This is how ‘Zorra’ sounded: Nebulossa’s performance in the Eurovision 2024 semi-finals

Thursday, May 9, 2024 | Updated 05/10/2024 00:24h.

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I already knew the Malmö Arena stage, but tonight was very different from rehearsals. Nebulossa had to step on it in the first real test, the second semi-final, as a warm-up for the big event on Saturday. Qualification is assured by being part of the ‘Big Five’, but generating good feelings for Eurofans ahead of the final is essential. With a dedicated audience chanting the word ‘Zorra’ in unison, Mery Bas and Mark Dasousa confirmed what had already been sensed in the first contact: they come to the festival with a protesting, catchy message with a cabaret air. They are not favorites, far from it, but it doesn’t matter.

The visuals are the common thread. Perhaps the staging is somewhat minimalist, with few elements. It maintains the Art Deco aesthetic that led them to victory at the Benidorm Fest. Now, with a state-of-the-art stage at your disposal, the staging gains ‘punch’. The square LED screens hanging from the ceiling form the word ‘Zorra’ in capital letters while accompanied by a variety of camera shots, up to 77.

Everything is loaded with symbolism. Mery Bas and the two dancers find themselves inside one of the cubes, a kind of cage that opens the door to a clandestine cabaret. It is the freedom to be yourself. The singer wears a shiny black lace catsuit, with flared pants and impressive shoulder pads. The set designed by Michael Costello, a signature for stars like Lady Gaga, Kylie Jenner and Beyoncé, is encrusted with more than 100,000 tiny crystals. Anything to shine in Malmö.

She is accompanied docilely by Cesar Louzán and Iosu Martínez, who end up removing the suit to appear bare-chested, wearing a black corset and thigh-high boots. Meanwhile, Dasousa on the keyboard animates the chorus of a melody in which Mar Lozano’s drums take on a clear role. People continue to acknowledge their efforts in chorus “I’m even more of a slut!”

The circular red velvet armchair, with a new gold stripe on the front as a nod to the Spanish flag, remains the throne. He dominates the stage like Bas does. What changes are the Benidorm chandeliers, which have disappeared. They are replaced by dynamic projections. And among them, the Venus de Milo. A metaphor for female representation in classical art. And as a final touch: pyrotechnics and smoke. Saturday will be the moment of truth.

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