Eurovision 2023: Lauryn won with the ballad “Tattoo”.

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom — Swedish singer Larin has won Eurovision Song Contest with her power ballad “Tattoo.”

The diva beat acts from 25 other countries to claim the continent’s pop crown at the competition in Liverpool. Finnish singer Käärijä became the second.

Lauryn previously won Eurovision in 2012, becoming only the second artist to win the prize twice.

This year, Britain hosted the Eurovision Song Contest from Ukraine, which won last year, but could not use its right to host the competition because of the war. During the competition, air raid sirens sounded throughout Ukraine.

THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. Earlier AP history is below.

The final of Eurovision Song Contest brought pop and patriotism to Liverpool on Saturday, with a Swedish diva and a party-loving Finnish rapper among the favorites to win the fun-filled music competition, overshadowed by the war in Ukraine for the second year in a row.

Britain is taking over from Ukraine, which won last year, but cannot exercise its right to host the competition because of the war. During the contest, air raid sirens sounded throughout Ukraine, and the Ukrainian media reported a strike in Ternopil, the hometown of the Ukrainian group Tvorchy, which participated in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Under the slogan “United by music”, the Eurovision final united the soul of the English port city that gave birth to The Beatles, with the spirit of war-torn Ukraine.

The sights and sounds of Ukraine flowed through the show, starting with the opening film that was shown Winners of Eurovision 2022 Kalush Orchestra singing and dancing in the Kiev subway to the tune of musicians in the UK, including Kate, Princess of Wales, who plays the piano.

The folk-rap group itself took to the stage of the Liverpool Arena on giant outstretched arms, accompanied by large drummers.

Participants from 26 finalist countries entered the arena in an Olympic-style flag parade accompanied by live performances by Ukrainian artists, including Go A, JamalTina Karol and Verka Syrdyuchka are all former participants of the Eurovision Song Contest.

In its 67th year, Eurovision calls itself the world’s largest music competition — the Olympics of pop music for parties. Each participant has three minutes to perform memorable tunes a stunning sight in performances capable of winning the hearts of millions of viewers.

Favorites included Swedish singer Larin – the Eurovision 2012 winner, who the bookies claimed would win the title again with her power ballad “Tattoo” – and Finland’s Käärijä, a performer with the energy of an Energizer bunny and a dark green bolero top, who goes from metal crooner to sweet party singer “Cha-cha-cha.” The infectious song drew one of the biggest reactions of the night from the Sinalong crowd.

Italy’s Marco Mengoni also had a big following for “Due Vite,” a seductive ballad with enigmatic lyrics.

The Austrian duo Teya & Salena performed first with the song “Who Hell is Edgar?” is an infamous satirical ode to Edgar Allan Poe that also decries the paltry royalties musicians earn from streaming services.

After that, various flavors of the continent were demonstrated: cabaret-style singing by the Portuguese Mimikat; power pop in the style of Britney of Poland’s Blanka; echoes of Edith Piaf from La Zarra for France; smoldering ballad from Cyprus recording, Andrew Lambru.

Rock was unusually well represented this year in a contest that favors peppy pop. Australia’s Voyager brought to mind 80s stadium rock on ‘Promise’, while Slovenia’s Joker Out and Germany’s Lord of the Lost were also guitar-driven records.

A non-standard contender was the anti-war rock opera “Mama Shch!” from Croatia’s Let 3, who poke fun at militaristic dictators amid Monty Pythonesque imagery before stripping down to their underpants on stage.

Electronic duo Tvorrchi paid tribute to the resilience of Ukraine on “Steel Heart”. Great Britain’s May Muller got an unenviable final performance of the night with her upbeat break-up anthem ‘I Wrote a Song’.

The winner was determined by the famously complex system of voting by the jury and the public at Eurovision, with each participant hoping to avoid the humiliation of receiving “zero points” – zero points.

As the votes were being counted, Sam Ryder, last year’s British runner-up, performed his new single ‘Mountain’ accompanied by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. In the ‘Liverpool Songbook’ section, past Eurovision stars performed songs from the city, including John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, Dead or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)’ and the unofficial national anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ — with the addition of the audience, as a tribute to Liverpool and Ukraine.

Around 6,000 fans watched the show in the arena and tens of thousands more in the Liverpool Fan Zone and at events on big screens across the UK. The global television audience is estimated at 160 million.

Under the spring sunshine, thousands of fans flocked to the city’s marina — now a huge party zone — next to the venue on the eve of the competition. Many of them were draped with the flags of their favorite countries or dressed in the style of their favorite artists.

“It’s good fun just to come and see people of different nationalities, different cultures,” said Australian fan Martin Trodel, wearing a kangaroo hat. – To be honest, there are quite strange performances, and that’s what I like. . You never know what to expect.”

Liverpool hosted Eurovision and Ukraine, businesses across the city flew Ukrainian flags, and a program of cultural events introduced locals to the art, music and food of this Eastern European country.

But the organizers said they rejected the request President Uladzimir Zelensky make a video message. The European Broadcasting Union said this would violate the “non-political nature of the event”.

Founded in 1956, Eurovision is a European cultural institution that has produced breakout stars – ABBA and Celine Dion are both past winners – along with artists whose careers have sunk without a trace.

In recent years, it has once again become a platform that can launch stars. Italian rock band Måneskin, who won in 2021, have performed at major American festivals and toured for the Rolling Stones. Sam Ryder released a #1 album and performed at Glastonbury.

“ABBA did it in the 1970s, then it died down and it wasn’t seen as the launch pad it is now,” said Steve Holden, host of the official Eurovision Song Contest podcast. “Now the music industry, the world, knows that if you appear at the Eurovision Song Contest, something great can await you.”