While Kalush Orchestra may have taken home top honours, they aren’t the only artists who gained a nod this week. With so much talent on the stage in Turin, it’s important to ensure that the hard work doesn’t go unacknowledged. Presented by the former head of the Swedish delegation Christer Björkman, the Marcel Bezençon Awards have this year gone to Konstrakta, Sam Ryder and Cornelia Jakobs.

Marcel Bezençon Awards 2022: United Kingdom, Serbia and Sweden are honoured

The press award is voted on by accredited media and press during the event to award the best act. This year, the award was given to Sam Ryder of the United Kingdom. This was the first time the “Big 5” nation and five-time winner has ever won a Marcel Bezençon Award.

The artistic award is voted on by the commentators during the event to award the best performance. For the second time, after 2007, the award went to Serbia and the avant-garde artist Konstrakta. The hand-washing singer left flowers on the podium whilst accepting her award.

The composer award is voted on by the participating composers to award the best composition. For the third time (after 2012 and 2013), this award went to Sweden. Their song “Hold Me Closer” was composed by the singer Cornelia Jakobs alongside David Zandén and Isa Molin.

The Marcel Bezençon Awards were first conceived in 2002 by Christer Björkman (Swedish representative in 1992) and Richard Herrey (Swedish representative and winner in 1984). They are named after the creator of the Eurovision Song Contest, Swiss media executive Marcel Bezençon.

Do you agree with these awards? Did your favourite get a trophy? Let us know below!

36 Comments
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Milan
Milan
1 year ago

I have to share this video, it shows how big a thing Konstrakta is in the region right now. The member of the Croatian parliament ends her address with the line “I šta cemo sad” (“And what now?”), and the chairman jokingly comments “Zastupnica mora biti zdrava” (“MP has to be healthy”).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCRSelhzLUU

Dtorres
Dtorres
1 year ago

Composition award to a copy of Shallow, by Lady Gaga. Sorry Sweden, you know it is true.

Lars Hansson
Lars Hansson
1 year ago

Great choices in all three categories!

Cala
Cala
1 year ago

I thought we had seen the last of Björkman in Eurovision, but I was wrong. Of course he cant stay away….. He still has his fingers wrapped around the inner circle of Eurovision (and EBU), unfortunately.

Azan
Azan
1 year ago

I’m so happy that the jury winners from both 2021 and 2022, Switzerland – Gjon’s Tears and UK – Sam Ryder, received Bezencon Awards!

Milan
Milan
1 year ago

Award or no award, I am absolutely amazed at Europe’s reaction to our song this year. I remember very well my WTF moment when I saw it for the first time, after it won our national selection (and by a very narrow margin!) – so close to a joke entry, but actually deadly serious. I’m so glad that many people apparently took the trouble to look into the lyrics and that the message got through. Thank you all for making us so happy this year!

Midnight Gold
Midnight Gold
1 year ago
Reply to  Milan

Konstrakta is a legend and I voted for you as well, both semi and final, but I think the televote result was mostly thanks to the meme factor and not because people actually cared so much about the message, honestly…

Milan
Milan
1 year ago
Reply to  Midnight Gold

I agree, that’s quite likely. I was not referring to the voting result as much as to all the positive feedback. But thanks for the votes 😉

Lambert
Lambert
1 year ago
Reply to  Midnight Gold

I am not sure. It was both. The message behind the gimmick was well explained by commentators in many countries. Don’t underestimate the viewers.

Lambert
Lambert
1 year ago
Reply to  Lambert

the song is unique as it is more performance art than a regular song. The activistic message added to its particularity. Differentiation, or being different, has its risks but can be a rewarding strategy.

Midnight Gold
Midnight Gold
1 year ago
Reply to  Lambert

Yeah, sorry, but they’re kinda underestimating themselves when you look at the likes of Norway and Moldova making up about 400 points, but sure, guess I should give them the benefit of the doubt on Serbia, if it was so well explained and had those subtitles too…

Vlad48
Vlad48
1 year ago
Reply to  Midnight Gold

For me, the chorus is a TikTok readymade…

Vlad48
Vlad48
1 year ago
Reply to  Vlad48

PS: This song was in my top 3 this year 🙂 So, my comment wasn’t an intention to dish Konstrakta…

sam
sam
1 year ago
Reply to  Milan

konstrakta won the national selection by a narrow margin? she got more votes than sara amd zorja combined. nevertheless, she is the best representative serbia has ever had and is my favorite esc entry ever

Milan
Milan
1 year ago
Reply to  sam

Exact televote figures don’t really matter since the televote runner-up still gets 10 as opposed to Konstrakta’s 12. And there was a mixed reaction in the jury (one juror even ignoring her completely) so anything could have happened.

Tzs
Tzs
1 year ago
Reply to  Milan

Diaspora votes so hard finally, Serbia is alaways overatted but congrats, expecting –

Kris
Kris
1 year ago
Reply to  Tzs

Enough with the diaspora comments. That is such a false notion. Serbia got votes from practically every country when it comes to televote. In most of these, there is no Serb diaspora, which shows that song is well received everywhere, nothing to do with diaspora

CasperDiCaprio
CasperDiCaprio
1 year ago

Sam Ryder departs Capital FM with girlfriend Lois – and reveals he’s in talks to collaborate with Ukraine winners Kalush Orchestra after landing second place in Eurovision
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10820485/Sam-Ryder-dons-cream-swirl-print-sweater-BBC-Radio-2-second-place-win-Eurovision.html

Sam’s looks to be about to claim the UK num 1 singles spot tomorrow, he’s Num 1 on all the streaming services
Not even Katrina and the Waves ‘Love Shine a Ligh’t winning song managed that postion, getting a Num 3 hit in the singles chats only

CapsperDiCaprio
CapsperDiCaprio
1 year ago

I was at the final I’m Itlaian and I can tell you putting aside Ukraine Sam’s UK perfomance was the best, myself and a handfull of friends had the feeling of witnessing the birth of a future International star, he was mesmerising to watch and his voice is so intence and powerful

Efthymios
Efthymios
1 year ago

UK and Serbia, each earning their respective award: 1000% deserved!

Music not glamour
Music not glamour
1 year ago

Sweden Does not deserve a Prize for such a boring cliche. One of the worst of all 40 songs

Tzs
Tzs
1 year ago

Same Ukraine/Serbia and Spain boring

2022
1 year ago

No that was Serbia

Cheerio
Cheerio
1 year ago

Whether or not you like the song, there’s no denying that “Hold Me Closer” was the best composition of the year. Everything from the instrumental to the lyrics is just phenomenally and professionally produced and objectively the best out of any of the entries this year!

Keisha
Keisha
1 year ago

Swedeophobe. Go eat a banana.

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
1 year ago

I keep waiting for them to finally implement these awards into the main competition. They could announce them after the voting.

Ethan1994
Ethan1994
1 year ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

I’ve thought this too. Although if it were up to me, I’d have them announce them just after the lines close, but before they begin the voting sequence.

Although I imagine it could potentially be a bit awkward if one of the awards goes to an entry that didn’t make the final.

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
1 year ago
Reply to  Ethan1994

That’s what I was trying to say. I was at work and didn’t have enough time to articulate my thoughts. English is not my first language so things got lost in translation

James
James
1 year ago
Reply to  Ethan1994

I think only songs in the final are eligible for the Bezencon Awards.

Torino Wonderful
Torino Wonderful
1 year ago

LOL, it looks like a consolation prize.

Hannah
Hannah
1 year ago

It was done before the final

bee bee
bee bee
1 year ago

serbia nailed it

bee bee
bee bee
1 year ago

amazing!

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
1 year ago

Congrats to the UK for their first ever award. It’s amazing they’ve never had one but that tells you about the lack of quality they usually send compared to other acts and just what a fantastic job they did this year.
I guess the biggest question mark would be Sweden for the composer award. Thought that Portugal or Italy would’ve won that one.

pastel de nata
pastel de nata
1 year ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

Agreed! Or even Greece!

Cala
Cala
1 year ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

It was the other songwriters in the competition that voted. I remember Mørland (Norway) won the composer award in 2015 with «A monster like me».