The United Kingdom has just a week after Carlos III. experienced a new coronation. Loreen has become the Eurovision Queen by winning the European Song Festival for the second time on Saturday. His Tattoo’s win of 583 points, which won the pro pick, put Sweden level with Ireland in the highest number of wins in the competition’s history: seven each. The runner-up, Finland, received 526 points thanks to the referendum for singer Käärijä’s Cha Cha Cha.
Eurovision is a story to a large extent. And so it was with the double consecration of the singer. She was already a legend before stepping into Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena, where the festival was taking place this week. She returned after winning in 2012, becoming the second singer to do so, after Irishman Johnny Logan in 1982 and 1987. The song that gave the Swede their first win, Euphoria, was then a commercial success in the member countries of the European Union, in those that were and aren’t anymore at this point, in those that aren’t but would like to be would, and in someone else outside of those boundaries. Its tune went beyond the radio formula and later onto the streaming platforms. It’s one of the milestones that have seen Eurovision regain popularity over the past decade.
Blanca Paloma sits 17th with 100 votes and a surprise rejection of the referendum that earned her just five points. With her singing voice and a proposal full of rough edges, audiovisual, scenic and conceptual, she has made it one of the most popular with Eurovision fans in the months leading up to this final week. Its participation in the official European parties was among the most applauded countries and until a few days ago the country was among the top five favorites to win, thanks in part to last year’s Chanel effect. But as the days went by, and especially after his performance this Saturday, his position deteriorated in favor of other candidates. Although his performance in that final was nothing reprehensible. From the spectacular bra that Paola de Diego designed to the production, body and dance team she inherited from her time in the independent theater world. In general, the television production did not do justice to the spectacular character of the live shows, on a gigantic stage of more than 450 square meters the capacity of the venue, normally over 11,000 seats, was reduced to less than 7,000.
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Like Loreen, many of those who found success at the festival had the ability to send a visual, iconic, universal and immediate message, and even spent some of the few three minutes the organization allowed them captivating audiences. That’s what Dana International did once before in the last millennium, when she became the first trans woman to confidently step onto a stage that is watched by almost 200 million people every year. With Diva he won the competition for Israel in 1998. The same effect was achieved by the non-binary presence of Conchita Wurst in 2014, perfectly executed live with a beard, long hair and a tight gold dress, a James Bond-esque theme with a solvency at the height of Shirley Bassey. The tenderness at the piano of the ailing Portuguese Salvador Sobral three years later was another example. And so it was with last year’s rehabilitation of Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra, conveniently tied to the folklore of a wounded nation. In this edition, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has denied Zelenski the opportunity to broadcast a message during this Saturday’s gala broadcast. But no matter how hard you try to keep your big event free of non-hedonic messages, all mass entertainment has a sociological relevance that often turns political.
The musical competition lives not only from the freaky freak like the Croatian representatives this year, dressed in raincoats, mustaches and dictatorial aesthetics, albeit tinted in pink. Another rarity, on the other hand, had its substance. Earlier in the evening, Austrians Teya and Salena invoked the spirit of writer Edgar Allan Poe in their song to satirize a music industry that isn’t exactly kind to its composers and their female talents. The number 0.003 that appeared in his performance refers to the money in euros that artists receive each time one of their songs is streamed.
Sweden’s representative Loreen after winning the Eurovision Song Contest.OLI SCARFF (AFP)
Loreen with the crystal microphone that recognizes her as a Eurovision winner. PHIL NOBLE (Portal)
Loreen after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Martin Meissner (AP)
Mae Muller, UK representative, during her appearance at the Eurovision Gala. Aaron Chown (PA Images / Getty Images)
The Croatian rock band Let 3 with their song “Mama ŠC!”. Martin Meissner (Associated Press/LaPresse)
Indie rock band Joker Out represented Slovenia with “Carpe Diem”. ADAM VAUGHAN (EFE)
“Eaea” is the song of the Spanish representative Blanca Paloma. Martin Meissner (AP)
Performance by Noa Kirel from Israel with the song “Unicorn”. Martin Meissner (AP)
Lithuanian Monika Linkyté performed at the Eurovision Song Contest with the theme “Stay”. Martin Meissner (AP)
Germany with its rock bet with the group Lord of the Lost and the song “Blood & Glitter”. Martin Meissner (AP)
Alessandra, representative of Norway, during her performance with the song “Queen of Kings”. Martin Meissner (AP)
Ukrainian duo consisting of Nigerian singer Jeffery Kenny and Ukrainian producer Andrew Hutsuliak, TVORCHI, with the song “Heart of Steel”. PHIL NOBLE (Portal)
The brunette, whose real name is Elen Yeremyan, is the representative of Armenia with the song “Future Lover”. Martin Meissner (AP)
Pasha Parfeni, representative of Moldova on the topic “Soarele si Luna”.PHIL NOBLE (Portal)
‘Because of you’ was the theme Gustaph chose to represent Belgium. Martin Meissner (AP)
A moment of the performance of the Belgian representative Gustaph. Martin Meissner (AP)
The rock group Voyager is the representative of Australia and took part with the song “Promise”. PHIL NOBLE (Portal)
The group Vesna from the Czech Republic competes with the song “My Sister’s Crown”.OLI SCARFF (AFP)
Finnish singer, rapper and songwriter Käärijä performs the song ‘Cha Cha Cha’ on the Liverpullian stage. OLI SCARF (AFP)
Alika Milova from Estonia performed the song “Bridges”. Aaron Chown (PA Images/Getty Images)
“Due Vite” was the bet made by Italy’s representative, Marco Mengoni.OLI SCARFF (AFP)
Albina & Familja Kelmendi are the representatives of Albania with the song “Duje”.PAUL ELLIS (AFP)
Swedish Loreen of Berber descent defended the ‘tatoo’ theme at the Eurovision Song Contest. Martin Meissner (AP)
The representative of Cyprus, Andrew Lambrou, with the song “Break a Broken Heart”.ADAM VAUGHAN (EFE)
La Zarra, a Canadian-born singer, has competed for France with the song “Évidemment”. OLI SCARF (AFP)
“Samo Mi Se Spava” is the subject of Serbian representative Luke Black.PHIL NOBLE (Portal)
Poland is taking singer Blanka and her song “Solo” to the Eurovision Song Contest this year. Peter Byrne (PA Images/Getty)
Remo Forrer is the Swiss representative and will participate with the theme “Watergun”. Peter Byrne (PA Images / Getty Images)
The Portuguese singer-songwriter Mimicat with her song “Ai Coração”. Aaron Chown (PA Images / getty)
The moderators of the gala, from left: Julia Sanina, Hannah Waddingham and Graham Norton. Peter Kneffel (dpa / picture Alliance / Getty)
The duo Teya & Salena from Austria defended their country with the song “Who the hell is Edgar?”. Peter Kneffel (dpa / picture Alliance / Getty)
Last year’s Ukrainian winning group, Kalush Orchestra, will open the Eurovision Gala. Dominic Lipinski (Getty Images)
Singer Jedward, in the fan area at the festival, this Saturday in Liverpool. Cameron Smith (Getty Images)
Switzerland fans are photographed in front of the stadium.OLI SCARFF (AFP)
Nevertheless, the evening was Loreen’s show from the start. As she became her country’s representative again earlier in the year, she clearly dominated the official bets and the Eurofan polls. The Swedes have been proving for decades that they can make and export viral refrains just as easily as cheap furniture.
Only the audience decided on the qualification of the 26 players for the final, as only their opinion counted in the semifinals. In the final, the balance between the professional vote and that of the public was maintained. In addition, this year voting has also been opened up to countries that are not taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest, giving a voice to all non-Eurovision viewers who are also following the competition. Their votes were all added up and counted as one country. The changes came after an EBU commission investigated the electoral system after last year’s problems and found “unprecedented irregularities”.
Liverpool became the venue for Eurovision 2023 after the EBU directly named the UK as this year’s host. A Ukraine that continues to face Russian invasion has prevented them from celebrating the event that won the last edition. In the hours leading up to the final, the British city was an explosion of color and crowds amid the incoherent architectural planning of its main streets. But apart from not giving his supposed Ukrainian co-host a huge exposure beyond a few flags and street art displays, he has disappointed Eurofans in more ways than one. The collapse of air traffic and the train strike that the country’s rail sector has called for these days have made access difficult for many participants. And the venue, many of whom complained on both Friday and Saturday as they queued to gain entry, offered fewer seats than other previous locations, making it very difficult to get tickets to their galas. Access to rehearsals was also more limited this time to those covering the festival, putting days of exclusive news ahead of a powerful Asian social network that has become the official sponsor of the multi-million dollar media event.
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