It's spring in Europe. It's that time of year when the annual spectacle and sound known as the Eurovision Song Contest blooms.
The 68th annual competition, to be held in May in Malmö, Sweden, will see artists from 37 countries compete for the continent's pop crown, aiming to eradicate international conflict and division, with no guarantee of success. Although there are no restrictions, a heartwarming festival will be held. And you don't have to be in Europe to watch or help pick a winner.
Here's our guide to everything about Eurovision.
But it's also a celebration of diversity, national pride, and the joyful power of pop. And glitter. It's very sparkly.
Founded in 1956 to promote unity after World War II, Eurovision has become a festival of eerily feel-good pop music with an audience of hundreds of millions around the world. Membership has grown from seven to nearly 40 countries, including non-European countries such as Israel and Australia.
Today, they are known for their songs, which range from the anthemic to the downright ridiculous, with elaborate costumes and spectacular staging.
Paul Jordan, an expert on this contest known as “Dr. Jordan.'' Eurovision said of the contest: “Almost indescribable in its scale and craziness, I would probably liken it to a musical version of the Olympics.”
The Nordic nation is a Eurovision powerhouse, having won the contest seven times, a feat rivaled only by Ireland.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Eurovision's most iconic moment, ABBA's 'Waterloo' victory in the 1974 contest. This victory propelled the band towards superstar status and helped revitalize the Swedish music industry.
Fans are hoping the Swedish supergroup will perform in Malmö, but band members are ignoring such suggestions.
Russia has banned entry since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Last year's contest was held in the British city of Liverpool because Ukraine, the 2022 winner, was at war.
This year, pro-Palestinian activists and some musicians urged organizers to withdraw from events due to Israel's actions in the war with Hamas, which has killed more than 33,000 people in the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry said. requested.
Israel was not suspended, but was ordered to change the lyrics of a competing song, originally titled “October Rain.” This is an apparent reference to the October 7 Hamas cross-border attack that killed around 1,200 Israelis. The power ballad, renamed “Hurricane,” will be sung by 20-year-old singer Eden Golan.
As emotions ran high, organizers issued a statement saying they “strongly oppose all forms of online abuse, hate speech and harassment against artists and contestants.”
Jordan said Eurovision organizers were sometimes accused of being inconsistent in setting the contest's boundaries.
“Political entries are not allowed…and yet in Finland in 2013 there are songs about equal marriage,” he said. “There were other songs about world peace, but strictly speaking they were also political. So the line between political and non-political is very blurred.”
Pro-Palestinian groups are planning a demonstration in downtown Malmö during Eurovision week, expecting to attract thousands of protesters from Sweden and neighboring countries.
Malmö district police chief Petra Stenkla said security would be “tough”, with Swedish police being reinforced by officers from Denmark and Norway.
Mr Jordan said that while Eurovision used to have the “typical” sound – a three-minute pop song in English with a changed key – the contest was now much more diverse. Although many artists perform in national languages, and some draw on ethnic traditions and instruments, sophisticated production and electro-heavy beats still dominate.
The winners ranged from Canadian singer Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland in 1988, to Finnish metalhead Lordi, who wore a mask in 2006, to Austrian drag performer Conchita Wurst, who wore a beard in 2014. In 2021, they range from Italian rock band Maneskin to Ukrainian folk-rap group Karrueche Orchestra. In 2022.
Bookmakers' favorites this year include Swiss non-binary singer Nemo's powerful song 'The Code' and Croatian singer-songwriter Baby Lasagna's haunting electro number 'Rim Tim Tagi. Contains “dim”.
Other notable entries include the pop-rap song “Europapa” by Dutch Joost Klein, “La Noia” by Italian TikTok star Angelina Mango, and “La Noia” by the Ukrainian duo of rapper Alyona Alyona and vlogger Jerry Heil. “Teresa & Maria” etc.
The Spanish production “Zorra” by the duo Nebulossa is controversial because its title can be translated as an anti-women slur.
Britain, who haven't won since 1997, are pinning their hopes on Olly Alexander's dizzying pop song 'Dizzy'. Representing hosts Sweden are identical twins Marcus and Martinus – who, confusingly, are from Norway – confidently carry the title 'Unforgettable'. It's up to Eurovision voters to decide.
The competition will be broadcast on national television in participating countries, on the US streaming service Peacock, and on Eurovision's YouTube channel. Viewers in the US and other non-participating countries can vote online or using the Eurovision app. Viewers in participating countries can also vote by phone or text message.