Basel, Switzerland - Fans from all over the world participated in the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, lagging behind their own country’s rallies on stage throughout the week with performers from their homeland.
There are 26 performances in the finals: the countries passing the semifinals, as well as the host country (this year, Switzerland) and a group called "The Hugeness of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom" that automatically enter the finals as their country makes the greatest financial contribution to European competition.
As artists prepare to take part in the luxury, glittering pop song contest featuring their outstanding performances, thousands of viewers gather in the Eurovision Village, a convention center that becomes a hub for fans. Some hanging flags were on their backs, while others were painted on their faces. Many find themselves dancing until the early hours of European clubs, except for the number of hits on Eurovision.
The event represents what the UK’s “Remember Members” members call a cultural phenomenon, likening it to the American Super Bowl
“Everyone knows what this is,” Holly-Anne Hull said. “Everyone, whether they like it or not, knows who wins every year.”
What else should I know about this.
Performers will compete against it in Saturday's Grand Finals, which will be aired on the Peacock at 3 p.m. ET for American audiences
The winner of the competition is determined by the votes of the national jury that national music professionals and audiences watch at home. People around the world can use the contest’s app or vote online for the winner.
Gambling on the European TV network is a big business, and sports bookmakers (give two cents at odds per competitor) have a good record of determining which songs will do well in Saturday’s Grand Finals.
This year's favorites include Sweden, which has won seven championships since its first European TV network in 1956. The Swedish three-person Finnish Kaj will enter the Nordic tradition of traveling to the sauna this year with "Bara Bada Bastu". According to Spotify, the song features a recreation of the sauna with a towel-wearing dancer, the farthest song of the competition this year.
Another top contender is Austria. Opera singer JJ's singer uses extraordinary vocal range to play his song "Waste Love".
The Netherlands' entry is also considered the leader. Singer Claude's "C'est la vie" (C'est La Vie) combines French and English lyrics, the third song nominated on Spotify this year.
Eurovision songs span genres, and while many people won’t be out of place on the top 40 radio playlists, sometimes they will stand out and stand out.
In addition to the Swedish Sauna Song, this year's entries include the Icelandic Act Væb. The blonde brothers wore oversized silver outfits and jewel-decorated sunglasses and jumped around the stage in their song “Róa”, which is about boating.
Finland's Erika Vikman sang "Trace of Desire" while wearing thigh-high leather boots at "Ich Komme". The song hangs in the air with Vikman on a huge microphone, sparks flying around.
However, it is strange that there is no guarantee of a place in the final. This year's Irish entries are a dance national anthem, imagining a world where Laika is a Soviet dog who died after being sent to space, not only airing the party in the air" and "dance in the stars every night". It didn't exceed Thursday's semi-finals.
Like last year, Israel’s participation sparked protests against the Gaza Strip War. This year's contestant Yuval Raphael survived a Hamas-led terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 at the Rising Star Festival. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) violated its lyrics, which it believes is politically lyrics that forced Israel into the attack last year.
Eurovision Song Competition Director Martin Green said in an organization’s statement that the EBU, which organized the competition, “is not affected by global events, but with our members, ensure that the competition remains our role – core – core – promotes connectivity, promotes universal activities that promote diversity and inclusion through music.”
He added: “Comparing between conflicts is not our role.
Malta's work also caused controversy over the lyrics of Miriana Conte's song "Service". The original version features Malta's "singing", which sounds like a vulgar word in English. The word is omitted in the redesigned version. The singer posted EBU on her Instagram to make her change her words.
In a statement to Sky News, NBC’s UK partner said at the time: “If a song is deemed unacceptable for any reason, the broadcaster has the opportunity to modify or select a new song by the deadline by the rules of the match.”
Italian consumer group Codacon also filed complaints against Tommy Cash's Estonian "Espresso MacChiato", which included lyrics of "sweat like a mafia" and "absorbed in tobacco."
A spokesperson for Eurovision did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Estonia's entry.
Many people think whether CélineDion - Yes this CélineDion- Will appear.
The award-winning artist was 20 years old when he won the Swiss competition in 1988. (Although she is Canadian, artists don’t need to come from the country they represent.
Dion appeared in the video in Tuesday's semi-finals, saying she "can only compete". The singer has been publicizing her stiff syndrome diagnosis and has performed well at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Paris last year.
European Network spokesman Sibylle Tornay asked via NBC News email to understand that Dion might appear on Saturday’s final, “There is no change in Céline Dion at the moment – we are still in close contact with her, of course, her health is the most important thing and the first one.”