Helena "My Number One" (2005 Eurovision Winner)
May 21, 2005 23:53:23 GMT -5
Post by galvanize on May 21, 2005 23:53:23 GMT -5
KIEV (AFP) - Greece has won the 50th Eurovision song contest in Kiev as singer Helena Paparizou thrashed the competition, triumphing over contestants from 23 other countries with her song "My Number One."
The news was greeted with scenes of joys in Athens, where hundreds of people celebrated on the streets of the Greek capital.
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko, who attended the songfest with his family, handed Paparizou the Eurovision award.
Clad in a short golden dress, Paparizou, who was born and raised in Sweden, gave an energetic performance which included elements of a traditional Greek national dance.
Paparizou, who was elected by television viewers from 39 countries, won with 230 points, 38 points ahead of Malta's Chiara, who placed second with the song "Angel."
Romania's Luminita Anghel and Sistem placed third with "Let me try."
Last year's winner, Ukraine's Ruslana, opened the competition with a performance of one of her songs, "Fire".
Yushchenko handed Paparizou a golden trophy inspired by jewels crafted by the Scythians, an ancient people that once inhabited the territory of present-day Ukraine.
"This is a Ukrainian prize for best European song, for Europe's best singer (handed) in the name of a united Europe," Yushchenko said after giving Paparizou a peck on the cheek.
In Athens, Paparizou fans, who had watched the contest on a giant screen late Saturday in front of the Zappeion palace, went wild when the Greek victory was announced.
Brandishing Greek flags, they danced and embraced to the beat of "My Number One," written by Christos Dantis.
"Many congratulations to Helena," said Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis, who was on the scene. "It's a unique moment that we deserve ... Athens is ready to welcome Eurovision in 2006."
Ukraine's candidate, the Greenjolly group, placed only 20th.
Its selection to represent the former Soviet republic had sparked controversy, as had its choice of song, "Razom Nas Bahato" (Together We Are Many), the hymn sung by demonstrators against former president Leonid Kuchma's regime in Kiev's Independence Square during last year's "Orange revolution."
Greenjolly was largely unknown before the revolution and its last minute choice unleashed an avalanche of criticism of the new government which was accused of manipulating the vote that picked the group.
To deflect criticism, Greenjolly was obliged to modify the lyrics of the song, removing mention of the current president's name.
Ukraine's authorities saw the Eurovision contest as a way to showcase the country as 100 percent European, while Yushchenko has made no secret of his hope to see Kiev eventually join the European Union.
"Ukraine has always been a harmonious component of the (European) space," the Ukrainian leader said a few days before the songfest began.
"It has been made up not only by politicians, but also by peoples, their common values, their history and their culture. These days in Kiev, you will be able to feel this once more," Yushchenko said.
The contest was held under tight security, as some 4,000 police stood by to make sure the 50th edition of the annual kitsch-fest did not get out of hand.
Before entering Kiev's Sports Palace, an arena capable of holding an audience of up to 8,000, spectators had to submit to strict security checks and file under a metal detector.
The Eurovision contest, first held in 1956, is often associated with music of questionable merit, bizarre costumes and marked political bias in the voting. Yet all these elements have contributed to its enduring popularity.
Eurovision was a launchpad for the careers of such internationally famous performers as Swedish disco group Abba in the 1970s, or, later, French Canadian singer Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland, where she was living at the time.
-Having first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, Greece now holds the record for longest time between first entry and first win--31 years. Congratulations Helena Paparizou!
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Congrats Helena for helping Greece win Eurovision for the first time! Here were the results:
FINAL RESULTS
1 . Greece 230
2 . Malta 192
3 . Romania 158
4 . Israel 154
5 . Latvia 153
6 . Moldova 148
7 . Serbia & Montenegro 137
8 . Switzerland 128
9 . Norway 125
10 . Denmark 125
11 . Croatia 115
12 . Hungary 97
13 . Turkey 92
14 . Bosnia & Herzegovina 79
15 . Russia 57
16 . Albania 53
17 . FYROM 52
18 . Cyprus 46
19 . Sweden 30
20 . Ukraine 30
21 . Spain 28
22 . United Kingdom 18
23 . France 11
24 . Germany 4
MP3 of "You're My Number One": s12.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0GKDAWVGF5COR25SJ40XKD6A0J
Disco Dude would love this.
The news was greeted with scenes of joys in Athens, where hundreds of people celebrated on the streets of the Greek capital.
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko, who attended the songfest with his family, handed Paparizou the Eurovision award.
Clad in a short golden dress, Paparizou, who was born and raised in Sweden, gave an energetic performance which included elements of a traditional Greek national dance.
Paparizou, who was elected by television viewers from 39 countries, won with 230 points, 38 points ahead of Malta's Chiara, who placed second with the song "Angel."
Romania's Luminita Anghel and Sistem placed third with "Let me try."
Last year's winner, Ukraine's Ruslana, opened the competition with a performance of one of her songs, "Fire".
Yushchenko handed Paparizou a golden trophy inspired by jewels crafted by the Scythians, an ancient people that once inhabited the territory of present-day Ukraine.
"This is a Ukrainian prize for best European song, for Europe's best singer (handed) in the name of a united Europe," Yushchenko said after giving Paparizou a peck on the cheek.
In Athens, Paparizou fans, who had watched the contest on a giant screen late Saturday in front of the Zappeion palace, went wild when the Greek victory was announced.
Brandishing Greek flags, they danced and embraced to the beat of "My Number One," written by Christos Dantis.
"Many congratulations to Helena," said Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis, who was on the scene. "It's a unique moment that we deserve ... Athens is ready to welcome Eurovision in 2006."
Ukraine's candidate, the Greenjolly group, placed only 20th.
Its selection to represent the former Soviet republic had sparked controversy, as had its choice of song, "Razom Nas Bahato" (Together We Are Many), the hymn sung by demonstrators against former president Leonid Kuchma's regime in Kiev's Independence Square during last year's "Orange revolution."
Greenjolly was largely unknown before the revolution and its last minute choice unleashed an avalanche of criticism of the new government which was accused of manipulating the vote that picked the group.
To deflect criticism, Greenjolly was obliged to modify the lyrics of the song, removing mention of the current president's name.
Ukraine's authorities saw the Eurovision contest as a way to showcase the country as 100 percent European, while Yushchenko has made no secret of his hope to see Kiev eventually join the European Union.
"Ukraine has always been a harmonious component of the (European) space," the Ukrainian leader said a few days before the songfest began.
"It has been made up not only by politicians, but also by peoples, their common values, their history and their culture. These days in Kiev, you will be able to feel this once more," Yushchenko said.
The contest was held under tight security, as some 4,000 police stood by to make sure the 50th edition of the annual kitsch-fest did not get out of hand.
Before entering Kiev's Sports Palace, an arena capable of holding an audience of up to 8,000, spectators had to submit to strict security checks and file under a metal detector.
The Eurovision contest, first held in 1956, is often associated with music of questionable merit, bizarre costumes and marked political bias in the voting. Yet all these elements have contributed to its enduring popularity.
Eurovision was a launchpad for the careers of such internationally famous performers as Swedish disco group Abba in the 1970s, or, later, French Canadian singer Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland, where she was living at the time.
-Having first entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, Greece now holds the record for longest time between first entry and first win--31 years. Congratulations Helena Paparizou!
------
Congrats Helena for helping Greece win Eurovision for the first time! Here were the results:
FINAL RESULTS
1 . Greece 230
2 . Malta 192
3 . Romania 158
4 . Israel 154
5 . Latvia 153
6 . Moldova 148
7 . Serbia & Montenegro 137
8 . Switzerland 128
9 . Norway 125
10 . Denmark 125
11 . Croatia 115
12 . Hungary 97
13 . Turkey 92
14 . Bosnia & Herzegovina 79
15 . Russia 57
16 . Albania 53
17 . FYROM 52
18 . Cyprus 46
19 . Sweden 30
20 . Ukraine 30
21 . Spain 28
22 . United Kingdom 18
23 . France 11
24 . Germany 4
MP3 of "You're My Number One": s12.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0GKDAWVGF5COR25SJ40XKD6A0J
Disco Dude would love this.
Nu Helena!
:) Thanks for thinking of me! I do love this! This is a fun little song.