Sweden won the Eurovision Song Contest early Sunday, with singer Loreen defeating 25 other participants in the final of the world’s biggest live music event, which Britain hosted on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.
Loreen, who previously won the competition in 2012, is the first woman and just the second person to accomplish it, following Johnny Logan representing Ireland in the 1980s.
Sweden has won a record-equaling seventh Eurovision title, and the Scandinavian country will host next year’s contest on the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s win – the country’s first – with breakout smash “Waterloo.”
Loreen — real name Lorine Talhaoui — told reporters that her victory with dance-pop track, “Tattoo”, felt “surreal” and “so beautiful”, and had left her “seriously overwhelmed”.
Born in Sweden to parents of Moroccan Berber origin, the 39-year-old’s win was celebrated in her homeland.
“It feels wonderful,” she said.
Following an evening of typically varied musical acts in Liverpool, she narrowly defeated Finland’s Kaarija when the public and jury votes were combined.
Third place went to Israel, with Noa Kirel’s “Unicorn,” as more than 160 million estimated people worldwide watched on television.
