Sweden’s Loreen gained Eurovision 2023 with the track “Tattoo” in Liverpool, northern England, on Saturday, turning into the primary lady to triumph for a second time within the contest.

Finland’s Käärijä, a green-bolero-sleeved rapper, got here second. He gained the viewer vote, but it surely was not sufficient to overhaul Loreen’s lead after the end result from the juries within the 37 taking part international locations. “It was crazy,” Loreen stated in an interview broadcast to reporters after her win. “I’m thankful.”

Loreen is the one particular person after Ireland’s Johnny Logan to win the competition twice, and her victory places Sweden stage with Ireland as probably the most profitable Eurovision international locations. The 67th version of the musical competition was held within the “City of Pop” on behalf of Ukraine, final 12 months’s winner, which was unable to host this 12 months due to Russia’s invasion.

Organisers needed to stroll a tightrope between placing Ukraine centre stage and steering away from any overt political messages, which aren’t allowed within the contest. They largely succeeded.

Kalush Orchestra, 2022’s winner, combined video recorded in Ukraine with stay efficiency in Liverpool in a gap sequence that included a cameo look from Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, enjoying the piano. But as the competition was underway, Russian missiles hit the western Ukrainian metropolis of Ternopil, which is dwelling to the electro-pop duo Tvorchi, this 12 months’s contestants from Ukraine.

Local authorities, writing on Telegram, stated the strike had injured two individuals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was barred from addressing worldwide viewers – who numbered 160 million final 12 months – by contest organiser the European Broadcasting Union.

It stated that granting his request, which was made with “laudable intentions”, could be in opposition to the non-political nature of the occasion and its guidelines prohibiting making political statements.

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