The Eurovision Song Contest, or simply called Eurovision, is a yearly multicultural entertainment event that brings numerous countries together in harmony through music.
This 2018, the competition is set in Lisbon, Portugal - the first time ever for this country to host the event. Portugal acquired its very first Eurovision win at last year's contest in Kiev with their song "Amar Pelos Dois" performed by Salvador Sobral and written by his sister Luisa Sobral.
The event will be hosted by Filomena Cautela, Daniela Ruah, Silvia Alberto, and Catarina Furtado.
History about the Song Contest
Eurovision was an idea proposed by Italian TV writer Sergio Pugliese, who worked for Italy's state broadcaster RAI back in the early 1950s.
The contest was inspired by Italy's Sanremo Music Festival and its purpose was to be a bonding exercise in the difficult post-war years, thus bringing European neighbors together in the spirit of harmonious fun whilst testing the capabilities of early live broadcast TV technology to the limit.
Pugliese's suggestion was approved by the president of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Marcel Bezencon in January 1955. At a general assembly conference at Rome's Palazzo Corsini on October 19, 1955, Bezencon developed the idea further with the body's international members, including the BBC.
Seven months later, on May 24, 1956, the very first Eurovision Song Contest was set in Lugano, Switzerland, with Swiss candidate Lys Assia winning with her song "Refrain".
The name "Eurovision" was initially coined by British journalist George Campey of the Evening Standard, who named the contest in Lugano as the "Eurovision Grand Prix" when he covered the event.
The first music tournament was comprised of only seven competing nations (this year, it's 43). The rules of the competition have become more intricate as new entrants were added throughout the years.
Candidates were originally expected to sing in their native languages, but that has changed since, culminating in ABBA's victory for "Waterloo" in 1974, with the famous Swedish disco singers singing entirely in English.
What are the mechanics of the contest?
Countries all throughout Europe as well as some outside Europe, will send a song and its performer(s) to sing in the contest.
A maximum of six people in their act is allowed per country, and the song should not exceed three minutes and not released before September 1, 2017.
Everyone has to sing live, but no live instruments will be used.
To be eligible in the grand final, most country participants must sing in one of the two semi-finals. The Big Five countries (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain), which give the biggest financial contributions to the contest organizer EBU, automatically go straight into the final. Additionally, the host country (what won the year before) will also be included in the grand final.
The winner of Eurovision is decided by all countries that participated, with each nation being allowed to award points to other countries that they wish to win. Scoring is derived from a mix of viewer votes and the opinions of a music expert jury. At the conclusion of the grand final, the one with the most points is the winner. The declared winner shall then perform their song once again and will be awarded the iconic glass microphone Eurovision trophy.
Eurovision 2018 Odds and Who's the Favorite to Win
Cyprus is the frontrunner in this year's contest with Eleni Foureira and her song Fuego (which means ‘Fire' in Spanish). You get approx. 2.0 odds on her winning at most of the major bookies.
Top 10 Eurovision Song Content 2018 picks and odds from Unibet
TV Schedule (UK)
Each year, around 200+ million viewers tune in to watch the event.
If you are a resident of one of the 43 participating countries, then you can watch it on TV through your national public broadcaster, for example, BBC if you're in the UK.
The grand final will be viewed on BBC One at 8pm on Saturday, May 12.
The Eurovision is a once-in-a-year chance for countries to proudly showcase their people's talents on the international stage. Sure, some may find it cheesy but it does have its appeal to the masses - that for just one night a year, an entire continent sets aside its (political) differences to basically enjoy the diversity and uniqueness of pan-European pop music.
I dont like this contest at all. I never did Too many people get stuck watching it every year, and i dont see the reason actually. With so many unknown singers and bad songs, what is the point. So what if this or the other country win...
Eurovision recently is a very politicized contest ... and I'm not saying this because the representative of Russia did not reach the final .... the song was awful and the singer forgot the words ..... shame .... but I'm talking about that last year in Ukraine did not allow a participant from russia .... politics
a contest very well elaborated and well done and organized where one has the maxino of great of countries and their representatives wanting ganahr and dedicate themselves champions very bnom and fun
Eurovision. Every time I get to watch this I realize that it's not the exactly the vision I have about Europe at all. Besides the overrepresentation of fluffy pop songs this competition has really no value nor represent anything important about the participating countries cultures.
There are singers who represent their country but i do not understand this thing. Why the bosses of this contest accepts singers of another nationality but they participating for another country? Example: Alexander Rybak is from Belarus but he participating for Norway, and is not the only example in history of Eurovision.
In its heart the eurovision song contest is not about the singers, but about the creators of the songs. At least in theory.So the nationality of the singer is not important. Luxemborg for example had singers from all over the place competing for them.
I do not really understand what this competition is all about ... .... Of course there is a vivid example - ABBA .... this group after eurovision has become very popular and famous ... but it was a long time ago ... I now can you name at least one more winner of this competition who would repeat the success of ABBA?
Well since the contestants are countries, you simply expect the ones representing the countries, to be from that country.
And we are not talking about singing in another language. That is ok, since it is harder for some countries, to gain the crowds all over the place, when singing in their language
I do love the Eurovision. I think that it is a fantastic event and i look forward to watching it every year. Congratulations to Israel on winning this year and roll on next year!!
system for giving points is strange and you dont know anything after jury from every country give points,then are points from peoples who vote with SMS and they change everything and you dont know till end who will get points and how many of them!and they can be few hundreds!
Posted by CALICUL: There are singers who represent their country but i do not understand this thing. Why the bosses of this contest accepts singers of another nationality but they participating for another country? Example: Alexander Rybak is from Belarus but he participating for Norway, and is not the only example in history of Eurovision.
I ask a question and i am voting with minus. This is really stupid and childish
Eurovision hmmm, I like what it used to be, great show with great songs that we sing even today, but now its just become a freak show, full of SJ, politically correct driven, with all freaks queers,fag's, lezbos ( aldou I muss say I don't mind the lezbos ) those leftist countries need to understand not all Europe is that progressive, nor does it want to be.
well I can answer what Eurovision song contests is all about- it's about watching at least two hours of horrible music with a couple of exceptions and see one of the worst song, that you would have never imagined possible to be the winning song end up like... the winning song. that Eurovision for you.
Another Eurovision Winner with a very ugly song. It's incredible how they choose the winner in every year. I'm sure people's votes do not matter at all. Europeans should protest because it is possible in 2019 a country to have a zoophile competitor and this person to win.
Yes i too can say that it is often the situation where very bad song to win the contest and i do not like this situation. It is sad when you see good songs who finish in bad position and bad song finish very high or win
I'm sorry for what's going on with this contest, but honestly it's no longer worth watching. I liked how she translated microsoft in english and spanish when Benjamin Netanyahu said: it was wonderful and anothers good words, and microsoft has translated Neta you're a real cow. and the translator was right.
a festival of this greatness counts on many talented people with great voices and with great interpreters but with everything there are some that are not bad but not so good and those that have won are not so good as this
Yes Godoy you are right. Some performers who have won are not so good because politicians decide who wins. It is clearly an organized contest. These politicians who think themselves too smart choose the winner as they like them. Eurovision has become a shame because of this.
Come on guys. More olympic spirit, less whining, please. It is just a simple song contest. After a week or two nobody can even remember who has won it, and why. It isn't serious stuff, like say the World Cup.
Yes, there is no point making it a subject at the end. You either like this contest and watch it every year, or dont. For some is a nice event to spent with friends and family, instead of going out
its strange that we even talk about this,like its world cup and not a eurovision contest!its all over almost two weeks ago and what to talk about that!there is nothing new to say,next year contest will be in israel and thats that!
You are not right shokaku. You say about Eurovision is a simple song contest. This contest was supposed to collect the best songs from each European country participant in this annual tournament. Unfortunately, this is not the case because this contest has become a shame. Participating countries do not choose the best song and in the final tournament winners are elected by some imbeciles politicians. An annual contest with countries from Europe must have dignity not disappointment.
Posted by CALICUL: You are not right shokaku. You say about Eurovision is a simple song contest. This contest was supposed to collect the best songs from each European country participant in this annual tournament. Unfortunately, this is not the case because this contest has become a shame. Participating countries do not choose the best song and in the final tournament winners are elected by some imbeciles politicians. An annual contest with countries from Europe must have dignity not disappointment.
of course I agree with you ... in the first place now in this contest is not the voice achievements and not the best song namely political intrigues .... I did not follow this contest but recently I saw in the news site a photo of the winner of eurovision .... I was shocked .... no words ... hmmm
Yes Pajalnick. Eurovision is a shame. When the Ukrainians won their last prize in 2016 has been to the political order to annoy the Russian President Vladimir Putin. These are political games and that's not good. I think the last winner who deserved the prize is Emmelie de Forest with „Only Teardrops” in 2013.
Write a comment:
You must be logged in, to comment on news...
Disclosure: BankrollMob may earn a commission based on the advertisement material on this site. #AD
The Eurovision Song Contest, or simply called Eurovision, is a yearly multicultural entertainment event that brings numerous countries together in harmony through music.
Eurovision was an idea proposed by Italian TV writer Sergio Pugliese, who worked for Italy's state broadcaster RAI back in the early 1950s.
This is really stupid and childish
and the translator was right. 
