Eurovision Song Contest 2006 Hallelujah" was the first ever hard rock song to win the contest, since Eurovision is normally associated with softer pop music and schlager. This was Finland's first victory in Eurovision after waiting forty-five years. It is also noted that they scored the same amount of points in the semi-final and the grand final. The hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens were Greek singer Sakis Rouvas, the Greek representative at Eurovision in 2004 and 2009, and the Greek American television presenter and actress, Maria Menounos. In the semi-final, both the hosts sang Katrina and the Waves' contest-winning "Love Shine
Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest 1993 Italy was represented by Enrico Ruggeri, with the song '"Sole d'Europa", at the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 15 May in Millstreet, Ireland. The song was chosen internally by broadcaster RAI; Ruggeri was the winner of the 1993 Sanremo Music Festival, but RAI decided against sending his winning song "Mistero" to Eurovision. Following the 1993 contest, RAI withdrew from Eurovision for the following three years. They made a brief reappearance in 1997, but then withdrew again until 2011. On the night of the final Ruggeri performed first in the running