For the entertainment world, 2020 was the year that didn't exist. Tours, festivals, and gigs were cancelled, stymying the livelihood of creative professionals. Certainly, it would be wrong to declare that the annual Eurovision Song Contest, the 65th edition of which was preemptively cancelled in March of last year [1], is an essential service for the world during a global pandemic (far from it, of course). But something certainly is lost when the global music community cannot gather to celebrate a little lighthearted rivalry in the name of international goodwill. Needless to say, Eurovision fans are beyond excited to welcome the competition's reset. The musicians, many of whom have been waiting two years [2] for their chance at glory, are even more exhilarated.

Thirty-nine countries are going head to head starting with the first semifinal on 18 May [3], airing from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for which singer Duncan Laurence took the win in 2019. The UK, for one, hasn't seen a win in 22 years, so the stakes are high. Our neighbours in Ireland have won the competition more than any other competitor, taking the crown a total of seven times since the contest first began in 1956. In these 65 years, solo artists have won a total of 18 times. And according to the stats, the most successful outfit colour to wear while performing is white.

Ahead, we have all the contestants' entry videos as well as a little background on each artist. So get your drinks mixed, summon your sassiest judgements, and enjoy the return of Eurovision 2021!