Serbia wins Eurovision Song Contest 2007
<noinclude>
{{date|May 12, 2007}}
[[Image:ESC 2007 Serbia - Marija Serifovic - Molitva.jpg|right|thumb|280px|Serbian Marija Šerifović performs the winning song ''Molitva''.{{Image source|[http://nagi.ee/profile/sAgApO Indrek Galetin]}}]]

[[Serbia]]'s entry, [[w:Molitva|Molitva]] (A Prayer), performed by 23-year-old [[w:Marija Šerifović|Marija Šerifović]], has won the [[w:2007 Eurovision Song Contest|2007 Eurovision Song Contest]] in [[w:Helsinki, Finland|Helsinki]], [[Finland]], with a score of 268 points.

Second place was claimed by the [[Ukraine|Ukrainian]] drag queen [[w:Verka Serduchka|Verka Serduchka]], and third place went to the [[Russia]]n entry of [[w:Serebro|Serebro]]. [[Turkey]] took the fourth place with ''Shake It Up Shekerim''. [[Greece]] with [[w:Sarbel|Sarbel]]'s ''Yassou Maria'' came 7th as the first Western-European country, while [[Ireland]] took only 5 points, finishing below [[France]] and the [[United Kingdom]] which shared the second-last place.

16 out of 24 finalists came from [[w:Eastern Europe|Eastern Europe]], which caused many [[w:Western Europe|Western European]] countries to doubt the possibility that a country from Western Europe could ever win the final. Although France, the U.K., Spain and Germany are the big sponsors of the festival and are automatically selected for the final round, they all ended up at the bottom of the ranking. The fact that affiliated countries vote for each other (neighbourhood countries such as [[w:Scandinavia|Scandinavian]], [[w:Balkan|Balkan ]] or [[w:Soviet Republic|ex-Soviet]] countries) is also an annually returning matter discussed in the media.

A record 42 countries entered the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, but 18 didn't make it through the selection rounds. Serbia competed as an independent country for the first time, separate from [[Montenegro]] or [[w:Bosnia-Herzegovina|Bosnia-Herzegovina]], and immediately won the competition. This year's edition was the first to host new styles like jazz side by side with traditional ballads and rock. The winning song was also the first non-English song to win since the [[w:Transsexualism|transsexual]] artist [[w:Dana International|Dana International]] won for Israel in [[w:Eurovision Song Contest 1998|1998]].

The competition took place in Finland because last year the Finnish hard rock song '[[w:Hard Rock Hallelujah|Hard Rock Hallelujah]]' by [[w:Lordi|Lordi]] won the competition. The song kicked off the final in Helsinki. Hosts were [[w:Jaana Pelkonen|Jaana Pelkonen]] and [[w:Mikko Leppilampi|Mikko Leppilampi]]

After the victory, many Serbs took to the streets with flags to celebrate the victory. Aleksandar Tijanic, director of RTS state television, was glad that Serbia made the news in a positive way: "I'm so glad it wasn't some war song. Hosting this event in Belgrade next year will mean we have finally crossed into normality." The country is still sometimes associated with the [[w:Yugoslav wars|Yugoslav wars]] which led to the disintegration of [[w:Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Former Yugoslavia]].

==Sources==
{{Wikipediapar|Eurovision Song Contest 2007}}
{{Commons|Eurovision Song Contest 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www2.vrtnieuws.net/cm/vrtnieuws.net/cultuurmedia/muziek/1.124775
|title=Servië heeft het 52e Songfestival gewonnen
|author=
|pub=VRT
|date=May 13, 2007}} {{Languageicon|nl|Dutch}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6650599.stm
|title=Serbian ballad wins at Eurovision
|author=
|pub=BBC News
|date=May 12, 2007}}
*{{blogsource|author=Peter Devine
|title=Can West overcome East in Tonight's big Euro Final?
|url=http://blogs.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/eurovision/2007/05/can_west_overcome_east_in_toni.html
|name=Manchester Evening News
|date=May 12, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.javno.com/en/lifestyle/clanak.php?id=43523
|title=Eurovision Win Boosts Serbia Mood After Tough Year
|author=Reuters
|pub=Javno
|date=May 13, 2007}}

{{publish}}

{{Archived}}
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Culture and entertainment]]
[[Category:Serbia]]
[[Category:Finland]]
[[Category:Lordi]]
[[Category:Helsinki]]
[[Category:Jazz]]
[[Category:Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Eurovision Song Contest]]

[[nl:Servië wint 52e Eurovisie Songfestival]]
[[pl:Eurowizja 2007]]


</noinclude>
Serbian Marija Šerifović performs the winning song Molitva.

Serbia's entry, Molitva (A Prayer), performed by 23-year-old Marija Šerifović, has won the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki, Finland, with a score of 268 points.

Second place was claimed by the Ukrainian drag queen Verka Serduchka, and third place went to the Russian entry of Serebro. Turkey took the fourth place with Shake It Up Shekerim. Greece with Sarbel's Yassou Maria came 7th as the first Western-European country, while Ireland took only 5 points, finishing below France and the United Kingdom which shared the second-last place.

16 out of 24 finalists came from Eastern Europe, which caused many Western European countries to doubt the possibility that a country from Western Europe could ever win the final. Although France, the U.K., Spain and Germany are the big sponsors of the festival and are automatically selected for the final round, they all ended up at the bottom of the ranking. The fact that affiliated countries vote for each other (neighbourhood countries such as Scandinavian, Balkan  or ex-Soviet countries) is also an annually returning matter discussed in the media.

A record 42 countries entered the 52nd edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, but 18 didn't make it through the selection rounds. Serbia competed as an independent country for the first time, separate from Montenegro or Bosnia-Herzegovina, and immediately won the competition. This year's edition was the first to host new styles like jazz side by side with traditional ballads and rock. The winning song was also the first non-English song to win since the transsexual artist Dana International won for Israel in 1998.

The competition took place in Finland because last year the Finnish hard rock song 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' by Lordi won the competition. The song kicked off the final in Helsinki. Hosts were Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi

After the victory, many Serbs took to the streets with flags to celebrate the victory. Aleksandar Tijanic, director of RTS state television, was glad that Serbia made the news in a positive way: "I'm so glad it wasn't some war song. Hosting this event in Belgrade next year will mean we have finally crossed into normality." The country is still sometimes associated with the Yugoslav wars which led to the disintegration of Former Yugoslavia.


nl:Servië wint 52e Eurovisie Songfestival
pl:Eurowizja 2007
Europe Culture and entertainment Serbia Finland Lordi Helsinki Jazz Yugoslavia Eurovision Song Contest