Introduction to Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual event that gathers a variety of European nations in a competition to choose the best song on the Continent. The inspiration for the contest was based on the Italian San Remo festival.

The 1st Eurovision Song Contest was held in 1956, with the term being coined years before that during the London Evening Standard program. Years later, the term has become synonymous with the competition that a lot of people hold high and dear and tune in every year to watch. Eurovision 2024 promises to do just that as we are slowly counting down the days.

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What to Expect in 2024

The Eurovision 2024 host city will be Malmo, Sweden. The city was selected after Sweden won the previous Eurovision contest thanks to the song “Tattoo” performed by Loreen. Interestingly, this will be the 7th time Sweden plays hosts to the Eurosong contest and the third that the event will take place in Malmo.

Loreen won the competition two times, as previously she managed to do it in 2012 with the titular song “Euphoria.” The Eurovision 2024 location is set to be Malmo Arena, which was also used during the 2013 competition.

This year, the event will be hosted by dancer, comedian, and actress Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman of Hollywood fame. Mede is actually going to repeat her role as a presenter during the competition, as she has already done it in 2013 and 2016.

Interestingly enough, Luxembourg makes a comeback after being absent for 31 years. On the other hand, Romania has decided to withdraw after being a part of the competition last year. Also, Israel will make an appearance, despite the backlash that their inclusion has received.

Host City Highlights

While Malmo is the third-largest city in Sweden, it certainly does not lack any highlights compared to the nation’s capital of Stockholm, for instance. Actually, Malmo is recognised for being one of the most industrialised cities in Scandinavia. The inclusion of new IT and biotech companies has done marvels for the city, changing its landscape almost completely.

Malmo is home to Öresund Bridge, an architectural marble connecting Sweden directly to Denmark. The city is home to FF Malmo, the football club, as well as the birthplace of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, one of Sweden’s best football players.

Meet the Participants of Eurovision 2024

Eurovision 2024 countries count 37 participants. This means that the format will not change compared to the year prior.

As for returning artists, this year, we will be seeing Moldova’s Natalia Barbu make a return after participating in 2007. Iceland’s Hera Björk will also make her second Eurovision appearance after being a part of the 2010 Eurosong contest

Eurovision History and Memorable Moments

The first-ever Eurovision contest was held in 1956 in Lugano, Switzerland. Back then, there were only seven countries that participated in the inaugural contest, with the Swiss representative being the first winner. Lys Assia, who performed the song “Refrain”, went down in Eurovision history as the first-ever winner of the contest.

However, it was the ABBA Eurovision campaign that popularised the competition. To this day, ABBA is synonymous with the competition, even though they won it once in 1974 with the famed “Waterloo” performance.

Today, the competition is all about creating a spectacle as well as producing a memorable song. We are reminded each time when we see performers like Verka Serduchka with his “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” and Lordi’s “Hard Rock Hallelujah.”

Of course, we can’t forget about the wild Ruslana and her song “Wild Dance,” as well as the Loreen Eurovision history, having won it two times.

Australia and Eurovision

Out of all the Eurovision 2024 participants, the strangest one has to be Australia. Geographically not a part of Europe but a standard participant since 2015, the Aussies were invited by the contest’s Reference Group to participate in the 60th edition of the contest.

Initially, it was thought for Eurovision Australia to be a one-time thing, but they were invited once again the following year. Until it stuck, and they are to this day a standard member of the competition.

Eurovision Legends: Winners Through the Years

If we look back at the most recent history of the competition, Sweden has truly been a major participant in the show. Since 2012, they have won it three times. In fact, Sweden and Ireland are tied in first place with seven total wins.

Here is a turnaround at a couple of recent years and a list of Eurovision winners from the modern era.

Year	Country	Song	Artist
2023	Sweden	“Tattoo”	Loreen
2022	Ukraine	“Stefania”	Kalush Orchestra
2021	Italy	“Zitti e buoni”	Måneskin
2019	Netherlands	“Arcade”	Duncan Laurence
2018	Israel	“Toy”	Netta
2017	Portugal	“Amar pelos dois”	Salvador Sobral
2016	Ukraine	“1944”	Jamala
2015	Sweden	“Heroes”	Måns Zelmerlöw
2014	Austria	“Rise Like a Phoenix”	Conchita Wurst
2013	Denmark	“Only Teardrops”	Emmelie de Forest
2012	Sweden	“Euphoria”	Loreen

Memorable Performances That Won Eurovision

The Eurovision history winners include performances that have captured the hearts and minds of viewers. While most have won it due to their powerful vocals and catchy songs, some managed to win thanks to one-of-a-kind performances and stage displays that were hard to miss.

While Loreen’s “Euphoria” was both a catchy song and a magnificent display of vocals, the same could be said for Måns Zelmerlöw’s “Heroes” and Marija Serifovic’s “Molitva.” Germany’s Lena managed to capture people’s hearts with a very catchy song titled “Satellite” in 2010.

But those that decided to employ a bit of a shock factor were Lordi in 2006. Performing “Hard Rock Hallelujah” dressed in horror monster outfits was something never seen before. Conchita Wurst was the first draw queen winner in 2014 with his titular title, “Rise Like a Phoenix.”

We definitely cannot forget “Wild Dances,” performed by Ruslana in 2004. It had everything: a powerful and rhythmic song, a catchy tune, and an energetic performance by the dancing crew—everything that a Eurosong contest winner needs.

Updates on Eurovision Winners Today

Most of the former Eurovision winners continued having illustrious careers. Unfortunately, some didn’t have the success they wanted to have even after winning the title.

Loreen, for instance, was one of Sweden’s biggest pop stars even back in 2012 when she won for the first time. Her stardom never actually stopped which she confirmed with her second title last year.

Sandie Shaw was Britain’s first-ever Eurovision winner back in 1967. She continued recording songs in French, German, Italian and even Spanish long after that. She had a few breaks here and there but eventually decided to retire in 2013.

Did you know that the French-Canadian singer Celine Dion is a former Eurovision winner? She won it for Switzerland in 1988. As we all know, she swept the world in 1997 with the “Titanic” theme song “My Heart Will Go On.” She sold over 200 million albums and is set to hit the road and go on a tour once again.

Salvador Sobral from Portugal broke the longest winless run for any country in 2017. He brought his home the title after 53 years of waiting. He even set a record for the biggest tally of points ever. Unfortunately, not long after that, he went on a hiatus from performing. Due to an ongoing heart issue, he was forced to take it easy.

Eurovision Success Stories

There have been so many success stories created by the Eurovision Contest that it is hard to count them all. One of the biggest has to be ABBA. For most, they are the reason they ever got into watching Eurosong. After their win, they went on to become one of the most popular pop groups in the world.

The same can be said for Lordi. They brought Finland their first and only title and have recently recorded their tenth album. They were the first Hard-Rock act to win the competition and it brought them more fame than they could have expected.

One of the most recent success stories is Måneskin, the 2021 winner. They brought attention to themselves with the win and are now known outside Italy as they are heading towards stardom on a global scale.

How Eurovision Voting Works

The Eurovision Song Contest consists of two semi-finals and the final competition. Traditionally, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom get an automatic pass to the finals. Alongside the hosting country, which is also the last winner, in this case Sweden.

10 top-rated performers from each of the two semi-finals will join these competitors in the finals, counting a total of 26 participants. The voting consists of two parts – judges and televoting. Points are spread from 1 to 12, with the top performer getting the biggest haul of points.

The points are then tallied together, and the winner is determined based on the highest number of points that a performer has amassed.

Eurovision 2024: Everything You Need to Know Summary

After reading all of this, you first need to determine how to watch it. After that, you only need to sit back and relax by watching top performances and excellent songs being sung.

You don’t have to be a Eurosong expert to enjoy it; you can watch it even if you are doing it for the first time and you might come up as a true fan after it.

What we like	What we don’t like
Lots of fun to watch, even if you are not a long-time fan.	Doesn’t have the most popular performers from the World.
Breakout songs and excellent performances.	The finals are better than the semi-finals.
Something that you can discuss with your friends.

Eurovision 2024: Everything You Need to Know FAQ

Here are some answers to a couple of things that we might have missed.

When is Eurovision 2024?

The first semi-finals take place on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, with the finals set for Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Who is the sponsor of the Eurovision 2024?

Idealista will be the main sponsor of this year’s competition.

How many countries will be in Eurovision 2024?

There are going to be 37 countries in total this year, with 26 advancing to the final.