“Sweden’s Loreen Makes History with Emotional Second Eurovision Win”

Sweden’s Loreen has made history by becoming the second performer to win the Eurovision Song Contest more than once, clinching a victory at an extravagant and crowd-pleasing show held in Liverpool. Her win came 50 years after ABBA won with “Waterloo,” the moment that shot them to superstardom. Loreen had previously won the contest in Baku in 2012 with her career-altering hit “Euphoria”. She cemented her legacy at the kitsch and wildly celebrated music contest with pop ballad “Tattoo”, allowing Sweden to tie with Ireland for the most victories in the competition, with seven. The show was held in Britain for the first time in more than two decades. Ukraine’s electronic duo Tvorchi finished a strong sixth place, while Britain returned to its traditional position towards the bottom of the leaderboard, ranking 25th – the penultimate spot.

Sweden‘s winning act, Loreen, told CNN ahead of the final that her first victory was “one of the most important moments in my life”. She is the first woman and only the second performer to win twice; Ireland’s Johnny Logan being the other. Loreen said, “Before ‘Euphoria,’ I was a struggling artist trying to find my way. It’s like home for me, the Eurovision community”. She was overwhelmed with joy and immensely thankful for the love and support she received from her fans.

Finland’s rapper Käärijä was Loreen‘s closest competition whose energetic performances of “Cha Cha Cha” throughout the week wowed fans and made him a strong contender to win the crown. The top five were rounded out by Israel, Italy, and Norway. Eurovision is a famously eccentric festival and this year’s show lived up to the billing with an array of strong performances from 26 finalists.

Hosting Eurovision is an honour for any country, with this year’s duties lying with the UK, who put on a dramatic and moving show that paid tribute to those displaced by war and celebrated the music of both countries. The show propelled Liverpool – the home of the Beatles – onto the continent’s cultural map. Claire McColgan, Liverpool’s director of culture, said in the buildup, “What you see in the city is a real Scouse-Ukrainian mashup, which is what we wanted”. However, a request from President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the show was rejected.

In a world where music continually transcends cultural barriers and genres, Eurovision brings together countries, cultures, and generations. The event inspires many, including struggling artists like Loreen, to have the courage to dream. Regardless of competition, the event promotes the power of unity. Considering most events and gatherings have been cancelled due to the pandemic, the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be an opportunity for countries to celebrate diversity and come together in a joyous affair.

Emotion or Victory-eurovision,sweden,loreen,history,win