Iceland: The composer of the Israeli song “Hatunat HaShana” asks the disqualification of VÆB from Eurovision 2025 due to alleged plagiarism!
Offir Cohen, the composer of the Israeli song “Hatunat HaShana”, is asking VÆB to be disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 as he accuses them of plagiarism due to their song “Róa”, with which they are going to represent Iceland.
In our previous article (here) we mentioned the problem that had arisen with VÆB’s song even before Söngvakeppnin 2025, the song contest through which Iceland selected its entry, had begun. After the Icelandic duo Væb won Söngvakeppnin with the song “Róa”, a controversy arose over alleged plagiarism and copyright infringement. Israeli composer Offir Cohen claims that the song is a copy of his work “Hatunat HaShana”, which was a hit by Eyal Golan and Itay Levy about seven years ago.
N12 cultural reporter and editor Noam Cohen reports that the Israeli songwriter sent a cease and desist letter through his lawyer. The letter was addressed to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the official Icelandic Songwriters and Composers Association, requesting that the song be disqualifed from the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest.
In the letter, the songwriter claims that the song infringes on his rights due to the same melody.
“Given the high profile of Eurovision and the global exposure it provides to participants, this is a particularly serious case. We request the EBU to immediately remove the song due to copyright infringement.”
The Icelandic duo has denied the allegations, saying in response to Icelandic media the following:
“We have never heard this song in our lives. We don’t listen to Israeli music. We only listen to Icelandic rap, Icelandic pop, and Eminem.”
Meanwhile, the national selection administration has also addressed the issue. The director of Söngvakeppnin, Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, commented on the matter, stating:
“Some say that every real Eurovision song resembles another Eurovision song.”
While legal proceedings are ongoing, it is unlikely that the song will be disqualified. A compromise agreement could be reached, possibly adding the Israeli songwriter to the list of songwriters for Iceland’s Eurovision entry. This would be similar to the agreement reached between the songwriters of the Israeli song “Toy,” with which Netta Barzilai won Eurovision 2018, and Jack White of the White Stripes, who claimed that the Israeli songwriters infringed on his rights due to similarities to “Seven Nation Army.”
Below you can listen to the two songs.
Do you think there is a similarity between the two songs? Tell us your opinion in the comments.
Source: Euromix
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