The Eurovision Song Contest is perhaps the music festival with the longest history. Introduced following World War II to promote cross-border cooperation, it has been held without interruption since 1956 – until this year, of course, when, just like pretty much every other major musical event, it has been cancelled.
Growing from its humble beginnings, the Eurovision has become a huge brand around Europe – and the world, even making its way into the offers of bookmakers and online casino operators. While you might think that gambling and singing have nothing in common, you should know that countless punters around the world bet on the winner every year. Surprising as it may sound, there are already some odds out for next year’s edition… well, not for Eurovision itself but Melodifestivalen 2021, with Idol alum Danny Saucedo given the biggest chance of winning.
With no victor to be crowned this year, let’s take a walk down memory lane and look at some of the greatest Swedish acts who have won over the audiences’ hearts over the event’s 60-decade history.
Loreen
Loreen, born Lorine Zineb Noka Talhaoui, first emerged in the 2004 season of Sweden’s “Idol” talent show singing Billy Porter’s “Love Is on the Way”. After releasing a promo with Rob’n’Raz the same year, she took a long break from the spotlight.
In 2011, she emerged again, singing her own song “My Heart Is Refusing Me” at Melodifestivalen 2011. While she didn’t win the event, the song did great in Sweden after being released as a single, peaking at the #9 spot of the Swedish Singles Chart. A year later, with the song “Euphoria” (written by Thomas G:son and Peter Boström) she won not only the Melodifestivalen but the Eurovision Song Contest, not to mention international fame: it rose to the #1 spot of the Swedish Single Charts, debuted #1 in Finland, and topped the charts across Europe. It peaked at the #3 spot of the UK charts, and became the most downloaded Eurovision single in the UK, beating ABBA’s “Waterloo”. Overseas, it did best in Australia, making its debut in the #4 spot of the Australian Dance Charts.
Måns Zelmerlöw
Another Idol alum, Måns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw (known professionally as Måns Zelmerlöw) was eliminated from the talent show after seven weeks. After competing in another show, he finished third in the 2007 Melodifestivalen and released his debut album that reached #1 in Sweden. In 2009, he competed again, this time finishing fourth, even though he received the most votes. He celebrated with another album he recorded in 2008 – it was certified gold and reached the top spot of the Swedish album charts.
In 2010, he hosted Melodifestivalen, singing “Eye of the Tiger” with actress Christine Meltzer and Dolph Lundgren, giving the world a chance to find out that the 90s action icon is not tone-deaf (but he wouldn’t’ve made a dime singing). Then, in 2015, he returned to the stage of Melodifestivalen as a contestant, winning this time – and then winning the Eurovision Song Contest as well. By this time, he already had five albums that were followed by three more.
ABBA
No list of great Swedish acts at the Eurovision would be complete without mentioning ABBA, the band that, to this day, is Sweden’s hottest commodity.
The band came to life as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid, recording a single in 1972 that did reasonably well in the charts. In the next year, the initials of the members were combined into the well-known palindrome – which, coincidentally, was also the name of a fish canning company. Of course, the name was used with permission.
Surprising as it may sound, ABBA failed to qualify to their first Melodifestivalen in 1973 – luckily, they didn’t give up. In the next edition, they performed Waterloo, winning the nation’s heart. And later the entire world’s.
The rest, as they say, is history: ABBA went on to become one of the best-selling musical acts in history, topping the charts everywhere from the US to South Africa.