He asked to address the final by video - but organizer the European Broadcasting Union said “regrettably,” that would breach “the nonpolitical nature of the event.”Īfter all the acts have performed, viewers in participating nations can vote by phone, text message or app – though they can’t vote for their own country. One person who won't be appearing is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukrainian singer Jamala, who won the contest in 2016, will perform a tribute to her Crimean Tatar culture. The show will open with a performance by last year’s winner, Ukrainian folk-rap band Kalush Orchestra. Russia's war in Ukraine will lend a solemn note to a contest famed for celebrating cheesy pop. ![]() Strangelove.”Īround 6,000 fans will attend the final, hosted by long-time BBC Eurovision presenter Graham Norton, “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham, British singer Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian rock star Julia Sanina.Įach competing act must sing live and stick to a three-minute limit, but otherwise is free to create its own staging - the flashier the pyrotechnics and more elaborate the choreography, the better. It’s hard to predict victors in a contest whose past winners have ranged from ABBA to Finnish cartoon metal band Lordi, but bookmakers say Swedish diva Loreen, who won Eurovision in 2012, is favorite to score a double with her power ballad “Tattoo.”įinland’s Käärijä was a crowd-pleaser in the semifinals with his pop-metal party tune “Cha Cha Cha,” and Canadian singer La Zarra, competing for France, is also highly ranked for her Edith Piaf-esque chanson “Évidemment.”Īnd never underestimate left-field entries like Croatia’s Let 3, whose song “Mama ŠČ!”is pure Eurovision camp: an antiwar rock opera that plays like Monty Python meets “Dr. Other entrants from outside Europe's borders include Israel and Azerbaijan. Eurovision is hugely popular in Australia, and the country was allowed to join the competition in 2015. The other 20 finalists, chosen by public votes in two semifinals on Tuesday and Thursday, are: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.Įurovision is about spirit, not just geography. Six countries automatically qualify: last year's winner and the “Big Five” who pay the most to the contest - France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. Twenty-six countries will compete in Saturday’s final at the Liverpool Arena, beside the River Mersey in the port city that gave birth to The Beatles. The host country is usually the winner of the previous year’s event, but 2022 runner-up Britain is hosting this time around on behalf of the winner, Ukraine. This year, 37 countries sent an act to Eurovision, selected through national competitions or internal selections by broadcasters. Here’s what to expect as acts from across Europe - and beyond - vie for the continent’s pop crown. ![]() There will be catchy choruses, a kaleidoscope of costumes and tributes to the spirit of Ukraine in a competition that for seven decades has captured the changing zeitgeist of a continent. ![]() LIVERPOOL, England (AP) - Sprinkle the sequins and pump up the volume: The 67th Eurovision Song Contest reaches its climax on Saturday with a grand final broadcast live from Liverpool.
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