Once Bitten, Twice Shy: The Eurovision Curse

The Eurovision Song Contest, an annual international music competition that has been entertaining audiences since 1956, brings together performers from across Europe and beyond. Over the years, the contest has produced memorable moments, unforgettable performances and careers that reached far beyond the Eurovision stage. However, a trend has emerged among Eurovision winners who choose to return to the competition: their second attempts often fail to match the success of their initial victory.

With 2012 winner Loreen returning to the Eurovision stage to represent Sweden in Liverpool, we looked back at those who didn’t quite recapture glory – and the one performer who, at the time, had done it twice. With the benefit of hindsight, Loreen belongs in that category too: she went on to win Eurovision 2023 with “Tattoo”, becoming only the second performer to win the contest twice. So much for the curse.

The exception that proves the Eurovision rule

One of the most famous Eurovision winners, Johnny Logan, won the contest as Ireland’s performer in 1980 with “What’s Another Year” and again in 1987 with “Hold Me Now.” His third association with a winning entry came in 1992, when he wrote “Why Me?” for fellow Irish singer Linda Martin.

So Logan is the only person to have been involved in three winning Eurovision entries, but only two of those victories came as a performer. Until Loreen’s 2023 victory, he was also the only performer to have won the contest twice. The distinction may sound fussy, but Eurovision statistics are not the place to be casually vague.

Viva la diva

Dana International, the trailblazing Israeli singer who made history in 1998 as Eurovision’s first transgender and openly LGBTQ winner, is one of the clearest examples of a returning champion facing the so-called curse. Her winning song “Diva” became an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community and made her an international star.

When Dana International returned to the contest in 2011 with “Ding Dong,” however, she failed to qualify from the first semi-final. A Eurovision winner can come back with all the history in the world and still discover that the voting public has other plans.

I’m gonna love you either way

Germany’s Lena Meyer-Landrut won the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest with her catchy pop tune “Satellite.” The following year, Germany deliberately attempted to defend its title with Lena again performing for the country. Her return entry, “Taken by a Stranger,” made the final but finished tenth in Düsseldorf.

That was a respectable result, certainly, but it was not quite the repeat triumph that Germany might have dreamt about.

Hold on to a dream

Sweden’s Charlotte Perrelli, who won the contest in 1999 as Charlotte Nilsson with “Take Me to Your Heaven,” faced the curse when she returned in 2008. Her second entry, “Hero,” had already won Melodifestivalen, Sweden’s national selection, but ultimately placed 18th in the Eurovision final in Belgrade.

From victory to 18th place is the sort of journey that keeps the Eurovision curse industry supplied with material.

I’ve never been this close

Niamh Kavanagh belted out a big old Eurovision ballad, “In Your Eyes,” and won for Ireland in 1993. Her victory was the second of Ireland’s three consecutive wins from 1992 to 1994.

When Kavanagh returned in 2010 with “It’s For You,” she qualified ninth from the second semi-final but finished 23rd in the final. That was a far cry from her previous triumph, though at least she made it through the semi-final hurdle.

A-ba-ni-bi o-bo-he-bev

Izhar Cohen made history in 1978 when “A-Ba-Ni-Bi,” performed alongside Alphabeta, brought Israel its first Eurovision victory. Cohen returned to the contest in 1985 as a solo performer with “Olé, Olé.”

It could not match his earlier victory, but fifth place was hardly a disaster. The curse, if it exists, was clearly operating on a sliding scale.

And it’s gonna last forever

Carola Häggkvist won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden in 1991 with the powerful ballad “Fångad av en stormvind.” Her 2006 return entry, “Invincible,” was the English-language Eurovision version of “Evighet,” which had won Melodifestivalen.

Carola finished fifth in Athens. It was her third Eurovision appearance overall, following her third-place finish in 1983, so this was not quite a simple matter of winning, disappearing and trying again. Still, her second win remained out of reach.

Non ho l’età per amarti

Gigliola Cinquetti won the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest with her emotive ballad “Non ho l’età (per amarti).” She returned to represent Italy in 1974 with “Sì” and finished second.

That is not a second victory, obviously, but it is an important complication to the curse theory. Cinquetti’s return remained highly successful, as did the later top-five finishes of Izhar Cohen and Carola Häggkvist. Dana International failed to qualify, Charlotte Perrelli and Niamh Kavanagh finished well down the final, and Lena came tenth. The pattern is entertaining, but it is not a rule.

And then came Loreen. After returning for Sweden in 2023, she won with “Tattoo” and became only the second performer to win Eurovision twice. The curse has, finally, met its match.