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United Kingdom: Initial staging idea for “Dizzy” was rejected by SVT!

The United Kingdom went full throttle with the pop sensation “Dizzy” and the well known Olly Alexander in Eurovision 2024. This impressive staging with special camera movements seems that it was a much simpler presentation than it was originally planned by Olly Alexander’s team, specifically Theo Adams.

Ola Melzig, the Senior Technical Director of Eurovision 2024, spoke to “The Euro Trip Podcast” and mentioned the following about Olly Alexander’s performance:

If the UK hadn’t reached out very early on this year, you wouldn’t have seen that performance. 

Their first idea was impossible to do on our stage because we have less than 50 seconds to do a changeover – you can’t show up with something that weighs a tonne and takes two minutes to do.

It appears that the original concept was too big and impractical to implement in time for a live show with a strict schedule, which is why SVT rejected it. Though scaled back to fit Eurovision’s requirements, the concept behind what we actually saw and what was initially planned remained the same.

As a result, Ola Melzig emphasizes the importance of early communication in order to have enough time to adapt and bring the submitted ideas to life as closely as possible to their original state.

Despite the impressive staging, Olly Alexander’s performance was also criticized by the European public for being provocative; thus, he was not awarded a single point from the audience, finish in eighteenth place with a total of 48 points.

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Source: eurotrippodcast

Eurovision 2024: Six countries wanted to withdraw 25 minutes before the Grand Final!

Two weeks after the Grand Final of Eurovision 2024, it became known from the Norwegian newspaper VG that six countries participating in the Saturday’s show wanted to withdraw up to twenty-five minutes before the start of the final.

The 11th of May was crucial for the contest, as reported by the newspaper, the EBU and SVT found themselves in a major critical meeting as six countries wanted to withdraw until they decided to participate.

The six countries that wanted to withdraw were the winning Switzerland, Ireland, Portugal, Norway, Greece and the United Kingdom.

Specifically, Magnus Børmark, a member of the Norwegian band Gåte, stated that:

We were considering withdrawing until the last moment. Many of us reacted to the fact that Israel had the opportunity to use Eurovision as its own political tool.

The reason the six countries wanted to withdraw was the participation of Israel and the exclusion of Joost Klein. VG writes that Israel’s participation, the extensive security measures, and the behavior of the Israeli delegation during the week were reasons for the protests,” adds Børmark:

Our common point was that we did not want to participate in Eurovision to be used and stigmatized in a war propaganda machine in Israel. We participated to create a space where we can unite in music – in a political situation where everyone chooses sides and hates each other.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding Eurovision Song Contest 2025!

Source: VG

United Kingdom: The viewers of the First Semi-Final of Eurovision 2024!

With the first semi-final already completed, the television ratings for the United Kingdom have been released to the public.

At BBC One, the first semi-final was watched by just under 2 million viewers. There was a slight drop of only 400,000 viewers compared to last year. This makes the 2024 semi-final the most watched for BBC One outside a hosting year.

Olly Alexander appeared in the first semi-final representing the United Kingdom, performing “Dizzy.” He will perform again in the Grand Final on Saturday, May 11th.

https://youtu.be/kiIhvA2Ozzk

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Eurovision 2024: The draw for the performance order of the Big 5 in the Final!

Today, the Big 5 had their second rehearsals, and immediately after the press conference, the draw for their performance order in the Grand Final on Saturday (May 11th) took place. United Kingdom was first in the lineup, and the draws concluded with Italy’s.

The article is being updated.

  • We remind you that the host country, Sweden, opens the Grand Final on Saturday, as it is in the number one position.
  • The United Kingdom with Olly Alexander and ‘Dizzy‘ will perform in the first half of the Grand Final.

credit Corinne Cumming/EBU

  • Additionally, Germany will also appear in the first half with ISAAK and ‘Always On The Run.

credit Corinne Cumming/EBU

  • Slimane, representing France with ‘Mon Amour,’ was drawn to perform in the second half of Saturday’s final.

credit Corinne Cumming/EBU

  • Spain, represented by Nebulossa with the song ‘Zorra,’ was drawn for the producer’s choice, the new selection option for this year’s contest.

credit Corinne Cumming/EBU

  • The last country from the Big 5 to be drawn is Italy. Angelina Mango with ‘La Noia‘ was also drawn for the producer’s choice, the new selection option for this year’s contest.

credit Corinne Cumming/EBU

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Source: eurovision reddit

Eurovision 2024: The second rehearsal of the United Kingdom!

Today is the ninth day of rehearsals and the Big 5 and the host Sweden are taking the stage at the Malmö Arena to perform their second technical rehearsal. Today’s rehearsals are opened by Olly Alexander , who represents the UK with “Dizzy”, a dance and radio track that represents the trends prevailing in the country’s music scene.

Who is Olly Alexander?

As he launches his first solo album of the same name, Olly Alexander remains one of the most innovative pop stars nowadays.

In three hugely successful albums to date, the singer, actor, and fashion icon has scored two UK Number 1 albums, 10 UK Top 40 singles and was recently awarded the BRIT Billion Award (with 6.5 billion streams worldwide).

He started his career as part of the band Years & Years and later he evolved into a solo career.  In 2024, a brand new solo era, Olly has become a once-in-a-lifetime voice: Russell T DaviesIt’s A Sin won Best New Drama at the National Television AwardsOlly was also nominated for Best Actor at the BAFTA Television Awards 2022, for his performance in the series.

Olly has headlined arenas and festivals around the world and collaborated with Sir Elton John, Kylie Minogue, and Pet Shop Boys .

The rehearsal

Olly Alexander‘s appearance transports viewers to a post-apocalyptic dystopian boxing gym locker room, a spaceship hurtling towards Earth through a black hole in 1985!

There’s a large room on stage, lined with dirty tiles and shower heads – resembling George Michael’s song “Outside“, taking inspiration on the vibe of the official video.

Olly‘s four male dancers wear (minimal) red boxing gear and the camera angles constantly change so the audience feels like the room is spinning, backed by a rotating black hole of LED graphics.

The performance creates a “locker room going into space” scenario. In short, it’s a VERY ambitious and exciting set, with special-effects-packed look that only really comes to life on screen.

United Kingdom’s second rehearsal Eurovision 2024. Credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU

Also a note about the arrangement of the song – there are extra strings and the production on the final chorus is different.

Lots of sparks and fireworks at the end, giving the feeling that the stage is malfunctioning, and then we have one last big bang.

United Kingdom second rehearsal Eurovision 2024. Credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU

Later today, a video will be released with thirty seconds of clips from the TV footage of the performances of the Big 5 and host Sweden. This video will be published on the official Eurovision YouTube channel after today’s rehearsals are over.

More information on the appearance of the United Kingdom will be released on Monday 6/5 , after the Dress Rehearsal of the 1st Semi-Final countries. 

Source: Eurovision.tv


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Eurovision 2024: Which rehearsal had the most views on the sixth day?

Yesterday, the first rehearsals were officially concluded, with the Big 5 and the host country Sweden taking the stage at the Malmö Arena for the first time! Regarding what we liked and what we would like to see again, you can read our new editorial. Also, you can read our article from the day before yesterday about the rehearsals of the eight countries from the second semifinal who completed their rehearsals on Tuesday.

However, as we know on TikTok, all the first rehearsals are uploaded. Apart from their performances, we’ll also get a sneak peek backstage before they take the stage for the first time in a video of about one minute.

One of the many features of TikTok is the ability to add songs to each user’s video creation. However, the TikTok algorithm is usually able to detect the song used in the video, assign it to the correct track, and then include it in the total number of videos where that sound has been used. Based on this capability, the most popular songs before rehearsals were from the Netherlands and Italy. Will they receive the same promotion as before?

In less than 24 hours (May 3, 2024, time 15:35 CET), since the first clip from the rehearsals was uploaded, we have a indicative sample of which rehearsal was favored by the audience (here it should be noted that the videos were uploaded one after the other with a one and a half hour interval and there was a significant delay in their publication).

The rehearsals that had the most views are:

  1. Sweden: Marcus & Martinus – Unforgettable – 344.1 thousand views
  2. United Kingdom: Olly AlexanderDizzy – 328.9 thousand views
  3. Spain: Nebulossa – Zorra – 264.1 thousand views
  4. France: Slimane – Mon Amour – 247.4 thousand views
  5. Germany: IsaakAlways On The Run – 152.9 thousand views
  6. Italy: Angelina MangoLa Noia – 136.1 thousand views

With this small sample, we can infer that:

  • Sweden and the United Kingdom impressed the fans, capturing the first and second positions respectively in views on their first rehearsal. Will they have the same response tomorrow when they take the stage for their second rehearsal?
  • Surprisingly, the favorite to win, Italy, and Angelina Mango are in the last position in views from their first rehearsal.
  • Since it has only been 20 hours since the first video was posted on TikTok, there is a possibility that countries will recover in views very soon.”

Stay tuned because tomorrow the overall ranking of all 37 entries based on their views on TikTok before the semi-finals will be revealed.

TikTok has played a significant role in the success of Eurovision songs in recent years. For example, Duncan Laurence’s winning entry “Arcade” became a global hit a year after winning the competition when it was used in over a million videos on TikTok. One of the earliest TikTok successes from Eurovision was Getter Jaani’s “Rockefeller Street”, which went viral on the platform in 2018 and has since been used in over two million videos. Let’s not forget that Armenia’s entry in 2022 by Rosa Linn with “Snap” gained over a billion views on the platform. Finally, Norway’s entry last year gained significant worldwide publicity months before the competition week, where it secured fifth place.

For detailed information about the rehearsals, you can check out our related articles:

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Eurovision 2024: United Kingdom’s First Rehearsal!

Next up on the stage of Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is the United Kingdom. Olly Alexander with his song “Dizzy” is ready for his first rehearsal on the stage of Malmö Arena!

Who is Olly Alexander?

As he embarks on the first release under his own name, Olly Alexander remains one of the world’s most trailblazing modern pop stars.

Across three hugely successful albums to date, the singer, actor and fashion icon has scored two UK number 1 albums, 10 UK Top 40 singles and was recently awarded the BRIT Billion Award (with 6.5 billion streams globally).

With his band Years & Years evolving into a solo project and, in 2024, a brand-new solo era, Olly has become a once-in-a-generation voice: the Russell T Davies show It’s A Sin won Best New Drama at the National Television Awards, with Olly also nominated for Leading Actor at the 2022 BAFTA Television Awards, for his performance in the series.

Olly has headlined arenas and festivals worldwide and collaborated with the likes of Sir Elton John, Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys.

Olly’s entry “Dizzy” is produced and co-signed by Danny L. Harle, who serves as the producer of Dua Lipa’s upcoming album, “Radical Optimism” and is also behind her recent hit songs, such as “Houdini” and “Training Season”.

Olly Alexander was selected internally by BBC back in December 2023. The announcement of his Eurovision participation was conducted by himself during the Finale of Dancing With The Stars program.

The Rehearsal

First up today is the UK’s Olly Alexander, singing his song Dizzy. He’s a very well-known and long-established performer in the UK, as well as an award-winning actor.

Very helpfully, we received some staging notes from the UK delegation for this performance – here’s how they describe what we’re currently watching:

Olly Alexander’s Eurovision performance transports viewers into a post- apocalyptic dystopian boxing gym locker room, aboard a spaceship hurtling toward Earth through a black hole in 1985!

We’re not making this up, we promise. Essentially there’s a big room set on stage, lined with dirty tiles and shower heads – this whole thing feels like a grittier version of George Michael’s Outside, so very much the vibe of the official video. Olly’s four male dancers are wearing (the bare minimum of) red boxing gear, and the camera angles keep changing so it feels like the room is rotating, backed by a spinning black hole graphics on the LED. It really does feel like they’re in a dirty locker room hurtling through space.

In short, it’s VERY ambitious and mind-blowing bit of staging, with a gym bag full of special effects that mean it only really comes to life on screen.

Also a note on the song arrangement – to our ears, there’s a new middle eight with extra strings, and the build to the final chorus is different.

PYRO UPDATE! Loads of sparks and fireworks at the end, which make it feels like the set is malfunctioning, then a final big bang. Photos coming soon!

Olly Alexander, United Kingdom – Eurovision 2024 first rehearsal

United Kingdom First Rehearsal Eurovision 2024. Credits: Sarah Louise Bennett

United Kingdom’s second rehearsal is scheduled for Saturday, 4/5. A TV snippet of Olly Alexander’s performance will provide a clearer picture of what to expect on the Eurovision stage.

You can watch a small clip from United Kingdom’s first rehearsal from TikTok:

@eurovision @Olly Alexander has us feeling a certain type of way with all that hanging around… let’s call it Dizzy #Eurovision2024 ♬ original sound – Eurovision

Source: eurovision.tv

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United Kingdom: Listen to Olly Alexander perform “Dizzy” live!

It has been a week since Olly Alexander released his long-awaited Eurovision entry, titled “Dizzy“.

Dizzy” is undoubtedly a current radio-friendly song, which has caught the attention of Eurovision fandom so far, proving that the United Kingdom has come back strong. Along with a radio-friendly song, Olly Alexander now comes to proves that he can sing his song live, releasing a live version of “Dizzy” on his official YouTube channel. All of the vocals are live, along with the instrumental.

You can listen to “Dizzy” live, below:

The team behind “Dizzy”

Olly Alexander has a powerful ally on his side for his Eurovision bid. Danny L. Harle, Dua Lipa’s producer, has put together Olly Alexander’s bid. Danny is the brains behind Dua’s latest smash hit “Houdini” and will probably serve as the executive producer on her upcoming third studio album. Moreover, “Dizzy” is also signed by Olly Alexander himself and along with Danny H. Harle, it was co-produced by Finn Keane.

Who is Olly Alexander?

The 33 year-old Olly Alexander is a singer and actor from England. He is best known for his work as the lead singer of Years & Years, one of the UK’s most successful groups and as Ritchie Tozer in the Channel 4 drama series “It’s a Sin”. Alexander has been multi-nominee in the Brit Awards as well as several other awards within the United Kingdom.

Olly Alexander was selected by BBC as the British entrant for Eurovision 2024 and his participation was announced by himself during the Grand Final of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing on December 16. Soon after his announcement, the United Kingdom has climbed to high on the betting odds.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!

United Kingdom: Eurovisionfun Reacts to Eurovision 2024 Entry “Dizzy”!

This year’s UK entry is none other than Olly Alexander with ‘Dizzy‘. The country superstar with his smash hit Years & Years has three hugely successful albums under his belt to date, scored 2 UK #1 albums, 10 UK Top 40 Singles and was recently awarded a BRIT Billion Award ( with 6.5 billion streams worldwide).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvs92WfR8lM&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Feurovisionfun.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

The Eurovisionfun team once again watched and reacted to the official video clip of the country’s entry for the upcoming Eurovision contest! Enjoy Apostolis, Spyros and Katerina in a Reaction video with detailed commentary on UK’s participation in Eurovision 2024!

Do you like UK’s entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest? Tell us in the comments below!

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the latest news about the Eurovision Song Contest!

United Kingdom: Listen to “Dizzy” by Olly Alexander!

The wait is over! “Dizzy“, the British entry for Eurovision 2024, is finally out.

Less than a month ago, it was unveiled that “Dizzy” would be the title of Olly Alexander’s bid for Eurovision 2024, while he also shared a snippet of his entry on social media. Today, March 1st, and on just midnight (GMT), “Dizzy” was released on all streaming platforms.

Listen to “Dizzy” by Olly Alexander, below:

 

The team behind “Dizzy”

Olly Alexander has a powerful ally on his side for his Eurovision bid. Danny L. Harle, Dua Lipa’s producer, has put together Olly Alexander’s bid. Danny is the brains behind Dua’s latest smash hit “Houdini” and will probably serve as the executive producer on her upcoming third studio album. Moreover, “Dizzy” is also signed by Olly Alexander himself and along with Danny H. Harle, it was co-produced by Finn Keane.

Who is Olly Alexander?

The 33 year-old Olly Alexander is a singer and actor from England. He is best known for his work as the lead singer of Years & Years, one of the UK’s most successful groups and as Ritchie Tozer in the Channel 4 drama series “It’s a Sin”. Alexander has been multi-nominee in the Brit Awards as well as several other awards within the United Kingdom.

Olly Alexander was selected by BBC as the British entrant for Eurovision 2024 and his participation was announced by himself during the Grand Final of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing on December 16. Soon after his announcement, the United Kingdom has climbed to the top of the odds, where it still remains today, on “Dizzy’s” release date.

Stay tuned to EurovisionFun for all the news!