Author: Associated Press / Source: Washington Post
LISBON, Portugal — The Latest on the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest (all times local):
11:45 p.m.
Netta Barzilai has won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest for Israel with her song “Toy.
”Barzilai, who was the favorite to win ahead of Saturday’s Grand Final, saw off competition from 42 other countries’ performers to claim the music extravaganza’s annual crown at a show in Lisbon, Portugal.
There was a strong field of contestants at this year’s event, which largely shed its traditional hallmarks of glitz and glitter in favor of a more restrained and tasteful tone.
The international contest began as a competition between European countries, but its huge popularity has led to the inclusion of Israel and Australia among the performers.
Around 200 million people were expected to tune in to Saturday night’s show.
Portugal earned the right to host the event because it won last year with Salvador Sobral’s subdued ballad “Amar pelos Dois.”
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10:45 p.m.
It’s a duet for the ages: last year’s winner Salvador Sobral is on the Eurovision Song Contest stage singing his successful song alongside Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso.
Sobral, 28, underwent a heart transplant last December and has been limiting his public appearances.
But sharing a stage at the Grand Final with Caetano, 75, on Saturday night was too good to miss. The pair appeared after all 26 countries at the competition had performed at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sobral has made no secret of the fact that he prefers quality music over the showy, glossy style favored in past Eurovision events. His ballad “Amar pelos Dois” was a massive success.
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10:10 p.m.
The last performance, by Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro of Italy, has concluded at the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Now the tense, drawn-out collating of international votes begins.
In each participating country, a jury and viewers award between one and a maximum 12 points to their favorite songs. Those votes are combined to give each country a single score.
No country can vote for its own contestant. By tradition, each announcement is made in English or French.
Barring technical glitches, the winner of the 2018 event should be crowned before midnight (2300 GMT) at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.
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9:20 p.m.
A protester has climbed…
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