Portugal won its first-ever Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night, winning the highest number of points from both the professional juries and then the general public voting from all over Europe. Norway, meanwhile, ended up 10th.
Salvador Sobral, who’s been ill with heart disease, won with a romantic ballad called Amar Pelos Dois written by his sister Louisa. “Music is not fireworks,” Sobral said after winning, in protest against the pyrotechnics and exaggerated stage shows that have characterized Eurovision for years.
Bulgaria’s 17-year-old Kristian Kostov placed second, also with a ballad, albeit more techno-oriented. He’d been heavily favoured to win and Norway gave Bulgaria its highest professional score of 12 points, while other favourites like Sweden and Italy fell by the wayside.
Norway won a few high scores, includng 12 points from Germany and 10 from both Lithuania and Estonia. JOWST’s pop number Grab the moment otherwise didn’t grab the public.
newsinenglish.no staff
