Eurovision Top 100, #8: Euphoria (Sweden, 2012)

Number 8 on our Eurovision Top 100 countdown is a more recent winning song, but a highly respected one: “Euphoria” by Loreen.

This Swedish singer is one of only two people to win the Eurovision Song Contest twice.  The first person to do it, Ireland’s Johnny Logan, did so seven years apart with “What’s Another Year” (1980) and “Hold Me Now” (1987).  In Loreen’s case, her two wins were 11 years apart, with this song occurring in 2012 while her other winner, “Tattoo,” was from 2023.

With Logan, we would say that both efforts were good, but his second was the better song.  It’s the opposite with Loreen, in that we slotted her first winner in the top ten.

Vital Information: “Euphoria”

What I Liked

Back in 2012, before Loreen’s coronation as the reigning queen, she was a singer from Sweden with a big dream of bringing a modern dance song that had a chance to win. That dance energy permeated through all the energy of her performance. When a song makes you feel, that’s how you know it has achieved greatness.

There had never been anything like it at Eurovision, and if there had been, it had never been done this well.  Everything about the visuals of the performance was far exceeding of expectations, and I would not be surprised to learn that many people still listen to this song today.  It was a banger and that’s how good it was.

Other Facts

• One of the songwriters, Thomas G:son (or Gustafsson, as it is in realty), has extensive songwriting credits across the Eurovision Song Contest over the years.  Not only did he write this song as well as Loreen’s 2023 winner, he also wrote Spain’s entry from 2012.
• This was Sweden’s fifth win at Eurovision, and their first since 1999.  They would only have to wait another three years to win again.
• Loreen performed 17th in the running order in 2012.

Feel the “Euphoria”

Watching the video on YouTube will help.