So, in Malmo, Sweden, the Eurovision Song Contest is underway, but it’s not all glitz and glam. The war in Gaza is hanging over the whole event, kind of like a cloud on a sunny day. Performers from all over Europe and beyond are strutting their stuff on stage, trying to win over the audience and make it to the finals.
Out of the acts on Tuesday, ten made it through to the finals, including Baby Lasagna from Croatia with their catchy electro song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” and a duo from Ukraine, alyona alyona and Jerry Heil, singing “Teresa & Maria” as a tribute to their country.
But not everyone got through. Iceland, Azerbaijan, Poland, Moldova, and Australia got the boot. Tough luck for them.
There’s another round of performances coming up on Thursday, with more favorites hoping to make the cut. And security is super tight because, besides the music, there are tens of thousands of protesters expected, especially those rallying against the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Israel’s participation caused a bit of a stir, with organizers even asking them to change the lyrics of their song. But in the end, they were allowed to stay in the contest. Politics, huh?
Despite all the tension, the show must go on. But some artists are feeling the heat, getting pressure to boycott the event because of the political situation. But not everyone’s on board with that. Germany’s contestant, Isaak, for example, thinks music should bring people together, not tear them apart.
It’s not the first time politics has crashed the Eurovision party. Remember when Russia got kicked out over their Ukraine invasion? Yeah, things can get pretty messy.
But despite the drama, there’s still hope. Artists like Manizha are using their music to send messages of unity and peace, even in the face of conflict. And that’s what Eurovision is all about, right?
