Eurovision hopefuls tune up in Israel amid boyco calls
Europe’s popular annual fest of kitsch and outrageous fashion kicks off on Tuesday in Tel Aviv, with Israel hoping the Eurovision Song Contest may help burnish its image despite boycott calls.
Last year’s winning performance by Israeli singer, Netta Barzilai, with her #MeTooinspired song “Toy” — which included clucking sounds and chicken-like dance moves — secured her country the right to host this year’s televised extravaganza.
The largely European competition, which gifted to the world the Swedish supergroup ABBA, dates back to the 1950s and has widened over the years to include broadcasters who subscribe to the European Broadcasting Union, spreading now as far as Australia.
Many culture lovers openly sniff at the contest, deriding it as the height of bad taste. But its irreverent mix of glitz, glamour and over-the-top costumes has won a devoted following of millions, particularly among gay fans.
Although it has waded into complicated geo-political waters in the past, this year’s competition has become embroiled in the deep divisions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Madonna under pressure
Big-name rock stars including Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and British singer Peter Gabriel have unsuccessfully urged that it be relocated to another country.
US music icon Madonna has come under pressure to drop two performances she will reportedly give when the semifinals culminate in the finals on Saturday, May 18. And the proPalestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is calling for the event to be boycotted as part of its campaign against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
“We Palestinian singers, songwriters, dancers, musicians and other artistes urge all Eurovision 2019 finalists to withdraw from the contest,” it said in a statement on its website.
But such moves have been dismissed by organisers and this year 41 nations are competing, with the Netherlands favourite to win, according to a survey of bookmakers by independent fan website Eurovision World. Dutch singer Duncan Laurence sits at a piano to perform his love song “Arcade”.
“Hosting Eurovision is one of Israel’s biggest coups in terms of popular culture on the international stage,” Israeli daily
Haaretz wrote on its opinion page.
“The prestige and primetime global attention for Israel may prove too big a temptation for Hamas to ignore.”
Around 200 million people are expected to tune in for Saturday’s finals, and to mark the occasion Tel Aviv is also brushing up its gay-friendly image. — AFP
“Eurovision is an opportunity for incredible global exposure,” the coastal city’s mayor Ron Huldai told a recent press conference.
“Tel Aviv will welcome thousands of tourists, will host 1,500 journalists, and will be seen by tens of millions of viewers.” — AFP
We Palestinian singers, songwriters, dancers, musicians and other artistes urge all Eurovision 2019 finalists to withdraw from the contest Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)