Eurovision 2021 Semi-final 2: Second rehearsals

Will qualifyAnxhela Peristeri is alone on that stage but she fills it graciously. She has attitude, a great vocal talent and huge stage presence. The smoke effects on the LEDs behind her do help make the staging even more epic though. Nonetheless, it's safe to say this performance works mostly due to her energy and the way she sells the song. The Albanian dramatism never fails to impress us and we believe the same will apply for the public at home (plus the jury).

May qualifyAmen! A nice break from the uptempo songs. Vincent delivers an emotional and intimate performance. He definitely has a talented voice, but not so crispy and powerfull for this song. The staging is simple and works fine, and it is good to give all the LED walls a pause. Vincent is doing a great job, but the biggest problem is the song. It brings some Cesár Sampson vibes momentarily but it will be forgotten to quickly. We think this song can go both ways in the second Semi-final.

Will qualifyNow Bulgaria is presenting an emotional song that everyone can relate to. We start of with a shot of stars and slowly zooming towards Victoria. She is wearing a long elegant shirt over trousers which have a shade of light blue. A necklace and some earrings complements her look well. The coloring throughout the whole performance gives a warm feeling with yellow and brown shades. Victoria starts off sitting on the rock with sand falling on the side to represent time. Next to her, you can see a photo of her father that she is looking at. Slowly as the second chorus kicks in, Victoria stands up and towards the dropping of the sand with smoke in the background. Towards the bridge of the song, she climbs to the highest point of the rock with the camera zooming on her face. This will for sure be in the Grand Final.

Will not qualifyBenny Cristo returns to the stage a casual skate-park clothes with a rhinestone yellow jacket and embedded roses as per the first rehearsal but with added eyewear to make it more hip. Once again he is accompanied by a total of four dancers for this number. The staging for "Omaga" is kept on the minimalist side with dark tones. Some bright colors are transmitted in parts of the performance. Another performance which uses both stages. Vocally improved from the first rehearsal however still shaky at times. The energy factor for such a song is simply not there. It looks like Czech Republic could be heading for a non-qualification route.

May qualifyWelcome to the 80s dance floor with everything included: shoulder pads, neon colors, awkward dance moves, and a very energetic Jesper Groth as singer, who was slightly out of tune momentarily. Denmark is one of the only countries to bring live backing singers who are not part of the staging (except clapping). So why are they here? Use the 6 allowed on stage for a proper choreography and stage show instead. We are in doubt whether the viewers understand that this act is actually meant 100% seriously.

May qualifyNot much changes from first rehearsal if at all. The performance has more lightening effects but very similar to what we've seen in the Estonian National Final and in the first rehearsal runs. No change in clothes, meaning that He is is formally dressed with an open bowtie. Vocally much stronger than the first rehearsal and the coordination between the backing vocalist and Uku in the bridge part of the performance seems to be better. Estonia's chances have improved slightly increased after the second rehearsal.

Will qualifyBlind Channel are here to rock the arena. The performance is basically UMK21 (the Finnish national final) but on a larger scale. The color red dominates the majority of the performance with touches of blue now and then. The whole band are wearing black clothes. Warning: Fire pyros during the chorus. The camera shots focus often both vocalists with several on the band. Just before the last chorus, both vocalists scream "ROTTERDAM". Finland should be a safe qualifier.

Will not qualifyIt will be very unlikely to see Tornike Kipiani from Georgia in the final. Despite the fact that the staging can look pretty at certain points, such as the moment the singer sits and the lyrics of the song are projected on him, it's safe to say that the Eurovision stage wasn't exactly designed for the Georgian singer to feel at home. His outfit is quite similar to what Uku Suviste from Estonia is wearing (in the middle of the casual formal sort of look) but unlike the latter, Tornike barely makes any contact with the camera and overall looks uncomfortable. The song can also just go unnoticed, especially coming after Hurricane from Serbia and followed by a powerhouse diva from Albania. We don't think Georgia is making the finals.

Will qualifyThere's literally no flaws when it concerns Greece's entry this year. Stefania is a beautiful girl who knows just what the Eurovision staging requires as she has been part of the Junior Eurovision before. She knows exactly how to look and how to lock your attention by simply looking to the camera and give you, here and there, a cute wink. The influence of newer international Pop acts such as Dua Lipa or Ariana Grande can be heavily felt here and if those names work around the globe, why wouldn't Stefania work in the huge Eurovision stage? The amount of professionalism and the technical aspects of this performance makes us sure Greece is going to the finals.

Will qualifyGreen nail polish anyone? Yes Daði is rocking some painted nails to coordinate with his outfit. Nothing has changed from the first rehearsal meaning that Daði & Gagnamagnið still wants to transport us into space with a bust of purple and yellow colors at times. Wind machines, green sweaters, synthesizers and game console aliens! What could we possibly wish for? During the performance Daði & Gagnamagnið starts to walk on the catwalk between both stages but as the bridge hits, the members holding the synthesizers, group together and form a circular piano. The ending will remind you of how the Power Rangers. A fun, energetic and happy performance. Vocally, very good and this is a definite qualifier.

Will not qualifySamanta, all dressed in green, like a queen, is giving a confident performance. Nothing has really changed from the first rehearsal except that certain camera shots have been sharpened to make the performance more sleek. The main stage coloring is mainly on a golden tone. She is accompanied by three backing vocalists on stage which are also wearing green and head visors. Samanta performs the majority of the song in the middle of the main stage with some dance moves, yet not something out of this world. Towards the end, Samanta and the backing vocalists make hand gestures above their head to represent a crown. At the same time, the backdrop displays a crown. Whilst indeed the moon indeed rising, sadly this performance won't rise to qualification.

Will not qualifySugar rush anyone? Natalia is once again joined by four male dancers on a white platform. The LED color scheme is set on pink and purple. The performance itself is done on the square but with heavy choreography. During the performance Natalia moves to the edges of the square and allows good camera shots. Vocally better than last rehearsal but once again supported by the backing track. Chances are that Moldova will struggle to make it to the Grand Final on Saturday.

Will not qualifyPut those shades back on as Rafał is here. He is dressed once again in black and accompanied by four dancers dressed in white with a black t-shirt. The dancers have their palms lit up. The stage tone itself gives out a very 80s retro vibe with neon lights. Vocally this has improved from the first rehearsal but still weak. The camera angles look sharper. As the song progresses, Rafał and his dancers display slick moves on catwalk on the way to the second stage when Rafał himself hops on a platform and sings. Towards the last chorus, they gather back to the main stage. This song could go either way on the night however a qualification is still possible.

May qualifyIt's tough to predict Portugal's future in the competition. The staging is really well put together and totally follows the mood of the song. As we've said it starts off with a squared 4:3, black and white screen that gives it a sort of 50s vibe. It switches as the second verse of the song comes by. The camera angles are interesting and gives a moment to each member of The Black Mamba, not to mention the quality of the vocalist's voice. The LED story line is also very smart as it portrays imagery of Amsterdam. It's a maybe for now.

Will qualifyIf you're an Eurovision fan, you do know what to expect from this unique Freaky Queen, as she likes to call herself. The staging is pretty much the same as the first rehearsal and we'd like to focus on the energy that it transmits to the viewer at home. Senhit is a force of nature that is not willing to not deliver a great entertaining act. At the beginning of her performance, she makes allusions to Flo Rida which makes it more likely that the rapper will be here for the semi-final show. The explosion of colours is contagious. San Marino is most likely qualifying.

Will qualifyTime to let loose with three highly energetic ladies. As the song begins the stage is dark with the spotlight on these ladies. All dressed in black outfits covered in jewels give out a complex and demanding choreography. Once again they are alone onstage. The backdrop for this performance features red and black graphics with instances of "Loco Loco", "Hurricane" or "Baby" flashing. Just before the bridge of the song, they run to the second stage where they eventually finish the song. They sing, dance and can move. A sure qualifier.

Will qualifyWhat is Switzerland bringing to Rotterdam? Dark staging, impeccable vocals and a stage concept of destruction and reconstruction. There are still some camera shot issues but nothing that won't get fixed for the actual performance. Gjon's Tears does the whole performance on a number of blocks while providing theatrical choreography. As the song heads towards the last part, we can see a lot of smoke effects. He is alone on stage throughout the song and is a definite qualifier on the night.