What do ABBA, Olivia Newton-John and Céline Dion have in common?
They all saw their early careers boosted by participating in the Eurovision Song Contest, the annual event that has rocked heads since 1956.
Increasingly, a number of these heads belong to American fans. Even more after the Netflix movie The Story of Fire Saga, starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams premiered in 2020.
2020 was also the first year in the history of Eurovision, the spectacle has turned dark due to the Covid-19 pandemic, like almost all events.
The good news is that the contest is back in full force for 2021, and for the first time, it’s fully accessible to the American public. The free streaming service Peacock will air the competition this week, starting with its first semi-final on Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 3 p.m. ET, followed by the second semi-final on Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 3 p.m. ET, and the grand finale on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 3 p.m. ET.
Now enjoy five of the strangest performances in Eurovision history:
Conchita Wurst – Rise Like a Phoenix (Austria) Second Eurovision Song Contest 2014
Ryan Dolan – Only Love Survives (Ireland) 2013 Grand Final
Sestre – Samo Ljubezen (Slovenia) 2002
Verka Serduchka – Dance Lasha Tumbai (Ukraine) 2007
Dana International – Diva (Israel) 1998
