The Eurovision Song Contest has been an annual fixture within the international pop calendar since 1956 — aside from 2020, when the competitors took an enforced Covid-19 hole yr — and this month, the competitors takes place in Liverpool, England.

Organized by public broadcasters gathered within the Switzerland-based European Broadcasting Union, Eurovision is a colourful, fiercely contested competitors through which every taking part nation sends an act to carry out an unique track that’s not than three minutes. The winner is determined by vote on the finish of the “grand final.”

More than 160 million viewers from internationally watched final yr’s contest, and Eurovision’s recognition continues to develop steadily. Eurovision has even begun to make inroads within the United States, a rustic typically resistant to the occasion’s flamboyant celebration of pop music.

Below are rundowns on this yr’s hotly tipped acts, recommendation about the right way to watch from the United States and why the occasion is being hosted in England this yr.

Who will get to compete?

Only seven European nations competed within the first Eurovision Song Contest, which was staged as an experiment in dwell, worldwide TV broadcasting.

Today, 52 nations have participated in Eurovision no less than as soon as. To slim the sector earlier than the grand closing, since 2008 there have additionally been two semifinals. This yr, the highest 10 nations at every semifinal transfer on to the grand closing.

The 2023 version of Eurovision incorporates a complete of 37 entries, together with the “Big Five” — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain — who’re the highest monetary contributors to the E.B.U. These 5 nations go straight to the ultimate, skipping the treacherous elimination spherical.

Bulgaria, Montenegro and North Macedonia aren’t competing this yr, formally due to the prices related to getting into. Belarus has been suspended since 2021, after its disputed 2020 election and subsequent brutal crackdown on dissent, with the E.B.U citing “the suppression of media freedom” within the nation.

Why does Australia participate?

Eurovision has a historical past of inviting seemingly unlikely individuals, offered they’re members of the E.B.U. Morocco, as an illustration, joined the fray in 1980; Israel has gained 4 instances since its first look within the contest, in 1973.

Those two nations are no less than nearer Europe than Australia is. But Australians have lengthy seen the competition in spectacular numbers, although it airs dwell at 5 a.m. Sydney time, and so they have competed in it since 2015. Australia’s present settlement with the E.B.U. is meant to finish after this yr, nevertheless, so who is aware of what’s going to occur subsequent time.

How can U.S. residents watch?

As in 2022, Peacock hosted livestreams for each semifinals, and can do the identical for the grand closing on Saturday, from 3 p.m. Eastern.

For the ultimate, viewers can decide to look at with commentary from the Olympic determine skater and longtime Eurovision fan Johnny Weir, who made an assured debut internet hosting final yr’s livestream.

How has the conflict in Ukraine affected the competitors?

Traditionally, the nation that wins Eurovision holds the occasion the next yr. Ukraine won last year with Kalush Orchestra’s observe “Stefania,” however because the nation continues to be at conflict, Britain — final yr’s runner-up — stepped in to host. (And not for the primary time: Britain has gained 5 Eurovisions however hosted 9, together with this yr’s.)

Russia was disqualified from the 2022 version after its invasion of Ukraine. The E.B.U. then suspended Russia, so it is not going to be competing this yr.

Since brazenly political songs are forbidden at Eurovision, some acts are utilizing generic messages of empowerment, just like the Ukrainian duo Tvorchi’s track “Heart of Steel,” about bravery. Flirting extra openly with disqualification was the Croatian entry, Let 3’s “Mama SC,” a bonkers, extremely theatrical antiwar quantity that employs one in all Eurovision’s favourite artistic units: allegorical satire.

How does the voting work?

Eurovision’s notoriously sophisticated voting guidelines and protocols have modified many instances over the many years, and once more this yr. Previously, every nation was awarded factors primarily based on a mix of votes from viewers at residence and by juries in every competing nation.

After the competition’s organizers discovered “voting irregularities” amongst six nations’ juries in final yr’s semifinals — lots of whom appeared to be voting for each other — the foundations have been tweaked, with the semifinals now being determined solely by viewers and the grand closing outcomes combining factors from viewers and juries.

Oh, and all this voting occurs dwell, which helps clarify why the grand closing broadcast takes about 4 hours.

Can American viewers vote?

Traditionally, voting was restricted to viewers in nations taking part within the contest — who couldn’t vote for their very own act — that means American Eurovision followers couldn’t forged a vote.

But in a change that’s indicative of Eurovision’s world-spanning ambition, this yr nonparticipating nations can vote for the primary time, through an official online hub. That contains viewers within the United States.

Who are this yr’s favorites?

The bookmakers’ favourite to take the title is “Tattoo” by Loreen, from the Eurovision powerhouse Sweden. Loreen is a identified amount, having gained the competition in 2012 with “Euphoria” — a Twenty first-century Eurovision basic. There are not any restrictions on acts competing a number of instances, and different acquainted faces this yr embrace Italy’s Marco Mengoni and Moldova’s Pasha Parfeni.

Were Loreen to seize the highest spot once more, she would develop into the second performer to win twice, after Johnny Logan, who gained for Ireland in 1980 and 1987.

Finland is one other favourite, with a demented entry, Kaarija’s “Cha Cha Cha,” which is principally digital physique music, set in a glittery thunderdome. For Weir, who presents Peacock’s Eurovision protection, this all reveals the daring tastes of Eurovision viewers. “The fact that the oddsmakers think that Finland will do so well this year shocked me just because I didn’t know if everyone could get behind that kind of wild, over-the-top character of Kaarija,” he mentioned in a latest telephone dialog.

The competitors’s darkish horses embrace Spain, which has not gained since 1969; this yr bookies are putting a number of euros on Blanca Paloma and her track “EAEA,” which sounds a bit like Cocteau Twins experimenting with flamenco.

Who are the extra surreal acts?

It’s usually nations most Americans would wrestle discover on a map that ship Eurovision’s most memorable performances, even when they don’t essentially make it out of the semifinal.

“The response I got last year was just how impressed people were that there was an act for Moldova that had them standing on their couches and dancing,” Weir mentioned.

This yr, the eye-popping numbers embrace the Austrian track “Who the Hell is Edgar?,” through which Teya and Salena sing about being possessed by Edgar Allan Poe, and Germany’s outré mini-rock opera “Blood and Glitter,” by Lord of the Lost.

Competition for probably the most awkward Eurovision lyrics is shut, as at all times, however let’s give Israel’s Noa Kirel a nod of approval for arising with a tongue-twisting rallying cry in her track “Unicorn”: “It’s gonna be phenomen-phenomen-phenomenal/Phenomen-phenomenal/Feminine-feminine-femininal.”

Classic Eurovision poetry.