Loreen of Sweden is the 15th previous Eurovision song contest winner who has decided and/or managed give it another try. Only Ireland's Johnny Logan has managed to win twice, as we all know. One can't really do a ranking however as the contest had changed so much from the 1950's with maybe a dozen songs to the approx 40 we have these days. In coming days I will feature the winners who decided to come back after winning the contest as there also many winners who have won with their second or third try.
Rarely you see such "a star is born" moment and mass hysteria that followed like when only 16 year old Carola (56) won Melodifestivalen 1983 and went to Eurovision for the first time placing third. I was there, in Sweden that night at my aunt's and remember it well. I also went to see her on her summer tour in Sweden that year and it was something else. But in a decade things went sour and she went from everyone's darling to a religious freak that needed to be kept out of sight and silenced, so much that when she re-entered Mello in 1990 for a comeback after a few years silence the power went off in Stockholm area, and not only, during her performance and people watching home were left with a black screen. She placed only 2nd. But in a year waters calmed and she was considered harmless again and she stormed to victory with Fångad av en stormvind, a song she described as a ballad beforehand and then instead stormed to the stage like a... well, a storm wind. And then came Rome and the chaos. Tied first place with France that ended with Sweden's victory thanks to more ten pointers, 5-2. The re-started her career for another time recording several Christmas, religious and few pop albums, doing concerts and musicals and yes, in 2006 she was back at it. Clear favorite to win Mello with I evighet and did despite a very soar throat and husky vocals and went on to Athens as a favorite. However, the situation was very familiar as it is now in 2023: Sweden vs. Finland. And we know how that ended..... She wasn't invincible but the Finnish monsters pretty much ate her alive.
Since then she has appeared in Eurovision briefly as a spokesperson and interval act, released a few albums and become a true Eurovision legend. Her career is pretty much carried by Eurovision so coming back was certainly worth it, or rather obvious. And I wouldn't be surprised she'd be back for another go!
1991 Sweden - Carola - Fångad av en stormvind
2006 Sweden - Carola - Invincible
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