Carola Maria Häggkvist, better known as simply Carola, is a Swedish singer-songwriter. She has been among Sweden's most popular performers since the early 1980s and has released albums ranging from pop and disco to hymns and folk music. Her debut album, Främling, sold around one million copies and remains the biggest-selling album in Swedish music history. She has also worked as a songwriter.
During her 25-year long career, she has recorded many top-selling albums and singles and is referred to as Sweden's most prominent female singer. Some of her biggest hits include Främling (English: Stranger) from 1983, Tommy tycker om mig (Tommy likes me) from 1984, Fångad av en stormvind (Captured by a Lovestorm) from 1991, All the Reasons to Live from 1992, I Believe in Love from 2001, Genom allt (Through it all) from 2005 and Evighet (Eternity) from 2006.
Häggkvist has represented Sweden on three occasions: in 1983, finishing third; in 1991, winning the contest; and in 2006, finishing fifth, which makes her one of the artists with the best track record in Eurovision history.
Carola participated in the 2013 grand final interval act in Malmö performing the English version of her 1991 winner, with a wind machine blowing her off the stage mid-song.
She was the spokesperson for Sweden in the 2021 in Rotterdam. In 2024, she performed Waterloo together with Charlotte Perelli and Conchita Wurst during the grand final interval in honor of the 50th anniversary of ABBA's Eurovision victory.
| Eurovision Song Contest 1983 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
 Guy Bonnet •  Jahn Teigen •  Sweet Dreams •  Carola •  Riccardo Fogli •  Çetin Alp & The Short Waves •  Remedios Amaya •  Mariella Farré •  Ami Aspelund •  Christie Stasinopoulou •  Bernadette •  Danijel •  Stavros & Constantina •  Hoffmann & Hoffmann •  Gry Johansen •  Ofra Haza •  Armando Gama •  Westend •  Pas de Deux •  Corinne Hermès
| |||
| Songs | |||
| Vivre • Do Re Mi • I'm Never Giving Up • Främling • Per Lucia • Opera • ¿Quién maneja mi barca? • Io così non ci sto • Fantasiaa • Mou les • Sing Me a Song • Džuli • I agapi akoma zi • Rücksicht • Kloden drejer • Hi • Esta balada que te dou • Hurricane • Rendez-vous • Si la vie est cadeau
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| Eurovision Song Contest 1991 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | |||
Baby Doll •  Stefán & Eyfi •  Georgina & Paul Giordimaina • Sophia Vossou • Sandra Simó • Thomas Forstner • Sarah Bray • Carola • Amina • İzel, Reyhan & Can •  Kim Jackson • Dulce Pontes • Anders Frandsen • Just 4 Fun • Duo Datz • Kaija Kärkinen • Atlantis 2000 • Clouseau • Sergio Dalma • Samantha Janus • Elena Patroklou • Peppino di Capri
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| Songs | |||
| Brazil • Draumur um Nínu • Could It Be • I anixi • Canzone per te • Venedig im Regen • Un baiser volé • Fångad av en stormvind • Le dernier qui a parlé... • İki Dakika • Could It Be That I'm In Love • Lusitana paixão • Lige der hvor hjertet slår • Mrs. Thompson • Kan • Hullu yö • Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben • Geef het op • Bailar pegados • A Message To Your Heart • SOS • Comme è ddoce 'o mare
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