The Marcel Bezençon Awards were first handed out during the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 in Tallinn, Estonia honoring the best competing songs in the final. Founded by Christer Björkman (Sweden's representative in the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest and current Head of Delegation for Sweden) and Richard Herrey (member of the Herreys, Eurovision Song Contest 1984 winner from Sweden), the awards are named after the creator of the annual competition, Marcel Bezençon.[1] The awards are divided into 3 categories:
In 2008, a special award was presented, the Poplight Fan Award, as voted by fans on the Swedish website poplight.se and presented to their favourite debuting artist (under age 25).[2]
In 2010 the Eurovision Song Contest added a new category, the commentator's vote. Previously, this category was awarded by the former winners, but logistical problems has made the organisers change the basis of the vote. It has been too difficult to get hold of past winners, and some of them don't watch the contest. On the other hand, the commentators follow the rehearsals intensely and are regarded as a more reliable group for the voting. The commentators vote for the "Artistic Awards."[3]
Although sanctioned by Eurovision Song Contest, the awards are not presented during the final event broadcast, rather they are handed out during the official contest after party. In 2009, however, the trophies were awarded prior to the event final.
Sweden's Melodifestivalen also presents the awards during their own competition proper.
Contents |
| Year | Country | Song | Performer | Final Result | Points | Host city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | France | "Il faut du temps" | Sandrine François | 5th | 104 | Tallinn |
| 2003 | Turkey | "Everyway That I Can" | Sertab Erener | 1st | 167 | Riga |
| 2004 | Serbia and Montenegro | "Lane moje" (Лане моје) | Željko Joksimović | 2nd | 263 | Istanbul |
| 2005 | Malta | "Angel" | Chiara | 2nd | 192 | Kiev |
| 2006 | Finland | "Hard Rock Hallelujah" | Lordi | 1st | 292 | Athens |
| 2007 | Ukraine | "Dancing Lasha Tumbai" (Dancing Лаша Тумбай) | Verka Serduchka | 2nd | 235 | Helsinki |
| 2008 | Portugal | "Senhora do mar (Negras águas)" | Vânia Fernandes | 13th | 69 | Belgrade |
| 2009 | Norway[4] | "Fairytale" | Alexander Rybak | 1st | 387 | Moscow |
| 2010 | Israel[5] | "Milim" (מילים) | Harel Skaat | 14th | 71 | Oslo |
| 2011 | Finland[6] | "Da Da Dam" | Paradise Oskar | 21st | 57 | Düsseldorf |
| Year | Country | Performer | Song | Final Result | Points | Host city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Sweden | Afro-dite | "Never Let It Go" | 8th | 72 | Tallinn |
| 2003 | Netherlands | Esther Hart | "One More Night" | 13th | 45 | Riga |
| 2004 | Ukraine | Ruslana | "Wild Dances" | 1st | 280 | Istanbul |
| 2005 | Greece | Helena Paparizou | "My Number One" | 1st | 230 | Kiev |
| 2006 | Sweden | Carola | "Invincible" | 5th | 170 | Athens |
| 2007 | Serbia | Marija Šerifović | "Molitva" (Молитва) | 1st | 268 | Helsinki |
| 2008 | Ukraine | Ani Lorak | "Shady Lady" | 2nd | 230 | Belgrade |
| 2009 | France[4] | Patricia Kaas | "Et s'il fallait le faire" | 8th | 107 | Moscow |
Since 2010, the show commentators have replaced the previous winners as the selection jury for the winners.
| Year | Country | Performer | Song | Final Result | Points | Host city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Israel[5] | Harel Skaat | "Milim" (מילים) | 14th | 71 | Oslo |
| 2011 | Ireland[6] | Jedward | "Lipstick" | 8th | 119 | Düsseldorf |
This award was first presented in 2004, replacing the Fan Award.
| Year | Country | Song | Composer(s) Lyrics (l) / Music (m) |
Performer | Final Result |
Points | Host city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cyprus | "Stronger Every Minute" | Mike Konnaris (m & l) | Lisa Andreas | 5th | 170 | Istanbul |
| 2005 | Serbia and Montenegro | "Zauvijek moja" | Slaven Knezović (m) and Milan Perić (l) | No Name | 7th | 137 | Kiev |
| 2006 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | "Lejla" | Željko Joksimović (m), Fahrudin Pecikoza (l) and Dejan Ivanović (l) |
Hari Mata Hari | 3rd | 229 | Athens |
| 2007 | Hungary | "Unsubstantial Blues" | Magdi Rúzsa (m) and Imre Mózsik (l) | Magdi Rúzsa | 9th | 128 | Helsinki |
| 2008 | Romania | "Pe-o margine de lume" | Andrei Tudor (m), Andreea Andrei (l) and Adina Şuteu (l) |
Nico & Vlad | 20th | 45 | Belgrade |
| 2009 | Bosnia and Herzegovina[4] | "Bistra voda" | Aleksandar Čović (m & l) | Regina | 9th | 106 | Moscow |
| 2010 | Israel[5] | "Milim" (מילים) | Tomer Hadadi (m) and Noam Horev (l) | Harel Skaat | 14th | 71 | Oslo |
| 2011 | France[6] | "Sognu" | Daniel Moyne (m), Quentin Bachelet(m) and Jean-Pierre Marcellesi (l), Julie Miller (l) |
Amaury Vassili | 15th | 82 | Düsseldorf |
The Fan Award was handed out in 2002 & 2003, and voted on by the members of OGAE, the Eurovision international fan club. It was discontinued and replaced by the Composer Award in 2004.
In 2008, a special award, called the Poplight Fan Award, was introduced and was voted on by ESC fans (see above). It has not awarded since then.
| Year | Country | Performer | Song | Final Result |
Points | Host city |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Finland | Laura Voutilainen | "Addicted to You" | 20th | 24 | Tallinn |
| 2003 | Spain | Beth | "Dime" | 8th | 81 | Riga |
| 2008 | Armenia | Sirusho | "Qélé, Qélé" (Քելե Քելե) | 4th | 199 | Belgrade |
Since 2005 Sveriges Television (SVT) has awarded Marcel Bezençon Awards during its national selection Melodifestivalen. These awards follow the same format as that for the Eurovision awards, with awards given to songs that competed in the final of the contest.[7][8]
| Year | Song | Performer | Final Result | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Shirley Clamp | "Att älska dig" | 4th | 130 |
| 2006 | BWO | "Temple of Love" | 2nd | 202 |
| 2007 | Sonja Aldén | "För att du finns" | 6th | 62 |
| 2008 | Sanna Nielsen | "Empty Room" | 2nd | 206 |
| 2009 | Caroline af Ugglas | "Snälla snälla" | 2nd | 171 |
| 2010 | Anna Bergendahl | "This Is My Life" | 1st | 214 |
| 2011 | Eric Saade | "Popular" | 1st | 193 |
| Year | Performer | Song | Final Result | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Nanne Grönvall | "Håll om mig" | 2nd | 209 |
| 2006 | Carola | "Evighet" | 1st | 234 |
| 2007 | Sonja Aldén | "För att du finns" | 6th | 62 |
| 2008 | BWO | "Lay Your Love on Me" | 3rd | 158 |
| 2009 | Sarah Dawn Finer | "Moving On" | 6th | 87 |
| 2010 | Eric Saade | "Manboy" | 3rd | 155 |
| 2011 | Danny Saucedo | "In the Club" | 2nd | 149 |
| Year | Song | Composer(s) | Performer | Final Result | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "A Different Kind of Love" | Joacim Dubbelman, Martin Landh, Sam McCarthy | Caroline Wennergren | 5th | 116 |
| 2006 | "Sing For Me" | Andreas Johnson, Peter Kvint | Andreas Johnson | 3rd | 200 |
| 2007 | "I Remember Love" | Peter Hallström, Sarah Dawn Finer | Sarah Dawn Finer | 4th | 122 |
| 2008 | "Empty Room" | Bobby Ljunggren, Aleena Gibson | Sanna Nielsen | 2nd | 206 |
| 2009 | "You're My World" | Emilia Rydberg, Fredrik "Figge" Boström | Emilia | 9th | 28 |
| 2010 | "Keep on Walking" | Salem Al Fakir | Salem Al Fakir | 2nd | 183 |
| 2011 | "Leaving Home" | Jojo Borg Larsson, Nicke Borg, Fredrik Thomander, Anders "Gary" Wikström | Nicke Borg | 8th | 57 |
As with for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest a fan award was also given out for the 2008 Melodifestivalen.
| Year | Performer | Song | Final Result | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Amy Diamond | "Thank You" | 8th | 36 |
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