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