Ukraine wins Eurovision 2022 in Italy
Italy in sixth place with Brividi by Mahmood & Blanco.
Ukraine won the 2022 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, held on Saturday night in the north Italian city of Turin, with Stefania by Kalush Orchestra.The Ukrainian folk-rap group, the odds-on favourite to win the 66th Eurovision, took the title with 631 points, surging to the top thanks to 439 votes from the public.
Kalush Orchestra came 165 points ahead of Sam Ryder who took second place for the UK with Space Man, while Chanel Terrero came third for Spain with SloMo.
News of the victory was welcomed by Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who wrote on social media: “I am sure that our victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is approaching. Slava Ukraini!"
The triumph by Kalush Orchestra - whose performance in Turin ended with the plea: "Please help Ukraine, help Mariupol, help Azovstal right now" - means that Ukraine will host the Eurovision next year.
The six men in Kalush Orchestra received special permission to leave wartorn Ukraine which now has three Eurovision titles under its belt since debuting in the long-running song contest in 2003.
Zelenskiy, who ahead of the final urged the public to vote for Ukraine, said the host city for Eurovision 2023 should be in a "free, peaceful and rebuilt" Mariupol.
Congratulating Kalush Orchestra and Ukraine, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter: "Tonight your song won our heart. We are celebrating your victory all over the world. The EU is with you."
Italy's entry, Brividi by Mahmood & Blanco, came sixth in this year's final which was watched by 200 million viewers and was presented by Mika, Laura Pausini and Alessandro Chattelan.
A highlight of the evening was a performance by Rome band Måneskin, winners of last year's title in Rotterdam with Zitti e Buoni.
Also taking to the stage in the Palasport Olimpico was Gigliola Cinquetti who won the Eurovision for Italy 58 years ago with the song Non ho l'età in Copenhagen in 1964.
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Ukraine wins Eurovision 2022 in Italy
PalaOlimpico, 10134 Torino TO, Italy