Who will win the ESC 2023? An expert for the Eurovision Song Contest expects a duel - and predicts where Germany ranks.
Liverpool/Vienna – The music event of the year is approaching: The Eurovision Song Contest 13 will take place in Liverpool on 2023 May. Last year, 161 million people watched on TV screens. This year, too, fans around the globe will be cheering along. Who will succeed Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra? How does the German contribution of Hamburg's Lord of the Lost fare?
In Austria, too, the contributions are already running up and down. There sits Mario Hanousek, who blogs about the ESC on marioliebtesc.com and on Instagram and Twitter, and last year for IPPEN. MEDIA in Turin. About two weeks before the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, our editorial team asked him: Who will win?
Lord Of The Lost will compete for Germany. © Marc John/Imago
ESC 2023: Favourites come from Sweden and Finland
His expectations coincide with the betting odds, where the contributions from Sweden and Finland are at the forefront. "The ESC 2023 boils down to a duel," says ESC expert Hanousek. "This year, it will probably be decided between Sweden and Finland who wins the Song Contest. Sweden is starting with Loreen, with a mystical, emotional electropop number ('Tattoo') the Swede wants to win the ESC for the second time (in 2012 she already emerged as the winner of the competition with the song 'Euphoria')."
ESC 2023: Loreen wants to win for Sweden for the second time
But not everything is going smoothly for the Swede either, as Hanousek has noticed: "The stage performance was perfectly staged in the Swedish preliminary round, but in Liverpool her performance is likely to be different, as the hall on site cannot support its almost two-ton LED surface. The new staging could be the biggest hurdle on the way to a double victory for the Swede."
Loreen wants to win the ESC for Sweden for a second time. © Christine Olsson/TT/Imago
Loreen's toughest competition comes from Finland - that's what the bookmakers say and that's what Hanousek says too: "Besides, Finland can also be dangerous to her with its 'Cha Cha Cha'! What sounds like boring Latin American dance is a wild mixture of metal, rap and pop and invites you to roar and sing along. In addition, singer Käärijä brings the perfect mixture of quirky and freaky that is needed for the really good ESC performances."
ESC 2023: Expert sees black for Germany and Lord of the Lost
And what about Lord Of The Lost? Will there be another German fiasco like last year? Exciting: Since Hanousek is Austrian, no "German glasses" are to be expected in his assessment. And the ESC expert sees rather black. "Finland is probably also Germany's biggest problem this year: The focus for the best metal song is on the Northern Lights, there is no longer much room for Germany's 'Blood & Glitter' by the band Lord of the Lost." By the way, their frontman used an upgrade on the plane for an extended nap.
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Hanousek even dares to predict where Germany will fit in: "Even if it has to be said that Germany is daring to do much more than usual this year, it will probably only be enough for a place in the (lower) midfield – the attention belongs to other countries this year." At least the German contribution can be sure of a bit of royal support, says Hanousek. "Maybe King Charles III is keeping his fingers crossed for Germany, after all, he got to know the band personally during his visit to the Federal Republic of Germany a few weeks ago." But now Charles and Camilla have promptly made an ESC breakdown. (lin)