MALMO, Sweden – Competition in the 68th Eurovision Song Contest began Tuesday in Sweden, with the war in Gaza casting a shadow over the sequin-filled pop extravaganza.
Artists representing countries from across Europe and beyond took to the stage in the first of two semi-finals in the Swedish city of Malmö. It and a second semi-final on Thursday will separate a field of 37 nations to 26 who will compete in Saturday’s final against a backdrop of both parties and protests.
Ten of the 15 artists who performed on Tuesday were voted into the final by viewers, including Croatian singer-songwriter Baby Lasagna, whose infectious electro number “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is the current favorite to win, and Ukrainian duo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil, raising the flag of their war-torn nation with the anthem “Teresa & Maria.”
Also on the list were Irish gothic singer Bambie Thug, Finnish prankster Windows95man, a lover of the 1990s, and Portuguese singer Iolanda. Iceland, Azerbaijan, Poland, Moldova and Australia were eliminated.
Other bookmaker favorites performing on Thursday include Swiss non-binary singer Nemo, Italian TikTok star Angelina Mango and Dutchman Joost Klein with his fun pop-rap song “Europapa”.
Security is tight in the Swedish city, which is expecting an influx of around 100,000 Eurovision fans, along with tens of thousands of pro-Palestine protesters. Israel is participating in Eurovision and demonstrations are planned for Thursday and Saturday against the Israel-Hamas war, which left almost 35,000 Palestinians dead.
The Israeli government warned its citizens about a “tangible concern”: Israelis could be the target of attacks in Malmo during the competition.
Organizers told Israel to change the lyrics of its entry, originally titled “October Rain,” in an apparent reference to Hamas’ cross-border attack on October 7, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and sparked the war. The song was renamed “Hurricane” and Israeli singer Eden Golan was allowed to remain in the contest.
Jean Philip De Tender, deputy director general of Eurovision organizer the European Broadcasting Union, told Sky News that banning Israel “would have been a political decision and as such one we cannot make”.
Police from across Sweden have been called in for Eurovision week, along with reinforcements from neighboring Denmark and Norway.
Sweden’s official terrorist threat level remains “high”, the second highest rung on a five-point scale, after a series of public desecrations of the Quran last year triggered angry demonstrations in Muslim countries and threats from militant groups. The profanities were not related to the musical event.
Eurovision’s motto is “United by Music,” but national differences and political divisions often cloud the contest despite organizers’ efforts to keep politics out.
Flags and posters are prohibited, except for participants’ national flags and the rainbow pride flag. This means that Palestinian flags will be barred from the Malmo Arena competition venue.
Artists are feeling political pressure, with some saying they have been inundated with messages on social media urging them to boycott the event.
“If I don’t boycott Eurovision, I’m being accused of being an accomplice to the genocide in Gaza,” said German contestant Isaak in an interview published by broadcaster ZDF. He said he didn’t agree.
“We are coming together to make music, and when we start categorically excluding people, there will be fewer and fewer of us,” he said. “At some point there will be no more events.”
One person who knows how Eurovision unity can clash with bitter reality is singer Manizha Sangin, who represented Russia in the 2021 contest. The country was expelled the following year due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Manizha, who operates under her first name, spoke out against the war. As a result, his performances were canceled in Russia and his music banned from public spaces. The singer remains in Russia, but finds it practically impossible to work.
“People are afraid to work with me here because they are afraid of consequences and problems after that,” she said.
Despite the difficulties, Manizha recorded a single, “Candlelight”, which she will release on Wednesday as “a message of hope”.
“Music cannot stop war,” she said. But “what music can do is inspire people.”
Manizha thinks Russia will one day return to the Eurovision group – but not soon.
“Maybe the next generation,” she said. “But for now, relationships are very complicated. And so that makes me sad, because that’s why people aren’t listening to each other. Because we are separated from each other. And the point is that the music must come together.”
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A previous version of this story misspelled singer Bambie Thug’s name.
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Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writers Stephen Graham in Berlin, Hilary Fox in London and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen contributed.
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
