BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Sprinkle on the sequins or calm down on the couch: It’s time to search out out who can be topped champion on the 69th Eurovision Music Contest.
Acts from greater than two dozen international locations will take the stage in Basel, Switzerland on Saturday to vie for glory via a 3-minute pop tune. Thousands and thousands of individuals throughout Europe and past can be watching and voting for his or her favorites.
Right here’s how one can be part of them.
What time does Eurovision begin?
In Europe, the grand closing begins at 9 p.m. Central European Summer season Time. In Britain, it airs at 8 p.m.
In the USA and Canada, the finale begins at 3 p.m. EDT.
How can I watch Eurovision?
The competitors can be aired by nationwide broadcasters in taking part nations — the Eurovision web site features a record.
In some territories, it’ll be watchable on Eurovision’s YouTube channel.
Within the U.S., Eurovision will stream dwell on Peacock.
How can I vote in Eurovision?
Viewers in taking part international locations can vote in the course of the competitors, and for about 40 minutes after, by cellphone, textual content message or the Eurovision app. Every viewer can vote as much as 20 instances, however not for their very own nation’s entry.
Voting is open all day Saturday for viewers within the U.S. and different nonparticipating international locations, who can vote on-line at www.esc.vote or with the app. The mixed “rest of the world” vote is given the load of 1 particular person nation.
International locations are awarded factors primarily based on each viewers’ votes and rankings from juries of music business professionals. These are mixed into a complete rating, and the nation with the best rating wins.
I’m new to Eurovision. What do I have to know?
At its easiest, Eurovision is a global pop music competitors wherein acts representing international locations throughout Europe, and some past it, compete on dwell tv for the title of champion, and a crystal microphone trophy.
Launched in 1956 to foster unity after World Battle II and check new live-broadcast expertise, Eurovision has grown right into a feel-good celebration of pop music and worldwide unity. It has grown from seven international locations to 37, together with non-European nations corresponding to Israel and Australia. The quantity has been whittled all the way down to 26 finalists via two semifinals this week.
Eurovision is thought for electro-pop anthems and disco dancefloor-fillers — usually paired with elaborate costumes and spectacular staging — and for a gradual smattering of kooky novelty acts.
Previous winners embrace ABBA, who gained in 1974 with “Waterloo”; Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion, for Switzerland in 1988; and the Italian rock band Måneskin in 2021.
This 12 months’s favorites embrace KAJ, representing Sweden with their ode to sauna tradition “Bara Bada Bastu”; Dutch singer Claude with soulful ballad “C’est La Vie”; Austrian singer JJ’s pop-opera tune “Wasted Love”; French singer Louane with “maman”; and Israel’s Yuval Raphael, together with her anthemic “New Day Will Rise.”
Israel’s participation has attracted protests by Palestinians and their supporters, who say the nation must be excluded from the competition over its conduct of the conflict in opposition to Hamas in Gaza.
