SAN MARINO: Our thoughts on how Anita and Michele should stage their Eurovision Entry ‘Chain of Lights’.

How do you think they should perform in Vienna?

This year, in a startling development never seen at Eurovision before, Valentina Monetta will appear on stage as two separate performers… hmmm? What’s that? You mean San Marino sent someone else? Oh…whoops!

All joking aside, San Marino’s young contenders are no strangers to the Eurovision stage. Both of them have previously taken part in Junior Eurovision, Michele singing in 2013, while Anita sung as part of the girl band The Peppermints in 2014. Anita will also be the first singer in the history of the contest to represent a country at Junior Eurovision one year and then at the Eurovision Song Contest the following year. So of course, such an accolade requires something special on stage to mark it.
As “Chain of Lights” incorporates a range of styles and tempos, the staging needs to help in bringing it all together. So my advice for San Marino would be to take a leaf out of Eurovision titan’s Sweden’s book – in particular, by borrowing elements from Anna Bergendahl’s staging of “My Life” in 2010. Anita and Michele should start in darkness, at opposite ends of the stage, Michele in a smart black suit, Anita in an elegant white dress. As the song builds, they move across the stage until they are stood opposite each other – then it’s time to do as the lyrics say – light up the candles!

A canopy of lights flickering around the stage may sound a touch on the simple side, but here’s where Sweden really got it right and where San Marino could also do well – give the audience lights too! A sea of lights out across the audience would make for a hugely memorable performance and also brings the audience into the show more (let’s face it, what is Eurovision without the fans?!). The warm glow of thousands of candle-like lights twinkling across the arena will give tiny San Marino huge impact and maybe, just maaaayyybeee (sorry, just had to!) we’ll all feel the love inside!

Best of luck in Vienna Anita and Michele! Buona fortuna! San Marino have only graced one Eurovision final so far – can they make it two years running?

Let us know what you think!

Author : James Scanlan

Source : Eurovision Ireland