Eurovision: The show’s seven weirdest moments

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Eurovision, the beloved Graham Norton-hosted song contest, has crowned a glorious winner for another year, in a series flecked with scene-stealing Swedes, fantastically French pop tunes, and a hearty dose of Liverpudlian pride.

But we come to Eurovision not only for the pleasure of a perfect pop ballad – but also for the relentlessly weird showmanship.

Eurovision manages to show itself up year-on-year, in completely bonkers displays of colourful pop music.

To celebrate the dizzyingly deranged spectacle of Eurovision closing out for another year, here are the show’s weirdest moments (so far).

A band of baking Russian babushkas, 2012

The eldest member of Buranovskiye Babushki, Russia’s Eurovision group for 2012, was 76 years old during the contest – but that’s the least interesting thing about their band.

The six-piece team of dancing Grannies was awarded second place, and were the first Eurovision to bake bread live on stage while performing their act.

The group announced their plans with plans to build a retirement home from their second-place winnings.

Monster rock, 2006

Hard Rock Hallelujah was a monster-sized hit for Finland, and not just due to its popular success.

Singer Lordi dressed like a Jim Henson creature-turned-crooner, replete with a set of wings that burst gloriously into life during their finale.

Hard metal is less common in the contest, but it seems lyrics such as “It’s the arockalypse, now bare your soul” really struck a chord with the judges in 2006.

Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images

Eurovision Winner Loreen performs on stage during The Eurovision Song Contest 2023.

We are Slavic, 2014

Poland’s We Are Slavic track took us from the bosom-warming boom of Russia’s babushksas to the sultry Slavic sex appeal of milkmaids Donatan and Cleo.

They came 14th, but it didn’t diminish their star power – but the song’s staying power owed more to its send up of sexist stereotypes, although judges were dismissive of the low-cut milkmaid costumes.

Hatred Will Prevail, Iceland, 2019

Eurovision tends to err on the family-friendly side of things, but Iceland’s 2019 entrants took things to new extremes with strange odes to EU unity, such as “Hate will prevail, and Europe’s heart impale; burn off its web of lies. Now from that conflagration, rise in unity.”

But it wasn’t the BDSM costumes, displays of fire, industrial techno, or band name itself (Hatred Will Prevail) that got Iceland in trouble with the judges. They were fined at the close of the contest for a pro-Palestinian protest (Eurovision has strict rules to keep the competition apolitical).

Ponycopters, Montenegro, 2017

Sometimes all you need to become a hitmaker is a distinctly memorable hair-do.

Montenegro’s singer Slavko Kalezić, understood this – whipping fans into a frenzy with his taut ponytail, which he regularly whirled around in the manner of a helicopter blade to the delight of adoring fans.

Kalezić finished 16th, and while his innuendo-laden songs might have had judges tuttering, he had fans spluttering with joy over the entrancing spectacle of his hairography, or“ponycopters”, as they became known.

(Oo Aah) Just a Little Bit, UK, 1996

Before televoting was introduced into the competition, the judging panel alone elected the hitmakers.

They missed a beat with the 1996 edition, as Gina G’s Europop sensation became worldwide trend, and was even Grammy-nominated, after placing only eighth in the final.

Missing the major appeal of (Ooh Aah) was an upset, as the song became one of the best-selling tracks of the 90s (according to NME).

Verka, Ukraine, 2007

Ukrainian drag star Verka released their phenomenal earworm, Dancing Lasha Tumbai, while sporting an air stewardess costume – who can say the same?

Verka became something of a Eurovision legends, thanks to their distinct arm-waving dance moves and the Christmas tree ornament on his head.

Silly, spectacular, and surreal, Verka’s kitschy highlight is a great example of the infectious joy of Eurovision as a whole.

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