Where Senhit got yesterday’s rehearsals off with a bang, Tornike from Georgia’s start to today is more of a whimper. His song is much gentler, a tender, wistful ballad that slows the pace and will contrast with yesterday’s closer from Serbia that he’ll follow on the night.
It’s as casual as the promo video. Tornike’s in dark jeans and an unbuttoned white shirt. The staging is dark, full of moody blue clouds and swirls. He’s stood near a stage block towards the front, and after he’s sung the first half, he has a perch on it. Looking swarthy is exhausting work.
Some of the words are projected onto the backdrop, in English and in Georgian, in their beautifully ornate alphabet. It reminds you that the song is from a country with an occasionally different culture, and I think this is a nice touch, as the song itself ties more with the homogeneous western sound.
Some of the lyrics are also projected over Tornike’s face and body, to what feels like a much less successful effect.
I missed the start of the first stream we got, but what I did see sounded vocally solid. In the next go he seemed to be messing around with the vocal, deliberately half-hearted. Maybe he’s confident enough to only want to run through his blocking. Lisa Angell for France in 2015 was so prepared she came on, did two note perfect renditions, and ended her rehearsal slot early as she just didn’t need to do it again.
I think Tornike starts at a disadvantage. His song isn’t in any ‘typical’ Eurovision style, and whilst it has moments of loveliness, it also has little to grab the attention – although there is something about the slow, dark start to this that does make you want to watch to see what’s coming. It’s been 5 years since Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitaz last took Georgia to the final. Based on this, I think it will be at least another until they get there, though stranger things have happened
Monty x