Contestants from 41 countries walked an orange carpet in Tel Aviv’s “Culture Square” on Sunday for the opening ceremony of Eurovision 2019, Trend reported citing Reuters.
The 64th Eurovision Song Contest holds semi-finals in Tel Aviv, Israel’s entertainment and business capital, on Tuesday and Thursday ahead of the grand final on Saturday.
Instead of the traditional red carpet, an orange carpet, matching the logo of a company sponsoring the international song fest, was rolled out at the Tel Aviv square that houses Israel’s Habima national theatre and the Israel Philharmonic.
“Everyone is excited in my team. I’m really happy to be here,” said Cypriot singer Tamta, the first artist to stroll the walkway flanked by visiting photographers and reporters.
The four members of Poland’s Tulia gave a quick sample of their folk singing style called “śpiewokrzyk” or “scream singing” to the crowd’s enjoyment.
Finish DJ Darude said artists behind the scenes of the festival were “slapping high-fives and having a good time.”