The American Guide to Eurovision

It's a competition that has captivated millions of viewers across Europe each year for decades, yet the Eurovision Song Contest is more likely to leave the average American scratching their head rather than cheering along.

Fifty years after Eurovision introduced the world to ABBA through their enduring classic "Waterloo" (a winner for Sweden in 1974), the music competition's 2024 final will air on Saturday, May 11, from Malmö in the beloved group's Sweden.

The final—which is famous for its camp pageantry, with performances ranging from the rousing to the unexplainable—will see 26 countries battle it out to be crowned as having the best song on the continent. This number is whittled down from the 37 entrants who vied to outshine each other in the lead-up to the final.

Large numbers of viewers from across the region are expected to tune in. The 2023 contest had 162 million TV viewers in 39 markets and a further 75 million on YouTube alone. The 37 songs of the 2023 competition had a combined total of 808 million streams and it generated $853 million (€795 million) in ad-value, according to the European Broadcast Union's (EBU) audience report.

Despite the name and geographical focus, participating countries have included Australia and Israel, whose presence this year has sparked controversy amid the country's ongoing war with Hamas.

However, Eurovision has largely failed to catch on in the U.S., where even soccer has developed a stronger footing. Many Americans have likely developed a working knowledge of the competition from Will Ferrell's 2020 comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

Broadcaster and Eurovision expert William Lee Adams, who aided Ferrell in research for—and made a cameo in—the movie, has broken down the importance of the song contest for his fellow Americans.

"Eurovision is less of a song contest for me and more of a sporting event," Adams, who hails from small-town Georgia and has been based in London for several years, told Newsweek from Malmö. "I compare it to March Madness and college basketball, because passions run so high. But instead of hurling a ball, people are presenting original three-minute songs. A lot of countries treat it like a blood sport.

"This is one of the rare opportunities for a small country like Malta or Iceland to share the stage with countries like the United Kingdom and Spain and beat them. It's a musical David and Goliath competition, where staging, song and lyrics come together in sort of the World Cup of music."

BBC World Service senior journalist Adams, author of Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision, has admitted that he was initially "incredibly skeptical" when he was encouraged to tune into the competition for the first time.

"This combines figure skating, the Miss Universe pageant, and the Super Bowl halftime show. You're absolutely going to love it," Adams recounted his boyfriend telling him at the time. "And he was right. This was high-stakes camp. I watched that first year in 2007, a Serbian singer of Romani descent, [who defeated] a Ukrainian drag queen wrapped in tin foil. You couldn't make it up! It was just so inspiring to see all these characters on one stage."

What Is the Eurovision Song Contest?

Based on the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, the inaugural Eurovision competition took place in 1956. It sees EBU members submit a song from their respective countries to compete. Other than the returning winner, which hosts Eurovision the year after its victory, each song competes in one of two semi-finals, with the top 10 in each semi going through to the grand final.

The "Big Five" countries—Spain, U.K. France, Italy and Germany—also automatically qualify for the final because they are the biggest financial contributors to the EBU.

Singers do not have to hail from a particular country to represent it at Eurovision. Past participants have included Canadian superstar Céline Dion, who won for Switzerland in 1988, and American rapper Flo Rida, who joined Italian singer Senhit to represent San Marino in the competition in 2021.

The decision regarding those who advance from the televised semi-finals to the grand finale sits in the hands of viewers, though they are not allowed for vote for their own country. They are offered the opportunity cast their votes via text message, on the telephone, or through the official Eurovision app.

This year, Swedish-born, Canadian-raised screen star Malin Akerman will serve as one of the final's presenters in the Nordic country, alongside local TV personality Petra Mede.

With Eurovision showcasing so many nations, inclusivity is a natural and major component in the competition's identity.

"Eurovision has always been a safe haven for people who are misunderstood at home, whether that's people from the LGBT community, singers of Romani descent, or people who are part of ethnic minority communities in their country," Adams told Newsweek. "At Eurovision, there's this cliché—we're united by music. But the fact is, music is a universal language. And it's a way for these people to show that they too are citizens of their country and part of a broader community."

Who Will Win This Year's Eurovision?

Adams, who is the founder and editor of award-winning Eurovision website wiwibloggs, told Newsweek that this year's crop of contestants will prove memorable for audiences because they're "thinking outside of the box. They're pouring gasoline on the box and lighting a match."

"There's this trend to avoid typical song structure, to think against the grain. You've got Ireland [contestant Bambie Thug], she describes herself as a nonbinary witch. And on stage, they cast a hex on their ex, who happens to be a warlock. It's a three-minute horror flick. It feels like a cinematic masterpiece. You just want to keep watching until the end," he said.

Another one to watch, Adams said, is Croatia. "The singer, Baby Lasagna, is serving the most delicious carbs. He comes from a small village. And many of his friends have left Croatia in search of better opportunities abroad.

"So the song is all about the pain of being left behind, and then making the decision to go abroad himself. And as he does that, he says goodbye to the cat. He says, 'Please yell back,' but the cat doesn't care. And it's just another bit of heartache in the story of people who have to emigrate to pursue their dreams."

"Another act I really love is Norway, the band is Gåte," Adams continued. "They're a folk metal band, and their song is inspired by an ancient technique of goat herding. So the lead singer, when she hits the chorus, she belts out this herding call.

"She told me it's like giving birth. She's literally leaving it all out there—her spirit, her energy and voice. When she gives birth, you give birth with her."

Of the batch, Adams is hedging his bets on clear victor. "Croatia will be the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024," he declared without missing a beat. "I think this song is chaotic and messy, and that's why it's gonna win.

"There's so many polished songs at the top that have been produced with a fine-tooth comb, but Croatia is bringing something real. This man was singing in his garage, and it's like he just opened the door and we can all watch him do his thing. Plus, he's dancing with neon cats. And let me tell you—cats always win!"

How to Watch Eurovision

While the U.S. has never been a participant in Eurovision, Americans who are established fans or curious newcomers can still tune in from the comfort of their homes.

The grand finale will be broadcast live in the U.S. exclusively on Peacock. With the two semi-finals already having been aired this week by the NBCUniversal entity, the last hurdle in this year's contest will stream from 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 11.

Still unsure about taking the plunge? Adams has assured his fellow Americans that an inaugural Eurovision viewing will open their eyes to a whole new world.

"An American tuning in is going to see that the term 'European' is way too broad to mean anything," he said. "The fact is, Eurovision is a [mix] of music, of culture, and different notions of good taste.

"You'll hear a beautiful ballad, and then you'll hear a horrific rap song...This is what Europe is—it's a melting pot, in the most extreme way. And that's what Eurovision gives you. It gives you every flavor, good and bad, salty and spicy. But at the end of the night, you're going to want to eat."