The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest concluded over the weekend in Lisbon. Forty-three European nations and Australia competed in this year’s 63rd annual competition. Representing Israel, “Toy” by Netta, won first place. That means that they’re expected to host the 2019 contest. This year’s contest, like many before, was full of spectacle and politics. The song from Italy, “Non mi avete fatto niente” by Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro was written in response to the mediterranean refugee crisis and a string of terrorist attacks across Western Europe. The entry from Cyprus caught people’s attention for tapping into Latin American motifs, and The Netherlands submitted a Country Western song.

Joining us to discuss is Tony Sarabia, the host of WBEZ’s Morning Shift and Radio M, and Jürgen Reinold, a Chicago-area Eurovision fan originally from Germany.