ESCXTRA.com are live for day 5 of rehearsals ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 taking place at the Pala Olimpico in Turin, Italy!
We continue with the second rehearsals for the majority of the artists in the first semi-final! The countries rehearsing today, in chronological order, are Iceland, Norway, Armenia, Finland, Israel, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Malta. Also taking to the stage today for the first time are the big 5 – France, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain and Germany will have their first rehearsal later this afternoon.
The latest artist to rehearse is Nadir Rustamli from Azerbaijan who is performing the song “Fade to Black”
Follow every rehearsal live
Below, you’ll see our written review of each rehearsal. If you want more, you can follow our live stream where our team will be reacting live to every single rehearsal as it happens! Furthermore, read our handy guide for a more detailed look at this contest’s rehearsal schedule.
Rehearsal review
Stage presentation
There is a lot going on here. Nadir is located on stairs, and his dancer is a few steps below him. The dancer acts as his shadow, following every movement from here. He is surrounded by white lights at the start, which turn red during the bridge. In the chorus, the lights are blue and show some kind of lightning effect on the background. The song really explodes in the last minute, when the stairs move, giving us a Tout l’Univers moment.
It is very well staged, and keeps you captivated until the last second. There is one really lovely shot where you see Nadir’s face in the top left, and a full shot of him on the stairs on the bottom right. The last minute really keeps me intrigued, with flashing red lights that turn white during the high note. The dancer ‘falls’ down the stairs during the last second of the song.
Costumes and styling
A simple outfit, he is wearing a gray outfit that doesn’t take away the attention from the stage.
Vocal quality
Perfect vocals, up until the final, dramatic note. Nothing to complain about here.
Overall impression
The first 2 minutes are good, but just good. It is the final minute that really leaves an impact on you. The shadow following Nadir is great, very “Hold Me”, which keeps you watching. The whole staging is saved by the last minute, although the entire thing is good. The moving stairs and shadow is so well done, and the lights really elevate the performance. They really put a lot of effort into it, and it leaves you with goosebumps. It’s good that this moment takes place in the last minute, because in the end of the day, that’s what you remember.
Watch the rehearsal
Stay tuned for our reviews for the rest of today’s rehearsals at the Pala Olimpico. If you want to know what to expect from the rest of the day, check out our rehearsal schedule. Meanwhile, remember to tune in to our live stream for instant reactions to every rehearsal!
