Loreen
Lorine Zineb Nora Talhaoui (born 16 October 1983),[4][5] known professionally as Loreen (Swedish: [lɔˈreːn]), is a Swedish singer and songwriter.[6][7] Representing Sweden, she has won the Eurovision Song Contest twice – in 2012 and 2023 – with the songs "Euphoria" and "Tattoo". She is the second performer (after Johnny Logan) and the first and only woman to have won the competition twice to date.[8]
For other uses, see Loreen (disambiguation).Interested in becoming a musician, Loreen took part in the Idol 2004 television competition, finishing fourth. The following year she released her first single, "The Snake", with the band Rob'n'Raz and became a television presenter on TV400. While working as a segment producer and director for several Swedish reality TV shows, she entered Melodifestivalen 2011 with the song "My Heart Is Refusing Me", which became a top 10 hit in Sweden. She had two top 20 hits in Sweden with the singles "Crying Out Your Name" (2012) and her Melodifestivalen 2017 entry "Statements".
Music career[edit]
2004–2010: Idol[edit]
Loreen became known to Swedish audiences after taking part in the Swedish Idol 2004, under the name Lorén Talhaoui. During the qualification round, she placed third with the public vote. She would have been eliminated, but received a wildcard from the judges, allowing her to compete in the program.[13] She finished fourth overall, and was eliminated during the eighth week.[14] After Idol, in 2005, she released a promotional single, "The Snake", with the group Rob'n'Raz. That same year, she also presented the TV show Lyssna, broadcast by the Swedish station TV400.[15] She then took a hiatus from more visible roles, and worked as a segment producer and director for reality TV shows such as TV3's Värsta pojkvänsakademin, TV4's Matakuten and SVT's Frufritt.[16]
Political activism[edit]
During the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Loreen was the only entrant to meet local human rights activists. She later told reporters that "human rights are violated in Azerbaijan every day. One should not be silent about such things."[132] An Azerbaijan government spokesman responded critically, saying the contest should not "be politicised",[132] and requested that the EBU prevent such meetings.[133] Swedish diplomats replied that the EBU, the Swedish broadcaster SVT and Loreen had not acted against the competition's rules.[134]
In July 2012, Loreen performed at Slavianski Bazaar in Belarus, where Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko was in attendance. During her visit to the country, she met with the wife of political prisoner Ales Bialiatski, Viasna representatives and independent journalists, and in a two-hour meeting expressed her support of political prisoners and signed the petition to ban the death penalty in the country.[135] Loreen later stated she was fully aware of the risks coming with "speaking out," including the possibility of being stopped or arrested at the airport when trying to return home.[136]
In August 2013, Loreen was appointed as the ambassador of the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan.[137][138] Later that year, she visited Kabul and Yaskin Bala, Afghanistan, with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Carl Bildt, where she oversaw construction of a new school.[137][139] She was later announced as a new patron of the World's Children's Prize, receiving the Crystal Globe twice for her commitment to children's rights.[140][141]
In March 2022, Loreen performed at Sverige samlas och hjälper, a live fundraising gala in support of Ukraine after the Russian invasion.[142]
Personal life[edit]
Loreen was in a relationship with Idol 2004 winner Daniel Lindström between 2004 and 2006.[143] The couple shared an apartment in Södermalm.[144] Lindström dedicated his first music album after winning Idol to Loreen.[143]
In early 2017, Loreen came out as bisexual.[145] In March 2021, Loreen revealed that she had a boyfriend.[146]
Headlining tours
Concert residencies
Promotional tours
