From Bucks Fizz to Loreen: How Eurovision entries use language to bridge barriers

Since it first took to the stage in Switzerland in 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest has reflected the diversity of European languages and cultures. This year sees the event come full circle after the success of Swiss singer Nemo at Eurovision 2024. Language is at the heart of the event, from the original dominance of English in the early days to the multilingual contest we see today.

In this blog we look back at nearly 70 years of Eurovision and how it reflects the ongoing evolution of language across the continent.

 

Language and translation trends

Language rules have varied over the years to reflect the changing nature of Europe. Originally, most entrants chose to sing in their native language, but gradually more entrants moved to singing in English. Eurovision organisers introduced national language rules between 1966 and 1972 and between 1977 and 1999, requiring entrants to sing in one or more of their country’s official languages. Despite this, one of the most famous Eurovision winners ABBA, won the contest in 1973 singing in English instead of Swedish, and we all know where that took them! 😉

The 1970s saw the rise of multilingual entries, with countries choosing to sing in multiple national languages and embracing the beauty of local languages. By the end of the 20th century, all language rules had been relaxed and many entrants have adopted a hybrid approach. They’ve often blended English with their native language, such as Ukraine’s Jamala who sang in English and Crimean Tatar in 2016. It’s worth noting that of the 37 entries for Eurovision 2025, 20 will include a language other than English.

 

Celebrating the diversity of language

Many artists have embraced the opportunity to perform in multiple languages, with Norway’s 1973 entry taking it even further, singing It’s Just A Game in 12 languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Irish, Serbo-Croatian, Hebrew, Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian! Other notable multilingual performances include Israel’s 2020 entry Eden Alene, who included Hebrew, English, Arabic and even Amharic into her performance to highlight her Ethiopian heritage, and former Yugoslavia’s 1969 entry, Pozdrav svijetu, was sung in Croatian, with additional lyrics in Spanish, German, French, English, Dutch, Italian, Russian and Finnish. 

 

Is there a secret to Eurovision success?

The simple answer is: we don’t know! However, our team has looked at some of the trends over the years:

• Lyrics
  Catchy and emotionally-charged songs seem to do well, especially those focused on universal themes, such as love, freedom and togetherness. These songs cross language barriers, for example, Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra in 2022, who combined Ukrainian lyrics with modern beats and Portugal’s Salvador Sobral in 2017, whose entry was a traditional romantic song delivered with such heartfelt sincerity it even connected with non-Portuguese speakers.

• Language
  Whether to sing in English or a national language has been a question since the start of the Eurovision Song Contest. After 1999, most winning songs were sung in English, but in the 2010s national language entries made a comeback, including Italy in 2021 and Ukraine in 2022. Some entrants choose a hybrid strategy, mixing English with native lyrics to remain authentic while also reaching wider audiences, for example France in 2016 and Serbia in 2023.

• Localisation
  It’s a good idea to include regional elements, such as local instruments, costumes and dances, that can ensure your entry is unique and memorable. Visual pictures can translate more easily than words. Recent entries have also chosen to highlight national or global issues that resonate with audiences, including Serbia in 2022, focusing on mental health, and Italy in 2019, exploring identity.

We look forward to seeing what combination of lyrics, language and localisation proves successful at Eurovision 2025!

 

Trust TLF’s expert language services

TLF has over 30 years of experience delivering high-quality translations to a range of sectors, including the events industry. We provide a human-led service, employing a team of expert mother-tongue linguists and a specialist team of Project Managers who support our clients before, during and after their event. 

We have worked with nearly 270 language pairs, ranging from European languages such as French and German to large non-European languages such as Arabic and Vietnamese, and lesser-used regional languages from around the globe. With such a wide scope of languages catered for, we can provide events translation services for event planners operating in almost any region. 

Talk to the TLF team to find out how we can help you with your next event translation.