Eurovision 2023 – latest: Mae Muller shares message of ‘unity’ with Ukraine as running order revealed

The Eurovision Song Contest is finally upon us, with the annual celebration of European music heading into its grand final in Liverpool this weekend.

Tonight (13 May), the UK will stage its first Eurovision final in 25 years, hosting on behalf of 2022 winners Ukraine.

Earlier this week, 31 acts performed for the first time across two semi-finals, competing for 20 spots in the grand final.

The 20 selected acts will join Eurovision’s Big Five (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) and Ukraine, all of whom automatically progress to the final.

You can see all the acts who made it through to Saturday night’s final here.

The UK will this year be represented by Mae Muller, a 25-year-old singer from north London, with her track “I Wrote A Song”.

While Muller might not quite reach the same heights as the UK’s 2022 entry Sam Ryder, who finished in second place, the bookies still pin her among the frontrunners. You can read the latest odds here.

The competition is expected to be dominated by former champion Loreen, from Sweden, with her song “Tattoo”. Loreen’s 2012 track “Euphoria” is one of the most successful Eurovision songs of all time.

Key points

• Mae Muller interview: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

• How to watch the Eurovision 2023 final

• Eurovision host Hannah Waddingham has always been a diva-in-waiting

• Latest betting odds and favourites

• Meet Loreen, the frontrunner and ‘Tattoo’ singer hoping to secure her second win for Sweden

ICYMI

15:30 , Roisin O'Connor

Here’s the running order for tonight, with Austria up first and the UK tasked with closing the competition...

1. Austria | Teya & Salena - Who The Hell Is Edgar?

2. Portugal | Mimicat - Ai Coração

3. Switzerland | Remo Forrer - Watergun

4. Poland | Blanka - Solo

5. Serbia | Luke Black - Samo Mi Se Spava

6. France: La Zarra - Évidemment

7. Cyprus | Andrew Lambrou - Break A Broken Heart

8. Spain: Blanca Paloma - Eaea

9. Sweden | Loreen - Tattoo

10. Albania | Albina & Familja Kelmendi - Duje

11. Italy: Marco Mengoni - Due Vite

12. Estonia | Alika - Bridges

13. Finland | Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha

14. Czechia | Vesna - My Sister’s Crown

15. Australia | Voyager - Promise

16. Belgium | Gustaph - Because Of You

17. Armenia | Brunette - Future Lover

18. Moldova | Pasha Parfeni - Soarele şi Luna

19. Ukraine: TVORCHI - Heart of Steel

20. Norway | Alessandra - Queen of Kings

21. Germany: Lord of the Lost - Blood & Glitter

22. Lithuania | Monika Linkytė - Stay

23. Israel | Noa Kirel - Unicorn

24. Slovenia | Joker Out - Carpe Diem

25. Croatia | Let 3 - Mama ŠÄŒ!

26. United Kingdom | Mae Muller - I Wrote A Song

Eurovision Song Contest final running order and lineup 2023

Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

19:21 , Roisin O'Connor

Following Sam Ryder’s Eurovision success last year, Mae Muller is the artist hoping to continue the UK’s high-scoring streak in Liverpool. She talks to Isobel Lewis about novelty acts, criticising the Tories and why the wacky song contest is finally being taken seriously.

Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

Who is the Eurovision mystery guest?!

19:11 , Roisin O'Connor

Our favourite Eurovision duo, the BBC’s Rylan and Scott Mills, have been getting us worked up with remarks about the rumoured mystery guest set to appear at tonight’s final.

Paul McCartney fans are convinced that The Beatles legend, Liverpool’s own hometown hero, will be the big surprise, while others think it’ll be a past Eurovision star.

“I thought it was going to be Charles and Camilla giving out the points, but apparently it's Catherine Tate,” Rylan joked earlier this week.

“There has been some stuff happening in rehearsals where it's been a completely closed set,” Mills, the big gossip, revealed. “There's a lot of secrecy and no-one will tell us what's going on.”

“Give me two drinks and I'll tell you everything,” Rylan joked.

Someone get the man a double vodka soda!

Lord of the Lost: Meet Germany’s head-banging, throat-ripping Eurovision entry

19:01 , Roisin O'Connor

Germany’s Eurovision entry talks to Isobel Lewis about rejecting the rock’n’roll lifestyle and their song ‘Blood and Glitter.

Lord of the Lost: Meet Germany’s head-banging, throat-ripping Eurovision entry

Brexit protest of 75,000 flags planned for Eurovision tonight

18:51 , Roisin O'Connor

The flag of Europe will be handed out to audience members at this weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest final by activists staging an anti-Brexit protest.

Full story:

Brexit protest of 75,000 flags planned for Eurovision tonight

EBU turns down offer of Zelensky address at grand final

18:41 , Roisin O'Connor

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which produces the Eurovision Song Contest, has said it had declined Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky’s request to speak this evening, over fears it could politicise the contest.

The Ukrainian leader had wanted to make an unannounced video appearance and had been expected to implore the global audience of millions to continue backing his country in its fight to repel Russian invaders.

The EBU said Mr Zelensky had “laudable intentions” but “regrettably” his request was against the rules.

The move prompted criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his predecessor Boris Johnson, among other figures.

The EBU has declined to comment further.

What do the Finnish lyrics to Käärijä’s Eurovision 2023 entry ‘Cha Cha Cha’ mean?

18:31 , Roisin O'Connor

So we all love the bleepy banger that is Finland’s entry, ‘Cha Cha Cha’, yes?

The title is a beaut of a misnomer - if you were expecting a sedate, possibly Latin-influenced ballad, you are sorely mistaken. Kaarija have come up with a pounding techno frenzy, featuring Finnish rap and a crunchy synth breakdown.

In case you were wondering, here’s what they’re singing / rapping about:

What the lyrics to Finland’s Eurovision song ‘Cha Cha Cha’ mean in English

Alessandra: Who is Norway’s 20-year-old Eurovision favourite with a fan in Ellie Goulding?

18:21 , Roisin O'Connor

Who is Norway’s Eurovision favourite Alessandra? TikTok star adored by Ellie Goulding

Sam Ryder delights Eurovision fans with surprise performance on Liverpool docks

18:16 , Roisin O'Connor

This time last year....

18:11 , Roisin O'Connor

Full disclosure, I am not in Liverpool tonight, not least because who has £8,000 to spend on a hotel room... but also because I’ve been in Brighton (undoubtedly the second-best place to be celebrating the Song Contest tonight) helping to host The Independent’s stage at The Great Escape festival.

It’s a bit of a reality-check from last year, when I was flitting around Turin, Italy, giddy from a surprise heatwave (even the Italians were like, “Eh, fa un po’ troppo caldo...”) and a Campari Spritz or several. Being backstage at Eurovision is, as a close friend who works with the Contest once pointed out, a lot like being backstage at a school play. Everyone’s in good spirits, many are in wild costumes, and there’s a lot of glitter!

Last year was also very emotional for obvious reasons. I actually ended up sitting opposite some Ukrainian media delegates in the press room, who were very sweet, but you can imagine how tense it became when the final scores were coming in and it was neck-and-neck between the UK and the Ukraine. I’m not going to fib: I was rooting for Kalush Orchestra, not because of politics or pity, but because Kalush Orchestra were categorically the best act of that year. And it’s hard to describe the sheer joy that descended on the place when Ukraine were announced as the winners.

Liverpool fan village opens ahead of Eurovision

18:01 , Alex Green

Liverpool’s fan village has thrown open its gates ahead of the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Ticket-holders gathered for hours in the beating sun ahead of the Eurovision Village on the historic Pier Head opening to the public on Saturday.

There were cheers from fans dressed as Ukrainian acts Verka Serduchka and Kalush Orchestra and families in Union flag outfits as the stewards removed the barriers.

Some ran straight to the front of the stage to claim a prime spot for the performances from acts including Claire Richards from Steps and Katrina Leskanich of Katrina And The Waves, ahead of the screening of the grand final from 8pm on the big screens.

Sean, 28, from Liverpool, came wearing a T-shirt featuring Finnish entry Kaarija, the eccentric rapper whose hyperpop hit Cha Cha Cha is among the favourites to win.

He told the PA news agency: “As you can see, I think you know who we are supporting today. Obviously the favourite is Finland. I do think he has got a chance.”

Speaking about UK entry Mae Muller, who is performing last, Sean added: “I enjoy the entry. I think there have been some issues with the vocals.

“But I think it is a good closer. It will be a nice way to round off the show.”

Mark, 29, also from Liverpool, wore a luminescent green outfit reminiscent of Kaarija’s own bolero-style jacket.

He added of Muller’s song: “It is very typically pop, it is not typical Eurovision style which I quite like. I think it will do quite well.”

Speaking about Liverpool’s showcasing of Ukrainian culture, Mark added: “I think it is amazing. If you go around you can see Ukraine everywhere, whether it is the signs or flags, it is just Ukrainian.

“It is even the case that they have brought a Ukrainian host in to help with Liverpool. I hope we have done Ukraine proud.”

Nicki, 30, from Darlington, came to the fan zone dressed as Serduchka with the Ukrainian flag painted on her cheeks, and told PA she usually watched the grand final as part of a viewing party but had been “wanting to do this for years”.

She said she was supporting Loreen from Sweden, another favourite to win, but also backed Muller.

However, Nicki added: “I think it’s hard to compete with last year’s act. We kind of hit our peak last year. It is just unfortunate we missed out on winning but obviously everyone wanted Ukraine to do well. So hopefully she will be on the left side of the board.”

She said Liverpool’s showcasing of Ukrainian culture around the city was “fantastic” and showed “we are united”.

The grand final on Saturday night will see Muller finally take to the stage, after it emerged Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky had been barred from addressing the event.

After months of preparation, the 25-year-old singer from north London will finally perform her track, I Wrote A Song, for the international voting public.

She is hoping to continue the success of last year’s UK entry Sam Ryder, who finished second behind Kalush Orchestra.

Twenty-six acts will perform at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool to an expected global audience of 160 million viewers, according to the BBC, after the UK agreed to host the contest on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.

Reporting by Press Association

Meet Loreen, Sweden’s 2023 hopeful and a Eurovision legend

17:51 , Roisin O'Connor

Ask any Eurovision fan about the most iconic past contestants and Loreen will likely be up there.

The returning Swedish champ is competing in tonight’s final with her track “Tattoo”, a quintissential Scandipop banger complete with euphoric chorus and pulsating synth beats.

Read about Loreen in her own words in this fab Q&A with my colleague Isobel Lewis.

Loreen: Meet Sweden’s returning Eurovision champion hoping to score a second victory

Who are Vesna, the all-female folk group from Czechia representing ‘underdogs’?

17:41 , Roisin O'Connor

As Eurovision kicks off in Liverpool, we chat with viral sensation Alessandra about representing Norway

Who is Eurovision favourite Alessandra? Norway’s TikTok star adored by Ellie Goulding

Hannah Waddingham as Eurovision host was a stroke of genius

18:27 , Roisin O'Connor

Hannah Waddingham is the breakout star of this year’s presenting team (we love them all, obvs).

She delighted fans at the semi-finals with her impressive linguistic talents, as well as her generally delightful demeanour.

My colleague Jessie Thompson agrees, and has written a comment piece about why the Game of Thrones star’s appointment was such a stroke of genius.

Hannah Waddingham as Eurovision host was a stroke of genius

Eurovision 2022 winners Kalush Orchestra are planning ‘something special’ for tonight’s Liverpool final

18:24 , Roisin O'Connor

Who is the mystery guest going to be in the Eurovision final?

17:21 , Roisin O'Connor

So they’ve been teasing a mystery guest, as if we needed any additional reason to feel excited about the Eurovision Song Contest. Who do you think it’ll be?

Tonight’s show will represent the culture of host city Liverpool along with last year’s winner, Ukraine, who were unable to host the event because of the ongoing invasion by Russia.

We know that we’ll be treated to a performance by 2022 champions Kalush Orchestra, who will kick off the show at 8pm BST, and also see live renditions of songs by Ukraine’s 2016 winner Jamala, and UK’s 2022 runner-up and all-round lovely chap Sam Ryder.

Given the significance of this year’s event taking place in the UK, for the first time since 1998, my bets are on a major British pop star.

Lovely words from Eurovision legend Rylan

17:01 , Roisin O'Connor

Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

16:41 , Roisin O'Connor

Following Sam Ryder’s Eurovision success last year, Mae Muller is the artist hoping to continue the UK’s high-scoring streak in Liverpool. She talks to Isobel Lewis about novelty acts, criticising the Tories and why the wacky song contest is finally being taken seriously

Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

16:21 , Roisin O'Connor

Hello, bonjour, ciao, hola and all the rest! I hope you’ve been enjoying The Independent’s Eurovision coverage so far... we are VERY excited for tonight’s contest in Liverpool. And yes, we’re obviously a little biased in favour of the UK’s very own Mae Muller, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be ignoring the 25 other countries taking part in the competition.

Stay with us for all the latest updates, before the main event kicks off at 8pm live and on the BBC.

How to watch the grand final

16:10 , Annabel Nugent

Start time, end time, what channel... we’ve got all the information for the glitziest night in music television below!

Eurovision 2023: How to watch the grand final

The best 10 winning performances

15:50 , Annabel Nugent

As with anything, not all Eurovision winners are created equal. Here are our top 10 best winning performances...

The 10 greatest winning Eurovision performances

Who is UK star Mae Muller?

15:30 , Annabel Nugent

Following Sam Ryder’s Eurovision success last year, Mae Muller is the artist hoping to continue the UK’s high-scoring streak in Liverpool. Check out our in-depth interview with the singer here...

Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

What do the French lyrics to La Zarra’s song Évidemment mean in English

15:10 , Annabel Nugent

France’s La Zarra is bringing some Hollywood glamour to Liverpool tonight.

Born in Montreal to Francophone Canadian parents, La Zarra rose to fame in 2021 with the single “Tu t’en iras” (“You Will Leave”), which was certified platinum.

For Eurovision, however, La Zarra will be performing another of her songs titled “Évidement”, which she wrote alongside Benny Adam. Check out the lyrics (and the English translation) below...

Who is returning champion Loreen?

14:50 , Annabel Nugent

Fans will, of course, recognise Eurovison royalty Loreen who is returning to the competition with the hopes of securing Sweden another win.

Loreen is Sweden’s returning champion hoping to score a second Eurovision victory

How to vote tonight!

14:30 , Annabel Nugent

If you’re planning on casting a vote tonight, you’re going to want to read up on the big change to the rules this year!

How Eurovision voting works – and the massive change to the rules for 2023

The final 26 countries competing tonight

14:10 , Annabel Nugent

After two epic semi-finals earlier this week, we now have the 26 countries due to battle it out for a chance at Eurovision glory tonight.

This list is made up of the 20 countries who qualified in the semi-finals, last year’s winners (Ukraine), and the so-called Big Five (the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, France) whose financial contributions to the event mean they automatically qualify for the grand final.

The 26 countries competing in Eurovision’s grand final are confirmed

‘I liked the bit when she stopped the music’

13:50 , Annabel Nugent

What would Eurovision be without Graham Norton and his signature snarky remarks?

The talk show host is a pivotal part of Eurovision in the UK. Here’s a list of his most brutal (and hilarious) commentary...

Graham Norton’s most savage Eurovision commentary moments

Some suggested viewing ahead of tonight...

13:30 , Annabel Nugent

What better way to get in the mood for tonight’s competition than watching Will Ferrell’s hilarious Eurovision-based film: The Story of Ice and Fire.

With a star-studded cast including Ferrell as co-writer and co-star opposite Rachel McAdams, the movie follows Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir, an Icelandic pop duo determined to win over their small town and represent Iceland at the Eurovision finals.

The film takes inspiration from real-life iconic moments in Eurovision history. Here’s all the call-backs you missed...

All the real-life comparisons you missed in Will Ferrell’s Eurovision Netflix film

How Abba’s douze-points energy at Eurovision started a pop revolution

13:10 , Annabel Nugent

While we’ve had some pretty memorable winners in the past, no one has managed to top ABBA.

The Swedish superstars rocketed to international fame after they wowed Europe with “Waterloo” at the 1974 song contest.

Here, we trace the road from Sweden to superstardom for Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid.

How Abba’s douze-points energy at Eurovision started a pop revolution

Why are Bulgaria and North Macedonia not competing this year?

12:50 , Annabel Nugent

There are some notable countries missing from this year’s line-up.

Check out our explainer below to find out how Russia’s ban from Eurovision has had consequences for Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

Why North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Russia aren’t competing at Eurovision this year

From ABBA to Kalush Orchestra, here’s every winner ranked from worst to best

12:30 , Annabel Nugent

Ahead of tonight’s competition, cast your mind back to the past winners.

Good or bad, they were certainly all... memorable.

From Maneskin to Kalush Orchestra and ABBA to Conchita Wurst, here’s our ranking of every winner ranked from worst to best.

Every Eurovision winner ranked from worst to best

Latest betting odds and favourites

11:50 , Annabel Nugent

I’m afraid things aren’t looking too good for the UK, at least according to the bookies.

Here’s the latest betting odds and favourites to win for tonight’s competition...

Eurovision 2023: Betting odds, favourites, sweepstake and scorecards

What do the lyrics to Finland’s entry mean?

11:29 , Annabel Nugent

Among this year’s frontrunners is Finland!

Competing for the country this year is Käärijä with his upbeat paen to piña coladas and pints: “Cha Cha Cha.”

If you want to sing-along tonight, you can check out the lyrics (and the English translation) here...

What the lyrics to Finland’s Eurovision song ‘Cha Cha Cha’ mean in English

What is the running order for tonight?

10:50 , Annabel Nugent

UK fans will have to stay up late, with Mae Muller scheduled to perform last out of the 26 countries. At least she’ll be fresh in voters’ minds!

1. Austria | Teya & Salena - Who The Hell Is Edgar?

2. Portugal | Mimicat - Ai Coração

3. Switzerland | Remo Forrer - Watergun

4. Poland | Blanka - Solo

5. Serbia | Luke Black - Samo Mi Se Spava

6. France: La Zarra - Évidemment

7. Cyprus | Andrew Lambrou - Break A Broken Heart

8. Spain: Blanca Paloma - Eaea

9. Sweden | Loreen - Tattoo

10. Albania | Albina & Familja Kelmendi - Duje

11. Italy: Marco Mengoni - Due Vite

12. Estonia | Alika - Bridges

13. Finland | Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha

14. Czechia | Vesna - My Sister’s Crown

15. Australia | Voyager - Promise

16. Belgium | Gustaph - Because Of You

17. Armenia | Brunette - Future Lover

18. Moldova | Pasha Parfeni - Soarele şi Luna

19. Ukraine: TVORCHI - Heart of Steel

20. Norway | Alessandra - Queen of Kings

21. Germany: Lord of the Lost - Blood & Glitter

22. Lithuania | Monika Linkytė - Stay

23. Israel | Noa Kirel - Unicorn

24. Slovenia | Joker Out - Carpe Diem

25. Croatia | Let 3 - Mama ŠÄŒ!

26. United Kingdom: Mae Muller - I Wrote A Song

Where are the UK’s past Eurovision entries now?

10:33 , Annabel Nugent

For one day of the year, Eurovision captivates millions of viewers – but what happens when the cameras stop rolling?

In the past, the nation’s Eurovision entries have covered a wide variety of performers, from household names like Cliff Richard and the late Olivia Newton-John, to more obscure up-and-comers.

Here’s a rundown of some of the UK’s most note-worthy past Eurovision entrants – and where they are now.

Where are the UK Eurovision entries now?

Who is Mae Muller?

10:11 , Annabel Nugent

Meet the star hoping to lead the UK to victory tonight with her infectious pop anthem “I Wrote A Song”.

We spoke to the North London-based artist ahead of tonight’s show. Check out the interview here...

ICYMI

09:35 , Annabel Nugent

These are the 26 countries set to perform tonight with the hopes of being crowned this year’s Eurovision winners.

The 26 countries competing in Eurovision’s grand final are confirmed

Today’s the day!

08:45 , Annabel Nugent

Happy Eurovision day all those who celebrate!

Stay tuned on our live blog for all the updates and latest information regarding tonight’s big event.

Who’s going to win Eurovision (according to the bookies)

08:23 , Tom Murray

All week, the bookmakers have been breaking down who they think will walk away with the Eurovision trophy on Saturday.

Throughout, one name has stood out as a clear frontrunner: that of Sweden’s entry, Loreen.

You can find out who she’s up against below.

Meet Loreen, the Swedish singer who might just win Eurovision twice

07:27 , Tom Murray

We spoke to the woman everyone’s talking about this year: returning champion Loreen.

After winning in 2012, the “Euphoria” singer is back with a new, equally catching song.

You can check out our interview with her below.

Loreen is Sweden’s returning champion hoping to score a second Eurovision victory

06:22 , Tom Murray

Missed out on the second semi-final? Here’s the whole thing, summed up in 60 seconds.

The best 10 winning performances

05:28 , Tom Murray

The Independent’s Olivia Emily has looked back at 10 of the greatest winning Eurovision performances of all time ahead of this year’s final.

From Måneskin to ABBA, find them all here.

The 10 greatest winning Eurovision performances

Video: Eurovision’s creative director says final will showcase ‘new generation of Ukraine’

04:25 , Tom Murray

Graham Norton’s best commentating moments

03:27 , Tom Murray

Graham Norton has been hosting Eurovision since 2008.

The talk show host quickly became renowned for mocking the length of the four-hour final, and also for noticing when “someone dressed up” for the announcement of scores from each participating country.

Below, The Independent has rounded up some of his most savage lines from over the years.

Read more:

Graham Norton’s most savage Eurovision commentary moments

Meet Voyager, the prog-rock band representing Australia this year

02:31 , Tom Murray

The Independent’s Isobel Lewis has taken a look at Australia’s entrants, Voyager.

The prog-rock group were shortlisted to compete for Australia in 2020 (although they did not make it to the country’s final), only to become the runners-up in Australia’s competition last year.

“I genuinely think we were a point of difference for Australia last year; a heavy band with a pop sheen, and our song had immediacy to it,” guitarist Scott Kay told The Independent.

“This year, we believe it only made sense to be chosen to represent the country considering how close we came in 2022!”

Read more:

Voyager: Meet the Eurovision die-hards finally representing Australia this year

Video: Eurovision contestants look forward to final performance

01:29 , Tom Murray

Who is Eurovision favourite Alessandra?

Saturday 13 May 2023 00:37 , Tom Murray

The Independent’s Meg Warren-Lister has taken a look at Norway’s entry to the Eurovision Song Contest this year: Alessandra.

The Norwegian-Italian singer has already racked up more than 25 million streams on Spotify with her song “Queen of Kings”, which she will be performing during Saturday’s (13 May) grand final.

Alessandra rose to fame in her home country only last year after appearing on Norway’s version of The Voice.

Speaking about the inspiration behind “Queen of Kings”, she said the song is about the power of women as well as her experiences as a bisexual woman.

Read more:

Who is Eurovision favourite Alessandra? Norway’s TikTok star adored by Ellie Goulding

Video: Graham Norton jokes EBU rules with ‘iron fist’ after Zelensky’s request blocked

Friday 12 May 2023 23:39 , Tom Murray

How Eurovision voting works – and the massive rule change for the 2023 final

Friday 12 May 2023 21:45 , Isobel Lewis

Eurovision’s voting system is always complex and always changing. This year, a new rule has been brought in allowing viewers from countries not competing in Eurovision to vote for the first time.

Want the lowdown? Read below...

How Eurovision voting works – and the massive change to the rules for 2023

Who are Vesna, the all-female folk group from Czechia representing ‘underdogs’?

Friday 12 May 2023 21:00 , Isobel Lewis

Bringing girl power to Liverpool (even more than the city usually has), Vesna are representing Czechia this year with their feminist anthem “My Sister’s Crown”.

Ahead of the final, Meg Warren Lister spoke to the band about competing in Eurovision 2023.

Who are Vesna, the all-female folk group representing Czechia at Eurovision?

Remembering Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Friday 12 May 2023 20:15 , Isobel Lewis

It’s Eurovision eve, so why not spend the evening watching Netflix’s Eurovision film, The Story of Fire Saga?

Released in 2020 and starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams, the musical comedy follows a pair of Icelandic musicians who dream of representing their country at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Ellie Muir breaks out all the real-life Eurovision references in the film:

All the real-life comparisons you missed in Will Ferrell’s Eurovision Netflix film

Meet Lord of the Lost, the head-banging, throat-ripping chart-toppers representing Germany in Eurovision

Friday 12 May 2023 19:30 , Isobel Lewis

Next up in our interview series, we spoke to “Blood and Glitter” band Lord of the Lost to find out how seriously they’re taking Eurovision.

The answer? VERY.

Meet Lord of the Lost, Germany’s head-banging, chart-topping Eurovision entry

Every Eurovision winner ranked from worst to best

Friday 12 May 2023 18:45 , Isobel Lewis

Since Eurovision first began in 1956, there have been 69 winners (due to an infamous four-way tie in 1969).

Those contestants have ranged from the good (Conchita Wurst) to the bad (most of the early 2000s), to the downright ugly (Lordi), and we’ve ranked them all for you.

Who will take home the number one spot? Read on to find out...

Every Eurovision winner ranked

The winner takes it all: How Abba’s douze-points energy at Eurovision started a pop revolution

Friday 12 May 2023 18:00 , Isobel Lewis

Abba are undeniably the biggest act to ever come out of Eurovision, having won the competition in 1974 with a little track called “Waterloo”.

Here, Mark Beaumont looks back at the band’s musical past, following their journey from Sweden to Abba-tar stardom.

How Abba’s douze-points energy at Eurovision started a pop revolution

The 26 countries competing in Eurovision 2023 final

Friday 12 May 2023 17:15 , Isobel Lewis

On Saturday, 26 countries will be competing for a chance to take home the Eurovision trophy.

They are the 20 acts who made it through this week’s semi-finals (10 from each), the Big Five countries who automatically qualify every year (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom), and 2022 champions Ukraine.

See who will be taking part here.

The 26 countries competing in Eurovision’s grand final are confirmed

Friday 12 May 2023 16:50 , Isobel Lewis

Missed out on last night’s semi-final? Here’s the whole thing, summed up in 60 seconds.

Meet Loreen, the Swedish singer who might just win Eurovision twice

Friday 12 May 2023 16:30 , Isobel Lewis

Next in our series of pre-Eurovision chats, we spoke to the woman everyone’s talking about this year: returning champion Loreen.

After winning in 2012, the “Euphoria” singer is back with a new, equally catching song.

You can check out our interview with her below.

Loreen is Sweden’s returning champion hoping to score a second Eurovision victory

Mae Muller poses with Ukraine’s Tvorchi as she shares message of support

Friday 12 May 2023 16:20 , Isobel Lewis

On Friday (12 May), Mae Muller posted a photo to Instagram posing alongside Ukrainian competitors Tvorchi.

She captioned the post: “We wrote the songs, sharing our life stories. Now our passion and hope are felt by millions, thanks to Eurovision. Today we unite our posts ahead of the contest, which this year is hosted by the UK on behalf of Ukraine.”

Who’s going to win Eurovision (according to the bookies)

Friday 12 May 2023 15:45 , Isobel Lewis

All week, the bookmakers have been breaking down who they think will walk away with the Eurovision trophy on Saturday.

Throughout, one name has stood out as a clear frontrunner: that of Sweden’s entry, Loreen.

You can find out who she’s up against below.

Who will win Eurovision 2023? Latest odds and favourites

Hannah Waddingham steals the show in Eurovision semi-finals

Friday 12 May 2023 15:15 , Isobel Lewis

During this week’s Eurovision semi-finals, all anyone has been able to talk about is presenter Hannah Waddingham.

Flanked by Alesha Dixon and Julia Sanina, the Ted Lasso star used the live shows to show off her “unreal” vocal skills, speak in fluent French, and generally get the party going.

Still, it’s no surprise, writes Jessie Thompson; Waddingham has always been a diva-in-waiting...

Eurovision host Hannah Waddingham was always a diva-in-waiting

Graham Norton’s most savage Eurovision comments

Friday 12 May 2023 14:45 , Isobel Lewis

At this point, Eurovision is synonymous with one thing for UK viewers: Graham Norton’s sarcastic commentary.

Yes, it wouldn’t be Eurovision without the Irish comedian, who this year is sharing commentary duties with Mel Giedroyc, as well as co-hosting the live final in Liverpool.

Here, we’ve looked back at some of Norton’s most barbs from over the years, ahead of tomorrow’s final.

Graham Norton’s most savage Eurovision commentary moments

Mae Muller interview: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

Friday 12 May 2023 14:10 , Isobel Lewis

Mae Muller is the woman representing the UK at Eurovision this year, with her pop banger “I Wrote a Song”.

We spoke to the 25-year-old about political tweets, girl power and the UK (finally) taking Eurovision seriously.

Mae Muller: ‘Eurovision 2023 is the year of the pop girlies!’

Meet Australia’s Eurovision entry Voyager

Friday 12 May 2023 12:13 , Isobel Lewis

Ahead of this year’s competition, we spoke to some of the most interesting acts competing in Liverpool.

First up: meet Voyager! Australia may be a relatively new addition to Eurovision, but don’t be fooled. This rock band know their stuff when it comes to the big competition, having “stayed up to ungodly hours just to simply watch Eurovision”.

Voyager: Meet the Eurovision die-hards finally representing Australia this year

How Eurovision voting works

Friday 12 May 2023 11:05 , Isobel Lewis

If there’s one thing Eurovision loves, it’s a complex voting system. In 2023, things have got even more confusing, as countries outside of the competition will be able to vote for the first time.

Find out more below...

Who will win Eurovision 2023? Latest odds and favourites

Eurovision, this is Liverpool calling!

Friday 12 May 2023 10:52 , Isobel Lewis

Welcome to The Independent’s Eurovision live blog!

We’ll be talking you through everything going on in this year’s competition, from interviews with the 2023 finalists to behind-the-scenes intel on social media.