LIVERPOOL — Eurovision crowned a familiar queen on Saturday night. Loreen, the Swedish singer who won in 2012 with “Euphoria”, took the trophy again in Liverpool with the power ballad “Tattoo” — becoming only the second performer in the contest’s history, after Ireland’s Johnny Logan, to win twice.
The result was a duel of systems. Finland’s Käärijä, with the industrial cha-cha anthem “Cha Cha Cha”, won the public vote by a distance and became the story of the week; but Loreen’s commanding lead with the juries held, and Sweden finished on 583 points to Finland’s 526.
The victory takes Sweden to seven Eurovision titles, drawing level with Ireland’s all-time record — and it comes, pleasingly for the romantics, exactly fifty years after ABBA’s win with “Waterloo” put Sweden on the contest’s map. Sweden will host next year, in 2024, half a century on.
Liverpool, hosting on behalf of last year’s winners Ukraine, turned the week into an act of solidarity: Ukrainian performers opened the final, the city was wrapped in blue and yellow, and Kalush Orchestra returned to play. Britain’s own entrant, Mae Muller, finished second from last — but the host city won rave reviews.
The near-miss for Finland’s pink-clad folk hero will be debated by fans for years: once again, the juries had their winner and the public had theirs. Sweden, at least, now knows its task for next May — stage the 50th anniversary party, and keep the trophy from slipping to the public’s favourites again.
Media-Society.com is a press network association based in Spain, founded in 2020. More at www.media-society.com.
