1. Loreen was born Lorine Zineb Nora Talhaoui in Stockholm, Sweden in983 to Moroccan Berber immigrant parents, She was raised in a Liberal Muslim household.
2. Loreen rose to fame on Sweden’s version of Pop Idol in 2004 performing songs such as Pink’s ‘Like a Pill’ and Britney Spears’ ‘Stronger’. She was eliminated in Week 8 of the live shows finishing in fourth overall. The eventual winner of the competition was Daniel Lindstrom.
3. Loreen competed in Melodifestivalen in 2011 with her song ‘My Heart is Refusing Me’. After failing to qualify for the final outright she competed in the Second Chance show, again failing to make it through to the live final (Which Eric Saade went on to win with ‘Popular’).
4. A year later Loreen came back with smash hit ‘Euphoria’, and was chosen to represent Sweden in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, which as we know, she went on to win.
5. Loreen revealed on BBC Breakfast that when performing ‘Euphoria’ live once for Eurovision she swallowed some of the snow during her performance and it got stuck in her throat, proving anything can happen live.
6. ‘Euphoria’ has been one of the most commercially successful Eurovision songs in recent years, charting at number one throughout Europe but having chart success internationally in Australia and America as well.
7. ‘Euphoria’ debuted at number eighty-five on the UK Singles Chart, where it climbed to number three the following week; this is the highest chart position for a non-UK Eurovision entry since Johnny Logan’s “Hold Me Now” in 1987.
Loreen with female education rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai
8. Loreen is known for her political activism and got into some hot bother when she spoke out at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, saying she believed that “human rights are violated in Azerbaijan every day. One should not be silent about such things.” Azerbaijani officials criticised her saying that the contest should not be politicised.
9. Loreen returned to the Eurovision stage when Malmo hosted it in 2013, to perform at both Semi-final 1 and in the final. Semi Final 1’s performance was a sign language interpretation of “Euphoria” by children together with Loreen. In the final Loreen was the interval act and saw her perform a medley of new single at the time ‘We’ve Got the Power’ along with ‘Euphoria’ and ‘My Heart is Refusing Me’.
10. Loreen announced in November 2014 that we can expect a new album from her in 2015 entitled ‘Paperlights’ and that she has been working with Kiesza for it.
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