The 58th Eurovision Song Contest was held in Malmö (Sweden) on May 18, 2013. It was the fifth time that Sweden organized the contest and the second time they did in the city of Malmo, where the 1992 edition was held. 39 countries attended the event (three fewer than in the previous edition and five shorter from the 44 countries record in 2008 and 2011) Four countries withdrew from 2013 contest: Portugal and Turkey (the former for economic reasons and the later to show their opposition to the voting rules and the existence of a "big five") and also Bosnia Herzegovina and Slovakia. On the other hand Armenia returned after their absence in 2012.

For the first time in the festival's history the running order was not decided by drawings of lots but it was decided by the event producers in an attempt to arguably make the show more exciting by preventing entries that are too similar cancelling each other out. However, as the host country, the running position of Sweden in the final was not chosen by themselves but by a draw.

Likewise, and for the umpteenth time, changes were made to the voting system, in a new attempt to avoid the so called “Regional Block Voting” and the full tele-voting results will be taken into account rather than just the top 10 as in previous years. Whether this change will have the desired corrective effect and promote fairer results is hard to say but it is significant –to say the least- that for the first time in twenty years, no country of the former republic of Yugoslavia qualified for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Although this year’s outcome seemed to be less unpredictable than, say, in 2012 or in 2010 and despite the changes in the voting system finally betting and social networks fulfilled to perfection their “guru” role and Denmark, initially pointed by them all as favorite, finally won the contest although their victory was not a landslide as Loreen’s Euphoria.

“Only Teardrops” sung by Emmelie De Forest (who claims to be great granddaughter of Queen Victoria herself) got 281 points, 41 more than second-placed Azerbaijan, winning country in 2011 and that was about to spring a surprise with a strong ballad, well performed and with one of the most striking and amazing choreographies of the night, once again demonstrating his uncanny ability to please the euro fans.

This is the third time that Denmark wins the contest, the previous ones having been in 1963 and 2000. Interestingly, Danish victory in 2000 also took place in Sweden (in Stockholm). So it seems singing at their neighbors brings good luck to the Danish. Oh! And, just for those mad about statistics, with their victory this year Denmark becomes the first country to win the contest twice in the 21st century :-)

Spain was second to last, the worst of the big five, two positions above was France, and Germany was 21st, only two down from the UK that, once again, tried to draw on the old glories to regain its lost prestige in the festival, but the “just decent” song well performed by Bonnie Tyler was not enough to convince an audience that had not yet been born when the British singer was already retired from the stage. Only Italy saved the honor of the Big Five ending 7th.

See you in Copenhagen for the 59th Eurovision Song Contest in 2014