The Icelandic delegation has touched down in Kyiv ahead of their first Eurovision 2017 rehearsal – but 42 of their suitcases didn’t make it to the Ukrainian capital.
It seems the suitcases made it as far as Brussels where the team had a flight connection on their way from Reykjavik, but no further. Due to a delay, they had to rush for their connecting flight but their bags didn’t make it. They’re expected to arrive in Kyiv after tomorrow’s rehearsal takes place.
Fears that Svala would have to rehearse wearing Paper, the title of her entry, have however been allayed. Felix Bergsson, the Icelandic Head of Delegation told Visir that they took everything needed for their rehearsal with them in carry-on bags and Iceland will be ready to rehearse on schedule tomorrow.
Far from letting the disappearance of the entire delegation’s clothes dampen spirits, they told metro.co.uk: ‘Who needs luggage when you have Ukrainian beer and a fab meal at the hotel. We’re enjoying Chicken Kiev‘. Well, it’s Eurovision!
Meanwhile preparations to debut Svala’s stage outfit have been rescheduled for Tuesday night, which suggests something rather spectacular is in one of the missing suitcases.
Svala has had a quiet Eurovision pre-season after storming to victory in Iceland’s national final Söngvakeppnin 2017 earlier this year. She might not have appeared at any preview events but she did release a carpool karaoke video that went viral.
She picked up former Eurovision runners-up Selma and Johanna for a sing-song drive and together they sang Selma’s All Out of Luck, Johanna’s Is It True before the trio perform an incredible vocal performance of Paper.
Iceland has been all out of luck recently having failed to qualify for the Eurovision final in 2015 and 2016. Prior to that, they had been ever present in the final since Euroband qualified in 2008, finishing second in 2009 with 218 points, their best result to date.
Svala’s Sia-esque entry has been popular with Eurovision fans but the bookies think Iceland’s qualification is uncertain with odds of 66/1, though all that could change tomorrow when Iceland’s staging is seen for the first time.
Svala is due to perform in the first Eurovision Semi Final on Tuesday 9 May, hopefully with the costume currently somewhere between Belgium and Ukraine. The show will broadcast on BBC4 at 8pm.
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