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Eurovision Day 4: Ukraine, Estonia and the Netherlands
Song 8: Ukraine
The first one to rehearse after the break is Svetlana Loboda from Ukraine with her Be my Valentine. For this there is a very industrial feel to the stage with chains, drills and pistons going up and down on the screens in pale colours. Ukraine has brought their prop on stage, also dubbed Hell machine. It consists of three big wheels and Svetlana rides them at times. There is a drum kit adorned with a banner of the Ukraine flag colours and text Anti-Crisis Girl. The same slogan is repeated on Svetlana’s chest. She has four topless male acrobatic dancers with her on stage doing a dance routine. This is a performance fill of action which might be hard to take in one go of three minutes, but should not leave any viewer cold. This number is full of sexual energy.
Song 9: Estonia
The penultimate country to rehearse is Estonia. The outfit is called Urban Symphony and their song in Estonian is called Rändajad. The set is lit on blue and light green for this peaceful number. The lead singer Sandra Nurmsalu has a wind machine pointed at her as she stands alone in the middle of the stage. Slightly behind her two female cellists are playing their instruments sitting down and a violinist is sitting on her other side. Sandra herself takes to the violin during the instrumental break. Two backing singers complete this all-female crew from Estonia.
Song 10: The Netherlands
And finally we have come to the last song that will compete for a place in the final. The Toppers sing the song Shine. The three members are dressed in black suits with shiny details. Also on stage are three female backing singers in frilly white dresses and camp wigs. The hall is lit in blue mostly, apart from some happy images projected behind the group. A pulsating star is also projected on the floor. They all have a shining light in their palms and one of the ladies seems to be carrying a record player as well. There are pyros during the finale of the song.
This was all the semi-finalists for the first time and the end of today’s rehearsals.
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Hi. I'm from Singapore and the first time I knew about Eurovision was from a friend who was, and still residing in London, telling me that a Turkish, Sertab Erener was the competition's winner, coincidentally was the country I toured for vacation that very same year.
Ever since then, I found songs on Eurovision, uninteresting, nothing distiguished from the mainstream music we hear from the US counterparts.
Estonia, your song is a great resemblance of your culture, and that's what I'm hoping from a contest like this. Beyond that, you guys still managed to mesmerised me despite its unique rythm that is very symbolic of it's culture that is brought forward. If you guys do not win, well, it will be a great disappointment and a harsh reality to accept.
Don't mind the fact that even a soul from the other side of the world is mesmerised by your music.
A thoughtful wish for your glory from the sunny, tropical lion city.
UKRAINE - OK, during the past few months I have really sustained myself from badmouthing other entries, but I cannot do that anymore. This was just horrible. And sadly, this will qualify.
ESTONIA - stunning performance. It gave me goosebumps really. Beautiful! 
THE NETHERLANDS - I shudder when I listen to this song, now I have even more reasons to shudder. Painful to listen to and now it's become painful to watch. And of course, once again sadly, this will qualify. Eww.
Ukraine "cracking perfomances" ???
The only cracks are the bum-cracks.
love Estonia!!!
The Netherlands ok,but if Croatia 2009 could pass to the final then why not this???everything is possible
Let every body shine a light
Gogogogogog Topppers Love that song...
Ukraine - CHEAP, TACKY, NASTY, TRASH.
Yet again the Ukraine go for a gimmick. Only this time they get it comepletely wrong with just a sleazy unprofessional act.
As for the song and her vocal - ABSOLUTELY CRAP. Still, the song was the last thing they thought of.
Estonia - Nice sound and vocal - if just little dull and lifeless. Still should do very well.
The Netherlands - here come the cheese!! Still they are professional - maybe dropping the sill suits would help. Will struggle to make the final though.
Ukraine.... no comments... jaja well it´s a shame the song...
Estonia: Sandra is great and the song is great too!!! I really like their voice, I hope to see Estonia in the final!
The Netherlands.- the song is awful, the singers too jaja, I think it´s a very simple song, nothing brilliant! sorry they don´t shine!
I wondered would Ukraine ever send just a bit good song. Maybe this year means a change?
And this happened...
The worst trash ever with more stupid performance...
Awful, awful, awful!
I don't want to see her in the final, but I'm afraid she will be in one of the top positions (as every year). 
I hate Ukraine in Eurovision!
They are ladies... they are 3 of the best (backing)vocalists Holland has.
The big one with the portable DJ turningtable was also backingvocalist of Esther Hart in 2003: http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=PVRtVTtwkoI And one of the two other ladies is Ingrid Simons, who is the voice of many dancetracks like T-Spoon's "No Time 2 Waste" and many Digidance productions, also was part of Ebonique who should have gone to the ESC in 2001 with "So Much Love" instead of that thing called Michele.
So Much Love: http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=U7w9PDeiIBs
I really thought Ukraine was smashing, as of every year they keep coming back with quality songs and cracking performances
Estonia was okay a little be static, I think If I was there on the night in the stadium I would be a little bored
Holland, too camp for my liking but I am confused because I thought that the people in white were men, but everyone is calling them ladies, whats going on?
A lot of correct comments about the Toppers - inspiring song and some good voices, but some very weird hand movements that look terrible, and those awful white dresses and wigs that make the girls look like drag queens - those aspects urgently need changing
so lets say that The Netherlands passing to the final, what happen then? take the victory? or one place in top 10 ? and anyway are so many differents songs this year
lol how dare people saying the toppers didnt sing well LOL have you heard the others? And theres only one fat lady, but so what??? Its a bit boring to see only skinny beauties. This is so different and will stand out, no matter what
I can not understand why there are so many negative reactions to The Toppers. I have seen many bad songs in this years SongContest ... worse then The Toppers ... I like the song ... only it all looks a bit to sweet on stage ... they should be more loose ... like they are at The Toppers live in concert. I am sure that they will reach te final ... Good Luck René, Jeroen and Gordon!!!
I've come to the conclusion that Ukraine can only be described with one word...: TRASHY
I really don't want ot see that uglyness in the final.
Esthonia is a winner song! I really hope it happens for them. It's beautiful.
The Netherlands is a bit misunderstood i guess. They do have to alter a lot of things from their appearence...the chubby lady with the dj act, their dancing is wrong...at some point they move their hand in such a way that it looks like sth totaly inappropriate...( if you know what i mean ) it's quite funny actually...but i really want to see them in the final.
BIG LOL @ Marcopolo
between two popsy erotical popsy entrants.
De Toppers - EROTICAL!? YUCK 
Well a lot of diffrent reacti
Oekraine its nice but to much .. to shout..
Estonia beatifull and special
Netherlands totaly diffrent, they singing well and have a verry catchy song and great performance.
The clothes are verry special from Gordon,Rene and Jeroen.
Well for the final:
Norway
Denmark
Oekraine
Estonia
Netherlands
Ierland
Slovenia
Moldavie
Greece
Servie
Albanie
Did the dutch have drag queens?
estonia was quite nice...I liked the presentation and tune. Ukrain was ok...but not really my kind of music this year.
About the Netherlands...oooh my god what was that?? even worst than I expected..they already had 3 midle age men...now some fat laidies?? Why?...and the song is just enough bad by it´s own. So this is for sure a non qualifier. Bad song bad everything!
every year the winning song is that looks stronger in eurovision win market betting odds after rehearsals. for example in 2002 bookmakers started to take winner latvia seriously only after rehearsals. In 2003 turkey reached second position in bookmakers only after rehearsals. In 2004 ukraine became hot favourite during rehearsals. In 2005 hungary lost ground as hot favourite this time. And finally in 2007 serbia became the second favourite in bookmakers only the last week.
This year so far after first rehearsal no change in top 3 (norway greece turkey) but the winner of the first rehearsal is of couse BOSNIA is fourth now and very close to turkey it was out of top ten a month ago. But of course is too early we have one week to watch rehearsals.
I'm really happy to see that Estonia has a lot of support here. It's the first time that a song I like a lot is supported by many fans lol
Good luck!
What happened with my comments?
Ukraine: I liked the song from the beginning!It's energetic,addictive and sexy!A definite qualifier for me!(well ok her vocal performance wasn't great but that's ok.
Estonia:I'd love this to win the whole contest!Haunting melody,great vocals and the singer such a beauty!
Netherlands: No comments!!!
Hmm. I am going to be kind to my country for once: I actually think that rehearsal from The Toppers was acually quite good! I still don't like de Toppers, I still don't really like the song (although it could have been so much worse) BUT they sound convincing vocally - you can tell they clearly are live-artists, and they were made for this kind of show. Plus a good spot in the running order. Who knows... (hey, after the inustice done to Hind last year I'm allowed to hope!)
Ukraine - one word: trash.
Estonia: I have used many, many words the last few months describing exactly how brilliant I think this song is, I'm still of that mind. I love the fact that while most esc songs are happy (even the more 'serious' ons aren't really).. But this is dark, mysterious, a bit cold and distant and it is INCREDIBLY atmospheric, it works fantastically. Vocally it's greta and musically it's original and very good. Wow¨.
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what ive learned from todays dances:after Evgeni Plushenko ppl decided to make figure skati moves without the ice.
i mean it.i was like watchin the euro cup.too many risky moves n im afraid of another Athens fall made by Sakis pff
I'd like for the final:
Lithuania, Estonia, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Denmark, Moldova, Ireland and Azerbaijan.
But I think:
Norway (overrated), Ukraine (neighbours), Serbia (diaspora), Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Estonia, Greece and the others I'm not sure.
Ukraine:bravo!finally a great coreographt that made me watch breathless.im not satisfied much with the live performance n the stage is a big mess.hell machines,drums,place changes done so quickly but this will qualify for sure
Estonia:emm isnt she look like shes punished??but a good classy perfrmer with a brilliant performance.this can surprise us n do very well
The Netherlands:well i like this song.at least someone sent a classic esc song.but didnt like the coreography esp the ladies.looks like a shine a light message in a cabaret.but the vocals r good for sure
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