Nordic nations share their ‘excitement’ after early Eurovision success

Nordic nations celebrated their success during the early stages of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Acts from Sweden, Norway and Finland expressed their excitement at qualifying for the grand final during a late night press conference on Tuesday night.

Norwegian entrant Alessandra, one of the favourites to win, said she was “super excited” to have been voted through after performing in the contest’s first semi-final of the week.

The 20-year-old impressed the voting public with her anthem of female self-empowerment, Queen Of Kings.

Asked about its meaning, she said: “I would say that everyone is a Queen Of Kings. And now it is even in your down periods you have got to feel it and be proud of yourself.

“That is the main thing with the song. Remember how powerful you are because us humans, what a magical thing we are.”

Alessandra was the last of the acts to be told she had secured a place in the grand final and admitted that she and her dancers had felt like they wanted to “faint”.

“All the bad things that you can do when you are nervous which I am not going to say here in front of all of you,” she added.

“But it was terrible because you are last.

“I was just like, ‘OK it was good until here, we did the best we could’. And then they said Norway and I was like, ‘Ah’.”

Swedish act Loreen, who is returning to the contest after winning in 2012 with her dance-pop anthem Euphoria, said she did not feel like she needed to “prove” herself to the audience.

“But I do have a need to make you feel and for that I work my arse off,” she added.

Finnish contender Kaarija said he was excited to qualify but was unable to remember the moments immediately after his performance

“I just want to have fun and feel the energy of other people,” he added.

He said he felt proud to be singing in his native language, adding: “It feels really great of course because in Finland we have many people who don’t believe you can go to Eurovision and have a Finnish song.

“I want to show and do my best. We can win if we have a Finnish song. That is why I am here.”

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