London ( CNN ) -- Emmelie de Forest carried Denmark to triumph early Sunday in the Eurovision Song Contest , an annual musical spectacle known for its combination of over-the-top costumes , kitsch pop songs and international rivalries . Flanked by marching drummers in military-style uniforms and performing in bare feet , de Forest took top spot with a breathy performance of `` Only Teardrops . '' Millions of people across Europe and beyond tuned in to watch pop acts from 26 countries take to the stage in the Swedish city of Malmo . Dressed like a new-age Tinker Bell , 20-year-old de Forest bested a field that included the UK contender and 1980s hit-maker Bonnie Tyler . Azerbaijan 's Farid Mammadov finished second with the song `` Hold Me , '' and the Ukraine 's Zlata Ognevich took third with `` Gravity . '' What is Eurovision ? Tyler , known for her hits `` Total Eclipse of the Heart '' and `` Holding Out for a Hero , '' finished in 19th place . Organizers expected more than 100 million people to tune in for the contest , hosted by Sweden -- the 2012 winner of the song contest . Demark was considered one of the favorites among bookmakers going into the final on Saturday night . Five nations -- France , Germany , Italy , Spain and the United Kingdom -- get an automatic entry to the final because they are the biggest financial contributors . The previous year 's winner also automatically qualifies , as the host nation . The 39 countries involved in the contest awarded a set of points from one to eight , then 10 and finally 12 for their favorite songs . Under the rules , they ca n't vote for themselves and they must announce the score in both English and French . The crazy clothes of Eurovision . Television viewers also cast votes in their respective countries through telephone hotlines , which count for half the final tally . The remainder of the vote is cast by national expert juries , who based their scores on a dress rehearsal performance Friday night . Many perceive the voting to be tactical , with neighbors or members of regional blocs , such as the former Soviet nations , appearing to base their scoring on geopolitical alliances rather than artistic merit . Contestants can come from any member country of the European Broadcasting Union , which includes several non-European nations , including Israel , Armenia and Azerbaijan . Victory may not be welcomed by everyone back home since that nation bears the expense of hosting the following year 's event -- a commitment that 's more of a burden at a time of wide austerity in Europe .
Emmelie de Forest 's `` Only Teardrops '' puts Denmark on top . Azerbaijan finishes second and Ukraine takes third . The contest is taking place in Sweden this year because it won in 2012 . Comment: