Finland’s Eurovision Song Contest entry has arrived at the opening ceremony inside an egg-shaped denim costume.
Windows95man, real name Teemu Keisteri, will compete in the first semi-final on Tuesday with the zany 1990s-inspired earworm No Rules!
Appearing on the Turquoise Carpet on Sunday, he was dressed in a t-shirt with the Microsoft Windows 95 logo on the front and denim shorts, which he has worn during his rehearsals.
He was in a patchwork denim eggshell alongside his singer Henri Piispanen which was held up to his stomach while he walked the carpet.
Twin singers Marcus & Martinus also opted for denim. They are Norwegian, but are representing Sweden with Unforgettable.
The UK’s entrant Olly Alexander walked the carpet wearing a multi-coloured robe, complete with belt and black shorts, while Ireland’s competitor Bambie Thug was dressed in a tight blue dress which looked as though paint had exploded on it.
Ukraine’s Jerry Heil and Alyona Alyona had keys with them, which they said on Instagram was “reminiscent of a phantom home that you still feel but can never go back to” and “a symbol of our mission” to raise funds to rebuild the Velykokostroma school in the Dnipro region.
“We’re encouraging you to join us in rebuilding together for a brighter and more peaceful future,” they wrote.
The Eurovision backstage coverage was hosted by Drag Race Sweden star Elecktra and former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestant Tia Kofi.
Belgian contestant Mustii, who is a judge on Drag Race Belgique, was interviewed by Kofi, who recently won the BBC competition RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Vs the World.
Mustii credited his stylist Elke Oost, who he said has worked with US acts The Smashing Pumpkins and Madonna, with coming up with a black and white look which featured extravagant sleeves.
He told Kofi that it “cost a lot but I didn’t pay”.
The Eurovision Turquoise Carpet just got a whole lot more glamorous – with drag superstars Elecktra & Tia Kofi on hosting duties. https://t.co/xs4VtKBh2m pic.twitter.com/ToxT41Uhyx
— Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) May 3, 2024
Mustii also spoke about going from judge to competitor, saying: “What I’m saying always (to) my friends or queens in Belgium. I’m like, ‘Now, it’s your turn to judge me. You can judge me now. Let’s go’. It’s part of the game.”
He also said that you “can’t control a thing” at Eurovision so performers should be “what you want to be and my song is about that also, like you have to be completely free on that stage”.
Mustii said: “Just show your authenticity, your honesty, and you know, there’s no rules that Eurovision you can have a ballad, a mid tempo, an up tempo, but we don’t know what’s going to work.
“But I think that the people they know if it’s true, if it’s the truth, if you’re honest, we see that in your eyes after one second.”