Which country won Eurovision 1997 with “Love Shine a Light” by Katrina and the Waves?

The United Kingdom won Eurovision 1997 with “Love Shine a Light,” performed by Katrina and the Waves.

The 1997 contest was held in Dublin, Ireland, on 3 May. The United Kingdom received 227 points, winning ahead of Ireland and Turkey. “Love Shine a Light” was written by Kimberley Rew, who had also written the band’s international hit “Walking on Sunshine.”

Katrina Leskanich was born in the United States, but she performed for the United Kingdom with the British-American band Katrina and the Waves. That detail sometimes causes confusion: Eurovision entries compete for countries, while performers may have different national backgrounds.

The victory was the United Kingdom’s fifth Eurovision win. It was also the country’s most recent victory, although the United Kingdom has continued to participate regularly and hosted the 2023 contest in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine.