…By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
Rita Ora Rehearses for Eurovision Semi-Final in Liverpool
British singer Rita Ora took the stage at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on Monday for the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final dress rehearsal.
The 32-year-old wore a PVC corset as she rehearsed with an army of dancers.
The Eurovision semi-final will be followed by another semi-final on Thursday before the grand final on Saturday.
Mae Muller, the UK’s entry, is already through to the final with her song “I Wrote A Song”.
Sweden’s Loreen, who won the competition in 2012, is considered one of the favourites to win the grand prize for 2023.
Eurovision Boss Predicts Contest Could Revive UK Interest
Eurovision boss Martin Osterdahl has said that the competition’s return to the UK for the first time in 25 years could reignite interest in the event.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Osterdahl, the executive supervisor of the European Broadcasting Union, said that the competition had changed over the years and was now capable of producing a new kind of global music star.
Recent winners, such as Italian rockers Maneskin and Dutch singer-songwriter Duncan Laurence, have gone on to achieve international success, including in the UK.
Liverpool Hosts Eurovision Song Contest and Sounds of the Underground Campaign
Commuters in Liverpool will be treated to traditional Ukrainian songs from buskers as the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest.
Ukrainian musicians, who won last year’s competition but were unable to host this year due to the Russian invasion, will record songs in Ukraine to be streamed in railway stations in Liverpool city centre.
The Sounds of the Underground campaign, launched by train operator Merseyrail in partnership with the Supplies For Ukraine community interest company, aims to raise funds for life-saving equipment for civilians and volunteers on the frontlines.
The buskers, who have lost their audience because of the war, will perform traditional Ukrainian songs and commuters will be able to scan QR codes to donate and find out more.