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The grand final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest took place Saturday at the Malmo Arena in Sweden, with Swiss singer Nemo taking home the iconic microphone-shaped glass trophy. Nemo’s win marks the first victory for Switzerland since 1988, when Canadian singer Celine Dion competed for the country.
Likened to the Olympics of pop music, the annual international songwriting competition is celebrated for its glitzy and fun-filled performances. Eurovision is watched by millions of fans around the world, but this year has been mired in controversy and protest.
While Eurovision organizers insist that the event is non-political, the Israel-Hamas war has been at the forefront of this year’s event. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Malmo to protest Israel’s participation in the contest on Thursday and Saturday. Last-minute changes to the event program on Saturday stirred confusion, most notably the announcement that Dutch entry Joost Klein had been disqualified from the competition after a reported incident with a female member of the production crew. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organizes Eurovision, said that while Swedish police were investigating the complaint,“it would not be appropriate” for Klein to continue in the contest.
Although the lead-up to the grand final proved to be chaotic, the main event was a relatively smooth affair. Here are some of the most memorable, noteworthy moments from the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.
A royal welcome
The final kicked off with a message from Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. In a pre-recorded video, the royal greeted the crowd and wished all the contestants luck.
“It’s my great honor to welcome you all to Sweden,” she said. “I hope you will enjoy the show, and I wish all the contestants the best of luck.”
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