The return of Loreen to the Eurovision Song Contest is loaded with the excitement and anticipation you might expect, but any suggestion that Tattoo is Euphoria 2.0 is lazy and unjust. 

Tattoo’s intro familiarises the listener with the melody – albeit with adapted plucking sounds – so when the build comes in full-form it doesn’t have to work as hard as it otherwise would have. 

Loreen appears. There’s such a comfort in hearing her soft, cotton-like voice with the faint melody hidden beneath her. She’s not soft for long. She attacks the track in the chorus with little effort, forcing goosebumps onto my arms. Loreen doesn’t have a mid-range. She doesn’t need it. 

No stone has been left unturned in the writing, recording and production of Sweden’s 2023 contribution. The whole thing is eruptive. Thomas G:son carries the criticism of some for churning out songs and having never come close to crafting something as special and unique as Euphoria. But he, fellow Euphoria writer Peter Boström, along with Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Jimmy Jansson and Cazzi Opeia have raised the bar far out of reach. 

There’s a mystic darkness in the verses of Tattoo. They command curiosity and questions to be asked. The strings would narrate beautifully a momentous moment in a James Bond movie. Each drum beat is perfectly selected and placed to not overwhelm the instrumentation that gives the melody life. 

Tattoo should win the Eurovision Song Contest. A demo of the track would even be a worthy Eurovision winner. 

I find myself not wanting to listen to the song all too often in order to preserve its preciousness. 

Loreen is a treasure. Tattoo is a treasure trove. My words simply aren’t enough to do her or the track the justice they deserve.