In a recent interview with NRK, the Swedish Eurovision entry Tusse shared his dream to be the first solo black artist to win Eurovision.
In the 65 year history of the Eurovision Song Contest, Dave Benton is the only person of colour to win, a victory he shared with Tanel Padar & 2XL in 2001. So far no person of colour has yet to win as a solo artist However Tusse believes he can change this statistic in 2021.
“I think it’s sick that it has not happened before, because Eurovision has really lasted for a while. But it would have been powerful to be a role model, which I do not feel I have had in my life. It would have been so big”
Tusse believes a win from a person of colour at the Eurovision Song Contest would have had be a powerful role model for him had it happened earlier in his life. Tusse himself was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and came to Sweden alone as a refugee.
“I have had to deal with and overcome racism, bullying, exclusion, and get on the other side of all this. To find myself and stand for who I am”
As he grew up in Sweden Tusse has had to deal with racism, bullying and exclusion, all on account of his skin colour and being an orphanage refugee. Tusse hopes the message of his song “Voices” can connect to all viewers of this year Eurovision Song Contest and tells NRK that the song is not for the “haters” but for “those who believe in humanity”
Currently, Tusse’s dream of being the first person of colour to win as a solo artist is in reach with Sweden being number 6 in the odds as of the time of publication. However, Tusse is not alone in this race as Junior Eurovision 2015 winner, Destiny from Malta is currently leading the odds to win this year contest. Singer like Senhit from San Marino and Eden Alene from Israel are also competing to win this year contest, all of which would become the first person of colour to win should they lift the trophy come May.
Tusse will represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam with the song “Voices”. He will perform in the first half of the first semi-final on May 18 in Rotterdam.
Who is Tusse?
Source: NRK / Image Source: Eurovision.tv / SVT & Stina Stjernkvist
Sweden debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and has gone on to be one of the contest’s most successful countries. The country has won the contest six times, the most recent being in 2015. Sweden’s first victory came in 1974 when ABBA won the contest in Brighton with “Waterloo”. Since missing out on the final in 2010, Sweden has gone on to finish 3rd twice and has won the contest twice, only in 2013 did the country place outside of the top 10 in the final.
