Welcome to Nice! After yesterday’s Opening Ceremony, the big week of Junior Eurovision 2023 has kicked off, which will culminate on Sunday, November 26 with the Grand Final of the competition from 16:00 CET!
With this first day of rehearsals for Junior Eurovision 2023, the preparations have begun at the Palais Nikaïa, where the young artists have had their first contact with the stage.
Each country has two individual rehearsals as usual every year, in which they can do several takes of the song they participate in the contest with. For this, they have had 40 minutes to perform several passes of their performance, trying to fine-tune the details of their stage presentations. As it is the first time they perform in the venue of the competition, the artistic and scenographic teams of each delegation have used the time to translate their ideas onto the space, with respect to the stand-in rehearsals offered by the organization.
Which countries have rehearsed on the first day (11/21/2023)?
One more edition, the press will not have access to the individual rehearsals of Junior Eurovision 2023. Therefore, in these first closed-door rehearsals for the press, the EBU is the one who publishes graphic material on each participating country.
The delegations of Ukraine, North Macedonia, Germany, Estonia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Malta, Portugal, Georgia and Armenia have been the first to perform their individual rehearsals on the big stage of the contest.
This has been the rehearsal schedule for this Tuesday, November 21, 2023:
Enjoy a review of the highlights of the individual rehearsals of the first 10 countries in Junior Eurovision 2023 with all the images, below:
🇺🇦 UKRAINE 🇺🇦
Anastasia Dymyd with “Kvitka” was the first to step on the stage of the Palais Nikaïa in Nice. The Ukrainian proposal offers us a renewed stage concept compared to what we saw in the pre-selection of October.
The pink, green and fuchsia colors are the protagonists in the costume of the artist and her companions and in the different visuals that appear on the screen. Of course, flowers could not be missing, as the main theme of her song. In addition, the Ukrainian folk touch is included by betting on traditional grecas and prints.
🇲🇰 NORTH MACEDONIA 🇲🇰
“Kaži Mi, Kaži Mi Koj”, Tamara Grujevska’s song for Junior Eurovision 2023 will feature a staging where blue and colorful landscapes are the protagonists.
Tamara has opted for a beige wardrobe with darker elements. At certain moments, the young girl performs the song from an elevated structure.
🇩🇪 GERMANY 🇩🇪
With the German proposal, FIA and its “Ohne Worte”, the Junior Eurovision 2023 stage is flooded with magic. A structure surrounded by neon that simulates a room is included. The visuals on the screen are starred by numerous fire lanterns in fuchsia and blue tones.
FIA is accompanied by another girl with whom she interacts for much of the performance.
🇪🇪 ESTONIA 🇪🇪
Estonia with Arhanna and her “Hoiame Kokku” debuts at Junior Eurovision 2023. The proposal is committed to a personal and elaborate stage design. At certain moments, the large screen on the stage becomes a stained glass window that covers the artist. The predominant colors are red, blue and violet.
For her part, Arhanna opts for a black wardrobe with white elements and red bows.
🇬🇧 UNITED KINGDOM 🇬🇧
The representatives of the United Kingdom STAND UNIQU3 step onto the stage of Junior Eurovision 2023 with their “Back To Life”.
It is committed to the use of neon and many visuals on the screen. Moments of dim lighting are mixed with others of explosion of light and color.
Three structures with light from which the artists sing are the most prominent elements of the set. The three artists use a different eclectic wardrobe for each one, but with common elements.
🇳🇱 THE NETHERLANDS 🇳🇱
«Holding On To You» by Sep & Jasmijn has already been played on the stage of Junior Eurovision 2023. In its first individual rehearsal, we have seen how the Dutch proposal maintains the essence of the scenery that we were able to enjoy at the Junior Songfestival 2023 in September.
As a novelty, one of the dancers has been eliminated from the pre-selection and the structure that introduces the DJ into the scene has been refined. A large metal scaffolding crowns the proposed electronics scene.
🇲🇹 MALTA 🇲🇹
Yulan Law with “Stronger” was the next to take the stage at the Palais Nikaïa in Nice. The island nation presents us with a proposal with a scenography based on lighting and on-screen visuals.
During this first rehearsal, we have seen a very intimate set design where dark colors have been the protagonists. Yulan Law has taken the stage to perform her powerful song alongside a stool and a large light display that explodes towards the end of the performance. The backgrounds will show the performer’s face at different points in the number, adding drama and emotion to the ensemble.
🇵🇹 PORTUGAL 🇵🇹
Portugal with Júlia Machado and her “Where I Belong” presents us with a radically different proposal from the concept presented in her official video clip. During the first rehearsal, Portugal showed a careful set design dominated by green and turquoise tones. Images of forests, light and nature shape the proposal so that it shines for next Sunday.
The biggest surprise in the published photos is a pink dress on which images will predictably be projected. In some images it is sensed that throughout the performance there will be interactions with the stage floor, on which figures will also predictably be projected.
🇬🇪 GEORGIA 🇬🇪
The Georgians Anastasia & Ranina with “Over The Sky” have presented a surprising, creative and dreamlike staging during their first rehearsal for Junior Eurovision 2023. The chosen color palette is dynamic and evolves during the 3 minutes of performance, but stands out by a contrast of pastel tones and darker ones.
Without a doubt, the two protagonists of the scene are two tall paragliding or fan-shaped gadgets that blend in with the patterns of the LED screen backgrounds. Likewise, the performers’ costumes are futuristic and dominated by the color white, giving a feeling of neatness and cleanliness.
🇦🇲 ARMENIA 🇦🇲
The Armenian group Yan Girls has taken the stage of the Palais Nikaïa for the first time to perform their first individual rehearsal for Junior Eurovision 2023. The performers of “Do It My Way” have made contact with the stage of the contest so that their performance shines on the stage. maximum possible next Sunday during the official broadcast.
The organizers’ stage design from last year is an explosion of color, graffiti and light with a purely urban aesthetic. Through the photos published by the organization, there are hints to elements that we have already seen in the official video clip of the entry.
JUNIOR EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2023
The Eurovision Junior Festival 2023 will take place on Sunday, November 26, under the theme “Heroes,” promising many innovations. France is gearing up to host the 21st edition of the children’s contest in the coastal city of Nice. On this occasion, the Palais Nikaïa has been chosen as the venue. Young artists from all over Europe will shine in a festival that returns to the month of November after two editions held during the Christmas festivities.
The main novelty of this edition is the incorporation of the iconic Eurovision heart into the event’s logo, just like in the Eurovision Song Contest. Since the introduction of the generic logo, this is the first time in the history of the children’s contest that the flag of the host country is included. Thus, in Nice 2023, the French flag waves within the heart, which is already a recognized icon worldwide. The slogan and official theme art of the 21st edition consist of colorful and powerful elements.
French television, with the extensive experience from Paris 2021, will spare no effort or resources to deliver an event worthy of the format. All of this is aimed at making this 21st edition a “unique and unrepeatable” festival. Once again, France Télévisions aims to organize Eurovision Junior at the highest level.
France will once again host the contest, with the celebration centered around music, friendship, and diversity, where the young talents of Europe will be the protagonists.
With two victories in its record, France will organize the 21st edition of a children’s festival that, year after year, solidifies its place among the young audience and gains increasing potential and popularity to showcase new talents in the world of music.
In 2022, in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, the Karen Demirchyan Complex hosted the contest for the second time in its history, as it did in 2011. There, France emerged victorious with the young singer Lissandro and his song “Oh Maman!” With his charisma and abundant energy, he managed to seize the coveted crystal microphone, thanks to the 203 points obtained from national juries and online voting by viewers..