🇨🇭 TES Reviews: Interpretive dance for Gjon’s Tears

Up next today is Switzerland, who are being represented by Gjon’s Tears. Gjon’s Tears will be singing the song ‘Tout l’Univers’ in this year’s competition.

What did we make of Switzerland’s rehearsal?

The performance is heavily black and white for the most part. Gjon is wearing a black beaded shirt and black trousers, and stood on a white structure which is like a rectangle with uneven sides. There’s a lot of close ups, particularly on his hands and face – the performance is driven by very subtle gestures he makes throughout the first verse and chorus. We get some wider shots in the chorus, showing a black and white ripple effect (similar to Tusse’s) on the back screen. Just before he hits the high note in the last chorus, we get a small amount of purple light, before the LEDs start to almost sparkle in a clever strobe effect. Parts of the rectangular structure come away and dismantle, until he’s left standing on just one piece of it. It’s very beautiful. He ends with a haunting close up, looking directly through the camera to the audience.

Jazzi: Wow! This is impressive and totally what I wasn’t expecting! I really like the interpretive dance breaks in the instrumentals and I like the way black and white has been used in this performance! The performance feels quite intense but at the same time you can tell Gjon is having the time of his life! I was unsure about this as a potential winner before but after seeing the staging I am totally sold on it! He is definitely in contention!

Rosie: It’s a truly stunning performance from Gjon, with a staging concept unlike anything I expected but which works perfectly for the song. It’s beautiful. The final chorus, where the strobe lights glitter around him, is one of my favourite pieces of staging we’ve seen so far. It balances the intimacy and grandeur of the song very well, and while it isn’t an obvious translation of his message, it definitely fits with what he’s trying to portray. I can’t wait to watch it again already.

Rory: In the same way that Portugal played with negative space, Switzerland did the same. However, Gjon’s performance is far more cutting edge, avant-garde and modern than The Black Mamba. I loved this – it was so sparse but worked so well to add to the grandeur of the song! Gjon’s vocal was perfect and his ability to deliver such high notes and do light interpretive dance moves is incredibly unique. It’s also incredibly innovative and forward thinking! This is going to do incredibly well, and could easily be a contender for the win.

What do you think of Gjon’s Tears’s first rehearsal? Let us know in the comments below or at social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

News Source: EBU/ That Eurovision Site

Photo Source: SRF/ Oscar Alessio