Ladies and gentlemen! The time has come! Welcome to the Eurovision Song Contest 2019! In keeping with the tradition and ahead of the Eurovision Week, the host city of Tel Aviv is ready to welcome all artists, delegation members, press and fans of the contest with a special opening ceremony at the Habima Square!
Dressed in their most classy costumes, all 41 delegations will walk through the red carpet, which this year will be… orange! The event starts at 18:00 CEST, while it will be broadcast live by the host broadcaster KAN, as well as the official Eurovision channel on YouTube.
Live from the Habima Square in Tel Aviv, ESCToday will be there to provide you with commentary on the elegant choices of the delegates. Thus, don’t skip following us!
[UPDATE 13 May]: Should you have missed yesterday’s show, no worries! You may watch it here!
Cyprus
Tamta channels Lady GaGa in her daring short royal blue dress, by the designer Mi-Ro. Her dress has a ruffled skirt and a plunging lace neckline and frilled shoulders. Her outfit is finished with black boots, with an absolutely huge heel! Tamta slightly struggles to walk, so perhaps the boots are a bit much for her!
Montenegro
D mol appear very co-ordinated once again. The girls are all in matching autumnal draped dresses, in shades of green and ochre, accessorising with belts and jewellery. Although this is a very classic look, it does seem quite mature for such young female singers. The boys are all in black, tuxedos and shirts, with different muted shades for their jackets, in claret, teal and navy.
Finland
Darude and Sebastian Rejman are next to arrive at the orange carpet, with both gents look particularly dapper in black suits. Sebastian opts for the utterly classic suit with a black tie, whilst Darude looks slightly more relaxed by wearing a white collarless shirt with his suit. It’s nice to see both of them looking so smart!
Poland
It’s a refreshing change to see the Polish ladies in modern glamour! The girls are all wearing the same dress, a royal blue dress with a daring split up to thigh. Each of the dresses are embellished with two silver sequined scorpions, which is something we haven’t seen at Eurovision before. Tulia all have their hair pinned in vintage glamourous waves, and they finish their look with purple clashing shoes.
Slovenia
Zala and Gasper, who are typically very introverted, seem slightly uncomfortable on the orange carpet, but grin and bear it. Zala is wearing a simple spaghetti-strapped white dress, with a white choker, similar to a lot of prom dresses seen on teenagers around the world. Gasper is wearing a loose fitting linen shirt and pale trousers.
Czech Republic
There must have been a note for all the acts to co-ordinate their outfits for tonight, as Lake Malawi also appear dressed identically – something we have not seen from them before. All the boys are wearing black suits and shoes, and simple white shirts. It’s a nice combination of traditional and modern for the young band, who seem very positive tonight!
Hungary
Joci has also abandoned his traditional stage outfits for something more contemporary. He wears jeans and trainers, with a simple loose shirt. His jacket has an asymmetrical tail at the back, which gives him a modern look. This outfit has been put together by the same stylist who styled him in 2017.
Belarus
ZENA looks very stylish in a sparkly white zebra print cocktail dress, with a blue splattered effect across it. Her hair is loose and wavy. This look is both classic and modern, and suits the young Belarussian very well.
Serbia
Nevena stays in all-black, as we are used to seeing her this time round, with this elegant dress by NEO Design. The skirt has a daring thigh split, with a sarong knot at the top. The dress is long-sleeved, and she has flipped the shawl up and over her head as a headscarf. She accessorises with silver jewellery over the top. This look wouldn’t have looked out of place in last week’s Met Gala!
Belgium
Eliot apparently didn’t get the smart-casual memo, as he arrives wearing black trousers, black jeans and trainers, and what can only be described as an oversized anorak over the top. He also wears sunglasses, despite the sun having already set in Tel Aviv.
Georgia
Oto Nemsadze appears in black again, as we have always seen him this Eurovision season. He wears a black shirt, trousers, and big black boots. He wears a loose jacket over the top, and his wavy hair is loose, furthering his relaxed image. Oto’s clothes tonight are by the Georgian designer George Shagashvili.
Australia
Kate Miller-Heidke continues her Disney Princess look, wearing a navy Steven Khalil dress completely covered in sequins. Her ballgown has a sweetheart neckline and small puff sleeves. Her starry trademark headdress is by Ford Millinery, her shoes (which we can’t see under her huge dress!) are by Bared Footwear, and her jewellery is by Jeanette Marie.
Iceland
Klemens is first to emerge from the car, he wears huge boots, and tight PVC trousers. His jacket only has one side and sleeve, and he is shirtless underneath. Matthias appears in loose trousers, but his jacket is also typical of their BDSM look. The rest of the band also wear their typical PVC outfits. Their “gimp” also appears wearing a black dress and impossibly high heels!
Estonia
Victor is wearing a navy suit with cropped trousers, by Suit Supply. His white shoes keep this look relaxed, but tie in the Estonian colours slightly formalises it. Victor also wears sunglasses, despite it being evening in Tel Aviv.
Portugal
Both Tiago (Conan) and João, his dancer, are wearing Alves e Gonçalves outfits. Conan appears in a black tunic, with a creped neckline, whilst Joao appears in contrasting white. It’s very artistic, and typical of his image. Alves e Gonçalves are two Portuguese designers that work together for several years. They also are the stylists of the outfit he is wearing in the postcard.
Greece
Katerine is wearing an elegant full-length nude coloured silk sheath gown by Deux Hommes. Her sleeves are oversized, with delicate butterflies detailing them, and Katerine wears real flowers in her hair, which apparently smell delightful! The Greek Head of Delegation, Maria Koufopoulou has been dressed by Laskaris tonight.
San Marino
Serhat always looks especially dapper at events such as these, and he never fails to disappoint! He is wearing black trousers, with a white tuxedo jacket with black piping. He is also wearing a black bow tie, which tops off his timeless look.
France
Next to arrive tonight, is one of the bookie’s new favourites, Bilal Hassani. He appears as an androgynous angel tonight, wearing a white sequined shirt and trousers, with added puff details on the sleeves. Over the trousers, he wears a huge 3-metre long frill-tiered skirt, which he struggled to get out of the car with! Bilal famously names all of his wigs, and this wavy blonde piece tonight is called “Vivi”.
Spain
23-year-old Miki is wearing a grey double-breasted Armani suit. The trousers are loose-fitting, and the jacket is open. Miki’s plain white t-shirt and white trainers give the look a breath of youthful fresh air.
Israel
The hometown boy has arrived, as Kobi appears in a relaxed nude-coloured suit and slightly open shirt. It’s nice to see him in a colour that isn’t black and looking slightly more relaxed. However, his black, grey and white baseball shoes detract and distract from the classic simplicity of this outfit.
Armenia
Srbuk has opted for a very daring white suit for her appearance on the orange carpet. Her trousers are classy and tailored, and her jacket is adorned with a large tulle flower. The real talking point, however, is that Srbuk has gone shirtless underneath her jacket with a daringly low naval-exposing neckline! Srbuk keeps the sultry look very classy though, with a sleek plait and red lip to finish her look. This is one of the more stylish looks we have seen so far tonight.
Ireland
Sarah appears in a white gown, with a mermaid cut hem and train. The bodice is see-through and lacey with feathered detail across her right shoulder, with her long blonde hair draping down her left shoulder. This is an elegant look that flatters Sarah’s fantastic figure.
Moldova
Anna embraces classic red carpet glamour, wearing a fuschia gown dripping with sequins and beads. It has small straps, a sweetheart neckline and a slit up the leg. Anna looks very comfortable and elegant in this classic ensemble.
Switzerland
Luca Hanni arrives in the most flamboyant suit of the night! His jacket and trousers are flecked all over with red and black glitter in diagonal stripes. He wears a red high-cut t-shirt underneath and some gold jewellery around his neck. It’s a look that Luca can pull off very well, but his dancers’ cycling shorts, which they are also wearing tonight, remain highly questionable!
Latvia
Sabīne Žuga, the female lead of Carousel, is wearing dress called “Berlin Fairy”, by the Latvian designer group “Pixie won’t play”. Her dress is described as delicate yet bold – a dress made for memorable appearances. It is dark grey, and drapes very nicely. Her chunky heel shoes are also by Pixie Won’t Play, and the handmade 10cm heel is crafted from Latvian birch.
The remaining members of Carousel are wearing outfits made by Līga Banga, who also styled their on-stage look.
Romania
Romania’s entry Ester Peony is wearing a dress designed by M.Marquise. It is completely sheer in a pale cream colour, with modern boned modesty panels, and beading and feather details. Ester finishes her look with a beaded earring. Another glamorous dress to add to those we have seen already tonight.
Denmark
Whilst it’s really nice to see Leonora in something that isn’t cropped trousers and braces, it’s a shame it’s quite a dowdy dress. The emerald colour is very flattering for Leonora’s complexion, but the dress doesn’t seem age-appropriate. The Dr Marten-esque shoes also make the ensemble look quite clunky, which is disappointing.
Sweden
John is wearing a suit very similar to Kobi Marimi, in a pale peach colour. John’s suit is by J. Lindeberg. It’s a very modern look, with a white t-shirt and white trainers. As with many other artists, it’s refreshing to see John wearing something new tonight.
Austria
We are used to seeing Paenda’s striking blue hair contrasting nicely with black, but tonight she wears a short white wrap dress, covered in sequins. The v-neckline is low, and there is flattering rouching at the front of the dress. Many artists seemed to have taken inspiration from Hatari, as Paenda is wearing big clunky platform boots, giving her delicate white dress a harder look.
Germany
The S!sters from Germany remain in black tonight. Laurita is wearing high-waisted black tailored trousers and a black cropped top. Carlotta is wearing a simple black maxi-dress, covered in sparkles with a cut up the leg. Their outfits tonight don’t seem as co-ordinated as other bands have previously been.
Croatia
Roko is completely in white tonight, wearing a white suit and shirt. On the back of Roko’s jacket, he has toned down his wings, by having sequined golden embellished wings, rather than full wings! This is a much more subtle look than we are used to seeing Roko in, and it suits him.
Malta
Michela is wearing a black jumpsuit with a diagonal pattern in white across it. The jumpsuit is tied at the front, and she wears platform trainers. It’s a relaxed modern look, but one can’t help but feel that a more glamourous dress would have been more appropriate tonight, especially on Michela.
Lithuania
Jurij has visited the same outlet as Victor from Estonia, as both of their suits are from SuitSupply. Beige seems to be the colour of choice, as Jurijus joins Kobi and John in their classy beige suits. Jurij’s seems slightly oversized, but he looks comfortable nevertheless.
Russia
Sergey is wearing a different look to his red carpet look in 2016, as he opts for a Phillip Plein suit. The jacket is subtly patterned with floral designs, and black cropped trousers, which is more summery than what we have seen before. Sergey seems very relaxed and delighted to be back on the Eurovision stage.
Albania
Jonida Maliqi wears the most colourful outfit we have seen tonight. Her dress is bright blue, with a low neck and floaty sleeves. Her sheath skirt is adorned with a beautiful rainbow! Her hair and make-up are kept very simple, making this a sophisticated look.
Norway
KEiiNO are known for their individuality, and that is shown here tonight. Alexandra is wearing a black dress, which is short at the front and has a long train at the back, and covered in frills. Her dress was designed by the Norwegian fashion house TSH. TSH has designed for many Norwegian celebrities, and even royalty.
Tom Hugo appears tonight in a classy black suit and shirt from the Swedish brand TIGER. He wears a modern structured shirt, and stylish scarf. Fred, as usual is wearing the Sami National costume. Earlier today, he told us a bit more about his outfit: “I’m wearing gákti, a traditional sámi clothing from Kautokeino in Norway, the place where I’m from. We have different variations of it, and you tell by the colours, patterns, and decorations which area in Norway and Sámi it is from”.
The Netherlands
Duncan is wearing a modern cropped suit by the same designer who made his stage outfit, Sjaak Hullekes from the brand Hul le Kes. He wears slip on shoes, and looks very relaxed and happy tonight. His orange carpet suit is much sharper than his slightly disjointed stage outfit.
North Macedonia
Aleksandar Noshpal designed Tamara’s outfit tonight, in collaboration with the atelier MaryKat. She has the same silhouette as her stage outfit, a feminine a-line cut. Her black skirt is opaque, and she wears a black short sleeved jacket over the top. This look is actually reminiscent of Tamara’s countrywoman, Kaliopi.
Azerbaijan
Chingiz carries off the classic black suit he is wearing very well, and he pairs it with an open white shirt. He looks very happy as he walks the orange carpet tonight.
Italy
Mahmood appears wearing a similar shirt to what we saw in his rehearsals, patterned with floral designs and birds. He wears the loose black trousers and chain we are accustomed to seeing him in, and he also wears relaxed trainers.
United Kingdom
Michael appears in the blue of his flag tonight, wearing a blue jacket and trousers, a white t-shirt and necklace. As the final act to take to the orange carpet, Michael is yet another male act to shun formal shoes in favour of trainers. It suits his chilled youthful demeanour.