Rita Ora in dress rehearsals ahead of performance at Eurovision semi-final

The event takes place tonight at Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena, ahead of the grand final on Saturday
Rita Ora during Eurovision rehearsals
AP
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Rita Ora took to the stage for dress rehearsals ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final.

The singer, 32, who is performing during tonight’s Eurovision semi-final, wore a PVC corset for the rehearsal at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool on Monday.

She was surrounded by an army of dancers as she performed.

Tonight’s show will be followed by a second semi-final on Thursday before the grand final on Saturday.

The UK’s entry – Mae Muller – is already through to the final with her track I Wrote A Song. Sweden’s Loreen, who won the competition in 2012, is among the favourites to take home the grand prize for 2023.

AP

It comes as Eurovision boss Martin Osterdahl has said the contest returning to the UK for the first time in 25 years could encourage the country to “fall in love with it again”.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) executive supervisor for the event said it had changed in the intervening years and was now capable of producing a new kind of global music star.

In recent years, former winners such as Italian rockers Maneskin and Dutch singer-songwriter Duncan Laurence have gone on to have successful international careers, including hits in the UK.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that commuters in Liverpool will be treated to music from Ukrainian buskers as the city hosts the Eurovision Song Contest.

HM King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort visit the host venue of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool

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Musicians from the war-torn country, which won last year’s competition but was unable to host in 2023 because of the Russian invasion, will record songs in Ukraine to be streamed in railway stations in Liverpool city centre.

The Sounds Of The Underground campaign was launched on Tuesday by train operator Merseyrail in partnership with the Supplies For Ukraine community interest company (CIC) 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.

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