Posted 27.05.2012 10:55:32 UTC
Updated 27.05.2012 10:55:32 UTC
The 57th Eurovision Song Contest was held in Baku's Eurovision Arena's "Crystal Hall".
The "Crystal Hall" on the shores of the Caspian Sea was especially built for the event and all of its 23,000 seats were extravagantly illuminated during the song contest.
The 28-year-old Swedish pop singer won with the song "Euphoria" in
the annual competition of 42 countries, delighting viewers and the contest's professional judges and dancing barefoot as she sang.
After the show, traditionally heavy on kitsch, bizarre costumes and dramatic presentation but low on politics, Loreen steered clear of any controversial statements.
"This is about all of us! Thank you so very much!" she told a news conference. "Time has stopped," Loreen said about her feelings after she was announced as winner.
Russia's entry, rural folk group Buranovskiye Babushki (Grannies from Buranovo), dressed in traditional peasant dress and somewhat incongruous in the dancing spotlights, came in second.
Serbia's Zeljko Joksimovic was third.
Turkey's representative at the song contest, Can Bonomo completed the race as the 7th.
After the result was announced, hundreds of people poured onto a roundabout in central Stockholm, dancing in a fountain, honking horns and waving flags and playing the winning song.
Sweden's entry last won the Eurovision competition in 1999.
As winner, Sweden will host the next Eurovision contest.