Eurovision Song Contest

Greece's entry for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, titled "Zari," has been officially unveiled. The song, an uplifting fusion of traditional, modern, and ethnographic elements performed by Marina Satti, was released on Thursday evening on the 37-year-old artist's YouTube account.

Israel can compete in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, organizers said on Feb. 15, despite calls for it to be excluded over the Gaza war like Russia was after invading Ukraine.

The southern Swedish city of Malmo has been chosen to host the 2024 Eurovision Song contest on May 7-11, Swedish public broadcaster STV has said.

"Malmo is a creative city with a rich cultural life that can provide a music festival for the whole of Europe," said STV director general Hanne Stjarne.

Eurovision has a huge following in Sweden.

Slovenian indie pop band Joker Out have finished 21st at the Eurovision song contest, a result the band, though thrilled by the show and the experience, describes as disappointing.

The band got 78 points, 45 from juries and 33 from the televote, to place just ahead of Albania among the 26 entries in Saturday's final.

The representative of Sweden - Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest, which was held in the British city of Liverpool, the Eurovision website announced.

Sweden won the Eurovision Song Contest early Sunday, as singer Loreen beat out 25 competitors in the finale of the world's biggest live music event, hosted by Britain on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.

A previous victor in 2012, Loreen is the first woman to win the eccentric, much-loved competition twice and only the second person to do so after Johnny Logan for Ireland in the 1980s.

The Eurovision Song Contest will have Ukrainian flags, Ukrainian musicians and Ukrainian fans but not the country's wartime leader.

Organizers rejected a request from President Volodymyr Zelensky to make a video address to the final of the pan-continental music competition on May 12. He was expected to urge the world continue its support for Ukraine's fight to repel Russian invasion.

Slovenian entrants Joker Out made the cut in Thursday's second semi final of the Eurovision song contest alongside Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland. This will be the first time since 2019 that Slovenia will be in the final.

Eurovision 2023 has kicked off in Liverpool, northern England, where acts from 37 countries are competing to win the 67th edition of the song contest.

Liverpool is hosting on behalf of Ukraine, which won the contest last with Kalush Orchestra's "Stefania."

Ukraine was unable to stage the event this year, as the winner usually does, because of Russia's invasion.

Since 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest has provided catchy tunes, cheesy pop and bombastic anthems — but also some eye-catching fashion.

One of the most memorable competitors in Eurovision history was heavy metal band Lordi, who donned monster prosthetics and won for Finland in 2006 with "Hard Rock Hallelujah."