ROTTERDAM CALLING MAY 08 🇳🇱 Live blogging

This is the end of today’s live blogging. More information, stories and post will emerge within the day. Organise yourselves as tomorrow we have a busy day starting with Cyprus and ending up with the favourite, Malta!

🇨🇾 Cyprus
🇳🇴 Norway
🇭🇷 Croatia
🇧🇪 Belgium
🇮🇱 Israel
🇷🇴 Romania
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
🇺🇦 Ukraine
🇲🇹 Malta

The final meet and greet session came by the EBU, in which we got to know the press conference hosts. For the record here are their details. We are talking about Koos van Plateringen, Hila Noorzai and Samya Hafsaoui.

It seems that the controversy with Johnny Logan ended as in a radio show, Mr Eurovision wished Lesley to get as many 12 points as she can, but while watching this statement from Lesley, you could tell it was an awkward moment, as Johnny has really criticised the choice of RTÉ this year.

Lesley also discussed the debate on whether having a national selection for her country or an internal selection. She explained that both formats have pros and cons and she hopes the national selection show will be back to bring excitement to the Irish fans…

Lesley talked about her American wife which loves Eurovision as they both started watching back in the good old days, when Ireland was winning back to back.

During her meet and greet session, Lesley explained there was a lot of work put on the idea for its stage presentation, and she is thrilled that after a year of online working, they are now implementing the team ideas on stage.

You can now vote based on the official YOUTUBE videos, for up to three rehearsals of May 8th, you liked the most today. You can vote by checking this link.

In about ten minutes Lesley Roy will come to the press conference area and probably will explain more of the stage presentation, which most of us actually didn’t understand (not to mention like)

He cannot access the gym in Rotterdam, therefore Vasil is excisicing on his hotel balcony!

Since he participated in the backing vocals for Tamata, in the previous Eurovision edition, he knew he had to do a solo Eurovision himself…

During his meet and greet, Vasil said that the use of the vest in the bridge of the song was about turning inner darkness into light…

Don’t forget to support this country and singer in our annual EUROPREDICTION here

Watching it on the monitor, the performance though loses. It doesn’t look appealing enough, the graphics need work, the coordination needs work and the quality remains plain and poor. Not sure if this will properly work…

Lesley is using digital trees and camera frames. It looks she is in a storybook. The effect is not going to be available on the video later but through the monitor, we can guarantee that the stage effect is fully used and is impressive.

We are ready for Ireland now, as the first run took place, already. One thing is for sure. The stage is set up in the most interesting way…

The third run of the rehersal seemed a bit awkward. Not sure if the augmented reality was really worked and Vasil didn’t give his high note. But I guess it’s the first test rehearsal for him and he proved before he has the voice to even win the semi-final.

Don’t forget to support this country and singer in our annual EUROPREDICTION here

The performance is amazingly simple, dark and with very few camera angles. The black jacket is back on and we have the first augmented reality used as we see sparkles, flames on the hands of Vasil. The quality of the augmented reality is amazing. The second part of the song is powerful, full of gold colours, the jacket opens and the vest is sparkling all over as a human disco ball. Now that’s a surprise entry! The stage looks stunning and the operatic end of the song is totally festival. You will love it and vote for it (for sure).

Vasil is wearing a classic black suit with a sparkly vest and has a backdrop of stars and glitter. The vocal performance sounds outstanding, to be honest. His recent coming out gives a new meaning to his song, right? He removed his jacket in the next run. We remind you that we are not allowed to see the first run but we watch in the monitors the second and third run.

Back to work from the first break of the day and awaiting Vasil to take the stage