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Sweden: These artists want Israel banned from Eurovision! | SVT’s response: “The EBU decides!”

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As you may have read in one of our previous articles, Expressen was able to reveal this weekend that more than 1.000 Swedish artists are demanding that Israel be banned from Eurovision. This is due to the ongoing Middle-Eastern conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza.

Today, the list of all the artists was published by Expressen, including Eric Saade, Marlena Ernman, Timbuktu, also Medina and Jacqline, who are competing in Melodifestivalen this year, have also signed. Also the global star Robyn joined the petition. You can have a look on the full list of artists who signed here!

“Serious war crimes”

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like 1000 Swedish musicians that signed today a petition to the EBU against Israel outside NRK right during the first two weeks of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same. Now 1000 Swedish artists are demanding that Israel be stopped from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest. The petition reads:

“For more than 100 days, we have witnessed the Israeli army committing what leading human rights organizations describe as grave war crimes. The Eurovision Song Contest began as a peace project with the ambition to unite countries and citizens through music. Allowing Israel to participate undermines not only the spirit of the contest but the entire public service mission. It also sends the signal that governments can commit war crimes without consequences. That is why we appeal to the EBU: Exclude Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.“

SVT’s answer: “The EBU decides!”

SVT has, through Åsa Barsness, HR and Communications Director, published a response to the demands directed at them, on a press release:

“It is the EBU that decides who participates in the competition and as the host country, SVT relates to what the EBU decides. The human suffering in this deeply complex conflict is horrific. No one can be unmoved by the conditions in Gaza right now, or by the Hamas attack in Israel. We are also concerned about developments. We understand and respect that groups make their voices heard.”

She further writes that SVT has a dialogue with the EBU and hopes to be able to carry out Eurovision in the “best way, with the vision of uniting in music.“

Eurovision will be held in Malmö in May this year and Karin Karlsson is responsible for the city’s initiative. She talked about how they view the artists’ petition, to Expressen:

“We can’t influence whether Israel is in or not, that’s the EBU’s responsibility. We have said all along that everyone is welcome in Malmö.”

Source: Expressen, SVT
Photo: Alex Ljungdahl / Expressen

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Luxembourg: TALI will represent the Dutchy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song “Fighter”!

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Luxembourg joined the Eurovision Song Contest again this year and they will have their representative perform in Malmö Arena in the hopes of winning the contest for the 6th time. Their national final, called Luxembourg Song Contest 2024, just finished and the public has chosen TALI with the song “Fighter” to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 to be held in Malmö, Sweden!

The show

The Final show was hosted by Désirée Nosbusch, Melody Funck, Raoul Roos and Loïc Juchem and was broadcast live from Rockhal, Luxembourg.

Anne Marie David, French singer who has represented both Luxembourg and France at the Eurovision Song Contest, winning in 1973 and placing third in 1979, opened the show, followed by a “flag parade” style intro where all the contestants entered the stage.

It is worth mentioning that one of the most prominent Greek singers, Vicky Leandros, made an amazing guest appearance at Luxembourg Song Contest 2024, singing “Après toi“. This was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1972 performed in French by Vicky, when she represented Luxembourg.

All the contestants performed “Poupée de cire, poupée de son“, the winning entry of Luxembourg  at the Eurovision Song Contest 1965, held in Naples.

After the first voting round, all the contestants paid tribute to this year’s host country, Sweden, by singing one of the most iconic Swedish Eurovision entries, ABBA‘s “Waterloo“.

Many eurostars were there as guests, such as Charlotte Perelli, Ruslana, Katrina Leskanich of Katrina and the Waves and Alexander Rybak all performed their winning entries live!

Vicky Leandros also performed “L’amour Est Bleu” acompanied by Alexander Rybak who played his violin!

rybak leandros

The voting system

The winner will be decided through a 50-50 split, with 50% coming from the jury’s vote and the remaining 50% from the audience. Specifics include:

  • The jury, contributing 50% to the result, comprises representatives from eight countries, with five members from each country.
  • The audience voting is open not only to the local audience but also to the international audience, giving everyone a say in who will represent the Grand Duchy at Eurovision 2024.

The songs

The following eight contestants competed in the hopes of getting selected to represent Luxembourg in Malmö:

Our take on the eight competing songs

Our rating is on a Eurovision scale, 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3

Rating: 10

Joel has a great stage presence, amazing vocals and a song that personally reminds me of Melodifestivalen entries. I could definitely see him represent Luxembourg.

Rating: 3

The song of EDSUN is kinda funky, but for me it has nothing special. Maybe the choreo and the staging does something, especially when they were stacked on the ground. It is very intuitive, but no more than that. I have to admit that his voice was very good, he was never out of tune, even though he was heavily choreographed.

Rating: 8

Eight. For Naomi‘s voice and for the French lyrics. The song is okay. I could see this represent Luxembourg in Malmö this year.

Rating: 7

Love the vibe of the song! However since it is a televised show and the image plays an important role, I disagree with their styling. Angy and Rafa stack up their voices on an amazing duet! Nice duet!

Rating: 6

The only group act tonight, with a nice staging, but nothing special song-wise. Let’s see how they will do tonight!

Rating: 12

I see the winner here (wrote this before the announcement, so in case she wasn’t please bear with me). Amazing vocals, song, stage presence! I can see this doing good at this year’s contest. Would she win though? In my honest opinion, I don’t think so.

Rating: 5

CHAiLD might have been a bit stressed out. His vocals were not good, he kind of lost it at times. Loved his style though. The LED stage projections were great!

Rating: 4

Such a catchy song but TALI doesn’t seem to be doing much, the dancers carry the job. Four, only for the song.

The results

The eight contestants that competed in Luxembourg Song Contest were given the chance to be voted twice by the public, within two voting intervals during the show.

After the first interval, the below three artists were selected to take part in the second voting interval, as the hosts of the show called it, the Super Final of Luxembourg Song Contest:

But let’s have a look on how the jury voting went?

Jury voting 12 points

jury results

TALI grossed a total of 94 points from the international juries. After the public vote was added, these are the final results that determined the winner and this year’s representative of Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Malmö, Sweden.

 

The selection of the representative of Luxembourg adds up to the list of selected artists and songs that we will get the chance to watch being performed live later next May in Malmö, Sweden! At the video down below you can watch this year’s representative of Luxembourg, who will get the chance to perform on stage in Malmö this May:

Do you like the artist and song that is selected to represent Luxembourg at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Norway: Palestinian activists protested outside NRK against Israel!

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Palestinian activists on Saturday used powerful measures in the fight against Israel‘s participation in Eurovision. 30 men sat bare-chested, blindfolded and hands stripped outside NRK. Activist and initiator Rami Samandar says to VG:

“We are here to highlight Israel’s violations of international law. What we see in Gaza is absolutely horrific.”

The protesters staged an incident on Saturday that occurred in Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip on December 7. Then over a hundred Palestinian men and boys were captured by Israeli soldiers. They were ordered to undress and kneel in the street and were accused of belonging to Hamas or being terrorists. Samandar continues:

“But it’s too cold for all 30 people to sit outside NRK at the same time, so we have divided them into groups of ten who each take a dare in front of NRK.”

It was around zero degrees outside NRK Saturday morning and Samandar says that there was great interest in taking part in this action.

“We received so many inquiries that in the end we had to say no.”

In groups of ten, a total of 30 men walked up and down between the parking lot below NRK and the main entrance.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like 1000 Swedish musicians that signed today a petition to the EBU against Israel outside NRK right during the first two weeks of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: VG
Photo: VG

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Sweden: Around 1000 artists want Israel banned from Eurovision!

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Around 1,000 Swedish artists are demanding that Israel be banned from the Eurovision Song Contest, according to a petition that Expressen has taken part of. The document, which is currently being prepared to be handed over to the EBU writes:

“Put down the double standards, exclude Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest. For more than 100 days, we have witnessed the Israeli army committing what leading human rights organizations describe as grave war crimes.”

Among the artists who seem to have signed are musicians well-known in Sweden such as Alba August, Hoffmaestro, Jonathan Johansson, Malena Ernman, Markus Krunegård and Titiyo.

The EBU has previously excluded Russia and Belarus

The European Broadcasting Union announced in connection with Iceland‘s and Finland‘s appeal that Israel will not be excluded. Their position is that the Eurovision Song Contest is a contest between public service broadcasters rather than states.

However, the EBU has previously excluded countries from competing. In 2022, Russia was excluded due to the war against Ukraine. In 2021, Belarus was not allowed to participate in the competition after the EBU expelled the Belarusian public broadcaster BTRC for violating the EBU‘s press freedom rules.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like outside NRK right before the first and second semi-finals of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest, while Silvia Night signed an open letter to the EBU asking to ban Israel. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: Expressen
Photo: Jessica Gow / TT News Agency

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Germany: MDR is to host the ESC preliminaries in 2025!

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Year after year, Germany fails at the Eurovision Song Contest – not least the fault of NDR, which is responsible for the German preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest. Now, apparently, consequences are being drawn: As reported by Rolling Stone, the MDR will host it from 2025.

Those responsible at NDR have to admit to themselves that even with new concepts, everything remained the same every year, the Eurovision Eurovision participants could hardly convince anyone of themselves on the Eurovision stages, because the Eurovision noticeably lacked courage and creativity. The ARD executives are now said to have made the decision to entrust the more music-oriented broadcaster MDR with the organization of the Eurovision preliminary decision. MDR‘s head of entertainment, Peter Dreckmann, also acts as ARD‘s music coordinator. The change was allegedly even received with relief at NDR.

The fact that NDR will continue to be responsible for hosting the Eurovision preliminary round in 2024 is said to be due to the fact that funding from the MDR was not initially secured. Although there are possibilities of special financing for certain broadcast formats, this would first have to be approved by the program directors of the MDR, which probably did not happen in time. Costs of two million euros are expected for the preliminary round and the MDR already has to pay attention to its expenses anyway. Florian Silbereisen has already felt this, the red pencil was also applied to his schlager shows.

Neither spokespersons for NDR nor MDR wanted to deny this at this time. Those responsible said:

“Statements about the future belong in the realm of speculation, this is currently not an issue for the MDR.”

This leaves it open on how and where the preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place in the future, but it does not dispel the rumours either.

It is also unclear whether Barbara Schöneberger will continue to be booked as a presenter for the preliminary show in 2025. At MDR, Florian Silbereisen is considered the best, at least when it comes to the station’s music shows.

Unfortunately, Lord Of The Lost did not succeed in overturning the tables for Germany, a country that struggles a lot in its Eurovision course for the past ten editions. Indicatively, in the last ten editions, Germany has finished last four times and second-last three times.

Source: Rolling Stone

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Iceland: Silvia Night signs an open letter to the EBU against Israel!

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It seems like the statement of EBU that confirms that KAN and Israel can normally participate to the contest has sparked reactions among the fans but not only.

Now the Icelanding artist and singer Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is added to the list of artists that protest against the participation of Israel in this year’s contest. Her name might not ring a bell for you, but for sure you remember her as Silvia Night, the TV persona she played on an Icelandic TV show and her Eurovision participation in Athens, back in 2006 with the song “Congratulations“.

 

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“As an artist who has had the privilege of competing in eurovision, it is my shared opinion that israel should be removed from the 2024 contest.
I have signed an open letter to the european broadcasting union asking them to remove israel as it is unfair to any artist they select to have their participation tied to political motivation. This is not the spirit of eurovision’s celebration of music.”

Who is Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir?

Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is an Icelandic actress and singer. She is best known for her portrayal of the controversial character Silvía Night in the television series Sjáumst með Silvíu Nótt and during the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, in Athens, Greece. Her antics, both onstage and offstage, created controversy and garnered international media attention. She even staged slapping one of her dancers and sweared on Greek TV reporters live on Greek TV news, after she got disqualified from the finals, while in character.

Silvía Night participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the song “Congratulations“. Have a look on her live performance below:

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024, like outside NRK right before the first and second semi-finals of MGP. In Iceland, more than 500 artists signed a petition asking RÚV to withdraw from the contest. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

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Iceland: More than 500 musicians demand withdrawal of Iceland from Eurovision!

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A number of musicians showed up outside the radio house to present the petition to broadcaster Stefan Eiríksson. Confetti was shot over the broadcaster during the handing over of the list, as can be seen in a video footage taken by protesters that gave mbl.is permission to publish.

Pálmi Gunn­ars­son, Páll Óskar, Gréta Salóme, Bríet, Friðrik Dór, Svala Björg­vins­dótt­ir and Daní­el Ágúst Haraldsson are among more than 500 on a petition of musicians demanding that Iceland withdraw from Eurovision Song Contest, because Israel is participating in the contest.

Israel participates

Playwright Sal­vör Gull­brá Þór­ar­ins­dótt­ir told mbl.is:

“Musicians are encouraging RÚV to take a stand by withdrawing from Eurovision if Israel participates.”

Salvör also points out that Reykja­vík­ur­dæt­ur signed the list, as well as members of the band Celebs. The European Broadcasting Union has now announced that Israel will take part in this year’s contest. Salvör adds citing the results of a survey conducted by Prósent before Christmas:

“There’s really no other option for RÚV than to take a stand with Palestine. Because there is a strong will among the people to do so.”

According to the findings of this poll, about 60% of the population strongly or rather agree that Iceland should withdraw from the contest.

There have been calls to ban Israel from Eurovision 2024. In Finland, 1300 artists signed a petition asking for Israel to be removed. The British representative Olly Alexander has also shared in public his opinion against Israel. Also just recently Montaigne signed an open letter to the EBU asking the ban of Israel from the contest and Ben Dolic joined her by doing the same.

Source: mbl.is
Photo: Þórdís Reynis

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Sweden: Zara Larsson interested in being a Eurovision 2024 interval! | What about Melodifestivalen?

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Zara Larsson is one of the biggest representatives of Swedish pop worldwide.  She is turning 26 at the end of this year, but she already has a vast career, made her international breakthrough at the age of 18 and she has been involved with acting lately, making her debut at a Netflix film A part of You.

She has declared herself as a big fan of Melodifestivalen and Eurovision and has expressed her wish in the past to take part in Melodifestivalen as an interlude act. Now speaking at Sveriges Radio and Fredrik Hilmered, superstar Zara Larsson just expressed that she eagerly wants to go to Eurovision as one of the interval acts of this year’s contest to be held in Malmö, Sweden:

“I’m eager to do an interlude. Being on Eurovision would be really awesome. It’s by far the biggest program an artist can be a part of.”

But when asked about competing in Melodifestivalen, she sounds quite firm:

“I will never compete in Melodifestivalen. It’s more than just getting the chance to use the awesome stage. It’s the ultimate privilege for me as an artist.”

Has she been asked to do an interlude? She responds:

“I’ve told my management to hound them. We’ll see how it turns out. That would be super exciting.”

Her new album “Venus” gets released on the 9th of February and she sets off for her European tour on the 16th of the same month. No wonder why she’s left a big tour gap between the 16th of March and the 31st of May, if one takes a closer look to her tour dates. She seems to be really keen on participating at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest that is hosted by her home country, Sweden, after Loreen did a double and won last year in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

zara larsson tour gap may

Zara Larsson Tour – Gap between March and May

Just yesterday, Zara Larsson released her new single from her upcoming album called “You Love Who You Love“. You can have a listen to the YouTube video down below:

In the next few months we will know more about this year’s contest, the hosts of the three shows and the participating artists as intervals. It remains to be seen if Zara Larsson will be involved in any way to the contest.

Source: Sveriges Radio
Photo: Jessica Gow/TT, Magnus Lejhall/TT

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Sweden: The left party demands the ban of Israel from Eurovision Song Contest! | The response of SVT!

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In May, Malmö will host the Eurovision Song Contest. On May 7, the festivities kick off and on May 11, it’s time for the final. But lately the contest is leaning towards politics. The leader of the Left Party, Nooshi Dadgostar, demands that the organizers ban Israel from participating in the competition. Nooshi Dadgostar explicitly says:

“Eurovision should not invite Israel.”

The reason for the Left Party‘s announcement is the ongoing war that in Gaza, where Israel has been dragged before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The legal process has been initiated after South Africa filed a complaint against Israel to the court.

“Aggressive war against children”

Nooshi Dadgostar adds on the matter:

“Tens of thousands of people have been killed. It is not the right signal to send that Sweden gives space on stage to such a state. Israel is waging an aggressive war against children and their parents and is now being prosecuted for genocide and there are many indications that they are committing war crimes right now.”

When asked if it is reasonable for her, as a politician, to interfere in a production in this way, she responded:

“I love Eurovision. It is a place of celebration and fellowship, but I think many people share the view that a state that has killed so many children cannot be given this place. Otherwise, it’s as if the outside world doesn’t care about the killing. This has to stop.”

Social Democratic party doesn’t want to interfere

Social Democratic MP Lawen Redar, who sits on the Riksdag‘s Culture Committee, strongly disagrees.

“I don’t interfere in how this type of programme should be implemented. It must be up to the public service broadcasters in Europe, and it is certainly unusual to boycott individual nations from participating.”

The response of SVT

SVT refers the question of Israel‘s participation in Eurovision to the European Broadcasting Union and Madeleine Sinding-Larsen write:

“SVT will not comment on this because it is the EBU that decides which members participate in the competition and SVT will follow the EBU’s decision.”

Aftonbladet has reached out to the EBU but there is no response yet.

Source: Aftonbladet / Fredrik Björkman
Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett/EBU

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Sweden: How will Malmö’s budget of 30 million Swedish crowns be used for Eurovision?

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A bit more than six months have passed since SVT revealed that Malmö will be the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, on July 7.

There will be televised semi-finals on 7 and 9 May. On Saturday 11 May, the final will be broadcast all over the world from Malmö Arena.

This week, Malmö‘s top politicians hammered out how Malmö‘s taxpayers’ money should be used around the giant event. The Chair of the Municipal Executive Board Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh said on the matter:

“A completely unanimous municipal executive board supported the distribution. Much of the work will be done out in the committees and therefore we set aside money there.”

Already last autumn, in last year’s budget, agreements were signed for around SEK 10 million – including with Malmö Arena, Malmömässan and Malmö Live.

The rest of the money that is supposed to be used for the music festival was invested by the municipal board this week:

  • The Technical Committee will receive SEK 6.6 million for the work on Eurovision Park and Eurovillage at Folkets Park.
  • The Culture Committee will receive SEK 1.8 million for its work on programmes and communication.
  • The Recreation Committee will receive SEK 3.3 million for the work with 600 unpaid volunteers and for city decoration, such as flags and banners that will fill Malmö.
  • The Municipal Executive Board is also allocating SEK 6.3 million to a wide range of general extra costs linked to the giant event.

Despite galloping inflation, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will not be more expensive for Malmö‘s taxpayers than the contests ten years ago says the city of Malmö‘s project manager Karin Karlsson:

“More people are contributing content than they did ten years ago. We are trying to work with the business community in a much more comprehensive way than we did then.”

Already in a couple of weeks, on January 30, Farah Abadi and Pernilla Månsson Colt will lead the draw for places in the two semi-finals. At the same time, the world is under pressure from major international conflicts, such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Shortly after the announcement that Malmö will be the host of the Eurovision Song Contest, the Swedish Security Service raised the terrorist threat level in Sweden. On 1 November, a total bag ban was introduced at major events. It is still unclear what additional and stricter security measures may be required ahead of the giant competition in Malmö. But politicians know that it could lead to new costs for the city. Karin comments:

“As far as security is concerned, we are waiting for information from the police. This will have consequences for the centre of Malmö as a whole. We are already working preventively by trying to choose places with perimeter protection and places we are used to working with.”

“In the first instance, public transport will be offered.” says the municipal board’s decision document. One can assume that this will be offered to the volunteers and press that are attending to work on the contest. But would that also mean that the artists will also travel by bus or train to the competition arena in Hyllie? Karin Karlsson responds:

“No, that’s where the line is drawn. We have a special responsibility to ensure that they arrive on time. The participants will travel in rented buses or electric cars. It’s Malmö’s advantage that we have such good public transport. It’s also a way to save money. We want the whole event to be used by public transport.”

Source: Sydsvenskan
Photo: Martin Meissner

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