Switzerland wins Eurovision with Nemo's unique performance, blending rap, rock, drum 'n bass, and classical opera. Nemo is the first non-binary performer to win, promoting a message of self-acceptance and peace. The UK's act Dizzy by Olly Alexander ranked 18th with 46 points. Croatia's Baby Lasagne placed second. Controversy arose with the expulsion of the Dutch entry Joost Klein. Ireland's Bambie Thug came sixth. Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, opened the show, followed by performances including those of Sweden's identical twins Marcus and Martinus.
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest features performers from 26 countries competing in the grand final after two semi-finals in Malmo, Sweden. Front-runners include Croatia's Baby Lasagna, Switzerland's Nemo, and Ireland's Bambie Thug. Olly Alexander represents Britain with the song 'Dizzy', aiming to be the UK's first winner since 1997. Despite controversy over remarks about Israel and the Union Jack, Alexander, a chart-topping pop star, hopes for success.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 was the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, following the country's win at the 2019 contest with the song "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence. The Netherlands was set to host the 2020 contest, before it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcasters Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (NPO), Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) and AVROTROS, the contest was held at Rotterdam Ahoy, and consisted of two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May, and a final on 22 May 2021. The three live shows were presented by Dutch television presenters and singers Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley and Jan Smit, and Dutch YouTuber and make-up artist Nikkie de Jager.Thirty-nine countries participated in the contest, of which twenty-six re-entered the artists chosen for 2020 (albeit with different songs, as per the contest's rules). Bulgaria and Ukraine returned after their absence from the 2019 contest, while Hungary and Montenegro did not return after their participation in the 2019 edition. Armenia and Belarus had originally planned to participate, but Armenia withdrew due to its social and political crises following the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, and Belarus was disqualified after submitting entries in violation of the rules twice, and not providing an eligible entry before the deadline.The winner was Italy with the song "Zitti e buoni", performed by Måneskin and written by the band's members Damiano David, Ethan Torchio, Thomas Raggi and Victoria De Angelis. France, Switzerland, Iceland and Ukraine rounded out the top five, with France and Switzerland achieving their best results since 1991 and 1993 respectively. Italy won the combined vote and televote, but placed fourth in the jury vote after Switzerland, France, and Malta. Italy was the second member of the "Big Five" since its introduction to win the contest after Germany in 2010. For the first time since 1995, none of the top three entries were performed in English, with France and Switzerland performing in French, and Italy in Italian.Also, for the first time since the current voting system was implemented in 2016, more than one country received no points from the televote in the final; these countries were Germany, Spain, the host country the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, the last of those becoming the first country to receive no points from both the jury and televote. It was the second time that the United Kingdom had received no points in the contest, the last time having been in 2003. For the first time since its debut in 2015, Australia failed to qualify for the final, making Ukraine the only country that has never failed to qualify from the semi-finals since their introduction in 2004.The EBU reported that the contest had an audience of 183 million viewers in 36 European markets, an increase of a million viewers from the previous edition, with an increase of seven percent in the 15–24 year old age range.
Nemo, representing Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest with the track "The Code," is the first nonbinary contestant aiming to bring awareness and understanding about being nonbinary. Nemo's song delves into the journey of self-discovery in a binary system and is a favorite to win the contest in Malmo, Sweden. The atmosphere at the competition is described as fun and supportive, emphasizing unity through music.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 was the 64th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Tel Aviv, Israel, following the country's victory at the 2018 contest with the song "Toy" by Netta. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan), the contest was held at Expo Tel Aviv, and consisted of two semi-finals on 14 and 16 May, and a final on 18 May 2019. The three live shows were presented by Israeli television presenters Erez Tal, Assi Azar and Lucy Ayoub, and Israeli model Bar Refaeli.Forty-one countries participated in the contest, with Bulgaria and Ukraine not returning after their participation in the previous edition. Bulgaria cited financial difficulties as the reason for its absence, while Ukraine, which had originally planned to participate, ultimately withdrew as a result of a controversy surrounding its national selection.The winner was the Netherlands with the song "Arcade", performed by Duncan Laurence and written by Laurence along with Joel Sjöö, Wouter Hardy and Will Knox. Italy, Russia, Switzerland and Sweden rounded out the top five; due to a voting error, Norway was originally placed fifth, but placed sixth after a correction. The Netherlands won the combined vote, but placed third in the jury vote after North Macedonia and Sweden, and second in the televote after Norway. Further down the table, North Macedonia and San Marino achieved their best results to date, finishing seventh and 19th respectively.The EBU reported that the contest had an audience of 182 million viewers in 40 European markets, a decrease of 4 million viewers from the previous edition. However, an increase of two percent in the 15–24 year old age range was reported.The lead-up to the contest was met with controversy on multiple fronts, primarily on issues surrounding the Israeli–Palestinian conflict – this eventually led to demonstrations by interval act performer Madonna and Icelandic entrants Hatari during the broadcast of the final.
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest begins in Sweden, with performances from 37 nations aiming to qualify for the final amidst heightened security due to the war in Gaza. Favorites include Croatian singer Baby Lasagna, Ukrainian duo alyona alyona and Jerry Heil, Swiss singer Nemo, Irish singer Bambi Thug, Italian TikTok star Angelina Mango, and Dutch artist Joost Klein. Security concerns are prominent, with 100,000 Eurovision fans expected in Malmo, alongside pro-Palestinian protests. Israel's participation faces tensions, with demonstrations planned over the Israel-Hamas conflict and adjustments made to the Israeli entry's lyrics.
Olly Alexander was seen departing his hotel alongside fellow Eurovision finalists in Malmo, Sweden ahead of Saturday's final. The singer, 33, who has 'incredibly low odds' at winning the competition, is representing the United Kingdom with his hit Dizzy in the final tonight. This year's competition has been thrown into chaos just hours before the finale air after Dutch contender Joost Klein, 26, was axed from the contest. But remaining in positive spirts, UK act Olly couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he headed to the final dress rehearsal before the real thing. Hoping to take home tonight's win, Finland 's act Windows95Man, real name Teemu Keisteri, turned heads in his multi-coloured fur coat as he departed his hotel.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Turin, Italy, following the country's victory at the 2021 contest with the song "Zitti e buoni" by Måneskin. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radiotelevisione italiana (RAI), the contest was held at the PalaOlimpico, and consisted of two semi-finals on 10 and 12 May, and a final on 14 May 2022. The three live shows were presented by Italian television presenter Alessandro Cattelan, Italian singer Laura Pausini and Lebanese-born British-French singer Mika.Forty countries participated in the contest, with Armenia and Montenegro returning after their absence from the previous edition. Russia had originally planned to participate, but was excluded due to its invasion of Ukraine.The winner was Ukraine with the song "Stefania", performed by Kalush Orchestra and written by the group's members Ihor Didenchuk, Oleh Psiuk, Tymofii Muzychuk and Vitalii Duzhyk, along with Ivan Klymenko. The United Kingdom finished in second place for a record-extending sixteenth time, also achieving its best result since 1998. Spain, Sweden and Serbia rounded out the top five, with Spain achieving its best result since 1995. Ukraine won the televote with 439 points, the most received in the contest's history to date, and came fourth in the jury vote behind the United Kingdom, Sweden and Spain. "Stefania" is the first song sung entirely in Ukrainian and the first song with hip-hop elements to win the contest.The EBU reported that the contest had a television audience of 161 million viewers in 34 European markets, a decrease of 22 million viewers from the previous edition, however, it is noted that this is due to the exclusion of Russia and the lack of audience figures from Ukraine, with the overall figures up by 7 million viewers in a comparable market from 2021. An increase of three per cent in the 15–24 year old age range was also reported. A total of 18 million viewers watched the contest online on YouTube and TikTok.
70 songs written by 143 songwriters have won the Eurovision Song Contest, an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union. The contest, which has been broadcast every year since its debut in 1956 (with the exception of 2020), is one of the longest-running television programmes in the world. The contest's winner has been determined using numerous voting techniques throughout its history; centre to these have been the awarding of points to countries by juries or televoters. The country awarded the most points is declared the winner. The first Eurovision Song Contest was not won on points, but by votes (two per country), and only the winner was announced.There have been 67 contests, with one winner each year except the tied 1969 contest, which had four. 27 countries have won the contest, with Switzerland winning the first contest in 1956. The countries with the highest number of wins are Ireland and Sweden with seven wins each. Two people have won more than once as a performer: Ireland's Johnny Logan, who performed "What's Another Year" in 1980 and "Hold Me Now" in 1987, and Sweden's Loreen, who performed "Euphoria" in 2012 and "Tattoo" in 2023. Logan is also one of seven songwriters to have written more than one winning entry ("Hold Me Now" in 1987 and "Why Me?" in 1992, performed by Linda Martin), and is the only person to have three Eurovision victories to their credit, as either singer, songwriter or both. The other six songwriters with more than one winning entry to their credit are Willy van Hemert (Netherlands, 1957 and 1959), Yves Dessca (Monaco, 1971 and Luxembourg, 1972), Rolf Løvland (Norway, 1985 and 1995), Brendan Graham (Ireland, 1994 and 1996), and Thomas G:son and Peter Boström (both for Sweden's entries in 2012 and 2023).Relatively few winners of the Eurovision Song Contest have gone on to achieve major success in the music industry. The most notable winners who have gone on to become international stars are ABBA, who won the 1974 contest for Sweden with their song "Waterloo", and Céline Dion, who won the 1988 contest for Switzerland with the song "Ne partez pas sans moi". More recently, Duncan Laurence, who won the 2019 contest for the Netherlands with "Arcade", experienced worldwide streaming success with the song as a sleeper hit throughout 2020 and 2021, while Måneskin, winners of the 2021 contest for Italy with "Zitti e buoni", subsequently achieved worldwide popularity in the months following their victory.Since 2008, the winner has been awarded an official winner's trophy of the Eurovision Song Contest. The trophy is a handmade piece of sandblasted glass in the shape of a 1950s microphone. The songwriters and composers of the winning entry receive smaller versions of the trophy. The original design was created by Kjell Engman of Kosta Boda, who specialises in glass art.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 was the 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Liverpool, United Kingdom, as Ukraine—the winner of the 2022 contest with the song "Stefania" by Kalush Orchestra—was unable to host the event due to the Russian invasion of the country. It was organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) acting as host broadcaster on behalf of the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC). The contest was held at Liverpool Arena, and consisted of two semi-finals on 9 and 11 May and a final on 13 May 2023. The three live shows were presented by British singer Alesha Dixon, British actress Hannah Waddingham, and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, with Irish television presenter Graham Norton joining for the final.Thirty-seven countries participated in the contest, with Bulgaria, Montenegro, and North Macedonia ceasing their participation, mainly due to the economic impact of the global energy crisis.The winner was Sweden with the song "Tattoo", performed by Loreen and written by her along with Jimmy Thörnfeldt, Jimmy Jansson, Moa Carlebecker, Peter Boström, and Thomas G:son. Finland, Israel, Italy, and Norway rounded out the top five. Sweden won the combined vote and jury vote, and came second to Finland in the televote. Loreen became the second performer to win the contest twice, after Irish singer Johnny Logan; it was also the seventh win for Sweden, tying Ireland's record for the most Eurovision victories.The EBU reported that the contest had a television audience of 162 million viewers in 38 European markets, an increase of a million viewers from the previous edition. A total of 15.6 million viewers watched the contest online on YouTube and TikTok.
The annual Eurovision song contest faces heightened political tensions as Palestinian campaigners urge a boycott due to Israel's participation, amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict involving Gaza. Security measures have increased with armed police at the event, and protests in the host city of Malmo reflect the growing unrest. Britain's contestant Olly Alexander, responding to boycott calls, endorsed an immediate ceasefire and safety for civilians but chose to continue participating. The collision of music and political crisis underscores the challenges Eurovision faces in navigating global conflicts.
Scores of musicians, journalists, and music fans gather in Malmo, Sweden for the Eurovision Song Contest, amidst pro-Palestinian protests urging a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Eurovision, likened to the Olympics of pop music, features 37 countries competing with live performances of up to three minutes, blending music, partying, and politics. The event showcases elaborate staging and this year's edition includes topless male dancers. The contest culminates in a glittery final in Malmo Arena with an estimated global TV audience of 180 million viewers.
The Netherlands contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was expelled over a backstage incident that led to a police investigation, causing the Dutch public broadcaster to express shock and discontent. Joost Klein failed to perform at rehearsals in Malmo, Sweden, and the incident involved a female production crew member. The disqualification, unprecedented in Eurovision history, did not involve Israel despite rumors. Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS criticized the decision as disproportionate. Klein, a fan favorite, had a techno song dedicated to Europe. The competition's inclusion of Israel led to protests by Palestinians and supporters.
The Eurovision Song Contest (French: Concours Eurovision de la chanson), often known simply as Eurovision or by its initialism ESC, is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed live and transmitted to national broadcasters via the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine a winner.The contest was inspired by and based on Italy's national Sanremo Music Festival, held in the Italian Riviera since 1951. Eurovision has been held annually since 1956 (apart from 2020), making it the longest-running international music competition on TV and one of the world's longest-running television programmes. Active members of the EBU and invited associate members are eligible to compete; as of 2023, 52 countries have participated at least once. Each participating broadcaster sends one original song of three minutes duration or less to be performed live by a singer or group of up to six people aged 16 or older. Each country awards 1–8, 10 and 12 points to their ten favourite songs, based on the views of an assembled group of music professionals and the country's viewing public, with the song receiving the most points declared the winner. Other performances feature alongside the competition, including a specially-commissioned opening and interval act and guest performances by musicians and other personalities, with past acts including Cirque du Soleil, Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Mika, Rita Ora and the first performance of Riverdance. Originally consisting of a single evening event, the contest has expanded as new countries joined (including countries outside of Europe, such as Israel and Australia), leading to the introduction of relegation procedures in the 1990s, before the creation of semi-finals in the 2000s. As of 2023, Germany has competed more times than any other country, having participated in all but one edition, while Ireland and Sweden both hold the record for the most victories, with seven wins each in total.Traditionally held in the country which won the preceding year's event, the contest provides an opportunity to promote the host country and city as a tourist destination. Thousands of spectators attend each year, along with journalists who cover all aspects of the contest, including rehearsals in venue, press conferences with the competing acts, in addition to other related events and performances in the host city. Alongside the generic Eurovision logo, a unique theme is typically developed for each event. The contest has aired in countries across all continents; it has been available online via the official Eurovision website since 2001. Eurovision ranks among the world's most watched non-sporting events every year, with hundreds of millions of viewers globally. Performing at the contest has often provided artists with a local career boost and in some cases long-lasting international success. Several of the best-selling music artists in the world have competed in past editions, including ABBA, Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John; some of the world's best-selling singles have received their first international performance on the Eurovision stage.While having gained popularity with the viewing public in both participating and non-participating countries, the contest has also been the subject of criticism for its artistic quality as well as a perceived political aspect to the event. Concerns have been raised regarding political friendships and rivalries between countries potentially having an impact on the results. Controversial moments have included participating countries withdrawing at a late stage, censorship of broadcast segments by broadcasters, as well as political events impacting participation. Likewise, the contest has also been criticised for an over-abundance of elaborate stage shows at the cost of artistic merit. Eurovision has, however, gained popularity for its kitsch appeal, its musical span of ethnic and international styles, as well as emergence as part of LGBT culture, resulting in a large, active fanbase and an influence on popular culture. The popularity of the contest has led to the creation of several similar events, either organised by the EBU or created by external organisations; several special events have been organised by the EBU to celebrate select anniversaries or as a replacement due to cancellation.
Malin Akerman, a Hollywood actress from Stockholm, impressed Eurovision fans with her presenting skills during the semi-final in Malmo, Sweden. She co-hosted the show with Petra Mede and received positive feedback for her professionalism, humor, and multi-lingual abilities. Fans expressed admiration for her potential to host again if Sweden wins in the future. Akerman's versatile Hollywood career includes roles in various films and TV series like The Heartbreak Kid, Billions, and Dollface.
The Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden is at the center of controversy as Israel's participation amidst protests and calls for boycott due to the war on Gaza. More than 30 entries, including 'Falastinvision' as an alternative, are vying for votes online. Artists, like Ukraine's Jamala, resist calls for boycott, highlighting the need to remind Europe of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Security concerns prompt Swedish police, along with Danish and Norwegian officers, to be on alert. Participants, like Olly Alexander and Bambie Thug, face backlash over their decision to compete despite concerns over Israel's inclusion and ongoing conflicts.
Bambie Thug, a 31-year-old singer, performed their song 'Doomsday Blue' at the Eurovision semi-finals in Malmo, Sweden, displaying devil-like dancers and revealing the trans flag on their costume. Other finalists include Ukraine's Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil, Finland's Windows95Man, and Serbia's Teya Dora. Contestants for the upcoming competition include Cyprus, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovenia, Portugal, and Luxembourg. The 'big five' countries (UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy), along with Sweden, have already secured spots in the final.
The Eurovision Song Contest is facing controversy as performers like Bambie Thug of Ireland criticize organisers for censoring pro-Palestinian messages and wearing a keffiyeh. The European Broadcasting Union expressed regret over this political involvement. Despite being a non-political event, protests against Israel-Hamas war are planned. Bookmakers favor Israel's Eden Golan to win. Security is heightened in Malmo, Sweden, the host city. Bambie Thug had to alter messages in Ogham script on their body from 'ceasefire and freedom' to 'crown the witch' on EBU's orders.
The final of this year's Eurovision Song Contest may not be until next weekend but contestants have already been putting on the style for the event's official opening in Malmo. Representatives of the 37 participating countries will be hoping to emulate Sweden's Loreen, last year's winner with her song Tattoo. As many as 100,000 visitors are set to descend on the city in Sweden's south-west for the world's largest live music contest. Here are a selection of photographs from some of the Eurovision hopefuls who posed on the turquoise carpet at the Malmo Arena. UK hopeful Olly Alexander arrived at the venue wearing a loose-fitting, multi-coloured robe.
The Netherlands is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden, with "Europapa" performed by Joost Klein. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS internally selected the Dutch entry for the 2024 contest.
Dame Joanna Lumley, a British actress and model, will be the UK's jury spokesperson at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, following in the footsteps of previous iconic personalities. She expressed her delight at giving the 'douze points' during the competition. Meanwhile, controversy surrounds Israel's participation in the contest due to political sensitivities, leading to changes in their song lyrics. Lumley's announcement comes as singers like Olly Alexander represent the UK, with Croatia leading in betting odds to win the competition.
Olly Alexander, 33, faced a 'wardrobe malfunction' during his Eurovision semi-final performance in Malmo, Sweden when his microphone pack slipped from his trousers, leading to 'shaky' vocals. Despite the mishap, he continued the performance with improvisation and praised the support from other contestants, calling the experience 'amazing'. The singer's catchy tune 'Dizzy' and raunchy dance moves added to the live TV spectacle.
Irish Eurovision contestant Bambie Thug had to remove political face makeup supporting Palestine to comply with Eurovision rules on avoiding political statements, amidst controversy over Israeli participation and ongoing conflict with Palestine. Several delegations expressed disapproval of Israel's participation, with Spain and Belgium publicly supporting a ceasefire. Despite mixed reactions, Israel's entry Eden Golan progressed to the finals. Bambie Thug, a non-binary artist, aims to break Ireland's Eurovision curse with the unique song 'Doomsday Blue' and an outfit designed by Mariusz Malon.
The United Kingdom has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 65 times. It first took part in the second contest in 1957 and has entered every year since 1959. Along with Sweden and the Netherlands, the UK is one of only three countries with Eurovision victories in four different decades. It is one of the "Big Five" countries, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, that are automatically prequalified for the final each year as they are the biggest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The British national broadcaster, the BBC, broadcasts the event and has, on multiple occasions, organised different national selection processes to choose the British entry. The United Kingdom has won the Eurovision Song Contest five times, and has finished as runner-up on a record sixteen occasions. The UK has hosted the contest a record nine times, four times in London (1960, 1963, 1968 and 1977) and once each in Edinburgh (1972), Brighton (1974), Harrogate (1982), Birmingham (1998), and Liverpool (2023).The United Kingdom's five winners are Sandie Shaw with the song "Puppet on a String" (1967), Lulu with "Boom Bang-a-Bang" (1969 in a four-way tie), Brotherhood of Man with "Save Your Kisses for Me" (1976), Bucks Fizz with "Making Your Mind Up" (1981) and Katrina and the Waves with "Love Shine a Light" (1997). The UK has also achieved a record sixteen second-place finishes, the first in 1959 and the most recent in 2022.The United Kingdom finished outside the top ten on only three occasions prior to 2000 (1978, 1987 and 1999). In the 21st century, the United Kingdom has had a considerably poorer record in the competition, only reaching the top ten three times, with Jessica Garlick third (2002), Jade Ewen fifth (2009), and Sam Ryder second (2022), compounded by 12 non-top 20 finishes, including Jemini's 2003 nul points result, which was the first time that the country had come last in the contest. The UK has since finished in last place in 2008 with Andy Abraham (14 points), in 2010 with Josh Dubovie (10 points), in 2019 with Michael Rice (11 points), and in 2021 with James Newman (0 points).
Croatia is participating in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden, with "Rim Tim Tagi Dim" performed by Baby Lasagna. The Croatian broadcaster Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT) organised the national final Dora 2024 to select the Croatian entry for the contest.
Nemo Mettler (born 3 August 1999), known mononymously as Nemo, is a Swiss rapper, singer and musician who plays the violin, piano and drums. Nemo is set to represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "The Code".
Olly Alexander gave it his all as he took to the stage in Malmo Sweden for the first live performance of his Eurovision entry at the Semi Finals on Tuesday evening. The Years and Years singer, 33, who's representing Great Britain with his catchy tune Dizzy, was joined by group of hunky shirtless backup dancers as they performed the explosive number. With the help of some clever camera work, Olly and his dancers appeared to be spinning around and walking on the ceiling in the jam-packed performance. Olly's boxing themed routine, which is already guaranteed a place in Saturday's Grand Final, saw him don a distressed vest and red trousers which was worn with a colour coordination jock strap over the top. The raunchy number saw Olly sensually running his hands over the dancer's shirtless bodies before they entered into a dance sequence and the singer thrusted to the beat.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is set to be the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It is scheduled to take place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the 2023 contest with the song "Tattoo" by Loreen. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Sveriges Television (SVT), the contest will be held at the Malmö Arena, and will consist of two semi-finals on 7 and 9 May, and a grand final on 11 May 2024. The three live shows will be presented by Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman, with the former having previously taken on the role in 2013 and 2016.Thirty-seven countries will participate in the contest, with Luxembourg returning 31 years after its last participation in 1993, while Romania opted not to participate after doing so the previous year.
Hours before the Eurovision Song Contest final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was removed by organizers due to a backstage incident after missing two dress rehearsals. The European Broadcasting Union is investigating the incident, causing Klein's performance to be canceled with Israel following him in the lineup.
The United Kingdom is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden. The British broadcaster, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), internally selected Olly Alexander as the country's entrant for the 2024 contest with the song "Dizzy".As a member of the "Big Five", the United Kingdom automatically qualifies to compete in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Fifty-two countries have participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since it started in 1956. Winners of the contest have come from twenty-seven of those countries. The contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), is held annually between members of the union. Broadcasters from different countries submit songs to the event and cast votes to determine the most popular in the competition.Participation in the contest is primarily open to all broadcasters with active EBU membership. To become an active member of the EBU, a broadcaster has to be from a country which is covered by the European Broadcasting Area or a member state of the Council of Europe. Eligibility to participate is not determined by geographic inclusion within the continent of Europe, despite the "Euro" in "Eurovision", nor does it have a direct connection with the European Union. Several countries geographically outside the boundaries of Europe have competed: Israel, Cyprus and Armenia, in Western Asia, since 1973, 1981 and 2006 respectively; Morocco, in North Africa, in the 1980 competition alone; and Australia making a debut in the 2015 contest. In addition, several transcontinental countries with only part of their territory in Europe have competed: Turkey, from 1975 to 2012; Russia, from 1994 to 2021; Georgia, since 2007; and Azerbaijan, which made its first appearance in the 2008 edition. Two of the countries that have previously sought to enter the competition, Lebanon and Tunisia, in Western Asia and North Africa respectively, are also outside of Europe. The Persian Gulf state of Qatar, in Western Asia, announced in 2009 its interest in joining the contest in time for the 2011 edition. However, this did not materialise, and there are no known plans for a future Qatari entry to the Eurovision Song Contest. Australia, where the contest has been broadcast since the 1970s, has participated every year since its debut in 2015.The number of countries participating each year has grown steadily, from seven in 1956 to over twenty in the late 1980s. A record 43 countries participated in 2008, 2011 and 2018. As the number of contestants has risen, preliminary competitions and relegation have been introduced, to ensure that as many countries as possible get the chance to compete. In 1993, a preliminary show, Kvalifikacija za Millstreet ("Qualification for Millstreet"), was held to select three Eastern European countries to compete for the first time in the main contest. After the 1993 contest, a relegation rule was introduced: the six lowest-placed countries in the contest would not compete in the following year. In 1996, a new system was introduced. Audiotapes of all twenty-nine entrants were submitted to national juries. The twenty-two highest-placed songs after the juries voted reached the contest. Norway, as the host country, directly qualified for the final. From 1997 to 2001, a system was used whereby the countries with the lowest average scores over the previous five years were relegated. Countries could not be relegated for more than one year at a time.The relegation system used in 1994 and 1995 was reused between 2001 and 2003. In 2004, a semi-final was introduced. The ten highest-placed countries in the previous year's contest qualified for the final, along with the "Big Four", the largest financial contributors to the EBU. All other countries entered the semi-final. Ten countries qualified from the semi, composing a final of twenty-four. Since 2008, two semi-finals are held with all countries, except the host country and the "Big Four" or "Big Five" (after Italy's return in 2011), participating in one of the semi-finals.Some countries, such as Germany, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom, have entered most years, while Morocco has only entered once. Two countries, Tunisia and Lebanon, have attempted to enter the contest but withdrew before making a debut.
"Dizzy" is a song by English singer-songwriter Olly Alexander. It was released on 1 March 2024 through Polydor Records and will represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. It marks Alexander's first release under his own name after the dissolution of Years & Years. The song received mixed reviews from music critics and pays homage to synth-pop music.
EUROVISION has been plunged into crisis ahead of tomorrow nights final, with more than 20,000 pro-Palestine protesters expected. Swedish police are braced for trouble in Malmo amid anger at the inclusion of Israeli singer Eden Golan. UK venues have also been warned not to screen the event or face a backlash. PM Rishi Sunak slammed Gaza protests in Sweden . He said they were outrageous and calls to boycott the 68-year-old competition are unfair.
Olly Alexander, representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest, found humour in his one percent chance of winning after checking bookies' predictions. Despite a wardrobe malfunction during his semi-final performance, the singer maintained positivity and joked that having a one percent chance was better than none.
Thousands of demonstrators are expected to protest Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, with calls to ban Israel over its war in Gaza. The event, watched by over 150 million people, is described as the most politically charged edition in its 68-year history. Around 100,000 visitors from 89 countries are anticipated in Malmo, providing a significant economic boost to the city, while police presence is heightened to ensure security.
"Europapa" (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈøːroːˌpɑpaː]; lit. 'Eurodaddy') is a song by Dutch musician Joost Klein. Self-described as a "very Dutch" 1990s-style song, it was written by Klein along with six other songwriters. It was self-released on 29 February 2024 and is set to represent the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. The song has been described as an ode to Europe and a "letter" to his late father, who taught him that the world has "no borders". "Europapa" drew commercial success, peaking at number one on the singles charts of the Netherlands and Flanders.
Olly Alexander has opened up about his hotly-anticipated Eurovision debut ahead of his performance on Saturday. Although the Years & Years singer, 33, is feeling the nerves, he is hoping his late grandmother will give him the strength to win the competition and do the nation proud. Olly admitted his grandmother will be looking down on him, making sure he is doing his best and making her proud. The singer said that he is just thinking, feeling and breathing about the competition, admitting he is incredibly overwhelmed. He said: 'I go to bed thinking of Eurovision, I dream about Eurovision, I wake up thinking about Eurovision.
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is set to be the 22nd edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE). The contest will take place in Spain, marking the first time that the contest has been held in the country as well as the first Eurovision event in Spain since the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 in Madrid.
Security is enhanced for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, with large demonstrations expected due to Israel's participation amidst the Gaza conflict. Malmo faces high security challenges with one of Sweden's largest policing efforts planned. The event, with 100,000 visitors expected, features colourful banners and marks Malmo's third hosting. Police from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway are involved, with heightened alert levels post Quran-burnings last August. There are no specific threats, but security measures include armed officers and larger weapons as a precaution.
Eurovision legend Cheryl Baker has expressed her fears for Olly Alexander's Eurovision performance on Saturday. The Bucks Fizz star, who won the song contest back in 1981, confessed she thinks Olly is in with little chance of bringing home the victory, even though she desperately wants him to. The Years and Years singer, 33, who's representing Great Britain with his catchy tune Dizzy, divided fans with his performance during the semi final on Tuesday evening. While half seemed to love the song and raved about the expressive staging, others noticed Olly's vocals were slightly off and shaky, as one even hoped he was saving his vocals ahead of Saturday's final. And it seems Cheryl also has reservations about the raunchy number as she told The Mirror that the singer should consider making some important changes to the track if he wants to be in with a chance of winning.
Ireland is set to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden, with "Doomsday Blue" performed by Bambie Thug. The Irish broadcaster, RTÉ, organised the national final Eurosong 2024 in order to select the Irish entry for the contest.
Joost Klein (Dutch pronunciation: [joːst klɛin]; born 10 November 1997), known mononymously as Joost, is a Dutch musician, rapper, singer and former YouTuber. Mainly a hip hop artist, his songs and performances often include influences of electronic music, such as drum and bass, hardstyle and gabber. He has released eight studio albums, two of which reached the top ten of the Dutch Album Top 100. He has amassed four chart entries on the Dutch Top 40, and is best known for "Scandinavian Boy", "Wachtmuziek" and "Friesenjung". He is set to represent the Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Europapa", which became his first song to top the Dutch Single Top 100.
The Switzerland national football team (German: Schweizer Fussballnationalmannschaft, Italian: Nazionale di calcio della Svizzera, French: Équipe nationale suisse de football, Romansh: Squadra naziunala da ballape da la Svizra) represents Switzerland in men's international football. The national team is controlled by the Swiss Football Association.Switzerland's best performances at the FIFA World Cup have been three quarter-final appearances, in 1934, 1938 and 1954. They hosted the competition in 1954, where they played against Austria in the quarter-final match, losing 7–5, which still stands as the highest scoring World Cup match ever. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Switzerland set a FIFA World Cup record by being eliminated from the tournament despite not conceding a single goal, being eliminated by Ukraine after penalties in the round of sixteen. They did not concede a goal until a match against Chile at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, conceding in the 75th minute, setting a World Cup tournament record for consecutive minutes without conceding a goal.Switzerland and Austria were the co-hosts of UEFA Euro 2008, where the Swiss made their third appearance in the competition, but failed for a third time to progress from the group stage. However, since then, the Swiss made it to the round of 16 during Euro 2016, and achieved a record-best quarter-final showing at Euro 2020 after eliminating world champions France.Overall, Switzerland's best ever result at an official football competition was the silver medal they earned in 1924, after losing to Uruguay 3–0 in the final of the 1924 Olympic Games.
ABBA hints at reuniting for Eurovision 2024 to celebrate 50 years since their iconic victory with the song 'Waterloo'. The legendary pop group expressed gratitude to fans for their continuous support over the years and acknowledged the impact their music has had globally. ABBA's hologram show, ABBA Voyage, has been a significant success, generating millions in revenue and allowing fans to experience the band's prime years in concert. Despite previous denials of a reunion, ABBA's recent social media tease has sparked excitement among fans for a potential return to the Eurovision stage.
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