Lordi goes to Eurovision

Continuing our previous story: they've won! Check out the interview at the end of the semifinals here.



NYT reports:

ATHENS, May 20 (AP) — In what some fans called a stunning upset, a Finnish heavy metal band with monster masks and apocalyptic lyrics won the Eurovision Song Contest late Saturday.

The band, Lordi, caused a bit of a national identity crisis in Finland, where opponents accused it of devil worship and cringed at the thought that it might win.

The annual kitsch extravaganza, which was the springboard for the Swedish group Abba and Celine Dion, is known for its bland dance music and bubble-gum pop acts. This year groups from 24 countries faced off before tens of millions on television.

The band's members do not disclose their real names. The lead singer, Mr. Lordi, said its win, Finland's first, was "a victory for open-mindedness." "We are not Satanists," he said. "This is entertainment."