Freeway - The EuroVision Song Contest

The EuroVision Song Contest

Eurovision song contest is a competition which is involving almost the hole Europe. The victory is a question of honour, but anyway the engagement is enormous. The coming competition takes place in Riga, Lettland in May the 24th, and as usual lots of people are going to watch it. We are now going to tell you about the long way to the big final.

The first idea to arrange a competition in music was born in 1955. They named it: "EuroVision Song Contest". The first festival took place in Switzerland in 1956. That year seven countries competed with two songs each. Switzerland was the one who took home the victory with the song "Refrain" delivered by Lys Assia. The year after, ten participants had registered to the competition. And the number kept growing. The victory is first of all a question of honour, but it also brings a big economic expense for the winning country. The reason is that they have to host the coming year's competition.

Lys Assia

Each country that takes part in the competition also has a duty to select a jury who is going to award points to the competitors.

To be able to find the artist who is going to get a chance to qualify to the final, the countries make local selections. The artist that gets most of the votes are represents the country in the big final. This is how the selection to the final was arranged this year.

The collection CD 2002

Qualify competition

The first four local selections were transmitted from different parts of the country. In each program eight performances were delivered. After that every number was presented people was allowed to ring in and vote for their personal favourite. The four melodies that people liked most were qualified to the second part of the competition. The artists were then about to once again sing their songs. The two artists that after that had got most points were welcome in the final.

Peoples choice

In the fifth part the person or group who had earned third and fourth place had a chance to qualify to the final. It was then up to people to vote for the two artists that they thought deserved a second chance.

Charlotte Nilsson, 1999 in Israel with "Take me to your heaven"

The final

Ten melodies had at this time qualified to the last part. They were now going to perform their contributions for the last time, in the competition in their home country. People had once again the opportunity to vote for the melody that they liked most. The winning melody is now going to represent the country in the "Eurovision song contest which takes place in Riga, Lettland, May the 24th.

1991, the year when Carola won with "Fångad av en stormvind"

The Swedish contribution to this year's EuroVision Song Contest

Sweden this year is going to present the love duet "Give My Your Love" which is performed by the group "Fame" consisting of Magnus Bäcklund & Jessica Andersson. We wish them good luck!

The following melodies are the melodies that Sweden has won with in the EuroVision Song Contest earlier:

" ABBA, 1974 in Brighton with"Waterloo"
" Herreys. 1984 in Luxembourg with "Diggi-Loo-Diggi-Lay"

" Carola, 1991 In Rome With "Fångad av en stormvind"

" Charlotte Nilsson, 2000 in Israel with "Take me to your heaven"

We wonder who is going to be this year's winner in the famous competition? Of course the Swedish people hope that Fame will take a lot of points and stand as the conclusive winners. Don't you?