Eurovision 2025: Rehearsals Day 1 recap

The first rehearsals of Eurovision 2025 in Basel have begun.

All up, seven acts will take to the stage for their first run through of 30 minutes each.

Photo galleries are provided by Eurovision and we have provided the highlights to give you a taste of what the performances may look like.

Eurovision is providing details of the rehearsals on a live Reddit thread.

All images courtesy of the EBU.

Iceland

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

The routine is fundamentally the same as the one we saw at Söngvakeppnin, but with a little Basel polish – the two-part wooden boat is painted white with some waves at stage level, and the three backing dancers have upgraded outfits - silver dungarees with cute Icelandic jumpers and silver bucket hats. But the two VÆB boys are in the same outfits with hoods we’ve seen previously, and of course their trademark silver shades. The whole routine has been elevated, and the arena is already jumping. Is there a mic drop at the end? Of course there is.

Poland

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

Justyna descends on two ropes from the roof at the beginning of the song in this version, in a black catsuit that’s very similar to the one she wore at Polskie Kwalifikacje, but without the shoulder fringing. Her four backing dancers (three male, one female) also have different outfits, with gladiator-like fringed skirts and VERY high heels – the choreography is complex, so 10/10 for core strength.

The LED wall starts with spinning planets and water and lightning and lava like it’s the birth of the universe. Then at the end Justyna is lifted back up into the heavens against a backdrop of fire-breathing dragons. It’s giving Game of Thrones meetis Eurovision, and it’s an absolute spectacle from start to finish.

Slovenia

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

How Much Time Do We Have Left is a song about the fragility of life, and the staging really captures that haunting theme, with both the LED wall and the front arch both sparkling with thousands of stars that change from red to blue through the song.

It's also a different outfit from the one Klemen wore at EMA – in this rehearsal he’s wearing a black suit with a white t-shirt, rather than the grey turtleneck. As we saw at EMA, Klemen sings the middle section upside down, supported by two backing dancers.

Estonia

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

Tommy is wearing the same blue suit/long red tie we saw at Eesti Laul, and the routine is also much the same, with two burly security guards who are joined by two others for Tommy’s trademark spaghetti-legged dance routine.

The LED backdrop creates an alpine landscape that matches the mountains that flank the stage, with similar animated graphics to those we saw at Eesti Laul, just much bigger and bolder. There’s a real fun energy to this song - you can’t help but sing along. This is, as the kids say, going to go VERY big in the hall.

Ukraine

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

The staging has definitely undergone some changes since the performance that won them Vidbir – the suits are a similar wide-legged/puff shoulders 1970s cut, but they’re now each in a different solid bright colour with lots of sparkle, and the three backing singers have glittery gold pantsuits.

The on-stage garden of grass and flowers has also gone – instead the LED wall has pink and green neon graphics that pulse and swirl with the music, and explode during the chorus. The lighting and close camerawork really drive this performance - even the way Daniel walks around the stage is perfectly choreographed to each beat. The whole thing is VERY stylish and polished, but that’s very much the Ziferblat signature, no?

Sweden

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

Staging-wise, we can confirm the changes from Melfest that KAJ have already spoken about – the same greeny-brown suits, a firepit that’s more like the wooden heat rock box you get in a sauna, and a log store that is easier for the (now three) dancers to tilt into sauna mode.

However: a few additional things to note: the opening sausage is SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER than the one we saw in Melfest. The LED backdrop provides an entire forest complete with deer, until the key change when the entire arena goes full neon laser party for an epic finish.

And finally, KAJ have found some fir trees! We’re too far away to tell if they’re real or fake, sorry. Will try to sneak into the prop store later.

Portugal

Eurovision live bloggers said of the performance:

The set-up of the band on stage is the same as we saw at Festival da Canção, but a few things have been added for the Basel stage. Firstly, the band’s outfits have changed – now they all have long-sleeved jackets or shirts in different muted colours that elevate the whole thing to a new level of style. The LED wall adds some lovely floating clouds and animated skyscapes that change colour in sync with the LED arch, all of which adds to the dreamlike quality of this performance. The harmonies are stunning in this big space – even if you don’t understand Portuguese you can feel the emotion, and those gentle final notes gave us goosebumps. A lovely way to end the day.

Full rehearsal schedule available here

For continued updates on all the Eurovision Song Contest news follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Bluesky Threads and TikTok. All links at: https://linktr.ee/aussievisionnet