Eurovision 2023 stars hit turquoise carpet - in pictures

This year's Eurovision Song Contest hopefuls person assembled successful big metropolis Liverpool, showing disconnected their benignant and moves connected a turquoise (rather than red) carpet.

Norway's Alessandra will execute archetypal successful Tuesday's archetypal semi-final. Looking suitably regal a time aft the coronation of King Charles III, her opus is called Queen of Kings - and Alessandra is among the favourites to beryllium crowned Eurovision victor astatine the last connected Saturday.

Mae Muller said the unit of representing the UK could marque her respond 1 of 2 ways. "I could freak retired and beryllium truly frightened and consciousness the pressure," she said.

"Or I could go, bash you cognize what, each azygous happening that's making maine consciousness unit is really truly breathtaking - it's successful my location country, I'm closing the show, it's specified an honour and thing that I'm ne'er going to acquisition again. So I'm trying to spot the positives."

La Zarra, who was calved and raised successful Canada and is representing France, wore an Alice successful Wonderland-inspired outfit.

Sweden's Loreen, who triumphed successful 2012 with her anthem Euphoria, is the wide frontrunner to triumph again, according to bookmakers. She would go lone the 2nd idiosyncratic to triumph the contention much than once, aft Ireland's Johnny Logan.

Tvorchi are hoping to bring Ukraine its 2nd Eurovision triumph successful a row. They wore suits showing the names and weights of children who had been calved during the warfare successful the country, and who survived due to the fact that the duo helped rise wealth to bargain incubators.

Finland's Käärijä gave a preview of the eye-catching neon greenish outfit helium volition deterioration erstwhile helium performs his electro earworm Cha Cha Cha.

Veteran Croatian techno-punk-folk set Let 3 wore trademark militaristic cloaks, which they whipped disconnected connected the turquoise carpet.

Israel's Noa Kirel and her dancers demonstrated the horn manus motion that goes on with her way Unicorn. The turquoise carpet parade was watched by 1,000 fans extracurricular Liverpool's Walker Art Gallery and St George's Hall.

Of this year's contestants, Italian popular prima Marco Mengoni has had 1 of the biggest hits connected TikTok with his introduction Due Vite (Two Lives).

Theodor Andrei from Romania took to the turquoise carpet successful a zebra trench overgarment and a brace of John Lennon-style sunglasses that helium bought from a Liverpool souvenir shop.

Expect an acrobatic signifier regular from Iceland's Diljá when she competes successful the 2nd semi-final connected Thursday.

Spain's Blanca Paloma volition bring immoderate flamenco-inspired Mediterranean play to the contest, and is among the bookies' frontrunners.

All the build-up, insights and investigation is explored each week connected a BBC podcast called Eurovisioncast.