Eurovision final 2023 live: Latest updates as voting opens, results and final scores - The Independent

Eurovision 2023: Most iconic outfits of grand final performances

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Voting has closed for the Eurovision Song Contest final, with the UK placing its hopes on 25-year-old pop singer Mae Muller and her track “I Wrote a Song”.

This year’s competition marks the first time the UK has hosted a final in 25 years. It was decided that Liverpool would host after 2022’s winning country Ukraine said it would be unable to, due to the ongoing invasion by Russia.

Twenty finalists, including Norway, Sweden, Finland and Australia, joined Eurovision’s Big Five (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) and Ukraine tonight. We’ve also seen a surprise cameo from Kate Middleton!

You can see all the acts who made it through to tonight’s final, along with the running order, here.

The final is being broadcast on BBC One. Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina are presenting, while Norton will also be providing commentary alongside The Great British Bake Off star Mel Giedroyc.

Muller might not quite reach the same heights as Sam Ryder, who finished in second place for the UK last year, but the bookies still pin her among the frontrunners. You can read the latest odds here.

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Sweden’s Loreen is absolutely dominating the jury results

Four points for the UK from Sweden, with Loreen still top of the leaderbooard !

Swedish entrant Loreen (Aaron Chown/PA)

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 23:39

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“I’m overwhelmed darling"

Loreen says she’s in a meditative state after the first wave of jury votes sent her (and Sweden) straight to the top of the leaderboard.

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 23:28

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Eurovision 2023: Most iconic outfits of grand final performances

Eurovision 2023: Most iconic outfits of grand final performances

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 23:25

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Hannah Waddingham scolds the booing!

You probably heard some booing after the jury scores came in, with some countries giving their douze points to Italy or Israel. Eurovision host and Game of Thrones star Hannah Waddingham was having NONE of it: “No booing please!!” she told the live audience in Liverpool.

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 23:18

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Results from the Eurovision jury come in thick and fast

Lovely compliments from Ukraine and Italy for the joint UK-Ukraine hosting of Eurovision, accompanying the jury’s delivery of votes for each country. But the UK isn’t doing so well with the jury so far...

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 23:12

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STOP VOTING

Voting has now closed, I repeat, voting has CLOSED! That’s it. We can but wait.

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 23:05

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Some more images of the spectacular performances this evening

(AFP via Getty Images)

(AFP via Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 22:57

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A sublime performance of The Beatles’ ‘Imagine’ starring Italy’s Mahmood opens the Liverpool all-stars show

Honestly, the level of production that goes into Eurovision is just wild. After an orchestral version of “Imagine” with Mahmood we get Israel’s Netta singing “You Spin Me Right Round”, Iceland’s Dadi Freyr doing a hyper version of “Whole Again” by Atomic Kitten, and Sweden’s Cornelia Jones doing Mel C’s “I Turn To You”. A celebration of British pop if there ever was one.

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 22:52

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Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 22:46

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Ukraine Eurovision act’s hometown ‘under fire from Russian missiles during contest’

The British Ambassador to Ukraine, Dame Melinda Simmons, has said Ukraine was under fire from Russian missiles on Saturday as the Eurovision Song Contest took place, including the university home town of the Ukrainian act Tvorchi.

“Meanwhile, this Eurovision night Ukraine is under another Russian missile attack,” Dame Melinda tweeted.

“Reminder that the reason why (Ukraine) could not host this event is because (Russia) continues to invade and the people of (Ukraine) live in continuing danger.”

Roisin O'Connor13 May 2023 22:35

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2023-05-13 21:46:49Z
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Stage set for Eurovision Song Contest final - BBC

Getty Images

By Mark Savage

BBC Music Correspondent

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest has kicked off in Liverpool, with Sweden and Finland among the favourites to win.

The show aims to reflect the culture both of its host city and last year's winner, Ukraine, who could not stage the show due to Russia's invasion.

Kalush Orchestra, 2022's champions, helped start off the show.

The Princess of Wales appeared playing the piano in a pre-recorded opening video for the final.

Ukraine's 2016 winner Jamala, 2007 entrant Verka Serduchka and the UK's Sam Ryder will also perform.

The UK is being represented by Mae Muller, whose track I Wrote A Song will be the last entry performed before the public vote opens.

"When I walk on stage, I'm going to have to take a second to really centre myself because those three minutes go really fast," she told the BBC.

• Mae Muller on Eurovision: 'My dad will be shaking'
• All hail Hannah Waddingham, Eurovision's newest icon

The show is being presented again by Alesha Dixon, Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, with Graham Norton joining them during the voting stage.

Along the way, we'll see a Vogue dancer dressed as a cat, a man escaping from a packing case, and lots of women writhing on the floor (it's a thing, for some reason).

The interval will showcase the "Liverpool songbook" with tracks by John Lennon, Melanie C and Gerry and the Pacemakers performed by former Eurovision contestants.

And for the first time, countries that don't compete will be given a say in the results - with viewers from the US, India and elsewhere contributing a "rest of the world" vote.

Here's what else to look out for on the night.

1) The power of Poe

PA Media

Austria's Teya & Salena are the first act on stage, with a song about being possessed by the spirit of American poet Edgar Allen Poe, who compels them to write a hit song that earns them a contract with Universal records.

Underneath that, the song's really a commentary on the music industry's mistreatment of songwriters, At one point, the duo chant "zero dot zero zero three", in reference to Spotify's paltry royalty rate. "Give me two years and your dinner will be free," they deadpan.

It's all wrapped up in a slick electropop package that features the chorus, "Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe, Poe". Which in German translates as "bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum." Objectively amazing.

• Who the hell are Teya and Salena? Eurovision Q&A

2) Finland's cabbage worm

Reuters

Not to be mistaken for Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber, Finnish rapper Käärijä has delivered one of this year's most audacious Eurovision songs.

Cha Cha Cha is an unhinged mix of industrial metal, punishing techno and a happycore video game soundtrack, that talks about the spiritual fulfilment of getting blind drunk and dancing like an idiot.

He illustrates this by dancing like an idiot, in a costume that screams "the Incredible Hulk got stuck mid-transformation".

Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, he revealed that his lime green bolero sleeves have been nicknamed "the cabbage worm", in honour of a chain of Finnish sex shops.

Naturally, this is one of the favourites to win.

• Käärijä is Finland's Cha Cha Charmer. Eurovision Q&A

3) A mystery guest?

Getty Images

Rumours have been swirling all week that a mystery guest will make an appearance during the grand final. Some say it will be local hero Paul McCartney, others think it's Princess Kate. The only thing we know is that we don't know.

"I thought it was going to be Charles and Camilla giving out the points, but apparently it's Catherine Tate," joked Radio 2's Eurovision commentator, Rylan Clark.

"There has been some stuff happening in rehearsals where it's been a completely closed set," divulged his co-host and Eurovision husband Scott Mills. "There's a lot of secrecy and no-one will tell us what's going on."

"But," Rylan added, "give me two drinks and I'll tell you everything."

• Radio 2: Scott and Rylan's Eurovision show

4) Sweden's Loreen is set to make history

Getty Images

For months now, Swedish star Loreen has been the bookmakers' favourite to win Eurovision.

She's already Eurovision royalty, having won the contest in 2012, and her latest entry is a precision-tooled earworm called Tattoo.

The lyrics are about a love so deep its engraved on your heart (like a tattoo, do you see?) but the whole thing's just an excuse to show off Loreen's powerhouse vocals, including an excellent "you-hoo-hoo" bit in the chorus.

She sings it while squashed between two giant LED screens - basically a space-age toasted sandwich maker - and while she's usually note perfect, she went a little off-piste in one of this week's rehearsals.

Asked about it in a press conference, the diva smiled and slowly laughed before replying: "Wasn't pitch perfect, darling? What are you talking about?" What a legend.

• Sweden's returning champion, Loreen. Eurovision Q&A

5) The Adele impersonator representing Lithuania

Reuters

Mae Muller isn't the only UK hopeful in this year's contest. Nicola Lambrianos - an Adele impersonator from Essex - is singing backing vocals for Lithuania's entrant, Monika Linkyė. What's more, she inspired Monika to take part.

The two performers met in a bar last year and, after striking up a conversation about music, Monika revealed she'd sung at Eurovision in 2015 (she placed 18th with the song This Time).

"I was beside myself because I'm obsessed with Eurovision," Nicola told the BBC. "So I said to her, 'Do you know anyone that could get me a ticket?'"

"I made a promise to get her a ticket," said Monika, "then I went back to Lithuania and wrote the song in one evening."

A couple of weeks later, she invited Nicola to Lithuania to sing in the country's selection process... and they won.

"I saw all this confetti come down, and I looked over at her and said, 'Did we not just joke about this four weeks ago?'" said Nicola. "And now I'm doing Eurovision - a dream I never, ever thought was possible."

• Waitrose worker represents Lithuania in Eurovision

• All you need to know about Eurovision 2023
• The UK's Mae Muller: 'My dad will be shaking'
• 'Liverpool is brimming with pride and joy'
• Pick your favourite song
• Keep up to date with Eurovisioncast
• Grand final, live, Saturday, 13 May 2023. 20:00 BST BBC One and iPlayer

6) Israel's astonishing dance break

EPA

Noa Kirel has been called Israel's Britney Spears - she's scored four number one singles, won five MTV Awards and been a judge on Israel's Got Talent, all while serving a compulsory two-year stint in the Israeli army.

She co-wrote her song Unicorn with Doron Medalie, who composed Israel's 2018 Eurovision winner, Toy. But the real highlight of her performance is a breath-taking, 30-second dance breakdown.

"It's something I'm very passionate about," the 22-year-old told the official Eurovision podcast.

"When I was two or three years old, I used to dance in my living room in front of my family and I was like, 'Clap your hands at the end of the show'."

But although she's studied ballet, flamenco and hip-hop; and danced on some of the world's biggest stages, Eurovision has been haunting her dreams.

"I dream about the performance all the time. Somebody is pushing me to the stage and I don't know what I'm going to do and what I'm going to sing and the audience are all looking at me.

"To be part of it and to represent your country on one of the biggest stages in the world, it's very stressful."

7) The backstage crew are the silent stars

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You won't see them but Eurovision's backstage team are the real heroes of the contest. They're in charge of 23,700 light sources, 482 costumes, 150 microphones, 100 wigs, 3,000 makeup brushes - and making sure everything runs seamlessly.

Every act has their own unique look. At various points, the stage is adorned with a vintage Toyota MR2, a giant alien pod, a trampoline, and two nuclear warheads (not real ones, we're assured), And the stagehands have just 53 seconds between each performance to clear the stage and erect the next props.

"The speed is the hardest part, because everybody's requests were pretty far out there," says lighting director Tim Routledge, "but we're here to make their dreams come true."

They've developed some nifty tricks to make it all happen. The stage itself is actually a giant LED screen, which turns into a "map" for all the props between acts.

"We used to mark the floor up with tape, so it got pretty messy," says stage designer Julio Himede. "Now it's literally just an operator with an iPad pushing a button."

"The artist even gets a little 'T' mark on stage to show them where to stand, and then we know the spotlight will hit them exactly."

8) France's secret mascot

EPA

All week, French star La Zarra has been carrying a replica of Mr Bean's dark brown, button-eyed teddy bear everywhere she goes.

"He is my mascot," she told the BBC. "Maybe he will be appearing on stage with me. Maybe under my dress."

There's certainly plenty of room under there. La Zarra performs on a giant rising platform, with her dress billowing and cascading down to the floor. It makes her look like one of those toilet roll dolls your gran used to have, only French and glamorous.

Already a huge star in France, La Zarra is hoping to be the one to break the country's 45-year losing streak at Eurovision.

Her song, Evidemment is a chic fusion of Edith Piaf's sultry majesty and Daft Punk's filtered disco, that contains the night's best lyric: "I'm looking for love, but I can't find anything, just like in my purse."

9) Politics seeping in

EPA

Eurovision was conceived in the 1950s with the dream of uniting countries after the war, so politics has always been kept at arm's length.

But while Ukraine's President, Volodomyr Zelensky, has been denied the opportunity to speak, the contest includes plenty of other nods to Russia's invasion of his country.

Croatia's Let 3! take to the stage in bloodstained overcoats, performing an anti-war song that's a metaphor for the Russian Federation.

They mock dictators for being "childish" and "psychopaths", with particular emphasis on Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

The "tractor" that's referenced several times in the lyrics is apparently a reference to Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, who has supported Russia in the war and gave Putin a tractor for his 70th birthday.

Czechia's entrant, Vesna, sing parts of their song, My Sister's Crown, in Ukrainian. "My sister won't stand in the corner / Nor will she listen to you," they chant. "We're with you in our hearts."

Ukraine's own entrant, Tvorchi, also make reference to the war in their song, Heart of Steel. A juddering, disorientating slice of synthpop, it was inspired by the siege Azovstal, and the civilians who defended the town's steel works.

• The duo seeking Eurovision glory for Ukraine
• Vesna 'are not your dolls': Eurovision Q&A

10) Australia is really going for it

Reuters

For the past eight years, Australia have been welcomed into the glitter-flecked arms of Eurovision as honorary Europeans.

The country's affection for the contest goes all the way back to Abba - a national obsession down under - and millions regularly get up at 5am to watch the song contest live.

In 2014, Darwin-born singer Jessica Mauboy was invited to perform in the interval. The next year, Australia was allowed to take part as a "wildcard" entrant.

Their deal runs out this year - but the Aussies are really going for it. Prog metal band Voyager arrive in a blaze of pyrotechnics and keytar solos, with a song that sounds like a cross between Duran Duran and Panic At The Disco.

Lead singer Danny Estrin, who's an immigration lawyer in his normal life, says he's grasping the chance with both hands.

"It's something that I think every artist should strive to do because it is so wonderful," he told the BBC.

"And it also gives people an opportunity to finally see us, whether they like it or not. They are forced to see it. That exposure is so wonderful for a band that comes from a niche market.

"It's a big deal. It's the greatest show on Earth."

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

Eurovision: 9 Iconic Moments

A look back at must-see Eurovision history: scandals, juicy moments & controversy.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only)

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Related Topics

• Television
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2023-05-13 17:49:45Z
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Turkey election: Opposition dares to dream of Erdogan defeat - BBC

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By Paul Kirby

BBC News, Ankara

Turkey's all-powerful President Erdogan is in the fight of his life against an opposition that has united against him for Sunday's elections.

His main rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu appeared before a throng of supporters on Friday, flanked by allies from across the political spectrum who have come together as never before.

As the rain beat down in Ankara, he vowed to restore "peace and democracy".

The man he wants voters to oust after 20 years - Recep Tayyip Erdogan - said he had kept Turkey standing tall despite many challenges, including the economy with its rampant inflation and February's catastrophic double earthquakes.

Both issues have dominated this febrile campaign for both the presidency and parliament.

At 74, the opposition leader is often described as soft-spoken, but he gave a powerful speech to an audience that believes this is their best hope so far of reclaiming power from a president who has dramatically increased his own at the expense of parliament.

• How Erdogan changed Turkey

BULENT KILIC / AFP

Mr Kilicdaroglu is slightly ahead in the opinion polls and his supporters have dared to dream he might win outright on Sunday, with more than 50% of the vote, rather than face a run-off two weeks later.

Firat, one of five million first-time voters, said he was delighted at conservatives and nationalists appearing on the same platform as the head of the centre-left Republican People's Party (CHP).

Here was nationalist Meral Aksener, the only female leader in the six-strong alliance, and there was Temel Karamollaoglu, who fronts the pro-Islamist Felicity party.

Mr Kilicdaroglu's party is secular to the core, but he has worked hard to reach out to women who wear the headscarf. The six parties have rallied under the slogan Haydi (Come on!) and a campaign song of the same name.

Tensions are running so high ahead of the vote that he wore a bullet-proof vest on stage in Ankara for his final rally and at another event earlier on.

The race has become as tense as it is pivotal. One of the four candidates for the presidency, Muharrem Ince, pulled out on Thursday, complaining that he had been targeted on social media with deepfake sex videos that had "manipulated the electorate".

When the main opposition challenger blamed Russia, the Kremlin denied having anything to do with the videos or seeking to interfere in the vote.

Mr Erdogan, who has maintained ties with Vladimir Putin, warned his rival: "If you attack Putin, I will not be ok with that."

The president was addressing party loyalists in Istanbul, but the night before he was just outside the capital in a city of half a million people that seemed in full support of his AK Party.

Orange, blue and white party AKP flags fluttered throughout the centre of Sincan, as locals filled the streets in the hope of catching a glimpse of Mr Erdogan.

Supporters chanted party songs as they waited for the president to show on stage in a green jacket. One chorus rang out repeatedly Re-cep Tay-yip Er-do-gaaaan.

"We built schools, universities and hospitals... we changed the face of our cities. We extracted our own natural gas and oil," Erdogan told thousands of cheering supporters.

His strategy, first as prime minister but then as president, has been to build growth, often through big-ticket construction projects that are visible in many of the big cities, but not so obvious in Sincan.

APAImages/Shutterstock

Although his party still commands strong support, he relies on the backing of the nationalist MHP and other smaller groups in his People's Alliance.

His greatest support comes mainly from conservative or nationalist Turks, and he has aimed his rhetoric not just at the West, which he accuses of going against him, but at the LGBT community too.

"The AK Party does not allow LGBT people into its neighbourhood, and the MHP does not allow them into the People's Alliance, because we believe in the sanctity of a family."

These political alliances have become essential under Turkey's political system as a party needs 7% of the national vote to get into parliament, or be part of an alliance that does.

Whoever wins the presidency will need to have sufficient support in parliament to back their plans.

• Simple guide to Erdogan's toughest election so far
• The young voters who could decide Turkey's future
• The soft-spoken challenger to Turkey's powerful Erdogan
• Turkey decides: Voters face stark choices for presidency

On the campaign trail in Ankara, centre-left candidate Aysun Palali Koktas said that while the economy and the aftermath of the earthquake were the top two issues of the election, the future of Turkey's democracy and people's rights were just as important.

"When we tweet, we don't want to be frightened, and that's the case especially for young people," she said.

But, AK Party candidate Zehranur Aydemir, 25, believes young voters are very well treated by the government. "You can see young people at every level in our party."

More than 64 million people are expected vote at home and abroad on Sunday.

To win outright a candidate will have to secure more than half the vote.

If no candidate gets at least 50% plus one vote in the first round, the presidential election will go to a second round on 28 May between the two who received the most votes.

Turkey: Empire of Erdogan

Recep Tayyip Erdogan - the most controversial president in modern Turkish history. What is behind his rise from prison to power - and his ruthless determination to stay at the top?

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK Only)

Related Topics

• Turkish elections 2023
• Ankara
• Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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2023-05-13 06:42:55Z
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