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Russian contestant Yulia Samoilova holds first rehearsal on Eurovision stage

The video shows Samoilova sitting on a podium reminiscent of a cliff, there are also a couple of contemporary dancers and three backing singers

MOSCOW, May 1. /TASS/. Wheelchair-bound singer Yulia Samoilova, who will represent Russia at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, has held her first rehearsal at the Parque das Nacoes complex in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon on Tuesday. The rehearsal’s video has been released on Eurovision’s YouTube channel.

The video shows Samoilova sitting on a podium reminiscent of a cliff, there are also a couple of contemporary dancers and three backing singers.

Russia’s delegation arrived in Lisbon on Monday, while decorations for Yulia’s contest performance had been delivered to the Portuguese capital two weeks ago.

The first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place on May 8, the second one will be held on May 10, while the Grand Final is scheduled for May 12.

Samoilova will participate in the second semi-final, performing a song called I Won’t Break.

Yulia was born on April 7, 1989, in the city of Ukhta (the Republic of Komi). In 2013, she was second in the Factor A TV project. She also took part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Paralympic Games when she performed a song called Together. Yulia has been using a wheel chair since she was a child.

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