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Poland: Funding of public broadcaster is officially suspended! | Polish Eurovision participation in jeopardy?

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A few days ago there were rumours of Justyna Steczkowska representing Poland in next year’s contest to be held in Malmö, Sweden.

After the Polish elections that took place in mid October and Donald Tusk got elected as the prime minister of the country, there have been changes in the national broadcaster and its funding got suspended.

Yesterday, we could read on a post of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland that following the suspension of funding of public media, a liquidation of the respective companies would follow. The tweet reads the following:

“Announcement of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage In connection with the decision of the President of the Republic of Poland to suspend the financing of public media, I have decided to liquidate the following companies: Telewizja Polska S.A., Polskie Radio S.A. and Polska Agencja Prase S.A. In the current situation, such action will allow to secure the further functioning of these companies, carry out the necessary restructuring in them and prevent redundancies employees in the above-mentioned companies due to lack of financing. The liquidation status can be revoked at any time by the owner. Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz Minister of Culture and National Heritage“

Could this decision pose a threat to the Polish Eurovision participation in Malmö next year? It remains to be seen in the next few months.

Do you think that Poland would still participate, following the circumastances? Let us know in the comment section below.

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A “Popular” eurostar take on Israel: “Israel is the most dangerous and disgusting nation in the world.”

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Over the last couple of months, many Eurostars have expressed their views publicly in their social media, about the ongoing Middle-Eastern conflict between Israel and Palestine.

The Swedish–Lebanese superstar Eric Saade has been expressing his opposition to Israel on a daily basis, after Israel started their operations in Gaza. On one of his Instagram stories one day before Christmas, he described Israel as “the most dangerous and disgusting nation in the world“, on a story that can be seen below:

Saade was also one of the many Swedish stars that on the 20th of October signed a petition addressing the Swedish government, to condemn all violence against civilians and every violation of the international law.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Eric Saade (@ericsaadeofficial)

Eurovision 2024

At the moment, Eric‘s role in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest is unclear. There have been rumours of Gina Dirawi leading the contest to be held in Malmö, Sweden, but it will be no surprise if the Swedish–Lebanese superstar is involved in the show in any way. It remains to be seen in the following weeks or months.

Who is Eric Saade?

Eric Saade is a Swedish–Lebanese singer and songwriter, born on October 29, 1990, in Kattarp, Sweden from a Swedish mum and a Lebanese of Palestinian origin father. With a career that spans pop, R&B, and dance music, Saade has been a notable presence in the Melodifestivalen, Sweden‘s annual music competition to select their Eurovision entry. His first foray was in 2010 with the song “Manboy” securing a respectable third place. The following year, in 2011, Saade not only competed but triumphed with the electro-pop hit “Popular” earning him the Melodifestivalen title and subsequently giving him the chance to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf, Germany.

His Mello-presence continued in 2015 when he returned with the song “Sting” finishing in fifth place. His final and fourth participation at the Swedish national selection process was in 2021, when he almost represented Sweden with the song “Every Minute” after placing second at the grand final.

In 2019 he was one of the presenters of Melodifestivalen and along with Sarah Dawn Finer, Marika Carlsson and Kodjo Akolor he performed an Israel mashup, following the Eurovision victory of Israel and Netta with the song “Toy“, which is something that, due to the latest circumstances, we will probably not see him do in the foreseeable future.

Eric Saade‘s Melodifestivalen journey showcases his versatility and enduring popularity in the Swedish music scene. His contributions to the music industry extend beyond Eurovision, as he has released several successful albums and singles, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the Swedish music scene.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Photo: Stina Stjernkvist, SVT

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Eurovision 2024: Pernilla Månsson Colt and Farah Abadi to lead the semi allocation draw!

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The Eurovision year in SVT already starts in January with the “Eurovision Song Contest 2024 – the draw” directly from Malmö on January 30 as you read in one of our past articles. The broadcast, officially called the Semi-Final Draw, will decide which of the two semi-finals the participating countries will compete in in May.

SVT profiles Pernilla Månsson Colt and Farah Abadi host the lottery and the duo is charged for the assignment. Pernilla Månsson Colt, who had the same assignment in connection with Eurovision 2013, says:

“It will be great fun to kick off Sweden’s Eurovision year from Malmö. The draw is a more important thing than you think for the competition later. We hope that it will be both exciting and fun to watch the program.”

Farah Abadi adds:

“This is the kick-off for Eurovision and it is extra fun to be able to do the program together with Pernilla, but also that it is in our hometown Malmö that everything will happen.”

France, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Germany and Sweden, as last year’s winners, are directly qualified for the final. But in the Semi-Final Draw it is also decided in which semi-final the viewers in these “the Big Five” countries and Sweden will be able to participate and vote. In the same semi-final, clips from the countries’ rehearsals on the Eurovision stage will also be shown.

The draw will be broadcast live on Tuesday 30 January 2024 at 19.00 CET on SVT Play and in SVT2.

The world’s largest live music competition will be broadcast from Malmö Arena in May. The semi-finals will be broadcast on the 7th and 9th and the grand final on the 11th of May after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Source: SVT Pressrummet

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Eurovision 2024: First look at next year’s stage!

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SVT, host broadcaster for the 68th Eurovision Song Contest, has unveiled the impressive stage our 37 artists will be performing on in Malmö next May.

https://twitter.com/Eurovision/status/1737103178682761461?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Movable LED cubes, LED floors, light, video and stage technology will combine to create some spectacular variations in the arena, while the stage is placed right in the middle of the audience, shaped like a cross, creating a unique 360-degree experience that the audience and viewers will get to experience in May.

The names behind the concept are Florian Wieder, Production Designer, and Fredrik Stormby, Light and Screen Content Designer.

According to the Executive Producer, Ebba Adielsson:

It is with great pride that we present our vision of the stage and lighting design for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. We have not seen anything like this before at Eurovision and the concept gives us endless opportunities to create unique spaces and expressions for both the competing artists and the opening and interval acts. Florian and Fredrik’s creation is simply fantastic and it will be so much fun to see the end result!

One of the stage creators, Fredrik Stormby adds:

We believe that together we have created what is an unexpected and updated concept for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 and are looking forward to showing it off for real! I am honoured to have been commissioned to design the light and video in collaboration with the team from our studio, and the production team that SVT has put into place for the project. 

We’ve developed a strong concept together, and I’m really looking forward to the continued collaboration in production, the creative process with the delegations, and eventually getting my teeth into the show and doing the broadcasts!

The Eurovision 2024 stage is unique. It is the first time that the stage is placed centrally, while the audience surrounds it. Moreover, there will be an installation of video and light, centered above the stage, where the lighting design has been crafted to truly embrace the artists and their performances, hence there will be led screens everywhere.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Source: eurovision.tv

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United Kingdom: Rylan Clark comments “Eurovision Song Contest UK 2025”! | January 4 the release of the song?

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Last night, BBC announced that the Olly Alexander will represent the United Kingdom at the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö.

Specifically, Olly revealed the news during the Grand Final of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday 16 December to a delighted studio audience and to the millions of viewers watching at home.

A while ago Rylan Clark, who had provided the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals commentary on BBC One with Scott Mills and hosted the grand final commentary on BBC Radio Two last May, took to X to comment on the selection of Olly Alexander as the UK representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden.

The song is co-written by Danny Harle, who has written with Charli XCX and Dua Lipa, and the artist himself.

This comment is really hyping the entire fandom up, to such an extent that they are hunting on Easter eggs on the video posted by Olly!

According to Lucy Percy and Wiwibloggs, there are a couple of Easter eggs to look out for:

Numbers one and four

These numbers aren’t immediately obvious, but the fact that one and four can be found more than once throughout the background might be a proof that these are a clue. Normally new releases are on a Friday in the UK and January 4 is a Thursday. Could it be something else important announced on that date?

La

A sticker on the London phone booth reads “La“. In the Channel 4 show called “It’s A Sin” where Olly starred, a large group of friends live together in a house and greet each other by saying “La!” to each other. Olly was nominated for a Critic’s Choice Award and a BAFTA Award (the British Emmy Awards, basically) for his portrayal of the young queer character living through late 80s Britain.

Olly hugging himself

X user @corr1e noticed something key hiding away. In the image, on the pathway Olly is seen to be hugging another one of him. Could this mean the song is about self-love, or self-acceptance?

Several emojis

There are plenty of mixed emotions emojis stuck on the phone box. Could it point to the song being about mixed emotions?

Could it be that Rylan has already listened to the song? Let’s be patient and we will see in the next few weeks.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

Source: Wiwibloggs

What do you think about the speculations on the UK entry? Have you managed to spot any other Easter eggs on the photo?

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United Kingdom: “The song is not a ballad!” | Olly Alexander speaks at the BBC!

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Last night, BBC announced that the Olly Alexander will represent the United Kingdom at the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö.

Specifically, Olly revealed the news during the Grand Final of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday 16 December to a delighted studio audience and to the millions of viewers watching at home.

The star later on backstage at Strictly Come Dancing, minutes after revealing live on air that he would be singing for the UK at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, he spoke to BBC about it! He kept it a secret for about two months and adds:

“I’ve known for about two months. It’s been really tough to keep it secret.”

But Olly is actually a massive Eurovision fan and comments on that:

“It goes right back to being a kid and watching the show with my family – ordering pizza and spending all night in front of the TV watching this insane, amazing show. It’s a bit like a spiritual homecoming for me because I love Eurovision so much. I love the theatrics, the drama. There’s such an amazing chaos of different musical styles and performers. You get so much on one night. It’s just so fun and camp.”

On the song he reveals that the song is a really good one and that he co-wrote it with Danny Harle, who has written with Charli XCX and Dua Lipa:

“I wrote the song with Danny Harle, and it’ll be coming next year. And it’s really good. That’s definitely the vibe. It’s gonna be electronic, something you can dance to. But yeah, I can’t say much more than that. I mean, it wasn’t gonna be a ballad. Or maybe it could have been a ballad. I love a ballad. Am I saying too much now? It’s not a ballad.”

Seemingly, BBC is taking it really seriously by announcing it so early this year. Olly makes it clear that he will be touring around Europe to promote the song, possible in most of the Eurovision pre-parties:

“I can’t wait to get out there and meet the fans and everyone else taking part. It’s going to be the wildest experience of my life.”

Who is Olly Alexander?

The 33 year-old Olly Alexander is a singer and actor from England. He is best known for his work as the lead singer of Years & Years, one of the UK’s most successful groups and as Ritchie Tozer in the Channel 4 drama series “It’s a Sin”. Alexander has been multi-nominee in the Brit Awards as well as several other awards within the United Kingdom.

Earlier today, Danny L Harle also commented on the song with a post on his X (Twitter) account:

Who is Danny L Harle?

Born on October 20, 1988, in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Danny L Harle is a visionary producer and electronic music artist whose groundbreaking contributions have left an indelible mark on the UK music scene. As a prominent member of the PC Music collective, Harle gained widespread recognition for his innovative fusion of hyperkinetic beats and infectious melodies. His collaboration with Carly Rae Jepsen on “Broken Flowers” in 2015 showcased his ability to seamlessly blend experimental electronic elements with mainstream pop, catapulting him to the forefront of the industry. Notably, Harle has extended his influence through collaborations with acclaimed artists such as Dua Lipa, when he co-produced Lipa’s insistent comeback song “Houdini” along with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker and Charli XCX, further solidifying his status as a sought-after producer and creative trailblazer in the dynamic landscape of electronic and pop music in the UK.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

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Source: BBC

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Eurovision 2024: Semi-final allocation draw will be held on January 30!

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31 countries will compete in the Semi-Finals. The Semi-Final in which they compete will be decided by a draw to be held on Tuesday 30 January 2024, as published by eurovision.tv a while ago on their FAQ. 10 countries from each Semi-Final will qualify for the Grand Final.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

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Source: eurovision.tv

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Eurovision 2024: Ensuring thousands of fans and 600 volunteers are safe is a top priority!

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The organisers behind Eurovision Song Contest are currently looking for around 600 volunteers to welcome artists and Eurovision fans to Malmö next year, while applications for the various roles open on Friday. Johan Rönning, who is the event’s volunteer coordinator, was interviewed by Sara Assarsson and Sveriges Radio on the volume of people visiting Malmö, the volunteers as well as the security in place:

“It’s been a big interest from volunteers, from 2013 and from other events that have been in between, not only from Eurovision, And also a lot of Eurovision fans that want to be part of it, but the application is open this Friday. So it will be interesting to see how many application we get the first few days.”

As well as welcoming delegations from all the participating countries volunteers are needed for the Eurovision Village and to work as ambassadors for the city of Malmö. Others are needed backstage or to help with accreditations and other types of admin. Malmö hosted Eurovision back in 2013 and has also hosted, several international sports events such as the World Handball Championships, and the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Johan Rönning says the experience from running these events will come in handy when the city welcomes more than a hundred thousand Eurovision fans in May. Having been asked if Johan is worried that Malmö won’t find enough people he responds:

“Not at this moment. We know there is big interest and we have we have a good volunteer experience in Malmö as well and know that we have a lot of people that’s used to work in these kinds of events.”

Volunteer Requirements

All volunteers must be at least 19 years old, or turning 19 next year. They also need a good grasp of Swedish and English, as well as having access to Swedish digital ID, such as Bank ID or Freya eID, speaking an additional language is favourable, says Johan Rönning:

“We will welcome 37 delegations from the whole Europe and Australia but also fans from the whole world. So if you know an additional language, it will be a big plus.”

Fan and Volunteer Safety

Ensuring the fans and volunteers are safe at all times, is a top priority, he says. All applicants must register by using digital ID and will also be subject to digital security check:

“With many people getting in one place during Eurovision, security measures are important for us to ensure the safety for the visitors and volunteers.”

On December 15 at 10 a.m., the opportunity to apply will open at malmo.se, and recruitment will continue until January 7.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Source: Sara Assarsson/Sveriges Radio

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Sweden: Malmö city hall reveals Eurovision Village location!

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A few hours ago, the city hall of Malmö published a public call for volunteers who would be absorbed in several Eurovision activities, when the city gets to host the Eurovision Song Contest next May.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be a festival where music, creativity and care for everyone will be celebrated. On Friday, December 15, the recruitment of 600 volunteers who want to contribute will begin.

The tasks for the volunteers during the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö will vary – everything from guiding invited guests around the city and hosting the Eurovision Village in Folkets Park to building décor, helping the different countries’ delegations and contributing time and commitment to be Malmö‘s face to the outside world.

On December 15 at 10 a.m., the opportunity to apply will open at malmo.se, and recruitment will continue until January 7.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Source: malmo.se

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Eurovision 2024: Edward af Sillén is back in Eurovision for the third time!

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After the success of Eurovision in 2013 and 2016, David Rehn and Edward af Sillén are preparing to once again hold the helm of the contest – as scriptwriters and af Sillén also as director. Now they’re looking for the right tone and theme. Edward comments:

“It’s a programme that is seen and loved by so many people, so it’s important to do it right and with passion.”

Af Sillén feels some performance anxiety, but he’s used to it:

“That’s my starting position. The low self-esteem is a kind of fuel and it makes me work extra hard. It works even if it’s costly mentally.”

Above all, however, it is with pleasure that Edward af Sillén takes on the assignment – which he calls “a boyhood dream, once again”. In 2023, he commentated on the final for the twelfth time and it has become the script for three Eurovision contests in Norway and Sweden. But after 2016, he thought it wouldn’t happen again. Edward comments:

“Then Loreen went and won again, which is an almost unimaginable feat.”

He and Rehn wondered if they could make a follow-up as popular as the 2016 broadcast – which even the BBC praised.

“It’s an incredible compliment, this assignment was too much fun to refuse.”

says Edward af Sillén.

He now hopes to be able to give the audience more of what characterized the show in 2016 – humor. Admittedly, he thinks it is a delicate task to get so many different countries to laugh at the same things. But if you love something, it’s worth joking around, he believes and adds:

“There’s so much love in that humour. We will certainly want to continue along this track.”

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is organized in collaboration with the city of Malmö and will be broadcast from Malmö Arena on Tuesday 7 May (semi-final 1), Thursday 9 May (semi-final 2) and Saturday 11 May (final) after Loreen won for a second time in Liverpool with the song “Tattoo“.

Stay tuned at EurovisionFun for all the latest news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest!

Source: Aftonbladet

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