Sweden, represented by singer Loreen, won the Eurovision Song Contest for the seventh time on the evening of Saturday May 13, equaling Ireland’s record, in the final organized on behalf of Ukraine by the United United, in Liverpool.
With her title “Tattoo”, Loreen, already crowned in 2012, is the second artist to win Eurovision twice after Johnny Logan for Ireland in the 1980s, and the first woman to achieve the double.
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“Surreal”, ” marvellous “ reacted the singer “totally submerged”. She did not rule out a new participation. “It’s a matter of creativity”she said at a press conference.
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Sweden’s largest newspaper, “Dagens Nyheter”, called his victory on Sunday a “incredible feat”. “Loreen touches the public like few others”continues the title, describing her as « accessible », “with a look and a voice impossible to ignore”.
The daily “Aftonbladet” paid tribute to the « reine Loreen » after his victory, which will bring the Eurovision Song Contest back to Sweden in 2024, the year of the fiftieth anniversary of Abba’s victory with « Waterloo ».
Twenty-six countries competed for the final of the 67th edition of the competition.
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Finland, with singer Käärijä, came in second, Israel in third and France, represented by Quebecer La Zarra, in 16th place.
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The singer defended herself from having given the finger of honor, explaining that she had made a “gesture of disappointment used among friends”according to the website of the French newspaper “20 Minutes”.
France has not won since 1977 with Marie Myriam.
A Ukrainian duo
Loreen succeeds the Ukrainians of the Kalush Orchestra, who triumphed last year with “Stefania”, a song mixing hip-hop and traditional Ukrainian music. Eurovision was held in the UK, which came second last year, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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This was represented this year by the electro duo Tvorchi, who finished sixth with “Heart of Steel”, a song inspired by the resistance during a month-long siege at the Azovstal factory in Mariupol and applauded by the public.
Minutes after their stage performance, Tvorchi posted on Instagram that their hometown was attacked by Moscow. Ternopil ‘was bombarded by Russia as we sang on the Eurovision stage about our strong hearts, our indomitability and our will’they wrote. “Europe, united against evil for peace”they added.
Several songs evoked, each in their own way, the war. As for Switzerland, the young singer Remo Forrer launched a message of peace in a serious tone with « water gun ».
A winner with “nomadic origins”
The big winner, Loreen, performed with “Tattoo”, a pop anthem about unconditional love.
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The Swede was the favorite of the bookmakers. Real name Lorine Talhaoui, the 39-year-old artist was born in Sweden to parents of Moroccan Berber origin. The eldest of six children, she grew up in the suburbs of Stockholm, where she lives today. One of his sisters, Markiz Tainton, is a cook and regularly appears on television.
“I have nomadic origins, I am Berber, but I am also Swedish, I want my cheese grater and people to call me before arriving at my house”added the singer, to this newspaper, while her origins have been repeatedly mocked by the far right.
Finland was in a completely different niche with singer Käärijä’s frenetic “Cha Cha Cha” and his fluorescent green puffy bolero.
Like last year, Russia was excluded from the competition.
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Liverpool in the colors of Ukraine
This edition was organized in Liverpool but in the name of Ukraine, whose colors, blue and yellow, were everywhere in the city of the Beatles.
This edition of Eurovision, “It’s theirs more than ours”estimated to AFP Jenny Birchett, a 70-year-old Briton, dressed in the colors of Ukraine.
“When I arrived yesterday” in Liverpool, ” I cried “ both blue and yellow are everywhere in the city, explained Lana Bilko, a Ukrainian who has lived in the United Kingdom for a long time.
