Eurovision 2025: Semi-Final 2 dress rehearsal live coverage

Image: EBU/Corinne Cumming

Today the first behind-closed-doors dress rehearsal of semi-final 2 is being shown in full behind closed-doors but with media access. For the first time this year, media only have access to the live arena show, but not "down the lens" footage.

We will be updating this article with live updates of the show:

Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man 

Image: EBU / Sarah Louise Bennett

Go-Jo is selling Milkshake man....literally. The performance starts with a retro infomercial alongside one backing performer in an old-school TV set. It then cuts to the stage performance where he goes into the giant blender to a fantastic costume reveal into his blue pantsuit.

A bit of storytelling unfolds where the second backing artist comes out in a different costume primed to be put into the blender. She then appears out, transformed into the pics we've seen in the press galleries.

They then strip his top off, and then Go-Jo does a huge running knee slide to the front of the stage and delivers his trademark charismatic energy for a strong finish with thrusting hips (which is in the recap).

Lots happening, great energy and a storyline that comes together and a frontman that delivers it well.

This will certainly benefit from the live audience that Go-Jo thrives on,

Montenegro: Nina Žižić – Dobrodošli

An incredible vocal performance from Nina, one of the best we've heard this week. It's an understated staging where it's all about Nina and her delivery, which is impeccable. Towards the end of the song, she flips back her big hood thing and lets rip on the big notes to finish.

Ireland: EMMY – Laika Party

Firstly, Emmy sounds really good! A strong vocal performance compared to Eurosong. She has a metal-looking hood to start that she eventually drops back.

She stands on the platform for the entire three minutes as dancers and LEDs change around her.

It's fun and enjoyable, it feels like what you see in that 30 seconds clip is much of the full three minutes.

Latvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man Laimi

This is visually stunning. The use of the curtains is really effective and their costumes just pop through the screen. There is some great LED floor use and randomly.... a "tail" moment. If this vocal style is your cup of tea, you'll love it.

Armenia: PARG – SURVIVOR 

This is super powerful. It's all about PARG as he comes out shirtless immediately. He provides his usual vocal delivery which can feel shouty but suits the performances, it's just energetic, loud and flammable! The treadmill works well, and he hits a pretty decent note in the conclusion of the song. This entry is definitely lifted by this staging.

Austria: JJ – Wasted Love

There are big some big hits here with some very strong visuals that work on camera really well. Particularly during the "storm" section and the climax.

However, when you are taken out of the illusion, it can feel like a theatre production with just a big prop on stage. So you are taken in and out of that quite a bit. Some people will love this, some won't.

JJ delivers stunning vocals throughout, so there are no concerns there!

United Kingdom: Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened?

The trio bring great "girl-group" energy, and their connection is evident. There is another prop to begin with, a make-up style station at the front stage, but most of the performance is around the chandelier.

When this works, it works well - some great harmonies, camera shots and some nice LED floor

Though, when it doesn't, it can look a bit clunky down the camera. It is very hard to tell in the arena, but at times it felt there may have been some oversinging, which can be ironed out.

Overall, it's about the girls and their connection.

Greece: Klavdia – Asteromáta

This is quite a striking performance. It starts really quite gentle and dark before building into some big moments which is backed by a change in LEDs to fiery reds.

Klavdia sounds and looks stunning. There is a lot of focus on the LEDs everywhere, which looks incredible in the arena, might need to see it again to see how effective on screen.

It finishes with a dress reveal moment where Klavdia goes from a black outfit to white. A very strong overall performance here from Greece.

Lithuania: Katarsis – Tavo Akys

A very solid performance here for Katarsis. This isn't a song I've warmed to before, but I really enjoyed that live in the arena.

They start in the main stage and eventually move to the front for a strong finish. The look and camera shots is very much what we've seen in the 30 sec clip. It certainly stands out in the running order for being completely different from anything else.

Malta: Miriana Conte – SERVING

If I could describe the staging in two words, it would be: legs agape.

Miriana comes out of a disco ball, in a big pair of lips which are backdropped by open legs on the LED that place those lips just where you are imagining.

She serves up her usual sass and connects with the camera well, there are some great reveals and choreography. At times, I'm not sure the shots pick that up enough.

But it's energetic and sassy and quite risqué, and for those who love that, they will eat it up.

Georgia: Mariam Shengelia – Freedom

This makes me feel like I am watching a wonderful theatre performance in Tbilisi.

But this is Eurovision, and I'm not sure it quite fits here.

The traditional dancers are really spectacular live but that's not quite coming through as strongly on screen.

Vocally, it's very good, but not sure it's enough to capture people at home.

France: Louane – maman

So if you're wondering how they have all that sand on stage, there is a GIANT black tarp covering the main staging floor.

Louane spends nearly the entire three minutes in the sandpit and I must say, other than a little shaky moment at the start, sounds impeccable.

The moments it works, it works really well - some nice visual moments with the falling sand.

However, some shots just kind of feel like she has stuff literally exploding out from behind her - which I don't think is super flattering.

When the sand stops falling, she really lets go, and there are some new vocal flourishes.

The last 20 secs or so with no sand or sandpit I enjoyed the most to be honest. Hoping that outside the arena down the lens it will look much more powerful.

For now, the jury's out for me.

Denmark: Sissal – Hallucination 

Great running spot here for Sissal as it pops in the running order. Vocally very solid but it did feel though she was holding back here today.

There are some new additions to the production track in the beginning, which I think... work? I need to hear it again!

Lots of curtain work behind her and she finishes with a strut to the stage for a big finish.

Czechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss Goodbye

Some great moments here with choreography but often it can feel a little flat.

ADONXS looks amazing down the camera and delivers vocally but it feels the song promises a little more than what the staging is offering.

Very white LED use except the dance break which goes full red and warm palette. It kind of feels jagged in there, which is a bit of a disconnect.

Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le Son

WOW. This opens with some visually stunning on-screen effect of a doll's house which includes vision of France Gall.

She is taken out of it, a little Alice in Wonderland style, but it looks really effective. Like genuine "wows" for this whole opening section from the press pack.

It kind of sags a little in the middle ,but Laura Thorn comes home so strong with a dress reveal and some epic vocals. Very strong from Luxembourg here.

Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise

Some fantastic vocals here from Yuval, and they really echo throughout the arena, Only one slight miss but that's what rehearsals are for.

She starts on stage before climbing the giant prop for the big finish.

The prop looks stunning as done the pyro curtain but a slight mismatch with the song's message.

Germany: Abor & Tynna – Baller

This is very "cool" and I feel old even saying that. She starts on top of the boom box before making her way underneath that looks like she's in a club.

Vocal does the job but the overall impact is really terrific, it ends with the electric cello hitting the stereo thing, where sparks fly out which is quite spectacular.

This is really good from Germany and the local crowd will LOVE it.

Serbia: Princ – Mila 

This is all about Princ and his dancers. His vocal is amazing but not too much happens until the dragging of him across the floor, which won't be for everyone.

It ends very strongly with big notes and LOTS of pyro but has he left it too late?

Finland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME

A few technical issues at the start with camera shots and also not much was shown on screen.

So it's a little hard to give a decent analysis of the performance.

However, Erika sounds great and the real climax on the microphone in the air is spectacular, actual goosebumps from me!

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