There’s been a history-making result at today’s Eurovision Song Contest – but how did Australia place? Photo / Getty Images
There’s been a history-making result at today’s Eurovision Song Contest – but how did Australia place? Photo / Getty Images
Warning: spoilers
The Eurovision Song Contest winner of 2023 has been announced and its a history-making moment, according to news.com.au.
The competition was held on May 13 at Liverpool Arena in the UK. Great Britain hosted the event this year on behalf of Ukraine, who won last year but can’t take up its right to hold the contest because of the ongoing war against Russia.
After some incredible performances and a nail-biting vote-count, Sweden’s Loreen triumphed over her fellow competitors - but it was a close call.
The Swedish songstress has been a firm favourite since she won Sweden’s Melodifesten Eurovision decider in March with her powerful ballad Tattoo.
Not her first rodeo, Loreen previously won Eurovision back in 2012 with her hit song Euphoria. However, she came back for round two and did the seemingly-impossible: taking the Eurovision trophy a second time around.
Sweden entrant Loreen with the trophy after winning the Eurovision Song Contest. Photo / Getty Images
Both songs featured her trademark Loreen, simple-yet-commanding vocals and won her the Eurovision title.
However, while Loreen was the bookies favourite to win throughout the competition, the last week seemed to put her victory in doubt. Loreen seemed to peak too early too fast, losing some people’s votes - and attention - along the way. Instead, audiences turned their eyes to Finland’s Kaarija with his high-energy rap song Cha Cha Cha - and he nearly took the prize.
Loreen brought it home in the jury vote. The songstress scored a whopping 340 points, which was miles ahead of Israel, who took second place with 177 points. However, Finland received more than 300 points from the public vote, jumping ahead of Loreen to take pole position.
Finland Entry Käärijä performs "Cha Cha Cha" on stage during The Eurovision Song Contest. Photo / Getty Images
In the end, Loreen scored enough votes from the public to catapult Sweden to the finish line, winning with 583 points and seeing Finland place second with a score of 526.
Loreen isn’t the only performer to take the award home a second time around. Ireland’s Johnny Logan won the competition twice in the 1980s with Hold Me Now and What’s Another Year.
Around 6000 fans watched the spectacle inside the arena, and tens of thousands more tuned into the event at a Liverpool fan zone and at big-screen events across the United Kingdom. The global television audience has been estimated at 160 million, according to Associated Press.
