Denmark now has the dubious honor of having missed the most Eurovision finals in a row. After the Danish entry, Saba with the song “Sand,” failed to qualify for this year’s Eurovision final, Denmark has now taken on a record no one wishes to have. The last time Denmark participated in a Eurovision final was in 2019, when Leonora charmed the audience with “Love Is Forever.” Since then, Denmark has not managed to reach the final, and with this year’s competition in Malmö, it has been four years in a row without Danish participation in the final. This surpasses previous records set by Ireland, Georgia, and Latvia, all of which qualified for this year’s final.
It is worth noting that Eurovision in 2020 was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, which could have potentially affected Denmark’s chances of breaking the unfortunate streak. Denmark has previously had success in Eurovision, with three victories under its belt, most recently in 2013 when Emmelie de Forest won with “Only Teardrops.” But since then, success has been scarce, and now Denmark holds a record for the most years without reaching a final since the introduction of semifinals in 2004.
This is a record that will require reflection and perhaps changes in the way Denmark selects and prepares its Eurovision entries if the country is to compete for top placements in the popular song contest.