This afternoon at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, the 26 finalists of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest took the stage once more for the first dress rehearsal of the Grand Final. Starting at 13:30 CEST, this non-televised run-through allowed the press to witness the full show — from the opening segment to the closing act — ahead of tonight’s jury show, which will determine 50% of the final result.
From emotional ballads to club bangers, and from technical mishaps to flawless vocals, this rehearsal offered the most complete picture yet of how the final night might unfold. Here’s everything that happened — country by country, in running order.
🇳🇴 Norway – Kyle Alessandro – “Lighter”
Kyle opened the show with solid staging, but vocal fatigue was noticeable, especially compared to his semi-final performance. Execution was otherwise consistent, with strong visuals and a clean opener to set the tone.
🇱🇺 Luxembourg – Laura Thorn – “La Poupée Monte Le Son”
Flawless delivery from Laura Thorn, who nailed both her live vocals and the on-stage costume change. A high-energy performance that hits all the right nostalgic notes without losing contemporary flair.
🇪🇪 Estonia – Tommy Cash – “Espresso Macchiato”
A disappointing rehearsal for Tommy Cash, who missed several cues and appeared under-rehearsed. Some camera mishaps also occurred, affecting the visual cohesion. Energy levels seemed noticeably low.
🇱🇹 Lithuania – Katarsis – “Tavo Akys”
Katarsis once again impressed with a hauntingly precise performance, closely resembling their semi-final. The staging — floating debris, apocalyptic tones — remains one of the strongest visual narratives this year.
🇪🇸 Spain – Melody – “ESA DIVA”
Melody delivered vocally, but staging concerns persist — particularly the curtain reveal timing, which still seems to lack split-second precision. That said, her confidence and stage command remain unshaken.
🇺🇦 Ukraine – Ziferblat – “Bird Of Pray”
A difficult rehearsal marked by audio dropouts in the lead singer’s microphone, leading to frustration and a temporary walk-off. A tough moment for a country expected to perform strongly in the final.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom – Remember Monday – “What The Hell Just Happened?”
Technically sound, though some in the press felt the powerful vocal delivery could have been dialed down. Still, a cohesive staging that lands its narrative beats with accuracy.
🇦🇹 Austria – JJ – “Wasted Love”
A vocally polished rehearsal from JJ, whose staging remains elegant and cinematic. The lingering question: will his tonal similarity to Switzerland’s Nemo help or hinder his vote appeal?
🇮🇸 Iceland – VÆB – “RÓA”
A weak run, both vocally and visually. Remnants of confetti from the prior act (Austria) were visible on stage, and some high notes fell flat, making this one of the less impactful rehearsals.
🇱🇻 Latvia – Tautumeitas – “Bur Man Laimi”
A strong, consistent rehearsal, visually faithful to their semi-final. Curtains and forest imagery remained effective, though there was a tight turnaround before Netherlands took the stage.
🇳🇱 Netherlands – Claude – “C’est La Vie”
Claude’s rehearsal proceeded without issues, though press could not view the full camera feed, limiting analysis. Vocals sounded smooth and consistent from the hall.
🇫🇮 Finland – Erika Vikman – “Ich Komme”
Erika had technical issues during her first run — unable to ascend her microphone structure due to safety concerns. She restarted and delivered a near-perfect second attempt, receiving enthusiastic applause from the press.
🇮🇹 Italy – Lucio Corsi – “Volevo Essere Un Duro”
A flawless vocal and visual delivery, complete with live harmonica. No missteps observed; Lucio’s charm and polish continue to win quiet admiration from fans and media alike.
🇵🇱 Poland – Justyna Steczkowska – “Gaja”
A commanding rehearsal from a seasoned performer. Justyna maintained top-tier vocals despite demanding choreography — and even powered through moments like swallowing her own hair mid-spin.
🇩🇪 Germany – Abor & Tynna – “Baller”
Still feeling like a high-end Berlin rave, this performance is a chaotic joy. While Tynna held back somewhat compared to the semi, her vocals were improved. Visually, it remains stunning — fire, projections, and all.
🇬🇷 Greece – Klavdia – “Asteromáta”
Klavdia delivered a flawless vocal performance, replicating with precision the symbolic and ritualistic staging from the semi-final. Birds, statues, fire and transformation still play central roles, and it remains one of the most elegant acts of the edition.
🇦🇲 Armenia – PARG – “SURVIVOR”
A powerful run-through for PARG, with improved vocals and dramatic firework cues. The intense physicality of the performance remains a standout element. The climactic scream was solid, and the storytelling arc continues to impress.
🇨🇭Switzerland – Zoë Më – “Voyage”
Zoë offered a solid rehearsal, though press couldn’t evaluate the full visuals due to screen blackouts. There were previous issues during the semi with missed cuts — known half-jokingly as “doing a Kaleen” — but those seem under review.
🇲🇹 Malta – Miriana Conte – “SERVING”
Miriana brought the full Eurovision chaos glam again. Giant lips, disco ball, leopard print and four yoga balls are just part of her arsenal. She’s vocally stable, and her over-the-top charisma could secure televotes if it lands well on camera.
🇵🇹 Portugal – NAPA – “Deslocado”
A well-executed performance, but one that may risk feeling repetitive mid-way through. While solid vocally, the minimalism of the song and staging may not be enough to stand out in such a stacked final lineup.
🇩🇰 Denmark – Sissal – “Hallucination”
Sissal shines brighter every time. In this rehearsal, she asked the press to join in singing the chorus, which was met with applause and participation — a moment that electrified the hall. Though she arrived without makeup or styling, her performance didn’t suffer in the slightest.
🇸🇪 Sweden – KAJ – “Bara Bada Bastu”
Sweden’s fun and steamy entry came off mostly well, though slight choreo desyncs were spotted among the group members. Still, it adds an upbeat twist near the end of the running order, and could benefit from its placement.
🇫🇷 France – Louane – “maman”
A moving and intimate rehearsal. Louane’s emotional control and camera connection place her among the strongest contenders for the win. She emerges covered in sand by the end, and the whispered “maman” from her daughter in the final second hits hard. One of the most authentic acts of the year.
🇸🇲 San Marino – Gabry Ponte – “Tutta L’Italia”
An energetic if chaotic stage show, with too many moving parts. Gabry Ponte plays the DJ role with gusto, but the number of distractions and dancer placements may make it hard for TV audiences to latch onto a focal point.
🇦🇱 Albania – Shkodra Elektronike – “Zjerm”
A much improved vocal performance from Beatriçe Gjergji, closing the show with stylized staging, punchy visuals, and solid chemistry. A stronger showing than previous rehearsals, and an excellent closer for the Grand Final.
🏁 Opening Act and Parade of Flags
The Grand Final kicks off with a spy-thriller-inspired segment showing the journey of the Eurovision trophy (which had been “lost”) back to the arena, ending with Nemo performing The Code — a high-energy callback to their winning moment in 2024.
A local Basel drum ensemble in traditional attire opens the Parade of Flags, followed by the 26 delegations marching in, flanked by dancers in glittering silver. Visually rich, proudly Swiss, and effective.
👋 Closing Thoughts
From Melody’s drama to Erika’s sky-high stunt, and from France’s emotional gravitas to Germany’s pyrotechnic mayhem, this rehearsal has shown a diverse, high-calibre Grand Final in the making.
While some delegations are still ironing out camera cuts and technical timing, the overall quality of this lineup is incredibly strong. With tonight’s jury show set to begin at 21:00 CEST, half the fate of these entries will soon be decided.