Oh Snap! From Kalomira to Conchita Wurst, 22 of our favourite Eurovision divas

Divas are a massive part of Eurovision culture. They bring the sass, the sparkle and the flava that keep fans tuning in year after year. We’ve encountered a lot of divas, and we’re happy to share 22 of our favourites below.

Hadise (Turkey 2009)

The most famous Belgian singer of Turkish descent, Hadise knows how to shake her hips and work that belly. A worthy candidate in 2009, she made traditional Turkish music sound incredibly funky in “Düm Tek Tek”. Gorgeous, in-tune, and exteremly likeable, we’d love to see her take another turn on the Eurovision stage.

Linda Martin (Ireland 1984, 1992)

Linda Martin was the woman that started the diva clan. She participated in the Irish national selection 9 times and won the competition twice, in 1984 and 1992. She won Eurovision for Ireland on her latter attempt. She is not one to mess with. You hurt her, she hurts you. There is really nothing more to it.

Ivi Adamou (Cyprus 2012)

Ivi Adamou is one of the sassiest girls we know. She cranked up the volume, the attitude and the choreography to take Cypriot entries to a whole new level. She also changed the Cypriot formula, managing to enter a dance track that interrupted the island’s constant stream of ballads. She flaunted both her dance skills and her booty and made the whole crowd dance. We la-la-loved it.

Cleo (Poland 2014)

Cleo said she wanted to show off Poland’s beautiful girls. We were confused. Did she mean herself, or her dancers? She knows how to wear traditional Slavic outfits, and make them werk! She brought her own brand of Slavic Sass to the stage and nearly suffered whiplash as a result. Look at how she works that neck and that pony tail, y’all!

Kalomira (Greece 2008)

Kalomira brought prink fringe and a gigantic pop-up book to Belgrade. She said that her secret combination was a mystery to you, and after 3 minutes many of us wanted to crack its code. Kalomira became one hell of a diva when she needed to, and it paid off. Her unbelievable dance moves during the bridge still leave us dizzy.

Emma Marrone (Italy 2014)

Not afraid to flash her panties or drop an f-bomb, Emma Marrone brought Italian spice to Eurovision 2014. Undeterred by the haters, she pulled off a huge performance in Copenhagen. With flair, attitude and an occasional potty mouth, Emma is one of the biggest divas Eurovision will ever see!

Maja Keuc (Slovenia 2011)

Maja Keuc, the sensation from Slovenia, is one of our favourite Balkan artists ever to grace the Eurovision stage. She rocked her song “No One” with her amazing vocals—and her masterpiece of a dress. The choreography, the vocals, the clothing—it really oozed pure diva. You can watch our interview from 2013 with her below.

Ani Lorak (Ukraine 2008)

Ani Lorak said she would strike like thunder, and boy did she ever! Her technologically advanced mirror and on-point dancers remain benchmarks for all Eurovision aritsts even today. She may have finished second, but countless fans still view her as the real winner.

Conchita Wurst (Austria 2014)

The obvious choice when thinking about Eurovision divas is Conchita Wurst. Yes, the self-described fabulous bearded lady may be the biggest diva ever. Her oversized phoenix wings on the LED screen and her hip-hugging gold dress were simply unstoppable.

Lena (Germany 2010, 2011)

2010 Lena was sweet, bubbly and fun. 2011 Lena was dark, dramatic and mysterious. Lena from Oslo stood on stage in a simple black dress and looked cute. Lena from Düsseldorf brought attitude and dancing condoms and a sexed-up face to become the beautiful diva we know. You can see her perform with her fellow judges on the Voice Kids below.

Kejsi Tola (Albania 2009)

Kejsi Tola was only a 16-year-old when she participated in Eurovision 2009 in Moscow. But boy, she had so much stage presence and vocal ability for someone so young. She brought strange choreography to the stage—and a back-up dancer who resembled Gumby. It’s too bad that a studio version of Carry Me In Your Dreams is almost impossible to get a hold of today.

http://youtu.be/vQnp-HbIBTU

Sirusho (Armenia 2008)

Sirusho brought some crazy dancing to the stage, all backed up by some serious attitude. This girl is feisty, this girl has attitude, the girl can werk! At times we worried she might break her hips. Sirusho scored Armenia’s best placing, later equalled by Aram MP3 in Copenhagen. This girl is amazingly talented, and she’s got nice legs, too.

http://youtu.be/6H_7Z36xeRg

Krista Siegfrids (Finland 2013)

Krista Siegfrids is seriously likeable, but she doesn’t care what you think about her. Turkey cancelled its broadcasts of Eurovision 2013 because of the lesbian kiss she shared with one of her backing singers, but that didn’t faze her. She’s got her own beliefs, her own values, and she’s staying true to who she is. YASSSS!

Mei Finegold (Israel 2014)

Mei Finegold may be a mother, but she can still dance and sing. Motherhood hasn’t aged her and it doesn’t slow down her career (even if she did tell us in Copenhagen that it has changed a lot about her life). This woman can do everything. She sings. She dances. She prances. She werks the stage like a runway. She parents. How can you not love all that?

Paula Seling (Romania 2010, 2014)

Paula Seling has walked on the Eurovision stage twice, both times with fellow Romanian singer Ovi. She played with fire in Oslo and made a miracle in Copenhagen. Both times her vocals soared, and she managed to score 3rd and 12th place for Romania in Europe’s Biggest TV Show. Even her hologram, which you can see below, looks great!

Dana International (Israel 1998, 2011)

Not only is a Dana International a diva, but she also managed to win Eurovision in 1998 with a song called Diva. She famously delayed her live encore because she wanted to run backstage and put on a feathered dress designed by Jean Paul Gaultier. This woman set the standard for a new century of women: bring the song and bring the attitude!

Gaitana (Ukraine 2012)

Gaitana, perhaps the world’s best-known Congonese-Ukrainian singer, brought a triumphant flava to Eurovision 2012. Trumpets announced the arrival of this beauty, who invited all of us to Be Her Guest. We love Gaitana’s flow—and her flowered headdress! This preview video captures her glamour and love of the the camera.

Sabina Babayeva (Azerbaijan 2012)

Sabina Babyeva sang a powerful ballad called When The Music Dies. But one thing is certain: her vocals, attitude and stage presence never will! With a little help from a traditional Azerbaijani singer and a technologically-advanced dress, Sabina managed to slip her way into the Top 5. You can watch her phenomenal performance of When The Music Dies below.

Helena Paparizou (Greece 2001, 2005)

Helena Paparizou, part of the now defunct band Antique and our favourite Greek-Swede, is a force to be reckoned with. Her Melodifestivalen entry Survivor told us that she could handle anything. She won Eurovision 2005 with her song My Number One, with extravagant staging and extreme attitude. That attitude is on display in the interview below, where Helena gets sassy with our interviewer. Meoooow!

Safura (Azerbaijan 2010)

Safura is probably the most fashion aware diva on this list. She knows how to rock anything, from blues to pinks to greens to high-tech LED dresses, as seen in Oslo in 2010. This girl knows how to walk down stairs and make it look good. Props to her for wearing just one glove Michael Jackson style, and for that KILLER runway run during the bridge.

Mariya Yaremchuk (Ukraine 2014)

Mariya Yaremchuk is a woman of constantly changing style. From looking like a female Skrillex in Ukraine’s National Selection to looking like a sex kitten in Copenhagen, she isn’t afraid of change or versatility. Cotton in the morning, leather in the evening, y’all! She is also aware of crisis, wearing all black to the opening ceremony in Copenhagen to pay respect to the people who lost their lives during skirmishes with pro-Russian rebels in Odessa. In her interview with us below, she compares her extremely large entourage to chickens.

Ruth Lorenzo (Spain 2014)

Ruth Lorenzo, the Anglo-Spanish diva who danced in the rain for Spain in Copenhagen, is the kind of woman who talks about you to your face, rather than behind your back. She can sing angelically and speak with attitude. We love Ruth, and we love that she told us the name of her cats, Lola and Lukas. Ruth Lorenzo oozes every single quality of a diva—beauty, a sharp tongue, confidence, good looks, a killer fashion sense. You can watch our interview with her below.

Who should have been on the list but isn’t? Name your favourite divas below!

Photo Source: eurovision.tv (EBU)