Marcel Bezençon Awards
Apart from the viewers at home and music industry professionals who decide upon the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, press, commentators and composers also award additional prizes; the Marcel Bezençon Awards.
The award, named after the founder of the Eurovision Song Contest, was first handed out in 2002, at the initiative of Christer Björkman (Sweden's representative in the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest) and Richard Herrey (member of the Herreys, 1984 Eurovision Song Contest winner from Sweden).
The awards are divided into three categories: the Press Award (given to the best entry voted for by the accredited media), the Artistic Award (presented to the best artist voted for by the commentators) and the Composer Award (a jury consisting of the participating composers who vote for the most original composition).
The awards are traditionally handed out backstage, shortly before the Grand Final.
Former winners
Tel Aviv 2019
Press Award: Arcade, Duncan Laurence, the Netherlands
Artistic Award: Zero Gravity, Kate Miller-Heidke, Australia
Composer's Award: Soldi, Mahmood, Dardust, Charlie Charles, Italy
Lisbon 2018
Press Award: Mercy, Madame Monsieur, France
Artistic Award: Fuego, Eleni Foureira, Cyprus
Composers Award: Bones, Borislav Milanov, Joacim Persson, Brandon Treyshun Campbell, Dag Lundberg, Bulgaria
Kyiv 2017
Press Award: ”Occidentali's Karma”, Francesco Gabbani, Italy
Artistic Award: ”Amar Pelos Dois”, Salvador Sobral, Portugal
Composers Award: ”Amar Pelos Dois”, Luisa Sobral, Portugal
Stockholm 2016
Press Award: ”You Are The Only One”, Sergey Lazarev, Russia
Artistic Award: Jamala, ”1944”, Ukraine
Composers Award: ”Sound Of Silence”,
DNA (David Musumeci & Anthony Egizii), Australia
Vienna 2015
Press Award: ”Grande Amore”, Il Volo, Italy
Artistic Award: Måns Zelmerlöw, ”Heroes”, Sweden
Composers Award: ”A Monster Like Me”, Kjetil Mørland, Norway
Copenhagen 2014
Press Award: ”Rise Like A Phoenix”, Conchita Wurst, Austria
Artistic Award: The Common Linnets, ”Calm After The Storm”,
the Netherlands
Composers Award: ”Calm After The Storm”, Ilse DeLange, JB Meijers,
Rob Crosby, Matthew Crosby, Jake Etheridge, the Netherlands
Malmö 2013
Artistic Award: Farid Mammadov, “Hold me”, Azerbaijan
Press Award: Nodi Tatishvili & Sophie Gelovani, “Waterfall”, Georgia
Composers Award: “You”, Robin Stjernberg, Linnea Deb, Joy Deb,
Joakim Harestad Haukaas, Sweden
Baku 2012
Artistic Award: Loreen, “Euphoria”, Sweden
Press Award: Sabine Babayeva, “When the Music Dies”, Azerbaijan
Composers Award: “Euphoria”, Thomas G:son, Peter Boström, Sweden
Düsseldorf 2011
Artistic Award: Jedward, “Lipstick”, Ireland
Press Award: Paradise Oskar, “Da Da Dam”, Finland
Composers Award: “Sognu”, Daniel Moyne, Quentin Bachelet,
Jean Pierre Marcallesi, Julie Miller, France
Oslo 2010
Artistic Award: Harel Skaat, “Milim”, Israel
Press Award: Harel Skaat “Milim”, Israel
Composers Award: “Milim”, Itomer Adaddi and Noam Horev, Israel
Moscow 2009
Artistic Award: Patricia Kaas, “Et s’il fallait le faire”, France
Press Award: Alexander Ryback “Fairytale”, Norway
Composers Award: “Bistra Voda”, Aleksandar Čović, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Belgrade 2008
Artistic Award: Ani Lorak “Shady lady”, Ukraine
Press Award: Vânia Fernandes “Senhora do mar”, Portugal
Composers Award: “Pe-o margine de lume”, Nico & Vlad, Romania
Fan Award: Sirusho Harutyunyan, “Qele, qele”, Armenia
Helsinki 2007
Artistic Award: Marija Šerifović, “Molitva”, Serbia
Press Award: Verka Serduchka “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”, Ukraine
Composers Award: “Unsubstantial Blues”, Magdi Rúsza, Hungary
Athens 2006
Artistic Award: Carola “Invincible”, Sweden
Press Award: Lordi "Hard Rock Hallelujah", Finland
Composer Award: "Lejla", Zeljko Joksimovic (Hari Mata Hari), Bosnia & Herzegovina
Kyiv 2005
Artistic Award: Helena Paparizou “My Number One”, Greece
Press Award: Chiara "Angel", Malta
Composer Award: "Zauvijek Moja", Slaven Knezovic & Milan Peric (No Name), Serbia & Montenegro
Istanbul 2004
Artistic Award: Ruslana “Wild Dancers”, Ukraine
Press Award: Zeljko Joksimovic "Lane Moje", Serbia Montenegro
Composer Award: "Stronger Every Minute", Mike Connaris (Lisa Andreas), Cyprus
Riga 2003
Artistic Award: Esther Hart “One More Night”, Netherlands
Press Award: Sertab Erener "Everyway That I Can", Turkey
Fan Award: Beth "Dime", Spain
Tallinn 2002
Artistic Award: Afro-Dite “Never Let It Go”, Sweden
Press Award: Sandrine Francois "Il faut de temps" , France
Fan Award: med Laura (Finland) "Addicted To You", Finland