What is the Eurovision Song Contest? – everything you need to know

Extravagant performances, plenty of drama and a ridiculous amount of sequins: Welcome to Europe's most iconic, annual singing competition. Since the 1950s, the Eurovision Song Contest has united countries across the continent in a celebration of music, culture and friendly rivalry.

Austria has a rich history with Eurovision – from its very first participation to Conchita Wurst's iconic 2014 victory with "Rise Like a Phoenix" in Copenhagen, bringing the contest back to Vienna in 2015. The event remains one of the most-watched non-sporting broadcasts in the world, with hundreds of millions of viewers tuning in each year.

Each participating country submits one original song performed live, and the winner is decided by a combination of national jury votes and public televoting. The hosting country for the following year is traditionally the winner of the current contest.