Eurovision 2019: The 26 finalist countries

This guy looks good, dances well, and when he sings, rhythm seems to radiate from every cell in his body. His voice is engaging too. Switzerland's multitalented entry has been a favorite in the field of Eurovision betting. And from the audience in the Tel Aviv Expo Hall, Luca Hanni gets just about the strongest applause of any contender.

With so many acts to follow, it's tough starting off the first semifinal, but Tamta made it to the next round. At the climax of her cool, seductive dance number, male dancers rip off her black leather jacket to reveal a white bejeweled corset beneath. "Them sheets need my body tonight," she sings, "You need my love on replay."

A light, fun pop number by the three-boy band Lake Malawi exploits the cute factor. Lead vocalist Albert Cerny's trademark yellow sweater has a high recognition factor. The country sent a young, acrobatic singer last year too, and he did well.

Clearly not afraid of heights or prone to dizzy spells, Miller-Heidke issues forth her fluttering high notes while wafting through outer space. The audience in the arena see her and two acrobats tied to long, swaying poles, but in the television version, the performers soar above the earth. The song is about lifting oneself out of depression.

"But when it all calms down / We're still safe and sound," Crone sings while holding a guitar, both feet firmly on the ground. The song could have come from an American showbiz city like Nashville or Los Angeles, which is no coincidence: Crone worked in the music business in both those places. He has a ballad of quiet confidence to soothe the spirit, and juries and televoters lap it up.

Five singers and dancers cavort in BDSM fetish garb in front of a spherical iron cage, atop of which a grim figure beats away with a sledgehammer. Tapping into the present current of anti-establishment feelings, Hatari sings in Icelandic, "Europe will crumble / A web of lies / Will arise from the ashes." However, the song is more about ridding the world of lies and deception than nihilism.

But just what is the mood in Europe? Do people want to smash the prevailing order or to party? This tiny country places its bets on the latter. At the semifinal, Serhat's voice was obscured by the mix, but that didn't keep the Turkish-born TV personality and trained dentist from advancing to the final round. The song's simple message — or complete lack of one — didn't hurt.

No need to plumb profound depths in this one either. The colorful and happy dance number is delivered by a singer who is just 16 years old but is very poised. She is joined by two male dancers doing breathtaking acrobatics.

Eurovision has nearly defined the "power ballad" genre, emotional songs about love. They're often delivered by sultry blondes who toss their hair and underline their expression with sweeping gestures. ESC 2019 has one, too — and the swirls of color in the backdrop make it visually interesting to viewers from the get-go. It's a piece calculated to do well, at least by ESC standards,

For three long minutes on a darkened stage, a single melody sounds over and over again. It comes from a breathy, fragile voice, and the singer and guitarist gaze constantly into each other's eyes. Minimalism is almost an understatement here. Are Zala and Gasper a love couple or not? "Just friends," she says. He contradicts, perhaps seeking to underline the song's authenticity.

The Greek-Canadian singer has a husky voice that makes you want to hear more of it from the very beginning. "I won't fight this / Burning feeling inside / Gotta get / Better love," sings Duska as backup dancers in diaphanous gowns wield swords and a pleasant lavender floral motif unfolds on the LED screen behind them.

In an age of apparent self-absorption, two friends discover that together, they can be stronger. Germany's entry speaks about female competition giving way to solidarity. As with the entries from most countries, the television audience in Germany was involved in the choice to send the duo to the competition. As Laura and Carlotta have gained experience, their performance has increasingly shone.

Only 18, the singer is signed to Sony Music. The cool dance number is catchy, and the set is stark, simplistic and changes color nearly every second.

With three singers, including Fred-Rene Buljo (above), the song veers from one style to the next and includes yoik singing, a traditional chant-like style from the Sami people in the country's extreme north. As though calculated to spread the risk-taking, the song seems to have something for every taste; it has caught on with audiences and visiting journalists.

"Girl / They will try to tell you what to do / Don't be afraid to spread your wings and fly," sings Todevska, who has dedicated this feminist hymn to her two children.

The 23-year-old singer was shaped musically in part as the front man of the band Dalton Bang, which combines Catalan rumba and Latin percussion. He has spent nearly a decade delivering performances with the high energy of a fiesta. This Spanish-language song has that pulse, too.

This catchy song with inflections of Balkan folk music is interpreted by a versatile singer who performs at international festivals and hosts music and dance shows on Albanian TV. "So much nostalgia, so little hope / Return to your land / You know there is a heart waiting for you," she sings, at moments slightly off-key.

The singing gives you goosebumps, and the vocalist's bouncy and infectious charm leaves everyone smiling. John Lundvik is also a songwriter, having written the song for Michael Rice, his opponent from Great Britain. The smooth soul voice is backed up by a four-member female gospel choir, and the engaging song has the audience clapping to the rhythm at the refrain.

A rising star in his home country, Chingiz cavorts with robots onstage in a song about love disappointed.

Mahmood is another of the top-ranked acts this year, and for good reason: He sings in Italian about a problematic father-son relationship and delivers the song with credibility, an attractive Italian semi-spoken, semi-sung style, and a refrain so catchy that everyone ends up humming it afterwards.

There are eight Sergeys in the stage production, including seven projections of the singer onto screens, all of which point to the 36-year-old Russian superstar's versatility. After nearly winning three years ago, the Russian with a mighty voice has returned to Eurovision with the intention of not just nearly winning this time. Many give him a serious chance of achieving that goal.

A song of love and hope with little dazzle but unquestionably one of the best voices this year. This is a song competition after all. No gimmicks, just quality singing. Does that suffice to propel Michael to the top?

As the singer and her backup performers sway back and forth on a huge chair, the song unfolds a naive charm and casts a positive message in English, Danish, French and German. Twenty-year-old Leonora is a prizewinning figure skater. "Love is forever / Love is forever and everyone," she sings. Who could argue with that?

Seated somewhat remotely at a piano, the artist relies on the camera for a close-up. No frills in the production, just a wistful ballad about a loved one who died too young. Although Duncan Laurence makes generous use of falsetto and his voice sometimes wavers, he has never budged from near or at the top spot among the bookies' favorites.

Singing a ballad in a minor key about inclusion and self-determination, Bilal wears long blonde wig and white outfit and is flanked by two ballet dancers. Just so the message isn't lost, words are highlighted on the LED screen about tolerance and love, and "Only you can decide who you want to be."

Bearing a resemblance to Freddie Mercury, Kobi sings "I'm coming home," symbolizing the contest coming to Israel after Netta's sensational win last year in Lisbon. Whereas Netta was freakish, cute and outlandish, Kobi's style is simple and straightforward.