LONDON– It’s spring in Europe, time for the annual flourish of sight and sound known as the Eurovision Song Contest.
The 68th annual competition, taking place in May in Malmö, Sweden, will see artists from 37 countries compete for the continent’s pop crown in a feel-good spectacle that strives, not always successfully, to banish international strife and divisions. . And you don’t have to be in Europe to see it or help choose the winner.
Here’s a guide to everything related to Eurovision.
On one level, it’s simple: Eurovision is an international pop music competition in which artists from countries across Europe, and some beyond, compete in a live televised contest to be crowned Eurovision champions.
But it’s also so much more: a celebration of diversity, national pride and the joyful power of pop. And shine. So much shine.
Launched in 1956 to foster unity after World War II, Eurovision has become a campy, feel-good celebration of pop music with an audience of hundreds of millions around the world. It has grown from seven countries to almost 40, including non-European nations such as Israel and Australia.
He is now known for songs ranging from anthemic to extremely silly, often featuring elaborate costumes and spectacular staging.
Paul Jordan, an expert on the pageant known as “Dr. “Eurovision,” the contest said, “is almost indescribable in terms of its scale, in terms of its madness, but I would like it to be probably the musical version of the Olympic Games.”
This year’s contest will be held in Malmö, southern Sweden, with two semi-finals on May 7 and 9 followed by a grand final on May 11. Traditionally, the previous year’s winner hosts the competition, and Sweden triumphed in 2023 with “Tattoo.” a powerful ballad from pop diva Loreen.
The Nordic nation is a Eurovision powerhouse that has won the contest seven times, a figure equaled only by Ireland.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Eurovision’s most iconic moment: ABBA’s victory in the 1974 contest with “Waterloo.” The victory propelled the band to stardom and helped boost the Swedish music industry.
Fans are hoping for an appearance by the Swedish supergroup in Malmö, although band members have played down those suggestions.
The Eurovision motto is “united by music” and its organizer, the European Broadcasting Union, strives to keep political divisions out of the competition, although it does not always succeed.
Russia has been banned since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Last year’s contest was held in the English city of Liverpool because the 2022 winner, Ukraine, was at war.
This year, pro-Palestinian activists and some musicians have urged organizers to remove Israel from the event over its conduct in its war against Hamas, which has killed more than 33,000 people in Gaza, according to its Health Ministry.
Israel has not been suspended, but was ordered to change the lyrics of the competing song, originally titled “October Rain,” an apparent reference to Hamas’ October 1 cross-border campaign. 7 that killed about 1,200 Israelis. Renamed “Hurricane,” the powerful ballad will be performed by 20-year-old singer Eden Golan.
With feelings running high, the organizers issued a statement saying that they “strongly oppose any form of online abuse, hate speech or harassment directed at our artists or anyone associated with the contest.”
Jordan said Eurovision organizers have sometimes been accused of inconsistency in setting the boundaries of the contest.
“No political entries allowed… and yet Finland 2013 has a song about marriage equality,” he said. “You had other songs about world peace; Technically they are also political. “So what the divide is between politics and non-politics is a pretty blurry line.”
Pro-Palestinian groups plan demonstrations in central Malmo during Eurovision week that they hope will attract thousands of protesters from Sweden and neighboring countries.
Malmö district police chief Petra Stenkula said security would be “rigorous” and that Swedish police would be reinforced by officers from Denmark and Norway.
Eurovision’s complex voting system, which awards points to juries made up of music industry professionals and viewers from across Europe, makes it very difficult to predict the winners.
Jordan said there used to be a “typical” Eurovision sound (a three-minute pop song in English with a key change), but now the contest is much more diverse. Many acts perform in their national languages and some draw on folk traditions and instruments, although sleek production and electronic beats still predominate.
Winners range from Canadian singer Celine Dion, who competed for Switzerland in 1988, to mask-wearing Finnish metallers Lordi in 2006, bearded Austrian drag performer Conchita Wurst in 2014, Italian rock band Måneskin in 2021 and folk group -Ukrainian rap Kalush Orchestra. in 2022.
Bookmakers’ favorites this year include non-binary Swiss singer Nemo’s powerhouse song “The Code” and Croatian singer-songwriter Baby Lasagna’s electro banger “Rim Tim Tagi Dim.”
Other entries to watch include Dutchman Joost Klein with the pop-rap song “Europapa,” “La Noia” by Italian TikTok star Angelina Mango, and “Teresa & Maria” by the Ukrainian duo formed by rapper Alyona Alyona and vlogger Jerry Heil.
Spain’s entry, “Zorra” by duo Nebulossa, has generated controversy because its title can be translated as an anti-feminine insult.
The United Kingdom, which has not won since 1997, is pinning its hopes on Olly Alexander’s dizzying pop song “Dizzy.” The host country, Sweden, is represented by identical twins Marcus. & Martinus, who, rather confusingly, comes from Norway, with the confident title “Unforgettable.” Eurovision voters will be the judge of that.
The competition will be broadcast on national broadcasters in participating countries, on the Peacock streaming service in the United States and on the Eurovision channel on YouTube. 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.