CURIOSITIES
Eurovision Song Contest: all the curiosities you need to know about the 2023 edition
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 the sixty-seventh edition of the famous song contest, which starts on Tuesday 9 May 2023 and ends on Saturday 13 May, the night when the winner will be known.
This year the contest takes place at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool and everything is ready for an international event that promises spectacle, on stage but not only.
Here is everything you need to know about the 2023 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, from the name changes to the singers and bands competing!
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 begins
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is the sixty-seventh edition of the famous song contest, which starts on Tuesday 9 May 2023 and ends on Saturday 13 May, the night when the name of the winner will be known. This year the contest takes place at the Liverpool Arena in Liverpool and everything is ready for an event that promises spectacle, on stage and beyond. Here are the things to know about the 2023 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, from the name changes to the singers and bands competing!
The youngest contestant...
The youngest singer in the competition is 16-year-old Victor Vernicos from Greece with the song 'What They Say', born on 24 October 2006.
...and the oldest
The oldest competitor, however, is 61-year-old Damir 'Mrle' Martinovic, the frontman of the Croatian band Let 3, born on 15 July 1961.
The returns to the Eurovision
There are four contestants who will return to the Eurovision Song Contest after having already participated in it. The first is Italian Marco Mengoni with the song 'Due Vite', who came seventh in 2013 with 'L'Essenziale'.
The returns to the Eurovision
Lithuanian representative Monika Linkyte, 15th in 2015, also competes for the second time.
The returns to the Eurovision
Pasha Parfeny is again participating in Eurovision for Moldova, after placing 11th in 2012.
The returns to the Eurovision
Sweden's Loreen, winner of the competition in 2012, is also back in the competition.
The favored nation
And speaking of Loreen, according to data collected by Eurovision by comparing bookmakers, the Swedish singer is the favourite for the final victory, with a 39% chance of success. In second place we find Finland (Käärijä - Cha cha cha), in third place France (La Zarra - Évidemment). Last place went to Romania, represented by Theodor Andrei with D.G.T. (Off and On).
The Czech Republic changes its name
For the first time, this state will not compete under the classic name 'Czech Republic', but with the simpler 'Czechia', a choice that seems to have arisen from a matter of practicality: this name seems to be easier to remember abroad today. Vesna will therefore sing 'My Sister's Crown' representing the Czechia.
The most represented language is English
As always, the most frequently used language in the songs will be English, not only for countries where this is the official idiom. A further 21 contestants will in fact sing in English, with four combining it with their mother tongue. By the way: representing the host nation will be Mae Muller with the song 'I Wrote a Song'.
The guests of the final
On the day of the final, Kalush Orchestra, last year's winning Ukrainian band with the song 'Stefania', will take the stage. The performance is expected to be very exciting and promises spectacle, as is often the case at the Eurovision Song Contest.
UK-hosted editions.
After Ukraine, winner of the previous edition following the victory of the Kalush Orchestra, was declared unable to host the competition, it will now take place in the United Kingdom, despite the fact that the winners are not from that country. This will be the ninth edition of the event to be held on British soil, following those of 1960, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1982 and 1998.
Rankings
03/12/2023
The well-known US magazine Rolling Stone in 2021 has updated the list of the 500 most beautiful songs of all time.
The ranking was first published on December 11, 2003 and was compiled by a jury chosen by the editorial staff, composed of 172 musicians, music critics and experts in the recording industry. Subsequently, the ranking was changed twice: the first in 2010, the second in 2021, when 254 songs that were previously not present were added.
Obviously, there is nothing more subjective than music: these songs are considered the best according to the criteria defined by Rolling Stonemagazine, but each of us has his own personal ranking of the best songs ever. Here, however, is the Top 20 of Rolling Stone.
Rankings
01/12/2023
In 2008, 'Rolling Stone' compiled a list of the 100 best singers of all time.
This ranking was compiled 15 years ago by 180 people, including several musicians (e.g. Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Justin Timberlake, George Michael, Keith Richards), journalists and music experts.
On 1 January 2023, however, 'Rolling Stone' published an update of the ranking that revolutionised the list, especially with regard to the Top Ten. As the well-known US magazine was keen to point out, this ranking does not only take into account technical and vocal abilities (it is not a list of the best voices of all time), but also the originality of the vocal timbre, the record catalogue, the writing ability and the musical legacy of the singers in question. Here are the top 20 positions.