Rehearsals for Eurovision 2026 continued on Tuesday in Vienna, with Cyprus, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, Albania, Malta, and Norway all taking to the stage on day four. Cyprus’ Antigoni was the first artist to rehearse.

The UK-Cypriot singer will compete with her entry “JALLA”, a track she co-wrote alongside Charalambous Kallona, Connor Mullally-Knight, Demetris Nikolaou, Claydee, Paris Kalpos, and Trey Qua.

Early details from the rehearsal reveal a bold and theatrical staging concept. Antigoni has been teasing the idea of “dancing on the table” for weeks, and in Vienna that concept has been fully realised. The table is not just a prop but the central feature of the performance, acting as a stage within a stage.

Oversized and elevated, it remains in constant use throughout the act. Antigoni and her dancers move across it dynamically, treating it as a runway that shapes the choreography and drives the performance forward.
As the performance builds, she transitions from the table to the main stage extension, where the energy intensifies. Fire effects and pyrotechnics are introduced, giving the performance a full Eurovision-scale climax.
The staging is completed with a consistent visual style. Antigoni appears in a short, white, embellished outfit with a light, summery aesthetic, while the backdrop features large architectural structures illuminated in blue tones.

Cyprus is set to return for its second rehearsal on Friday 8 May, when further staging details are expected to be revealed.

Born and raised in North London, Antigoni signed a publishing deal at just 14 and has since developed a distinctive style blending her Cypriot heritage with the urban influences of her upbringing. Her sound fuses pop and hip-hop with cultural elements drawn from her roots.
She has also built a growing international fanbase. Her collaboration with Ahmed Saad on El Helwa Zahra became a major hit across the Middle East and North Africa.

In 2025, she toured the UK and Europe alongside Marina Satti (Greece 2024), and later appeared at a sold-out London concert by Eleni Foureira (Cyprus 2018). More recently, she supported Konstantinos Argiros during his concert in Chicago, USA.

Cyprus first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981, when Island performed Monika and finished 6th. Since then, the country has participated 40 times, qualifying for the Grand Final on 33 occasions.

For 2025, CyBC internally selected Theo Evan to represent Cyprus in Basel with the song Shh. Competing in the first semi-final, Cyprus narrowly missed qualification, finishing 11th with 44 points. It marked the first time since 2022 that Cyprus did not reach the Eurovision final.

Source: Parikiaki.com