LONDON (AP) 鈥 It鈥檚 springtime in Europe 鈥 time for the annual blossoming of spectacle and sound known as the Eurovision Song Contest.
Taking place in May in Malm枚, Sweden, the 68th annual competition will see acts from 37 countries vie for the continent鈥檚 pop crown in a feelgood extravaganza that strives 鈥 not always successfully 鈥 to banish . And you don鈥檛 have to be in Europe to watch, or to help pick the winner.
Here鈥檚 a guide to all things Eurovision.
WHAT IS EUROVISION?
On one level, it鈥檚 simple: Eurovision is an international pop music competition in which acts from countries across Europe, and a few beyond it, compete in a live televised contest to be crowned Eurovision champion.
But it鈥檚 also much more -- a celebration of diversity, national pride and the joyous power of pop. And glitter. So much glitter.
Launched in 1956 to foster unity after World War II, Eurovision has become a campy, feel-good celebration of pop music with an audience of hundreds of millions around the world. It has grown from seven countries to almost 40, including non-European nations such as Israel and Australia.
It鈥檚 now known for songs that range from anthemic to extremely silly, often with elaborate costumes and spectacular staging.
Paul Jordan, an expert on the contest who is known as 鈥淒r. Eurovision,鈥 said the contest 鈥渋s almost indescribable in terms of its scale, in terms of its craziness 鈥 but I would liken it to probably the musical version of the Olympic Games.鈥
WHEN AND WHERE IS EUROVISION HAPPENING?
This year鈥檚 contest will be held in Malm枚 in southern Sweden, with two semifinals on May 7 and 9 followed by a grand final on May 11. Traditionally the competition is hosted by the previous year鈥檚 winner, and with 鈥淭attoo,鈥 a power ballad by pop diva Loreen.
The Nordic nation is a Eurovision powerhouse that has won the contest seven times, a number equaled only by Ireland.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of a Eurovision鈥檚 most iconic moment, in the 1974 contest with 鈥淲aterloo.鈥 The win propelled the band toward superstardom and helped jump-start Sweden鈥檚 music industry.
Fans are hoping for an appearance by the Swedish supergroup in Malm枚, though the band members have played down those suggestions.
ARE THERE POLITICAL CONTROVERSIES AMID THE POP?
Eurovision鈥檚 motto is 鈥渦nited by music鈥 and organizer the European Broadcasting Union strives to keep political divisions out of the competition, though it doesn鈥檛 always succeed.
Russia has been banned since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. was held in the English city of Liverpool because the 2022 winner, Ukraine, was at war.
This year, pro-Palestinian activists and some musicians have urged organizers to drop Israel from the event over its conduct in its war against Hamas, which has killed more than 33,000 people in Gaza, according to its Health Ministry.
Israel has not been suspended, but it was ordered to change the lyrics of its competing song, originally titled 鈥淥ctober Rain,鈥 an apparent reference to Hamas鈥 cross-border Oct. 7 attack that killed some 1,200 Israelis. Renamed 鈥淗urricane,鈥 the power ballad will be performed by 20-year-old singer Eden Golan.
With feelings running high, organizers issued a statement saying they 鈥渇irmly oppose any form of online abuse, hate speech, or harassment directed at our artists or any individuals associated with the contest.鈥
Jordan said Eurovision organizers have sometimes been accused of inconsistency in setting the contest鈥檚 boundaries.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e not allowed political entries 鈥nd yet Finland 2013 has a song about equal marriage,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou had other songs about world peace -- technically they鈥檙e political too. So what is the division between politics and non-politics is quite a blurred line.鈥
Pro-Palestinian groups plan demonstrations in downtown Malmo during Eurovision week that they hope will draw thousands of protesters from Sweden and neighboring countries.
Malm枚 district police chief Petra Stenkula said security would be 鈥渞igorous,鈥 with Swedish police reinforced by officers from Denmark and Norway.
WHO AND HOW TO WATCH EUROVISION
Eurovision鈥檚 complex voting system, which awards points from juries of music industry professionals as well as viewers across Europe, makes winners notoriously hard to predict.
Jordan said there used to be a 鈥渢ypical鈥 Eurovision sound -鈥 a three-minute pop song in English with a key change 鈥 but the contest is now much more diverse. Many acts perform in their national languages and some draw on folk traditions and instruments, though slick production and electro beats still predominate.
Winners have ranged from 春色直播 chanteuse Celine Dion, who competed for Switzerland in 1988, to fright mask-wearing Finnish metalheads Lordi in 2006, bearded Austrian drag performer Conchita Wurst in 2014, Italian rock band M氓neskin in 2021 and Ukrainian folk-rap group in 2022.
Bookmakers鈥 favorites this year include nonbinary Swiss singer Nemo鈥檚 powerhouse song 鈥淭he Code鈥 and Croatian singer-songwriter Baby Lasagna鈥檚 earwormy electro number 鈥淩im Tim Tagi Dim.鈥
Other entries to watch include the Netherlands鈥 Joost Klein with pop-rap song 鈥淓uropapa,鈥 鈥淟a Noia鈥 by Italian TikTok star Angelina Mango and 鈥淭eresa & Maria鈥 by the Ukrainian duo of rapper alyona alyona and vlogger Jerry Heil.
Spain鈥檚 entry, 鈥 by the duo Nebulossa, has drawn controversy because its title can be translated as an anti-female slur.
The U.K., which has not won since 1997, is pinning its hopes on Olly Alexander鈥檚 vertiginous pop song 鈥淒izzy.鈥 Host country Sweden is represented by identical twins Marcus & Martinus -鈥 who, confusingly enough, hail from Norway -- with the confidently titled 鈥淯nforgettable.鈥 Eurovision voters will be the judge of that.
The competition will be aired by national broadcasters in participating nations, on streaming service Peacock in the United States and on the Eurovision YouTube channel. Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote online or using the Eurovision app; viewers in participating countries can also vote by phone or text message.
