Swedish singer Mans Zelmerlow was named the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest winner in Vienna on Sunday after a close race with contestants from Russia and Italy - an honor claimed last year by Austria's bearded drag diva Conchita Wurst.
According to Pink News, Zelmerlow caused controversy in 2014 after the singer claimed homosexuality was an "abnormality" and "it isn't equally natural for men to want to sleep with one another" during an appearance on a celebrity cooking show in Sweden.
However, following his antigay comments, Zelmerlow apologized extensively and began working with Swedish LGBT groups. "I want to apologize to all who take offense," he said in a follow up statement last year. "I believe and hope that the vast majority know that I respect differences and all forms of love."
Following his win for his performance of the electro-pop ballad "Heroes" - which included an impressive holographic stage, complete with dancing animated characters - Zelmerlow spoke out on behalf of equality once more. "I'm so extremely happy. I want to thank all of you for voting and supporting me," he said as he accepted the Eurovision trophy from Wurst. "I just want to say that we are all heroes, no matter who we love, who we are, or what we believe in. We are all heroes."
Watch Zelmerlow's winning performance, as well as the Eurovision 2015 opening performance with Conchita Wurst, in the below videos.
Here's our dream all-queer cast for 'The White Lotus' season 4