Conchita Wurst sings "Waterloo" as all donations have been presented.
The grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest is happening in Malmö, Sweden, with 25 nations competing. All entries have cleared the stage, and the audience just rewatched a quick rundown of each song. Swedish disco band Alcazar fills the gap before points are announced with their old classic "Crying at the Discoteque," released 14 years ago. They're followed by an artificial intelligence-generated tribute to ABBA, commemorating Sweden's ESC win 50 years ago. ABBA won the contest with their song "Waterloo," which will now be performed live in Malmö, along with Conchita Wurst.
25:11: Will a latecomer emerge as the champion?The atmosphere in the hall is electric during Croatia's performance, despite Baby Lasagna's "Rim Tim Tagi Dim" initially only being a backup following the Croatian preliminary round. The Croatian public broadcaster has already reserved the Zagreb Arena for the following spring, reflecting their confidence in victory.
24:52: First reference to the Gaza WarPortuguese contestant Iolanda is the first artist to mention the Gaza War onstage. You can see a pattern of a kufiya on her fingernails. After her performance, she bid farewell with "Peace will prevail."
24:33: Spain's entry garners excitement in MalmöPerformances from Spain and Greece thus far have been well-received in the hall. Thousands join in singing along to the song "Zorra" by Nebulossa in the hall. Greek singer Marina Satti's song has a South American Latin pop vibe. Finnish "Windows95man" is currently on stage. Nine more entries to go before the voting begins.
24:12: Absent from rehearsal: Irish entry sticks to the planBoth Ireland's Bambie Thug and Greece's Marina Satti perform as planned, despite having skipped the dress rehearsal. There's no official reason, but Bambie Thug had previously caused a stir by demanding Israel's exclusion.
23:46: Greta Thunberg arrested by policeA brawl between pro-Palestinian protesters and police has been reported by a Swedish newspaper "Expressen," with the atmosphere being "agitated." Climate activist Greta Thunberg was taken into police custody.
23:39: Noise during Israeli performanceThe musical part of the evening has commenced in the hall, with Sweden kicking off the festivities, followed by Ukraine and Germany, who receive applause. After Luxembourg's performance, the Netherlands skips the spotlight. The Israeli artist Eden Golan's song "Hurricane" is met with whistles in the hall, but aside from that, the performance proceeds smoothly.
23:21: Protests outside the arenaOutside the Malmö Arena, there are loud protests. Pro-Palestinian protesters yell "Shame on you" at participants entering the venue, as reported by an AFP reporter. There have been several clashes between protesters and the police. The police prevent some demonstrators from reaching the security area and breaking through.
23:08: Entrance of the artistsThe night starts with each nation parading in, accompanied by famous Swedish tunes. As the Israeli artist Eden Golan takes the stage, there's a brief moment of tension.
22:50: Israel's Foreign Minister: Let's prove the haters wrongIsraeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz supports Eden Golan moments before the final begins. "Eden confronts massive hatred and anti-Semitism," he writes on Twitter. "Tonight, we show all the haters that they're surpassed." Israel's involvement and song have faced significant backlash leading up to the event following the Gaza War, with calls for their exclusion from the contest.
Follow live updates on the Eurovision Song Contest in the ticker below.
Eurovision Song Contest Final
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The Eurovision Song Contest final is taking place in Sweden, with Sweden's entry paying tribute to ABBA's winning song "Waterloo" performed live by Conchita Wurst. Many nations have competed, and the Swedish disco band Alcazar entertained the audience before the points were announced.
Sweden's victory in the Eurovision Song Contest 50 years ago with "Waterloo" by ABBA is honored during this year's edition, as the contest is happening in Sweden and Conchita Wurst is performing the iconic song live.
Source: www.ntv.de
