The Eurovision Song Contest has been a television staple for seven decades. As anticipation builds over who will be crowned this year's winner, many wonder what prize awaits the victorious act. Contrary to expectations, the winner does not receive any monetary reward. Instead, they are presented with the Crystal Microphone trophy, a handmade glass award designed by Swedish artist Kjell Engman of Kosta Boda, which has been the prize since 2008. The trophy is shaped like a 1950s microphone, and miniature versions are given to the songwriters and composers.
The true prize, however, is the platform that winning provides. In 1974, ABBA won for Sweden and became a global pop sensation overnight. Celine Dion represented Switzerland in 1988 and is now regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time. More recently, Italian band Maneskin headlined festivals after their 2021 victory. Additionally, the winning country earns the right to host the following year's competition.
The United Kingdom hopes to end its nearly 30-year drought with entry Look Mum No Computer, performed by Sam Battle. This year's final takes place at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna. The first semi-final occurred on May 12, and the second on May 14. Twenty-five countries will compete in the final, though Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain have withdrawn in protest of Israel's participation amid the ongoing conflict.
In a recent interview, Battle commented on the UK's chances: "There are gonna be people that don't like the UK for the sake of it being the UK, but that's the way it is. We can't change that." He added, "So we've just got to crack on. Keep calm and carry on." The 37-year-old artist was selected after gaining popularity online and touring Europe. Some have interpreted his lyrics as an apology for Brexit, but Battle clarified to The Sun: "There are a lot of things in the song that I like to try. I'm trying to just poke at people and question all of it. There's no real reason to the song. There's no real aim." He continued, "Mainly, the aim is talking about quirky British things. That's what the song's about. It's nothing about that (Brexit). It's not at all. It's just funny." When asked about the possibility of receiving no points, he said: "No, in fact, there's a T-shirt that I'm dreaming of saying, 'Look Mum, No Points'. There's an outcome where there's still fun to be had, even if there is nul points." He added, "It's got a good ring to it, even though I have a feeling in my crystal ball, I might be wrong — and don't hold me to this — I do think we're gonna get points. How many points? I don't know. But we've put a lot of work into it." Battle admitted his stage show is "risky" and "a bit out there," describing his performance as "marmite."
