Eurovision contestants came together to perform their songs in London before the big day in Malmö on 11 May.
The London Eurovision Party is an annual event which was held this year near Tottenham Court Road, offering audiences a preview of contestants’ songs and providing acts with an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience.
It is also one of the rare opportunities Eurovision fans get to see the majority of the contestants before the contest, with semi-finals starting on 7 May.
For this year’s hosts Sweden, Eurovision is a serious undertaking.
Melodifestivalen, which translates as ‘The Melody Festival’, is a six-week long competition for the country to find its next Eurovision song.
This year, identical twin brothers Marcus & Martinus claimed victory with their song Unforgettable.
Marcus said: “I remember when we won, our dad ran into the green room in the middle of the Melodifestivalen and started crying and then we also started crying but it was so much fun.
“It was a lot of feelings and emotions at that time.
“We were working so hard for this so we were just so so happy.”
Martinus added: “It is something that we are going to remember for the rest of our lives.”
The duo, who hail from Norway, admitted that while they initially dreamed of becoming footballers, they never imagined competing in Eurovision.
Marcus said: “We were watching Eurovision for a long time but it was mostly something you just looked at the screen and thought ‘this looks so fun, but of course this is something we are never going to do’.
“We thought we would never be capable of doing something like this, but here we are.”
Despite their musical pursuits, the 22-year-olds still indulge in their love of football, playing in the third division in Norway.
Moldova’s contestant, Natalia Barbu sings In The Middle, which conveys a powerful message of hope and celebrates the beauty within everyone.
Barbu said: “It’s a reminder of why we came here—to live these beautiful lives in love, connection, and unity, finding balance.”
She recalled how she had a very positive reaction which she did not expect and that the best moments are when audiences clap along to the part of the song she called a ‘mantra.’
A mantra in this context is a repetitive phrase or melody, like the one heard at the start of Queen’s We Will Rock You.
Barbu added: “I feel amazing, I feel blessed because as an artist, to reconnect people with audiences around Europe, it’s like a fresh start, a new reward for me. It’s beautiful.”
Latvia’s contestant, Dons, described his Eurovision journey so far as nothing but welcoming and heart-warming, highlighting the overwhelming support from his fans.
Dons said: “They wish me well and the hugs, letters, and DMs that come in on a daily basis are incredible, and it’s not just from Latvia and Europe—it’s from all around the world.
“I would say that this isn’t just Eurovision; it’s Worldvision. We have to cherish this.”
With the London Eurovision Party concluded, the countdown to Malmö is now firmly in both the fans and artists’ minds.
Featured image credit: Eurovision.tv
