10 Reasons Why You Need To Stream Eurovision 2022 on Peacock

You have to go all the way back to 1997 for when Katrina and the Waves steered the United Kingdom to their last Eurovision victory. And thanks to a combination of talent show rejects, painfully mediocre songs and desperately unimaginative staging, the once-dominant country has barely troubled the left hand side of the scoreboard since. But following last year’s humiliating nul points performance, the Brits appear to have finally realized they need to make an effort. Cue Sam Ryder, an impossibly enthusiastic Jesus lookalike with a powerhouse voice and a super-soaring rock ballad to match. “Space Man” is second favorite to bring home the trophy, but anywhere inside the Top Five would still be a remarkable turnaround.

In 2016, Ukraine became the first Eastern European country to win Eurovision twice, with Jamala’s politically-charged “1944” joining Ruslana’s tribal “Wild Horses” in their hall of fame. And understandably given the current situation, the general public certainly wouldn’t begrudge them triumphing for a third time. Kalush Orchestra’s “Stefania,” a sightly chaotic but entertaining lament to motherhood which blends European hip-hop with traditional Ukrainian folk music, will no doubt pick up a notable percentage of the televote. But whether the jury, whose semi-final votes suggest a fondness for sadboy ballads, will be as willing to hand over as many 12 points remains to be seen.

You can always rely on Eurovision for the WTF! factor, and the 2022 contest is no exception. Serbia’s entry, “In corpore sano,” is an avant-garde attack on the Serbian media and healthcare system which sees super-intense singer Konstrakta reference Meghan Markle while simultaneously scrubbing her hands in a wash basin. At the opposite end of the spectrum Norway have sent Subwoolfer, a sharp-suited, wolf-masked duo whose choreographed EDM number, “Give the Wolf a Banana,” brings to mind Ylvis’ wacky viral hit “What Does the Fox Say?” Sadly, San Marino’s Achille Lauro and his ‘Marilyn Manson on a bucking bronco’ vibes were eliminated in the semis. 

One of the numerous joys of Eurovision is discovering how many familiar, or at least semi-familiar, faces have decided to embrace all the madness. Last year it was rent-a-rapper Flo Rida inexplicably turning up for San Marino, and while there’s nothing to match such brilliant randomness in the 2022 contest, there’s still a few hitmakers from days gone by. Rockers The Rasmus, who charted across Europe with “In The Shadows” in 2004, are representing Finland, while rumor has it that Ben Adams from early ‘00s boyband A1 is one half of Norway’s masked duo Subwoolfer. Regular Eurovision viewers will also recognize 2019 runner-up Mahmood once again competing for hosts Italy and Moldovan folk-punks Zdob și Zdub entering for a third time.

This year’s Eurovision final is desperately short of songs you can dance to, with Albania, Austria, Israel and most unfairly, Ireland, all going out in the semis. But there are still a handful of entries which raise the BPM level. Openers Czech Republic should ensure the party kicks off with a bang thanks to the floor-filling dance-pop of We Are Domi’s “Lights Off,” while France have surprisingly followed up last year’s nouvelle chanson near-winner with a club banger. And if you’re a fan of old-school Eurovision cheese, look no further than Romania’s WRS and his entry “Llámame,” an uber-camp, hip-swiveling piece of Eurodance which brings to mind Dan Stevens in The Story of Fire Saga.

Sure, Eurovision wouldn’t be Eurovision without at least a few madcap props, outlandish costumes and annoyingly infectious earworms. But without going all ‘real music,’ sometimes the contest’s best moments are the simplest. Take the Icelandic entry, Systur’s Með hækkandi sól,” for example, a gorgeously intimate country-folk affair performed without any bells and whistles whatsoever. Likewise the melancholic flamenco balladry of Maro’s “Saudade, saudade,” another indication that modern-day Portugal appear to be competing in an entirely different event. The general consensus is that there’s an over-reliance on ballads this year, which is true. However, there are several subtle gems hidden in among all the overblown. 

From trans performer Dana International and drag queen Conchita Wurst’s historic victories to same-sex kisses (see Finland in 2013) and dances (see Ireland in 2018), Eurovision has always been at the forefront of LGBTQ visibility. But perhaps surprisingly, Italians Mahmood and Blanco’s hotly-tipped “Brividi” is the first time that two men have openly sang a love song to each other on the contest’s stage (sample lyric: “I’d like to love you but I’m always wrong”). It’s something which the former argues “normalizes what should have always been normal,” and another example of how the contest often reflects and pushes forward social change. 

Sweden were the most successful Eurovision country of the 2010s, winning twice and achieving a further five Top 5 finishes. And despite a 14th-place blip last year, the Nordic nation look set to conquer the current decade, too. Performed by raspy-voiced former girlband member Cornelia Jakobs, “Hold Me Closer” is the kind of sweeping ‘crying at the disco’ anthem that could be mistaken for fellow Swedes Robyn and Lykke Li. It’s been a frontrunner ever since it stormed to victory at Melodifestivalen, and if the televote can get anywhere near the predicted high jury vote, next year’s contest could once again be heading to Stockholm.  

Few Eurovision acts have helped to change the perception of the contest as dramatically as Måneskin. Since romping to victory last year with the spiky glam rock of “Zitti e buoni,” the Italian four-piece have scored a U.S. Top 20 hit, performed on Saturday Night Live and even opened for The Rolling Stones! Damiano and co.’s interval performance on the PalaOlimpico stage will therefore undoubtedly be treated like a triumphant homecoming. But they’re not the only returning Italian victor. Gigliola Cinquetti, who won as a teenager way back in 1964, will also deliver a rendition of her successful entry, “Non ho l’età” while the votes get counted. 

Ever since the change in how the votes are revealed in 2016, Eurovision has produced the kind of compelling drama that most prestige TV screenwriters could only dream of. Who can forget when four countries in quick succession found out they had nul points last year? Or when jury favorite Benjamin Ingrosso’s chances of victory was wiped out immediately by his paltry televotes? For those who don’t know how it works, the televotes are revealed second and in the reverse order of the jury rankings. This means that the country initially at the top of the leaderboard has to wait until the very last moment to find out whether they’ve maintained their status or snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. 

Jon O’Brien (@jonobrien81) is a freelance entertainment and sports writer from the North West of England. His work has appeared in the likes of Vulture, Esquire, Billboard, Paste, i-D and The Guardian.