Sweden's Loreen won the 57th Eurovision Song Contest in Baku with 'Euphoria', amid political controversy over Azerbaijan's human rights record.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 57th Eurovision Song Contest
- Participating countries
- 42 countries
- Winner
- Sweden – 'Euphoria' by Loreen
- Winning score
- 372 out of 492 points
- Venue
- Baku Crystal Hall
- Final date
- 26 May 2012
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Azerbaijan's Ell and Nikki won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Running Scared', obligating the country to host the 2012 edition. It was Azerbaijan's first time hosting the contest, just four years after their debut. Controversy arose before the event over the host country's human rights record and alleged forced evictions linked to construction of the venue.
The 57th Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan, across two semi-finals on 22 and 24 May and a grand final on 26 May 2012. Forty-two countries competed. Sweden's Loreen performed 'Euphoria', winning both the jury vote and televote with 372 points, while Albania achieved their best-ever result finishing fifth.
Sweden claimed their fifth Eurovision victory, and 'Euphoria' became a major pan-European commercial hit. The contest drew sustained international attention to Azerbaijan's political situation, including its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, which had caused Armenia to withdraw from the competition. Human rights organisations used the event's profile to highlight concerns about the Azerbaijani government.
Work
Eurovision Song Contest 2012
'Euphoria' won by record margins in both jury and televote, becoming a major European hit and one of the most successful Eurovision entries, boosting Loreen's international profile.