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 are The Rasmus from Finland who are performing their song “Jezebel”
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
Finland have completely negated the lack of LED functionality by coating the stage with giant black balloons. The colour story is graphic black and yellow, which works a treat. The opening shot, featuring Lauri holding a balloon singing straight to camera in front of a black background – think Stephen King’s It (2017).
Compared to the previous three rehearsals, the camerawork feels very unfinished here, especially when Lauri is wading through the balloons in the first half. There is also the element of risk and unpredictability that comes with using uncontrollable props like balloons.
Costumes and styling
The costuming is very cool, with the full band coordinating in black with bold accents of yellow. It makes the performance feel a lot more fresh and punchy than other rock bands we’ve seen at the contest previously. The bright yellow Dr. Martens that Eero and Emilia wear in particular were VERY nice.
I could do without Lauri removing his coat, but hey.
Vocal quality
The vocals need work and support. The verses in particular sound very thin, but the chorus is still carried by the strength of the production.
However, they’ve added some very prominent “Jezebel!” chants into the track, which give the effect of the crowd singing along – a very effective touch.
Overall impression
This song is not to my taste, and the staging has not changed that. The camerawork and vocals are far from where they need to be, however, fans of this genre may well be forgiving.
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!
