Swedish singer Loreen has made history by winning the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time with her power ballad “Tattoo”. This year’s contest was held in Liverpool, UK, on behalf of Ukraine, last year’s winners. It was the first time the UK had hosted the competition in over two decades. The slogan for this year’s contest was “united by music” to spotlight the war-torn spirit of Ukraine and to fuse the UK’s history of punk and Liverpool’s Beatles heritage. Air raid sirens rang out in Ukraine as 1944, a song about Stalin’s deportation of Crimean Tatars, was performed—an emotive moment that supporters praised for shining a light on a dark chapter of history.
Loreen, who won previously in 2012 with her song “Euphoria,” won the public vote, receiving 243 points, securing her their coveted title with a total of 583 points. Finland’s Käärijä was an early favourite and took second place with their fan-favourite track “Cha Cha Cha,” receiving a total of 526 points.
According to The New York Times, the contest, broadcast to around 180 million people worldwide, was a launchpad for many participating musicians, and once seen as a career killer. Loreen has become the first female artist to achieve two victories, joining Ireland for the most Eurovision wins with a total of seven titles.
Around 6,000 fans watched the show inside the arena, while tens of thousands more watched at a Liverpool fan zone and at big-screen events across the UK. Approximately 160 million people watched the television broadcast worldwide. This year’s competition was clouded by Ukraine’s continued war and political tensions that risked overshadowing the event’s joyous and inclusive nature.
All in all, Sweden’s Loreen’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 was undoubtedly a momentous occasion. As Loreen said herself, returning to the contest that helped make her a star was “like coming back to a family… We know each other by now.” The event showcased variations of musical tastes from around Europe while also reminding us of Ukraine’s spirit of resiliency.
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