- Title: AZERBAIJAN: Sweden's Loreen wins the 2012 Eurovision song contest in Baku
- Date: 27th May 2012
- Summary: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (MAY 25, 2012) (REUTERS) AUDIENCE WATCHING AS LOREEN REHEARSES 'EUPHORIA' LOREEN REHEARSING 'EUPHORIA' CAMERA CREWS FILMING RUSSIAN EUROVISION CONTESTANTS 'BURANOVSKIYE BABUSHKI' REHEARSING
- Embargoed: 11th June 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Azerbaijan
- Country: Azerbaijan
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA4JDAGGM7KOQDVQRDO66UA6TZU
- Story Text: Sweden's Loreen won the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest on Sunday (May 27), taking top honours with her emotional song 'Euphoria'.
Loreen, a 28-year-old diva, who was raised on the countryside outside Stockholm in a family of Moroccan-Berber origin, performed barefoot on the stage in an act that was broadcast live to an audience of more than 100 million people.
"Wow, I have so many things I want to say to all of you - all of you out there, you people here that believed in me. This is not only about me, this is about us, really, and I'm thankful, thankful to you guys. Thanks for your support - really," Loreen said in a news conference after her performance, adding, "To the Swedish audience I would like to say thank you for giving this form a chance, this way of performance, this - because it's different. And thank you."
Loreen's act included a stage prop of confetti, meant to symbolize falling snow - something that caused the Swedish singer difficulty during rehearsal.
"Yeah, the trouble I had yesterday was that I swallowed my snow and I - the snowflakes - I got one in my throat. And stuff like that happens, you know, when it's live and so, but it didn't make me nervous at all. Shit happens," Loreen said.
Russia's 'Buranovskiye Babushki' finished in second place in the 57th annual edition of the contest that is famous for light entertainment and heavy-duty kitsch.
The Eurovision Song Contest has been a launching pad for international careers. Swedish pop group Abba became famous after winning in 1974 with "Waterloo" and Canada's Celine Dion took top honours in 1988 while competing for Switzerland.
To promote talent over politically and geographically motivated bloc voting, which has in the past decade mainly rewarded Eastern European countries, professional judges now account for 50 percent of a performer's score.
The other half comes from the number of telephone and SMS votes each contestant receives, with fans unable to vote for their own country's entry.
As winner, Sweden will host the next Eurovision contest. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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