop perfection.
That was very good written, thanks
Israel is the best
People won’t admit Israel is the best, why because it’s Israel and I don’t need to day more than that.
The Netherlands better than Belgium? NOPE!!! Israël better than Finland? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!
Only your opinion Sis… not a fact!
If course this is just my opinion. Everyone has the right to their own opinion. So do you ..
ISRAEL* PLUS U WISH ISRAEL SLAYED
Well I love both the Netherlands and Belgium.. don’t be so negative babe
This is the first time ive looked at the comments in years – and man, some things never change.
today jury favourite for semi 2 Estonia <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Cyprus so high 🙁 shame everyone loves plastic
I know cant vote for my own country but , of course, I keep hearing Australian entry. First I heard it wasn’t sure but now I really love it. It just takes a few times to get in your head. Hope it does well
Everyone but Romania, that one was weird.
I feel Finland is like Israel 2018 all over again. Colourful and crazy. I think it might be the winner, but not without competition.
Netta had an actual vocal talent, Toy was much better put together production wise, it wasn’t just “crazy and colorful” because if it was just that it would never win.
Netta: “bucka-mhm-buckbuckbuck-mhm boy
Bucka-mhm-buckbuckbuck”
«Toy» was stolen from Jack White’s «7 Nation Army» . It’s a big shame for the ESC and worst winner in many years.
Käärijä might not have Mengoni’s or Remo’s perfect vocals, but he sings well enough for his type of the entry.
And Kärilää stole the song from Elctric callboy.
No
Loreen’s “Tattoo” has a lot stolen from Mika Newton’s “V Plenu”, ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” and Pont Aeri’s “Flying Free”.
Every comment on this thread is downvoted lol
downvoting is good, more negativity in the world pls
Yes, Finland is overrated, BUT we should let the gays have it. If something makes people happy then there’s nothing wrong about it. Even Kaarija’s fans are smart people who understand that, let’s say, Latvian song is way more advanced in terms of the composition, structure, emotional load and the message, BUT not everyone wants this from music. Some people only perceive music as something that should give joy and happiness, and shouldn’t be packed with composition ideas, but should be simple, easy and playful. Kaarija is delivering precisely that. The only thing that I would personally find unacceptable is… Read more »
And most people don’t care about composition – it’s Eurovision not Mozart!
It’s music. The crucial thing about it, is composition. It’s not classical music anything with a good composition.
Exactly and music is objectiv so let people enjoy what they want.
No, eurovision in 80’s 90’s was way better than the crap what it is now
there hasn’t been a good staging so far, neither good songs, lols at the current generation not knowing how to compose a good song
At this point, I don’t understand why you follow this show.
That’s why it had zero impact and was on the verge of disappearing back then? The 90’s, really??
The 90s were a golden age for ESC, don’t just undermine it for such superficial reasons like mainstream popularity.
Mo who?
Käärijä is the gay magnet of this years eurovision.
yeah because he can’t sing or perform properly without dancing awkwardly
And here I thought it should just evoke an emotional response or thought in people. Look, I understand that some things are more complicated than others but as a piece of art that doesn’t necessarily make it objectively speaking “better”. Making “simple” work isn’t that easy either or else all simple music would be popular. What speaks to you, speaks to you. What rubs me the wrong way here is the elitist approach. If you don’t like a certain thing (here Latvia), you’re unsophisticated somehow. You’re basically calling people simple at best, stupid at worst. This may not be how… Read more »
The fact that the likes of Israel, Norway or Moldova are considered safe qualifiers while Latvia will probably struggle is what really rubs people the wrong way and what tells them that ESC is honestly not much more than a novelty contest tho.
Latvia is a novelty trash snooze tho
I guess you are not very musical 😀 buy yeah good allround songs go ahead lesser songs, that’s how competition works 🙂
All I can say is welcome to the real world. It’s majority rule for better or worse in the competition part of Eurovision. And also, you’re kind of just proving my point with your statement.
Fortunateley we’re all free to listen to whatever we want.
You’re obviously free to listen to whatever you want and I’m also obviously free to rightfully criticize the ESC for promoting plastic and reinforcing stereotypes about its negative reputation time and time again, so don’t try coming at me with your “real world” takes because I’m absolutely not one to buy them, at all.
You’re obviously free to listen to whatever you want and I’m also obviously free to justifiably criticize the ESC for promoting plastic and reinforcing stereotypes about its negative reputation time and time again, so don’t try coming at me with your “real world” takes because I’m absolutely not one to buy them, at all.
Latvia is just not good enough, sorry.
Please the gaybait is Israel!!!
The song has many unique elements
, Like for instance it’s 2 songs in one, directly changing. It has that contrast between wild volcano, and sweet feather. You see the contrast in the green pink too, maskulin vs feminin. Staging shows it again. He is monomental on top, dominating, and the pinks are in a cage submissive and in control, like small puppets. It’s a show, a song, a sexual domination and a story.
A song don’t need high notes to win or to cry.
Beeing happy beats being sad..
As a straight I absolutely love Finland. And my girlfriend likes it too. And my straight sister. And her husband. And my straight friends.
And even if it was a “gay bait”, so what?
And my friends and family hate Finland,
Can’t understand why your comment got so many downvotes. Maybe because people do not understand that songs are in fact about composition (amongst other things) and it is the composition that makes a good an average of a bad song. That us why I am in favour of juries. Juries vote on the merits of a song’s artistry. The fandom votes according to their own biases.
Armenia and Cyprus
Israeli pop superstar, used to deliver high quality performances in her concerts, delivers a high quality performance in the eurovision stage. The fact that some people didn’t see this coming is the real surprise.
Well europe isnt familier with Noa, i knew she will a performance of top 5. If not the gurentid win for loreen from the first place it could fight with finland gor the win….i consider also spain and france as very strong contestants
I thought Israel was the most interesting one of day 2. Wanna see more of it.
So pleased for Belgium. Vocals on point for a perfect dance song. Also please note interval act on the Thursday semi is a drag performance which will also help this song during the voting period. I suspect the Drag Queens will be from the Drag Race UK series i just hope the surprise is RuPaul as well.
Wiwibloggs trying to shove Israel down our throats lol. What else is new?
Just gag on it until you faint you annoying c*nt.
Seethe.
Like a unicorn. This song is written about people like you.
Have you seen how many likes and comments Noa has on the main Instagram Eurovision page for todays rehearsal?
It’s insane.
I know the Israel support and fanbase is huge but this is certainly now a top three favourite for sure
Oh what a not surprise. Rehearsals have started and y’all doing a 360 on Israel.
360 is the same way as you originally were hahahaha do you mean 180?
Yes!
Because so many people did that last year/s
180*
Be careful and try reading between the lines, those comments for Israel may just be artificial self-promotion after all…
I mean, the fact that it’s got such a massive amount of comments compared to everything else, regardless of the positive reception it has received overall…
*My personal top 10 of rehearsals, Day 2 (considering staging, outfits, visuals and choreos, NOT PERFORMANCES, which I shall take into consideration after the second rehearsals):*
1. Finland
2. Czechia
3. Israel
4. Armenia
5. Azerbaijan (Objectively, not more impressive than others, as it is obvious I just liked them more).
6. Belgium
7. Denmark
8. Netherlands
9. Cyprus
10. Romania
I expected the downvotes to be honest, lol. This top 10 seems even more controversial than the one that I made about yesterday’s rehearsals. 🙂
I think everyone managed to elevate their acts. Yeah. Great job, stage looks great too! UK did really well! : )
All acts are elevated, bbc is already doing a fantastic job after that train wreck that was last year’s organization…
BBC should be defunded though, get rid of BBC asap
Still I will wait the 2nd rehearsals to have an opinion cause we haven’t enough to really judge but what I can say is that the production is really on point and so far all the acts seem to shine bright on the stage. Belgium at the start on the stairs and Ireland sparkling stairs and outfits make me think to Enzo in the jesc. Käärija with his huge shadow gives Maneskin staging vibes. Remo with his dance makes me think to Gjon’s tears dance and Sertab staging. Noa at the beginning gives me Surie Storm staging vibes and of… Read more »
Belgium I guess, even if it was a bit tacky.
There’s not much I can write home but Israel didn’t look that impressive, unlike Ritoli, sorry, Noam60 says it was
For all the razamatzz of Israel’s staging, the song is three songs in one… A mess. This will cost it jury points. It is incoherent.
This is what i call unique….there is no such thing impossible in art
My thoughts on today’s rehearsals: Israel: I ranked Israel in my 35th place and it’s still there but there’s no denying that Noa knows how to “perform a bop”. I personally am not a fan of such entries and performances, but many people will be. The dance break seems as amazing as one would expect and the whole production looks expensive and slick. A successful first rehearsal. Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan offers a minimal, cute and pleasant staging to go along with the song that also has these characteristics. I don’t think they will go through to the final but there’s nothing… Read more »
Ranking israel 35? Lol, i would never have the courage to admit such thing…its embarrasing(:
No it’s not, different people different tastes. If someone has San Marino as their favourite thats not embarrassing either.
For me #36
Wonder why.. it’s amazing
35??? Omg. My top 5
“Mr Lego” hair is what Käärijä’s dancers have, I’d say.
The Fandom extremely overrating Finland. I’m sorry nothing new from the national final… Its a sure top 5 but Israel’s overall performance is much better yet the Finnish song is better.
Does there need to be something new for you to be impressed?
You don’t have to fix what’s not broken, do you?
Nothing new? Did you even watch the rehearsal??
Enough of this. Give us BEYBA already!!
If she break a heel, fall off the stage or something like that, she could get such a huge fan base, even tough those fans would cosist of her haters tbh lol She’ll have a break dance moment which compared to Noa Kirel might look as catastrophy so we can laugh more lol
The Netherlands by far an amazing staging and performance on point. Dark horst 2023?
Israel! It just exceeded my expectations! I can’t stop watching the rehearsal clip of her “dance break”! This girl is in a league of her own! DAMN! can’t wait to see the full performance!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YT4QV28WJgQ
Lets not act like Chanel didnt do that and more last year, and she sang live while dancing unlike noel
You are either crazy Israeli fun who isn’t smart enough to understand he’s hurting Noa’s chances by these posts (’cause we are esc fans who do vote at the end of the day), or quite the oposite, weirdo who pretends to like Israel expecting we’ll be sick of him and not vote for Israel, so that way he gets his way. Either way, you’re rude, evil and listening to your own demos (not defeting them as Luke Black does)
defeating*
Impossible to answer the question, cause at home you don’t know the camerawork, which can be very decisive. Now we see images made by someone from the hall. That’s not what we’ll see on tv.
Yeah, thought the same. Not much to write home with the little we get
Not a massive supporter of the song but have to admit that Finland seemed like they actually elevated and streamlined the whole thing. Armenia also decided to look good and sound good, it was always going to qualify.
Helsinki 2024! Loreen who?
If Finland wins they’d host ESC in Tampere bc Helsinki’s arena is banned due to rxssian ownership
It’s 2023, it’s Russia, not a swear word. Yes, I know the attacking war is still on but that is unecessary.
It’s 2023 and that’s precisely why people can decide to avoid the word Russia if they want to. Just look at last week’s attacks on residential buildings, far from the frontlines
Don’t worry. Stockholm will take care of it 😉
Loreen has this in the bag, who has perfect rehearsals, not amateur loser kaarija
No need to call names loser etc. Calm down!