Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Female Soloists Dominate Previous Winners List

Acts containing female solo artists are by far the most frequent victors in the 69-year history of the Eurovision Song Contest, holding current favourite Loreen in good stead to win this year’s Grand Final on Saturday, according to research from William Hill.

This trend has been consistent since the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 when Lys Assia’s Switzerland took home the crown in Lugana, and has continued through to the present day, with a whopping 39 of 69 previous acts including a female soloist at the forefront of their performance:

The next most successful combination of male or female artists is both male/female groups and male soloists, with each category tasting victory in 11 previous Eurovision editions, but that figure is dwarfed by the supremacy enjoyed by female soloists.

This holds the likes of Sweden’s Loreen, France’s La Zarra and Israel’s Noa Kirel in good stead to win this weekend’s contest in Liverpool, with the trio amongst the favourites in William Hill’s outright winner market at 4/9, 12/1 and 12/1 respectively.

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Why are female soloists so successful?

There are several attributable factors to the dominance of female solo artists throughout Eurovision history, but critics often note their ability to connect with the audience through their performances and vocal capacity.

Female solo artists often have a strong stage presence, captivating voters with charisma, energy and emotion. This can be seen in the performances of iconic female Eurovision winners such as Celine Dion in 1988, Loreen in 2012 and most recently Netta of Israel in 2018, all of whom delivered standout routines that were highly memorable for both the jury and members of the public.

Another factor contributing to the success of female solo artists in Eurovision, according to critics, is the increasing popularity of pop music, which became a dominant force in the music industry in the 1960s – just shortly after Eurovision debuted in 1956. The contest has reflected this trend by featuring a growing number of pop acts in the competition, with female solo artists often being at the forefront of this pattern because of their arguably superior vocal range and degree of expressiveness to their male counterparts.

With a lot of pop songs including lyrics about love, relationships and personal struggles, a notable trend within Eurovision has been female solo artists’ ability to convey these emotions to voters. Their music may be more relatable and resonate with audiences, which can help build a strong foundation for succeeding in the competition.

This element has allowed acts like Emmelie de Forest to triumph for Denmark in the 2013 with “Only Teardrops”, as well as Germany’s Lena in 2010 with her single “Satellite”, both of which had meaningful lyrics about relationships, even if they were stylistically different songs.

With Sweden’s song this year from 2012 winner and female soloist Loreen – named “Tattoo” – containing lyrics dealing with the complexity of wanting to be loved, it is clear the Swedes could be onto a winning formula this weekend.

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