London, May 14 (IANS) Swedish contestant Loreen came first with her song ‘Tattoo’ at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, beating out 25 other countries to garner 583 points, reports ‘Variety’.
Loreen’s win means the contest will likely be held in Sweden next year. Traditionally the winning country hosts the following year’s contest. Sweden was followed by Finland’s Kaarija with 526 points and Israel’s Noa Kirel with 362 points, who took second and third place respectively, ‘Variety’ adds.
It is Loreen’s second Eurovision win: she previously won the contest in 2012 with her song ‘Euphoria’.
Eurovision, which is run by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), features musical acts from around Europe as well as a number of countries outside it, including Israel and Australia, who participate by virtue of their membership of the EBU, ‘Variety’ notes.
This year’s Eurovision took place in Liverpool, UK, on behalf of last year’s winner Ukraine after it was deemed too dangerous to hold Eurovision in the country following the Russian invasion. Ukrainian entry Kalush Orchestra won last year’s contest, followed by the UK’s Sam Ryder, who came a close second.
Eurovision was hosted this year by rapper turned ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ judge Alisha Dixon, ‘Ted Lasso’ star Hannah Waddingham, Ukrainian rock star Julia Sanina and the popular longtime Eurovision commentator, Graham Norton, according to ‘Variety’.
The show was opened by a number of famous faces, including Catherine, the Princess of Wales, Andrew Lloyd Webber, rapper Ms Banks, Joss Stone and last year’s winner, Kalush Orchestra. It also featured a performance by last year’s runner-up Sam Ryder, who performed his new single ‘Mountain’ accompanied by Queen drummer Roger Taylor.
–IANS
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