On Saturday 12 May, delegations from across Europe will arrive in the Portguese capital city of Lisbon for a night of glam and glitter at the 63rd Eurovision Song Contest.
The 26 countries who make it through the 8 May and 10 May semi-finals (or, like big backer the UK, get a free pass to the final) will battle it out on stage to take the title from last year’s winner, Salvador Sobral.
So what of atmosphere can we expect? Unlike the geopolitical tensions which have bubbled on the surface of some recent editions of the contest, the political undertones in Lisbon should be easier to swallow.
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Malta has chosen an anti-bullying anthem as its entry, France’s song offers a hopeful take on the refugee crisis and the Irish act features a same-sex romance.
Check out the gallery to see the most recent winners of Europe’s biggest (and strangest) music competition.
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