The BBC have revealed the details of which performers will feature during the Eurovision 2023 Semi Final opening and interval performances.
Semi-Final 1
To mark the start of the Eurovision Song Contest, Semi-Final 1 will open with host Julia Sanina performing part of Маяк by her band The Hardkiss.
The interval sees, former Eurovision: Your Country Needs You 2009 auditonee, later global superstar, Rita Ora deliver a show-stopping medley of some of her biggest hits. Rita will also perform the world exclusive of her brand-new single Praising You alongside Fatboy Slim.
Alyosha – who represented Ukraine in Eurovision 2010 – will perform alongside Liverpool’s very own Rebecca Ferguson. Like many Ukrainian women in 2022, Alyosha was forced to leave her country and loved ones behind to seek refuge; Alyosha will share her personal journey through a new, haunting arrangement of Duran Duran’s Ordinary World. Creatively led and produced by Freckled Sky and TRI.Direction, in partnership with BBC Studios and UA:PBC, Alyosha and Rebecca will tell a story of hope, courage, and support for the people of Ukraine from across the world.
Semi-Final 2
Music Unites Generations explores the connection between generations of Ukrainians and the music they love. Mariya Yaremchuk, who represented Ukraine in Eurovision 2014, leads a contemporary montage of some of the most well-known pieces of music from the country. As we travel through time, the piece ends with a stunning collaborative performance from rapper OTOY, 14-year-old Ukrainian Junior Eurovision 2022 representative Zlata Dziunka, and Mariya. Together, they show that for generations of Ukrainians, music is the light that overcomes darkness.
Also in the interval, a performance called Be Who You Wanna Be celebrates how Eurovision is a place for everyone – no matter who you are. Three drag performers lead into a routine of high-end pop performances along with a troupe of eclectic dancers. They represent the huge spectrum of fans – regardless of age, nationality, or background.
It’s expected that details about the Grand Final’s opening and interval line-up will follow shortly.
