Swedish Singer Loreen Makes Eurovision History as First Woman to Win Twice
May 15, 2023The Grand Final of the 67th annual Eurovision Song Contest took place on Saturday, May 13 this year, hosted by the United Kingdom and Ukraine. After 26 performances from various acts across the continent, the juries announced their votes, and it was left to the public vote to decide the winner. Following a tense battle between Sweden and Finland to make it to the top spot, presenter Graham Norton announced Sweden’s Loreen as the winner, with her popular song Tattoo.
Image Credit: Canva
This occasion marks the first time a woman has won the Eurovision Song Contest twice, following her previous entry into the competition in 2012 with the hit single Euphoria. She is the second performer overall to win the contest twice, with Johnny Logan winning twice in the 1980s. This also means that Sweden is tied with Ireland for the most wins of the competition since it began in 1956. Loreen described her shock towards the result, after narrowly beating Finland’s entry, Kaarija by 57 points.
“I’m so happy and so thankful, it’s overwhelming. Not in my wildest dreams did I think this was going to happen,” she commented. When asked why she thought Sweden has produced so many talented songwriters, she joked that the bad weather meant they spent more time writing than enjoying the beach.
This also marks the first time an LGBTQ+ person has won Eurovision twice, with Loreen openly identifying as bisexual. In a television interview with Swedish host Renée Nyberg, she came out as bisexual and described her self-confidence in her identity. “Many people are so focused on sex, on sexuality. Love is so much more. I usually say, ‘Love is where you find it’,”.
Fans of Loreen took to social media to announce their joy at her win of the competition.
“If there was ever someone in #Eurovision history that deserved to win the contest twice, it’s Loreen!” said Eurovision fan Maxxy Rainbow.
However, some were not happy with the result. During the contest, Radio DJ and presenter Roman Kemp made a post on Twitter, stating that he did not think people should be able to perform in the competition if they have already won. This received a controversial reaction, as part of an ongoing debate surrounding Loreen’s victory.
As a result of Loreen winning the competition, the 68th annual Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Sweden in 2024. This year will also mark 50 years since the infamous ABBA won the contest in 1974 with Waterloo. As such, many celebrations will be held in honor of the country’s musical history, including a traditional performance from Loreen at some point during the Grand Final.
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