The Scot who came second to Celine Dion - BBC News BBC News The Scot who came second to Celine Dion By Steven Brocklehurst BBC Scotland news website 9 May 2014 Close share panel Image caption Scott Fitzgerald represented the UK in Eurovision in 1988 The last Scot to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest was Scott Fitzgerald, who came within a point of beating Celine Dion to the title in 1988. In the six decades since the Eurovision song contest began there have only been a handful of Scots representing the UK and by a strange coincidence two of them played together as children in the east end of Glasgow. On of them, Marie Lawrie grew up to be Lulu, one of Scotland's most famous singers, who won Eurovision in 1969 with Boom Bang-a-Bang. Almost 20 years later wee Billy McPhail, who says he used to play with Lulu in a tenement back court, represented the UK under his stage name Scott Fitzgerald .

In a rare interview, 66-year-old Fitzgerald told the BBC Scotland news website: "Her uncle, I think it was, used to live next door so she was there all the time with her mother. We used to play shops round the back by the middens. "I was in love with her when I was wee boy but she never showed me any attention." Image caption Glaswegian singer Lulu won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969 Fitzgerald says he had a "wonderful east end" childhood before hitting the Glasgow music scene of the mid-1960s, playing gigs along with the likes of Frankie Miller and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. After touring the UK in the musical Hair at the beginning of the 70s he almost made it as a glam rock star when he appeared in the film Never Too Young To Rock with bands such as Mud, the Glitter Band and Slik, which featured fellow Scot Midge Ure. In 1977 Fitzgerald and Dutch singer Yvonne Keeley had a massive international hit with If I Had Words.

The song sent Fitzgerald around the world to perform in places such as a Zambia and South Africa, as well as appearing in the high-end big-theatre restaurants of London's west end. A decade later when he represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland, he had just turned 40. His song Go was written by Julie Forsyth, daughter of veteran entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth. She had been in the 1970s pop group Guys and Dolls with Fitzgerald's best friend Dominic. Image caption Scott recently decided to embrace his Eurovision past and start performing again It was Forsyth's idea to enter the song for Eurovision and it was one of eight tunes which battled it out in the Song for Europe contest to choose the UK entry. For the first time since 1975, the public voted on the songs, although this time it was by telephone voting instead of postcards. Fitzgerald won comfortably and he was off to Dublin. "For me it was a dream place to be," he says. "The stage was incredible. I had a beautiful big 70-piece symphony orchestra and a really good song.

For an artist I thought I was in heaven." With just two of the 21 countries to vote, Fitzgerald was 14 points ahead of Switzerland's entry, sung by a certain Miss Dion. "I was so close I could taste it," he says. Scots at Eurovision 1987 Rikki Peebles 1988 Scott Fitzgerald "The stage manager at Eurovision came to me and said 'when you win it, it is going to be mayhem, so watch out for me because I've got to take you back stage so you can collect the award and you can sing the song again'. "That was just as the voting started on the last two votes. "I said to him 'you'd better hold on there's another couple of votes'." He was right. Fitzgerald lost by a single point in one of the closest contests ever. Image copyright AFP Image caption Celine Dion became a huge international star after her Eurovision win in 1988 "I can laugh about it now," he says. "I have no animosity or anything like that. I never did. "I'm a professional singer. You just get on with it.

"After Celine Dion won I went over to her and gave her a big hug and kiss and said 'congratulations, darling'." Straight after the contest, Fitzgerald went to perform pre-booked dates in Scandinavia and the hype around Eurovision quickly faded away. For many years it was his big hit record which sustained his career, it certainly made him a lot more money. "It made me comfortable and looked after my children," he says. One of his children - Ki McPhail - has carried on the family tradition. He was one of the original members of boy band Busted and now works in music management. Born-again Fitzgerald's Eurovision experience was all but forgotten until he recently decided to embrace his past and performed at a number of party nights to celebrate the contest. He says: "I have only recently come out of the closet as a born-again Eurovision artist." A few weeks ago he performed at London's Cafe de Paris to a crowd of Eurovision nuts. "It was fantastic. I felt like a superstar," he says. "When I walked out the roof nearly came down. I thought it was amazing.

"All these years I've been trying to achieve this and I walk in and sing one song and there it is." Fitzgerald, who lives in the south of England, says he has never really talked to anybody about Eurovision for years. "I don't think they even know I exist in Scotland. I have not done a show in Scotland since 1971." He says he would love to perform in his home country, particularly if it were related to a cancer charity, as both his wife and himself have been affected by it. "My wife got breast cancer and I stopped working for five years and looked after her, because she's the most important thing in my life," he says. "The funny thing is, after she got the all-clear, the week after that, I was diagnosed with cancer. "But I'm recovering. I'm fine." So fine, in fact, that he has one last ambition. He says: "It was wonderful to be representing the United Kingdom but I'm looking forward to representing my country one day. Alex Salmond, give me a call." Winners of the 1980s - What happened to them? | News | Eurovision Song Contest Winners of the 1980s - What happened to them?

Céline Dion won in 1988 for Switzerland. Published 14 Sep 2011 at 14:34 Written by Tweet You've seen the winners of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s where we went from black and white to colour, and saw acts such as ABBA winning the competition. Now we look at the 1980s, to see what this decade has to offer! The 1980's marked a big change for Europe's favourite TV show. More countries were taking part and a new wave of music had entered the popular music scene. This decade also produced one of the world's biggest selling artists, Céline Dion. We also saw countries (Germany, Norway, Belgium and Yugoslavia) winning for the first time. Previous winning nations (Ireland, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Sweden) also came back to snatch victory again. Take a look at the winners below and let us know who your favourite is! 1980 - Johnny Logan (Ireland) Johnny Logan was born as Sean Patrick Michael Sherrard in May, 1954 in Frankston, Australia.

His family moved back to Ireland when he was aged three. He was the son of the Irish singer Patrick O’Hagan, and started composing his own songs when he was 13. He took his stage name from the main character in the film Johnny Guitar. He released his first single in 1978, and participated in the Irish selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 where he finished in third place. One year later he won the right to represent Ireland with the Shay Healy composition What’s Another Year? which won the 25th edition of Europe's favourite Tv show. The song was a big hit all over Europe, but through poor management and inexperience he was unable to capitalise on his win in the contest, and for a while he was to become another one hit wonder. He went onto write the song Terminal 3 for Linda Martin, which was the runner up for Ireland in the 1984 edition of the contest. 1981 - Bucks Fizz (United Kingdom) Bucks Fizz were a group specially formed for the Eurovision Song Contest, comprising Mike Nolan, Cheryl Baker, Bobby G and Jay Aston.

They won a narrow victory with Making Your Mind Up when the contest was held in Dublin. The song topped the charts in many European countries, as well as being a hit in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Following this success, they scored further chart hits with songs like Piece Of The Action and One Of Those Nights, before they once again topped the British charts with The Land Of Make Believe and My Camera Never Lies. Other notable hits were; Now Those Days Are Gone, If You Can't Stand The Heat and When We Were Young. A horrific coach crash in December, 1984 nearly brought at end to the group, with Mike Nolan in particular receiving the worst injuries, that left him in a coma for several days. Fortunately he recovered, though he still suffers from some of the effects to this day. Jay Aston was the first member of the group to quit, and was replaced by Shelley Preston. With this line up the group scored a big hit with New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) and since then there has been numerous changes of line up to the group, including at one point the former Dollar singer, David Van Day.

There has also been various legal disputes over ownership of the name Bucks Fizz, and currently there are two versions of the group, one which features Bobby G, and the other with Mike Nolan, Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston; both versions are currently still performing and touring. 1982 - Nicole (Germany) Nicole Hohloch was born in Saarbruchen in October, 1964. Her first record Flieg Nicht So Hoch mein Kleiner Freund was a smash hit in Germany. In 1982 she sang Ein bißchen Frieden in the contest, and stormed to a runaway victory to give Germany their first victory. She performed a memorable winning reprise when she sang the song in German, English, French and Dutch. The song topped the charts in several European countries and was recorded in several languages and sold over three million copies, making it one of the most successful songs to emerge from the Grand Prix. This brought her to the attention of audiences throughout Europe and Asia, and since then he has released over 30 albums in her prolific recording career. In 1988 she joined the German delegation as commentator in their coverage of the contest.

1983 - Corinne Hermès (Luxembourg) Corinne Hermes was born Corinne Miller in November, 1961 and was a music student in Paris, and her first single in 1979 was released under her own name. In 1983 she sang Si La Vie Est Cadeau which provided the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg with its fifth, and, to date, last victory in the contest when it was held in Munich. She continued to record and release singles and albums. mainly for the French speaking market. In 2001 she announced the results of the French televote in the Eurovision Song Contest. 1984 - The Herreys (Sweden) Three brothers, Per, Richard and Louis Herrey, comprised the group, and had been living and working in the USA when they competed for the right to represent Sweden in the contest. Their winning song Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley was the third time the opening song had won the Grand Prix, and gave Sweden its second victory, ten years after ABBA. The song was given an English lyric by eldest brother Per, and scored modest success throughout Europe.

They continued to record, and had a few further hits in Sweden, and toured for a few years before splitting up. They still occasionally reunite to perform for special one off appearances. 1985 - Bobbysocks (Norway) The duo Bobbysocks comprised two singers who had both sung in the contest before; Hanne Krogh, who when just 15 years old had sang for Norway in the 1971 contest with Lykken Er ,finishing in seventeenth place. Elisabeth Andreasson had been one half of the duo Chips who had represented Sweden in the 1982 contest in Harrogate, finishing in eighth place with Dag Efter Dag. The pair brought Norway its first victory in the contest with La Det Swinge and they enjoyed success for the next few years before the pair disbanded the group in 1988. Both performers made further appearances in the contest for Norway with mixed success. Hanne Krogh was a member of the group Just 4 Fun that finished in 17th place in 1991 with Mrs Thompson.

Elisabeth Andreasson joined Jan Werner Danielsen in 1994 and took the song Duett to a respectable sixth place, and two years later as a soloist she did even better by finishing as the runner up on home territory with I Evighet. Both performers still occasionally reunite for one off appearances, such as the 50th Anniversary show Congratulations, and were present together in Oslo for the 2010 edition of Europe's favourite Tv show. 1986 - Sandra Kim (Belgium) Sandra Kim, otherwise known as Sandra Caldarone was of Italian descent and brought Belgium their first and only victory to date with J'aime La Vie. Although the lyrics of J'aime La Vie refer to the singer being 15 year old and Sandra Kim’s biography in the official programme mentioned she born in 1971, it subsequently turned out that she wasn’t born until October 1972, making her 13 at the time of the contest.

Either way she was the youngest ever winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, and when in 1990 the rules subsequently changed to have a minimum age for an entrant, it means barring any further changes to the rules, Sandra Kim will retain that honour. She continued to record songs mainly in French and Dutch. In 2010 she filmed an updated video of J’Aime La Vie, matching as close as possible the clothes, locations and personnel from the 1986 original. 1987 - Johnny Logan (Ireland) History was made on the 9th of May, 1987 when Johnny Logan became the first performer to win the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time, with his self composed entry Hold Me Now. This remarkable achievement earned him the nickname of of 'Mr Eurovision', and his reputation in the contest was further enhanced five years later when he once again composed the winning song Why Me? which was sung by Linda Martin. Hold Me Now reached the top ten of the charts in several countries, and thus ended his period of being a one hit wonder following his 1980 win.

In 2005 at the 50th Anniversary show, Hold Me Now was voted the third most popular song in the history of the contest. He continues to be a great ambassador for the contest, and frequently appears at national finals and other programmes related to the event. 1988 - Céline Dion (Switzerland) Céline Marie Claudette Dion was born in 1968 in Canada into a large family. She released her first record in 1981, and in 1982 she won the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival. In 1988, in one of the closest and most exciting finishes to the Eurovision Song Contest she snatched victory by a single point for Switzerland with the song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi. The song sold well across Europe and achieved modest chart success, and she also recorded the winning song in German as Hand In Hand. The following year she sung Where Does My Heart Beat Now as part of the opening to the 1989 contest; though the song didn’t chart until 1990 in the USA and Canada, and 1991 in parts of Europe, though only reaching number 72 in United Kingdom.

Shortly after that the hits started worldwide with Beauty And The Beast, The Power Of Love, and in 1994 with Think Twice. In 1997 she sang the theme song to the film Titanic; My Heart Will Go On providing her with another international hit. Despite taking a break in her career at the end of the 1990's to start a family and spend time with her husband and manager René Angélil, she returned in 2002 and in 2004 she was presented with the Chopard Diamond Award at the World Music Awards as the best selling female artist of all time. She has now sold in excess of 200 million albums worldwide. 1989 - Riva (Yugoslavia) The group Riva was founded in 1986, and came from Zadar in Croatia. They comprised Emilia Kokic (lead singer) Dalibor Musap (keyboards and vocals), Zvonimir Zrilic (guitar and vocals), Nenad Nakic (bass guitar) and Bosko Colic (drums).

Their song Rock Me won the 34th edition of the contest held in Lausanne; though it failed to make much impact on the European charts, and the group split a few years later in 1991. Lead singer Emilia Kokic had a further attempt at the contest when she competed in the Croatian selection show Dora in 2008, where she finished in sixth place. She was also a member of the jury at the Dora contest in 2011, when she also performed Rock Me. In the next part of this series we will look at the winners of the 1990's. Who is your favourite winner of the 1980s? Tell us what you think below. Winners of Eurovision Song Contest 1980-1989 - YouTube Winners of Eurovision Song Contest 1980-1989 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Apr 18, 2008 In this decade many old Eurovision countries got their first victory: Germany, Norway, Belgium and Yugoslavia. United Kingdom got its fourth, and Luxembourg its fifth victory! Canadian singer Céline Dion won the contest for Switzerland and started her megasuccessful international career. But the most important fact of the decade is that the only time (so far) in ESC history a single performer won the contest twice. Of course, it was Mister Eurovision - Johnny Logan for Ireland. Enjoy in the most colourful ESC decade! Category Explainer: What is Eurovision? - CNN.com Explainer: What is Eurovision? By George Webster, for CNN Updated 12:23 PM ET, Thu May 24, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: ABBA – While many Eurovision acts slide into obscurity, some have gone on to international stardom. The contest's biggest success story is Swedish four-piece ABBA.

Virtually unknown outside of Sweden before the 1974 contest, their winning song "Waterloo" reached number one in the UK and Germany, number six in the U.S., and the group went on to sell more than 370 million records worldwide. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Celine Dion – Prior to Eurovision 1988, Canada's Celine Dion was little-known outside the Francophone world. Her victory for Switzerland launched her as an international star -- in 2010 she was estimated to be worth $748 million. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Olivia Newton-John – In 1974, four years before she shot to stardom in "Grease," English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John represented the UK in Eurovision, finishing fourth. Since then, the singer has racked up five number one singles in the U.S. and won four Grammy awards. Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Riverdance – Eurovision was responsible for launching the Irish dance sensation "Riverdance" as an international phenomenon. The routine was first performed during the interval of Eurovision 1994 in Dublin, Ireland.

Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Cliff Richard – British pop singer Sir Cliff Richard led Eurovison 1968 until the last moment, when Spain's entry surged ahead and won by one point. Spanish documentarian Montse Fernandez Vila alleges dictator Francisco Franco rigged the contest to boost Spain's image abroad. Richard's song, "Congratulations," went on to be come an international hit regardless. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Dana – As "Dana," Dana Rosemary Scallon won Eurovision for Ireland in 1970, singing "All Kinds of Everything," which spent nine weeks at the top of the UK charts. In 1999, she was elected the representative for Connacht-Ulster in the European Parliament. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Bucks Fizz – Bucks Fizz won Eurovision for the UK in 1981 with "Making Your Mind Up," which sold four million copies and reached number one in nine countries.

Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Katrina and the Waves – Katrina and the Waves, whose "Walking on Sunshine" was a hit in 1985, won Eurovision for the UK in 1997 with the song "Love Shine a Light," after more than a decade out of the spotlight. Hide Caption The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the most watched non-sporting events in the world Not just any old talent contest, it's an institution with a devoted following But many outsiders don't get it, so CNN is here to help It's not just any old talent show, it's an institution -- an annual event that attracts an estimated global audience of 125 million. But to the uninitiated, the Eurovision Song Contest can seem a mystifying cultural anomaly. Each year, this relic of the post-war era inspires scores of camped-up performers to perform even camper songs in a self-conscious display of continental unity. But don't let that put you off. From Sweden to Spain, Portugal to Poland, the show gathers an ever more devoted following each year -- and 125 million people can't all be wrong, can they?

So, if you haven't seen it -- and don't know the first thing about what you're missing -- keep reading. JUST WATCHED Forgettable song, memorable outfit: The crazy clothes of Eurovision Who competes? Forget the "Euro-" prefix. Contestants can come from any member country of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) which includes numerous non-European nations. Bizarrely enough, the boundaries of the EBU are determined by the catchment area of telegraphy cables built in the 19th and 20th centuries, extending to Israel, Armenia, Morocco and, let's not forget, Azerbaijan. Why? Contrary to popular belief, the Eurovision Song Contest was not forged in the flames of international unity. According to Dr Karen Fricker, co-director of the Eurovision Research Network , the contest was set up for the practical purpose of testing the scope of new broadcast technology in the 1950s. "The whole gloss we put on it that it's about uniting Europe is actually a misrepresentation," she said. "Eurovision was set up not to unite Europe in song, but to test the latest broadcast technology," she said.

"The EBU needed content so thought, 'Let's create a song contest,'" she said. The contest caught on, and has endured as a reliable ratings hit for the broadcasters of participating nations. So who chooses the acts? The EBU is made up of broadcasters, not governments, and each year it is up to the participating broadcaster from each country to submit one act chosen through their own selection process. The prospect of a ready-made domestic audience and a studio full of premium-rate phone lines often proves an irresistible draw to broadcasters, many of whom conduct their selection through a national public telephone voting contest. In fact, some countries' national finals produce a greater public frenzy than Eurovision itself. In Sweden, Melodifestivalen (literally, Melody Festival) is the biggest entertainment event of the year, with 32 songs competing in stadia around the country to become the nation's Eurovision entry. Then what? Since the early 1990s there have been more countries eager to compete in the contest than would be sensible to include on one already marathon TV show. This prompted a wave of convoluted screening processes -- most of them short-lived -- until the EBU began broadcasting semi-finals in 2008.

The semi-finals are conducted along the same lines as the final (more on that later), except there's two of them. Each country performs their song and is judged by all the other countries in their semi-final group. Unlike the final, however, the tally of votes won is kept under wraps, with the successful qualifiers simply announced while the losers are sent packing. The process applies to everyone except the previous year's winner (who earns the automatic right to host and compete in the next contest) as well as the Big Five of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom -- all of whom qualify automatically. That doesn't sound fair. It isn't, but you get what you pay for. The Big Five are the biggest financial contributors to the contest, and without them the high production costs simply wouldn't be met. So what happens on the big night? One by one, the performers from each nation get on stage and sing their hearts out, often wearing a flamboyant outfit and performing a dance routine. Until 1999, each entry was obliged to sing along with a live orchestra, but since a rule change scrapped the requirement, no one ever does. Live instrumentation is not permitted.

This rule exists because there isn't enough time to wire the instruments during the short break between the songs. On the other hand, the backing tape can't have any vocals as live singing is (for the time being) what it's all about. After the performances, there's an intermission. Convention dictates that this is an opportunity for the host nation to launch a long musical advertisement for itself. Then the moment that everyone's been waiting for (and, it is said, the moment that most people tune in): The voting. Finally! So, how does that work? Countries award a set of points from one to eight, then 10 and finally 12 for their favorite songs. They can't vote for themselves and, for a much needed dose of sophistication, they must announce the score in both English and French. Until the late 1990s, a mysterious jury of music industry experts -- sequestered somewhere in the capital city of each participating nation -- were the contest's soul arbiters. But since 1997, when a handful of nations experimented with televoting -- giving people in those countries the opportunity to vote for their favorite songs over the phone -- the public choice has counted for half the final vote.

In a surprisingly straightforward conclusion, the winner is quite simply the country with the most points. Which countries have the strongest track record? The notorious luck of the Irish seems to have turned on its head when it comes to Eurovision. Ireland is head and shoulders above the field with seven wins to its name, including a run of three consecutive victories in 1992, 1993 and 1994. France, the UK and Luxembourg each have five wins to their credit. Sweden now has five wins, and the Netherlands have four, while Israel and Norway have a respectable three wins each. Do all the winners go on to fame and fortune? No. One of the few "rules" that has remained consistent since the contest's inception in 1956 is that winners are rarely heard from again. Among the few notable exceptions are ABBA, who won in 1974 with "Waterloo," and Celine Dion, who was imported from Quebec to represent Switzerland in the 1988 contest.

Surrey's Rykka eliminated from Eurovision Song Contest 2016 - Surrey News News Surrey's Rykka eliminated from Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Switzerland's Rykka performs the song 'The Last Of Our Kind' during the second Eurovision Song Contest semifinal in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, May 12, 2016. — image credit: Photograph by: Martin Meissner, Vancouver Sun posted May 13, 2016 at 2:00 PM By Stuart Derdeyn, The Province She’s done with the globe-trotting pre-parties. She’s done with the smile-and-wave press sessions. Rykka’s focus was on the really big show, the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, which is taking place this weekend in Stockholm. Born Christina Maria Rieder, the Surrey-raised, Canadian-Swiss singer is representing Switzerland in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song The Last of Our Kind. She didn’t make it through Thursday’s second semifinal round, ending her bid win a contest which has launched the careers of luminaries like Abba and Celine Dion.

Dion also represented Switzerland in 1988 and won the contest. Talk about a hard act to follow. “It’s an incredible amount of pressure, but I’m always hard on myself,” said Rykka, 30, said earlier this week. “In terms of exposure, it’s hugely important for my career, and that is key with my new album already recorded and ready for release on Cordova Bay/Little Jig/Vissen Records.” The Last of Our Kind was written by Rykka, Jeff Dawson, Mike James and acclaimed Vancouver-based UK producer Warne Livesay (Midnight Oil, Paul Young, The The). It was the sort of tune that Eurovision judges go for, and Rykka admitted there was some planning that went into that. “The key is epic-ness for Eurovision,” said Rykka. “You need a song that can really come across on TV.

You are singing to tape, but doing it live so you need to have certain qualities that come across in that format as well as in front of judges; no biggie.” Rykka has been honing her skills in that format since she performed under the name Christina Maria on German TV while touring her Ryan Guldemond (Mother Mother)-produced 2010 album Straight Line. Changing both style and name for 2012s Kodiak, she entered into the Peak Performance Project and won $100,000. Full music is available at rykka.com. Of Swiss and Dutch ancestry, she relocated to Europe where she and her husband live in Zürich. “I have a band here, and it really is nice to be able to gig in Amsterdam or London in an hour from home,” said Rykka. “Canada has the space, but there is so much more work here and it’s the best for my career.” What happens now that Eurovision Song Contest 2016 is done? “My new album titled Beatitudes is out later this year,” she said.

“There might be another fairly soon as we line up shows to promote it here in Europe and back home.” We encourage an open exchange of ideas on this story's topic, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. Personal attacks, inappropriate language, and off-topic comments may be removed, and comment privileges revoked, per our Terms of Use . Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment. Best Eurovision Song Ever | The Eurovision Times Best Eurovision Song Ever 78 Comments Best Eurovision Song Ever Best Eurovision Song Ever – After the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 many people voted for their favorite Eurovision entries ever. The Top 25 were published one by one on the main page of this blog throughout the summer of 2010. Here we want to summarize the Top 25 to make it easier for you to find them. . #25 : Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now (1987) We start our ranking with “Mr. Eurovision”: Johnny Logan.

In 1987 he wrote Eurovision history, when he became the first and to date only artist to win 2 Eurovision Song Contests as a performer with the song “Hold me now”. He had previously won the contest in 1980 with “What’s another year”. Later he would win again as a composer with the song “Why me?” by Linda Martin. Logan was born as the son of Irish immigrants in Australia, but later became a citizen of Ireland. In the song “Hold Me Now” Logan asks his lover to give him one more night before they break up and she will be “with someone else instead of me”. In his white suit and with a flawless performance, Logan managed to convince the juries. His song also became a hit in several European countries. During the reprise in 1987 he couldn’t finish the song properly as he was too emotional and his voice cracked. Here is your song number 25: Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now: . #24: Maggie McNeal – Amsterdam (1980) After Israel did not want to host the Eurovision Song Contest 1980, despite winning it in 1979, the Netherlands filled in.

On home ground they were represented by Maffie MacNeal. She had represented the country in 1974 as part of the duo Mouth and MacNeal and came in third place. The duo went on to have some hits in Europe. Their biggest success was “How Do You Do” which didn’t only do well all over Europe but even on the USA’s Billboard Charts. Due to this impressive merit, MacNeal was chosen to represent the Netherlands on home ground. The contest was held in The Hague, but MacNeal sang an ode to the Dutch capital Amsterdam. MacNeal calls Amsterdam one of the most beautiful cities in the world as “In Amsterdam, Amsterdam. All kinds of things are going on Amsterdam, Amsterdam. Exists for centuries already.” The dramatic song did well with the judges and finished 5th. Here it is: Your song number 24: Maggie McNeal – Amsterdam: . #23: Niamh Kavanagh – In your eyes (1993) Your place 23 goes to Niamh Kavanagh, who achieved Ireland’s 5th win in 1993 and the second win in a row.

Since her Eurovision win she has given numerous televised performances on the Irish “Late Late Show”. Kavanagh is highly regarded among fans for her distinctive voice and her way of interacting with fans. She tried to find success in the US when she recorded an album there after her Eurovision win. Furthermore, Niamh tried to win the contest again in 2010 with a new power ballad, but this time she only achieved a place in the Bottom 5. Here it is: Your song number 23: Niamh Kavanagh – In your eyes . #22:Céline Dion – Ne partez pas sans moi (1988) On place 22 we have a woman, who after her Eurovision win in 1988 would go on to become one of the most popular singers on the planet: Céline Dion. The Canadian star entered the contest for Switzerland in her native language French with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi” (Don’t go without me). In a breathtaking voting Switzerland won only one point ahead of the United Kingdom. Celine used her Eurovision fame to build an impressive career.

Her album D’eux is the best-selling francophone album ever and she has sold more than 200 million records making her the best-selling female artist of all time. Her most popular song is undoubtedly “My heart will go on” Here it is: Your song number 22: Céline Dion – Ne partez pas sans moi . #21: Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah (2006) Your place 21 goes to a Finnish band: Lordi and their rock song “Hard Rock Hallelujah”. Lordi made history in 2006 becoming the first Finnish band to win the contest. Finland had unsuccessfully participated since 1961 never even making it into the Top5.. Untill that evening in Athens where the band dressed as monsters accumulated 292 points (a record at that point). Lordi exists since 1996, but has changed members several times. Lordi was able to profit from their Eurovision win. Their winning song made it into many European charts and their albums published in 2006 and 2008 made it into many countries’ charts.

Their 5th album will be released this september And here it is: Your place 21: Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah . #20: Jalisse – Fiumi di parole (1997) Italy had not participated since 1993 and apparently RAI had only accidentally applied in 1997. In order not to have to pay a fine, they sent the winner of the San-Remo festival of that year: The duo Jalisse, made up of the charismatic Alessandra Drusian and Fabio Ricci. As the song has to last a maximum of 3 minutes at Eurovision over 1,5 minutes of the San Remo version and thus some important elements of the song had to be cut. The song “Fiumi di parole” (“Rivers Of Words”) is a melodic, dramatic ballad in which the lead singer tells her lover that “rivers of words” have come between them and that she believes that she is losing his respect. Nevertheless, she implies that there is still some hope for the relationship. Rumor has it, that RAI contacted several foreign juries to make sure the song would not win the contest.

After this short intermezzo in 1997, Italy stayed away from the contest for 13 more years and only returned in 2011. Jalisse also tried to return to Eurovision in 2008 under San Marino’s flag, but they were not selected. And here it is: Your place 2o: Jalisse – Fiumi di parole . #19: Olsen Brothers – Fly On The Wings Of Love The surprise winners of the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 were two brothers from Denmark. They performed a catchy ballad in black suits, accompanying themselves with guitars. Their advanced age and the fact that they sang about the beauty of a woman which increases with her age (The original title of the song in Danish was “Smuk som et stjerneskud” – “Beautiful as a shooting star”) seemed to speak against the song doing well. However, the Olsen Brothers performed with such enthusiasm and ease that they positively stood out from the competition and looked fresher than all of their much younger competitors. The audience clapped along from the very beginning and Denmark dominated the voting from the very beginning as well. The song became a hit in Sweden, Norway, Germany and Austria.

Here it is: Your place 19: Olsen Brothers – Fly On The Wings Of Love . #18: Sandra Kim – J’aime la vie (1986) Sandra Kim represented Belgium in 1986. After their last place finish the year before, Belgium could completely turn its chances around and won the competition. The song “J’aime la vie” (“I love life”) is life-affirming and positive. Kim sings of the pleasures life holds in store. She also sings that she is 15 years old. After her win, it was actually revealed that she was only 13 years old at the time, which lead Switzerland to ask for a disqualification as she was deemed too young (Switzerland had come second by the way). Kim is still (and as the rules have changed – now performers have to be at least 16 – will probably always be) the youngest Eurovision winner ever. In 2006 Kim told website 12points.be that she does not always perform the song with pleasure: “It’s a little girl’s song, with little girl’s lyrics, with a young adolescent’s atmosphere.

Nowadays, singing “J’aime la vie”…do you like life every day? Me neither.” In 1986, little Sandra was obviously still very enthusiastic about the song as she performed it with fervency, dancing throughout the entire performance. Here it is: Your song number 18: Sandra Kim – J’aime la vie #17: Vânia Fernandes – Senhora do mar (2008) Your place 17 goes to Vânia Fernandes – Senhora do mar. In 2008 in Belgrade Portugal’s hopes were very high. Vânia Fernands had made it to the final and fans and journalists were very optimistic about her chances to score the first Top 5 placing for Portugal. Known for her powerful stage presence, as well as her prominent and versatile voice, Fernandes has participated in several singing contests and performed in public in both her home island of Madeira and on the mainland of Portugal since 1997. In 2007 she had won a Portuguese talent show in the Eurovision final she only came 13th but is still a fan favourite!

Here it is: Your song number 17: Vânia Fernandes – Senhora do Mar: . #16: Helena Paparizou – My number 1 (2005) Your place 16 goes to Helena Paparizou and her song “My number one”. Paparizou is of Greek descent but was raised in Sweden. There she began her career there in 1999 as a member of the duo Antique while she also worked briefly as a model for a Swedish-Greek brand. After rising to recognition in Greece following its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 the group had the biggest success of the remainder of its career there until Paparizou embarked on a solo career in 2003 and released her debut album. In 2005 she participated for Greece again – solo this time – and won! It was Greece’s first ever win and the beginning of a long streak of luck (Since then Greece never was outside of the Top 10!) Here it is: Your song number 16: Helena Paparizou – My number one .

#15: France Gall – Poupée de cire, Poupée de son (1965) Your place 15 goes to France Gall and “Poupée de cire, poupée de son” from 1965. The song was a sensation that year! For the first time a song won, that people actually wanted to buy and that radios actually wanted to play. Poupée de cire, poupée de son, written by Serge Gainsbourg, thus became an international hit. The songs’ singer France Gall continued her successful career until late 80s. In 1973 she marries French writer-composer Michel Berger, who gives her career a new impulse. There is no doubt! This win was important for the evolution of the Eurovision Song Contest and thus a worthy place number 15! And here it is: Your song number 15: France Gall – Poupée de cire, Poupée de son. . #14: Secret Garden – Nocturne (1995) Your place 14 goes to the Norwegian winners Secret Garden with their song Nocturne.

The 90s were the Irish decade at the Eurovision Song Contest. After three Irish victories Norway broke the Green Island’s winning streak.. kind of… The Norwegian song didn’t have a lot of singing in it (24 words in total) and is the only quasi-instrumental winner ever. The rest of the song could just as well have been an Irish entry (judge for yourself) and the violinist, surprise surprise, came from Ireland. Nevertheless, the song is still a fan favourite and its successor in 1996 came from…. do I really need to tell you? And here it is: Your song number 14: Secret Garden – Nocturne . #13: Patricia Kaas – S’il fallait le faire (2009) Your place 13 goes to a real diva! La Kaas participated for France in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 and was arguably the biggest star in the competition that year. Her song and performance were simple, classy and effective. For the first time in her career Patricia Kaas performed on the day her mother died. For her home France she achieved the best position in years: An 8th place!

Although it was mostly the juries that secured her a place in the Top 10 her performance remains one of the best of the last decade and is still loved by critics and fans alike. And here it is: Your song number 13: Patricia Kaas – S’il fallait le faire . #12: Brotherhood of Man – Save your kisses for me Your place 12 goes to Brotherhood of man and Save your kisses for me from 1976. It was the third win for the United Kingdom and a deserved one! Perfectly sung and performed (some say this is the beginning of the Eurovision Show Contest) by the four band members, the song become a European hit and is still the best selling winning song ever! For the second time in a row the starting position 1 won the contest after Teach-Ins win in 1975. The song itself is about a girl, which is only 3 years old (listen closely to the very last line). And here it is: Your song number 12: Brotherhood of man – Save your kisses for me: .

#11: Urban Symphony – Rändajad (2009) Your place 12 goes to Urban Symphony with Rändajad. Many fans were sure: The 2009 Song Contest was the best in years! Not only the perfect organization in Moscow, but also the musical quality exceeded other years. This is the second song from that year (and not the last) that you voted into the top 25! The song ,entirely performed in Estonian, reached place 6 and is thus the best result for Estonia since 2002. The band was founded in 2007 and consists of: Sandra Nurmsalu, Mann Helstein, Johanna Mängel and Mari Möldre. With their mystical song and effortless beauty they enchanted Europe that evening and later on “Rändajad” even became a hit in Estonia, Finland and Greece. And here it is: Your song number 11: Urban symphony – Rändajad: .

#10: Sertab Erener – Everyway that I can (2003) We enter the Top 10 with your place 10 , which goes to Sertab Erener and Every way that I can! For the first time since their debut in 1975 Turkey could win the contest. In a very exciting and tight race with Belgium and Russia (at the end only 3 points separated the first three places) Turkey could win. The song is about a woman in a harem in the 19th century, who wants to win back a Sultan that had expelled her. With an extravagant performance with female belly dancers (Terry Wogan didn’T like it ;) ) from Germany and Austria, Sertab Erener confirmed her superstar status in her home country. The song had (compared to earlier winners) quite a lot of success. And here it is: Your song number 10: Sertab Erener – Every way that I can . and here is the Turkish version Sen üzülme diye: . #9: Alexander Rybak – Fairytale (2009) Your place number 9 is Fairytale by Alexander Rybak.

This third song from 2009 makes that year the most successful in this vote! The package seemed unbeatable: A cute, talented guy from Norway (Viking bloc) with Belarussian roots (Eastern bloc) with a fiddle and a great pop song. And it worked! Alexander Rybak secured the third Norwegian victory with the highest number of points and margin to the second place ever. The song also became the most successful winner in years. Fairytale is truly a Eurovision record breaker! And here it is: Your song number 9: Alexander Rybak – Fairytale . #8: Joy Fleming – Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein (1975) Your place number 8 is arguably one of the most underrated songs ever: Joy Fleming – Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein. Her 17th place was the worst result for Germany until then. Her dress was just a little too green (she wanted to wear jeans, but the officials told her a woman in jeans couldn’t represent Germany) and her style was at least 10 years too earlier.

Her soulful, danceable song with the politically correct message (A song can be a bridge) and the fact that she sang her heart out, didn’t impress the juries at all. Nevertheless, the song became a fan favourite, mostly in Germany and you made it our place number 8! And here it is: Your song number 8: Joy Fleming – Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein. . #7: Željko Joksimović – Lane moje (2004) Your place 7 goes to Zeljko Joksimovic and Lane moje. In 2007 Serbia-Montenegro made its debut at the Eurovision Song Contest. The country had been banned from the EBU due to political reasons. As a part of Yugoslavia, the country had participated many times until 1989 and thus had some experience with the contest. Their 2nd place was a big success especially because the song was completely in Serbian! Zeljko Joksimovic would return to the contest in 2008 as a host and as the composer of the Serbian entry that same year.

He is one of the most popular composers and singers in the Balkan region. And here it is: Your song number 7: Zeljko Joksimovic – Lane moje . #6: Lena – Satellite (2010) Your place 6 goes to this year’s winner: Lena! It’s not really a surprise that the winner of 2010 is so high in our ranking. Recent winners are always privileged in Eurovision rankings. Nevertheless, the song and the performance were great and felt like a breath of fresh air between hundrets of ballads and cheesy popsongs. Lena is the first German winner since 1982 and has declared that she wants to defend her title in 2011! She is unique in every respect and that’s why she charmed Germany, later Europe and obviously you, our readers. And here it is: Your song number 6: Lena – Satellite . #5: Mocedades – Eres tu (1973) Your place 5 goes to Spain. In 1973 Mocedades came second after Anne-Marie David, who won for Luxembourg.

Nevertheless, “Eres tu” revealed itself as the actual hit of the evening. The song achieved success in charts all over Europe and in the English version “Touch the wind” it even conquered the American charts. The 1973 Eurovision Song Contest was marked by a scandal, with charges that “Eres Tú” was plagiarized and merely a rewrite of the Yugoslav entry from the 1966 contest (“Brez Besed”, sung by Berta Ambrož). Nevertheless, “Eres Tú” was not disqualified, possibly for political reasons, as Francisco Franco’s Spain was considered more a part of the European mainstream than Tito’s Yugoslavia. The band was founded in Bilbao and most of its members are from the Basque country. After their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest they continued to have success in Spain and Latin America for many years. And here it is: Your song number 5: Mocedades – Eres tu . and the English version: Touch the wind .

#4: Marie Myriam – L’oiseau et l’enfant (1977) Your place 4 goes to Marie Myriam with L’oiseau et l’enfant (The bird and the child). After the years before happy pop songs won the competition the juries seemed to yearn for a old fashioned chanson… and they got it! L’oiseau et l’enfant is a powerful and melodic song with a text as harmless as can be. Marie Myriam was just an outsider that night and surprised everyone. This was France’s 5th and to this day last victory at the Eurovision Song Contest. In recent years, Marie Myriam has read out the votes of the French Jury at Contest and spent some years in Zaire, Congo. And here it is: Your song number 4: Marie Myriam – L’oiseau et l’enfant . and the English version: The bird and the child: . #3: Marija Šerifović – Molitva (2007) We’re entering the Top 3 now! and your bronze medal goes to Marija Serifovic and Molitva (Prayer).

2006 in Athens: An earthquake rattles the Eurovision Song Contest: Lordi, a hard rock band consisting of monsters, wins the good old Eurovision Song Contest (and come 21st in our vote). After this shock for some fans, Marija Serifovic brought credibility back to the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song was in Serbian (first non-English winner since 1996), it was a ballad and she didn’t show half of her body let alone her breasts, which is (let’s be honest) not the recipe for a win at the modern Eurovision Song Contest. Nevertheless, the song won because of Marija’s strong voice and the great and intimate performance. Many of Šerifović’s fans were disappointed tough, with her decision to support Mr. Tomislav Nikolić for president, considering that his party, the Serbian Radical Party’s platform is traditionally based on a Greater Serbia ideal (considered dangerous by some countries located near Serbia). There was also speculations about Marija’s homosexuality, that were never proven. And here it is: Your song number 3: Marija Serifovic – Molitva .

#2: ABBA -Waterloo (1974) No big surprise: Your silver medal goes to the legendary ABBA! The 19th Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton became legendary because of four young Swedes, that were already quite popular in Scandinavia, but almost completely unknown in the rest of Europe: Benny, Björn, Anni-Fried and Agnetha. Waterloo won the contest and the rest is history! ABBA is one of the most successful bands in pop music history and without a doubt the biggest success story created by the Eurovision Song Contest! And here it is: Your song number 2: ABBA – Waterloo . #1: Domenico Modungo – Nel blu dipinto di blu (1958) Your numero uno is a real classic “Domenico Modungo – Nel blu dipinto di blu” and comes from a country that currently doesn’t participate in Eurovision anymore: Italy. If you say “what the *** is this?” think again ;). The song is (in all of it’s cover versions) the most successful Eurovision song ever!

Maybe you’ll know what I mean if I tell you the inofficial title: Volare!. It was 1958, the third Eurovision Song Contest with 10 countries competing. Domenico Modungo had to sing first, but due to technical problems, which prevented the song to be broadcast to all the participating countries he was allowed to sing again after the other 9 countries had finished their performances. Nevertheless, the song only came third but still became an international mega hit, that almost everyone knows in one of its hundreds of versions ranging from Dean Martin to Celine Dion. The Eurovision Times would like to thank everyone who voted and commented the Best Eurovision Songs Ever. We hope you had fun and don’t forget to vote for the “Worst Eurovision Songs Ever”, our next big ranking! And here it is: THE WINNER: Domenico Modungo – Nel blu delpinto di blu . Forget ‘American Idol’: This is the best singing show on TV | New York Post Forget ‘American Idol’: This is the best singing show on TV Modal Trigger Jamie-Lee, sporting a Japanese street fashion-inspired look, represents Germany in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.

The finals air this weekend. Thomas Hanses (EBU) Justin Timberlake is going to perform his new single “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” at the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday. Hope he’s ready to get schooled, because Eurovision takes kooky showmanship to a whole new level. It’s the only place where Björk would be the most normal person in the room. Celine Dion (left) and ABBA (right) launched their careers via Eurovision victories.Handout (2) One of the longest-running, most demented spectacles in the world, this camp-alicious singing competition has been pitting European countries against each other since 1956. And for the first time ever, it’s going to be broadcast live on American TV (on the Logo network). The concept is simple: one song per country, some lengthy televoting, and voilà — a singing sensation is born. Or not, as the case may be, since the Eurovision’s star-making record is spotty.

Among the major names to come out of it are ABBA, which won in 1974 when it represented perennial powerhouse Sweden, and a poodle-headed Celine Dion, who triumphed on Switzerland’s behalf in 1988. The one thing the show can always be counted on for is over-the-top outlandishness. In just the past few years, it’s featured Latvian pirates , a bearded Austrian going by the name Conchita Wurst , an Irish turkey puppet , a Finnish hard-rock band in full monster makeup , and a group of Russian grannies . The Austrian and the Finns won, by the way. This year’s edition is promising: Sadly, the Belarussian who threatened to perform naked with live wolves won’t be among the 26 finalists, but the German singer with a manga fixation (pictured above) and the Croatian diva encased in a Frank Gehry building of a dress are. Amir from France is a favorite to win the competition.Andres Putting Tip: France’s Amir and Russia’s Sergey Lazarev (video below) are the bookies’ favorites.

While you’re welcome to watch at home, sharing the experience with fanatical Eurovision-heads adds a dollop of special sauce to the crazy-burger. A good bet would be to join the Swedish expats — this year’s contest is held in Stockholm — congregating at Tonic Times Square (727 Seventh Ave.; 212-382-1059). Hell’s Kitchen’s Hibernia Bar (401 W. 50th St.; 212-969-9703) has been popular with Eurovision fans for years, due to its online feed from the event, and now its downtown sibling, the Winslow (243 E. 14th St.; 212-777-7717), will broadcast the competition. As for Justin, well, the contest doesn’t need him — but hey, his new song was co-written and produced by Swedes, so maybe Eurovision’s already infiltrated America. The Eurovision Song Contest is on Logo and LogoTV.com Saturday at 3 p.m.

Share this: Eurovision Song Contest awarded Guinness world record | News | Eurovision Song Contest Eurovision Song Contest awarded Guinness world record LONGEST RUNNING ANNUAL TV MUSIC COMPETITION Eurovision Song Contest's Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand, EBU's Director General Ingrid Deltenre and ORF's Director General Dr. Alexander Wrabetz Andres Putting (EBU) Published Tweet Vienna, Austria Just hours ahead of the Grand Final of the 60th Eurovision Song Contest the European Broadcasting Union is proud to have been awarded a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for Longest Running Annual TV Music Competition! An adjudicator from the global authority in record-breaking achievement was in Vienna, Austria to present EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre and Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand with the award on the day of the 2015 Grand Final which will be seen by nearly 200 million people in 45 countries tonight, 23rd of May. “We are thrilled to be presented with this award on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest,” said EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre. “This unique television show has been bringing Europeans together for six decades.

While other music television formats have been and gone the Song Contest has endured and in its 60th year has never been more popular.” The idea for the Eurovision Song Contest came from the EBU’s Marcel Bezençon and plans were made for the first “Eurovision Grand Prix” at a meeting in Monaco in 1955. The first Contest was held in Lugano, Switzerland in May 1956. The show has been staged annually since then and in the last 60 years has visited 40 cities in 25 countries. 52 countries in total have now taken part including for the first time in 2015, Australia. Guinness World Records adjudicator, Eva Norroy, said: ‘Eurovision’s achievement was brought to our attention as they were celebrating their anniversary and, when we started to investigate, we realised there is nothing quite like it around the world. Guinness World Records are also celebrating their 60th anniversary this year so both organisations have a lot to celebrate in 2015.” Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor for the European Broadcasting Union said: "After 60 years, the Eurovision Song Contest is stronger than ever.

We are proud of this title, which is a strong recognition for those who've kept the contest going strong over the past decades and encouraging for the many talented people who will contribute in the many decades to come." Eurovision Song Contest awarded Guinness world record Andres Putting (EBU) Other Eurovision related world records include: Most successful Eurovision country Ireland were unfortunately knocked out at the semi-final stage of this year's competition but can still take heart from being the nation to have won the competition the most, having been victorious on seven occasions. Their first win came in 1970 with Dana singing All Kinds Of Everything and most recently, Eimear Quinn came first in 1996 performing The Voice. Least successful Eurovision country Norway has the dubious honour of being the least successful Eurovision country of all time - having finished last 11 times and scoring 'nil points' on four separate occasions. Oldest male Eurovision Song Contest entrant Back in 2012, the UK's hopes were pinned on veteran singer Engelbert Humperdinck.

At the age of 76 years 24 days, Humperdinck, who is most fondly remembered for his million-selling 1967 single Release Me, set a record for being the oldest male Eurovision Song Contest entrant. Sadly for Engelbert, his song Love Will Set You Free finished someway off the pace from that year's winner Sweden's Loreen and her track Euphoria. Oldest Eurovision contest winner Representing Denmark in 2000, The Olsen Brothers (Jørgen and Niels), who won with 195 points the Eurovision Song Contest singing Fly On The Wings Of Love, at the age of 49 and 45 respectively. Highest paid dancer The contest's interval which takes place while votes from around the nations are deliberated and counted, has become something of a platform for new talent from different performing arts. Undoubtedly the act to make the biggest impact during the break in the competition was traditional Irish music and dance performance Riverdance back in 1994. Led by dancer, Michael Flatley, the 7-minute performance received a standing ovation at the Point Theatre, Dublin and went on to become an international phenomenon.

Following its success, Flatley went on to set a record as the world's highest paid dancer earning $1.6 million (£1 million) a week for his show Lord of the Dance at the peak of the show's success Most points scored at Eurovision Alexander Rybak’s song Fairytale for Norway amassed 387 points in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, Russia. Largest gathering of ABBA impersonators The Eurovision Song Contest provided a launch pad for Abba , one of the most commercially successful pop groups of all time, after they won the 1974 event by a narrow 6 point margin with the classic Waterloo. The largest gathering of ABBA impersonators is 368 individuals, or 92 bands, and took place at Kew Primary School in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, in celebration of Guinness World Records Day back in November 2011. Highest annual earnings ever for a female pop star Another huge act that had their career kickstarted by Eurovision was Celine Dion.

Sing for Switzerland, the then shy 20-year-old blew the roof off the Royal Dublin Society venue in Dublin back in 1988 with the song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi ("Don't Leave Without Me"). Celine went on to set a record for highest annual earnings ever for a female pop star after making an estimated $56 million (£33.5 million) back in 1998, a record subsequently beaten by Madonna in 2013 who made $125 million (£82 million) for that year. With thanks to Dave Goodman for the making of this article

Question: Which singer won the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland in 1988 and so launched her international career?
Answer: CELINE DION