Eurovision 2021 Trivia | 75 facts about the annual Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest of 2021 is the 65th edition of the annual event taking place in Europe with the participation of over 38 countries.

So let’s find out some trivia and facts about the song contest.

1. The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 was the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest
2. The contest was held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
3. Following the country’s victory at the 2019 contest with Duncan Laurence’s “Arcade”
4. The Netherlands was due to host the 2020 contest
5. It was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
6. It was the fifth time that the Netherlands had hosted the contest
7. Having previously done so in 1958, 1970, 1976 and 1980
8. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcasters Nederlandse Publieke Omroep (NPO), Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) and AVROTROS
9. The contest was held at Rotterdam Ahoy
10. It consisted of two semi-finals on 18 and 20 May, and the final on 22 May 2021
11. The EBU discussed carryovers between the 2020 and 2021 contests
12. Many participating countries allocated the same artists who were due to represent them in 2020
13. The three live shows were hosted by Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley, Jan Smit and Nikkie de Jager
14. Thirty-nine countries participated in the contest
15. Bulgaria and Ukraine returned after their absences from the 2019 contest
16. While Hungary and Montenegro did not return after their 2019 participation
17. Armenia and Belarus had originally planned to participate
18. But Armenia later withdrew due to social and political crises following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
19. Belarus was disqualified after their intended entry was found to be in violation of the contest’s rules
20. The winner was Italy with the song “Zitti e buoni”
21. The song is performed by Måneskin
22. It is written by the band’s members Damiano David, Ethan Torchio, Thomas Raggi and Victoria De Angelis
23. This was Italy’s third victory in the contest
24. Following their wins in 1964 and 1990
25. Making them only the second member of the so-called “Big 5” to win the contest since Germany in 2010
26. Måneskin’s victory also makes them the first band to win the contest since Lordi for Finland in 2006
27. France, Switzerland, Iceland and Ukraine rounded out the top five
28. With France and Switzerland achieving their best results since 1991 and 1993 respectively
29. For the first time since 1995, none of the top three entries were performed in English
30. Also for the first time since the current voting system was implemented in 2016, four countries received nul points from the televote
31. These were the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom
32. The latter becoming the first country to receive nul points from both the jury and televote
33. This was also the second time that the United Kingdom had received nul points in the contest
34. The last time having been in 2003
35. For the first time since its debut in 2015, Australia failed to qualify for the final
36. Leaving Ukraine as the only country to have never failed to qualify from the semi-finals since their introduction in 2004
37. By Eurovision tradition, the Netherlands received the right to host the Eurovision Song Contest after the country won the competition in 2019
38. The Dutch host broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS launched the bidding process in the same month, on 29 May
39. In which five cities—Arnhem, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Maastricht, Rotterdam, and Utrecht—submitted their bid books during a ceremonial event held in Hilversum on 10 July 2019
40. On 16 July, Maastricht and Rotterdam were shortlisted, and after the NPO visited both cities, on 30 August 2019
41. Rotterdam was announced as the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020
42. Following the cancellation of the 2020 contest, the EBU began talks with broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS, as well as the city of Rotterdam, on the possibility of staging the 2021 contest in the city
43. On 23 April 2020, the municipal council of Rotterdam approved an increased budget after Dutch media reported that the city would require an additional €6.7 million to host the contest
44. The decision was imminent as it was required that the EBU be informed by late April if Rotterdam was willing to host the contest
45. If Rotterdam declined to host the event, NPO, NOS and AVROTROS had until mid-May 2020 to find an alternative
46. During the broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light, which aired on 16 May 2020, Rotterdam was confirmed as the host city of the 2021 contest
47. The “Turquoise Carpet” event, where the contestants and their delegations are presented before the accredited press and fans
48. It took place at the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal on 16 May 2021
49. On 18 September 2020, along with possible scenarios, the EBU confirmed that the 2020 planned presenters would be appointed as presenters for the 2021 contest as well
50. Actress and television host Chantal Janzen, singer and commentator for the contest Jan Smit
51. Singer Edsilia Rombley, who represented the Netherlands in the 1998 and 2007 contests
52. And beauty vlogger Nikkie de Jager (NikkieTutorials)
53. In addition, De Jager and Krista Siegfrids (Finland’s representative in the 2013 contest) were the presenters of the contest’s online content
54. Siegfrids hosted Krista Calling, a weekly YouTube series with behind-the-scenes coverage from Rotterdam
55. De Jager hosted LookLab with NikkieTutorials, an online talk show series featuring all 39 participants
56. Koos van Plateringen, Hila Noorzai and Samya Hafsaoui moderated the contest’s press conferences
57. While Van Plateringen and Fenna Ramos hosted the “Turquoise Carpet” event
58. During the announcement of the dates of the 2021 contest, Sietse Bakker, executive producer of the 2021 contest, stated that the planned 2020 stage design would also be used in the 2021 contest
59. The design is inspired by the slogan “Open Up” and the typical Dutch flat landscape
60. The Eurovision stage was designed by German stage designer Florian Wieder, who also designed the stages for the contests in 2011–12, 2015, and 2017–19
61. Its features include a revolvable primary LED screen that is 52 metres (171 ft) wide and 12 metres (39 ft) high, and a retractable semi-transparent LED screen which can be used as a backdrop for the secondary stage
62. The stage design is complemented by augmented reality effects
63. Unlike the 2019 contest, the green room is placed in the main performance venue, and encompasses the entire floor space previously reserved for the standing audience, so as to facilitate social distancing
64. The first semi-final took place on 18 May 2021 at 21:00 (CEST)
65. Sixteen countries participated in the first semi-final
66. Those countries plus Germany, Italy and the Netherlands voted in this semi-final
67. Belarus was originally allocated to participate in the first half of the semi-final, but was disqualified from the contest after submitting an entry in violation of the rules
68. The countries that qualified were Lithuania, Russia, Sweden, Cyprus, Norway, Belgium, Israel, Azerbaijan, Malta and Ukraine
69. The second semi-final took place on 20 May 2021 at 21:00 (CEST)
70. Seventeen countries participated in the second semi-final
71. Those countries plus France, Spain and the United Kingdom voted in this semi-final
72. Armenia was originally allocated to participate in the second half of the semi-final, but withdrew from the contest due to social and political crises in the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war
73. The countries that qualified were San Marino, Greece, Moldova, Iceland, Serbia, Albania, Portugal, Bulgaria, Finalnd, Switzerland
74. The final took place on 22 May 2021 at 21:00 (CEST)
75. Twenty-six countries participated in the final, with all thirty-nine participating countries eligible to vote