Over the weekend, all eyes were on the Eurovision final gala at the Pala Alpitour in Turin. For Spain, hopes rested on “SloMo,” the song by Chanel Terrero, which was the winner of the Benidorm Fest. Despite the win being steeped in controversy — many preferred Rigoberta Bandini's “Ay mamá” — she finally achieved widespread popular support from her compatriots.

Her powerful performance in Turin finally earned her a well-deserved third place, which was Spain's best ranking in the musical competition in the last 27 years. Wearing a dress designed by Palomo Spain, the singer completed a complicated song and dance on one of world music's biggest stages.

The audience went wild when halfway through the song, as Terrero she took off her jacket, grabbed a fan and amid sparks, sang the chorus of “SloMo” in her highest pitch.

“Muchas gracias, thank you very much. I will remember this for the rest of my life,” she said in front of the energized audience.

The choreography was designed by Kyle Hanagami, who also choreographed dances by Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande.

At 31 years old, Terrero asserted her experience as a dancer in musicals in Madrid, and those she performed on the program Tu cara me suena. The previous days, all bets said the Spaniard would be at the top of the table. She ended up fulfilling those predictions.

In Spain, the hashtag #ElChanelazoquequieres spread on social media, celebrating the singer's spectacular performance. This contrasts with the hate campaign directed at her after being chosen as the Spanish representative at Eurovision due to the controversy at the Benidorm Fest. Back then, she acknowledged that “sometimes I woke up crying in the morning. I learned to value myself without depending on the opinion of others, whether positive or negative.”

Terrero got 459 votes: 228 corresponding through televote, and 231 from the jury. Eight countries awarded her the highest score, and she far exceeded the record of votes obtained by the band Mocedades in 1973 (125 points). Although the Kalush Orchestra of Ukraine won the contest — in what was considered a show of international solidarity for the suffering of the war — in Madrid, they celebrated third place as a victory.

In front of a crowded Plaza Mayor, Chanel thanked the support of the thousands of fans who came to honor her. After years of absolute silence after usual bad results for Spain, cries of joy filled the country's capital. Hours before, when she arrived at Barajas airport, a mass of fans and journalists received her at the arrivals terminal.

The contrast with the last edition was definite. Blas Cantó's “Voy a quedar” finished in 24th place with just six points at the edition held in Rotterdam. Instead, Chanel achieved Spain's best position at the festival since 1995.