Sweden’s Loreen wins for a second time

Sweden’s Loreen gained Eurovision 2023 with the music Tattoo in Liverpool, northern England, on Saturday, changing into the primary lady to triumph twice within the contest. Finland’s Käärijä, a green-bolero-sleeved rapper, got here second. He gained the viewer vote with Cha Cha Cha, but it surely was not sufficient to overhaul Loreen’s lead after the end result from the juries within the 37 taking part international locations.

“I’m severely overwhelmed,” Loreen informed reporters. Evaluating her win to 2012, she mentioned: “It is like coming again to a household.” Loreen is the one individual after Eire’s Johnny Logan to win the competition twice, and her victory places Sweden stage with Eire as essentially the most profitable Eurovision international locations, 49 years after Abba’s well-known victory.

The 67th version of the musical competition was held within the “Metropolis of Pop” on behalf of Ukraine, final 12 months’s winner, which was unable to host this 12 months due to Russia’s invasion.

Organisers needed to stroll a tightrope between placing Ukraine centre stage and steering away from any overt political messages, which aren’t allowed within the contest. They largely succeeded.

Kalush Orchestra, 2022’s winner, combined video recorded in Ukraine with dwell efficiency in Liverpool in a gap sequence that included a cameo look from Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, taking part in the piano. However as the competition was underway, Russian missiles hit the western Ukrainian metropolis of Ternopil, house to electro-pop duo Tvorchi, this 12 months’s entry from the nation. Native authorities, writing on Telegram, mentioned the strike had injured two individuals.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was barred from addressing worldwide viewers – who numbered 160 million final 12 months – by contest organiser the European Broadcasting Union. It mentioned that granting his request, which was made with “laudable intentions”, can be towards the non-political nature of the occasion and its guidelines prohibiting making political statements.

Ukrainian spirit

Nonetheless, the present, watched by 1000’s in individual on the banks of the River Mersey and by hundreds of thousands on TV, was infused with the spirit of Ukraine, notably in a rendition of You will By no means Stroll Alone collectively sung within the area and in Ukraine and which introduced many within the viewers to tears.

The 26 acts within the remaining spanned musical kinds from ballads to heavy rock to rap, and included a handful of weird performances that the competition is famend for. Germany completed backside of the desk, simply behind Britain, however no nation obtained the dreaded “nul factors.” Pam Minto, a 37-year-old help employee, mentioned she hoped her metropolis did Ukraine proud. “We have simply beloved the entire occasion proper throughout Liverpool from begin to end. It is simply been wonderful,” she mentioned.

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