May 10th 2024.
Attention all Eurovision fans! Finland's beloved contestant from last year, Käärijä, has recently been caught up in some controversy. It all started when he appeared in a video with Israel's hopeful singer, Eden Golan, and was accused of making a political statement. As you may know, Europe's biggest singing competition is currently taking place in Malmo, Sweden and Israel's performances have been making headlines due to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
Some viewers have even called for Israel to be banned from the competition this year, and there have been talks of boycotts in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Golan, who is only 20 years old, has already faced backlash for having to change the title and lyrics of her song, "October Rain", which was deemed to have a political message. In fact, during this week's Jury Show, she was jeered by the crowd with some fans even shouting "Free Palestine" as she sang.
In the midst of all this drama, last year's runner-up, Käärijä, found himself in hot water after a video of him dancing with Golan went viral on social media. The clip also showed the two singers shaking hands and hugging, which caused quite a stir among fans. Käärijä, whose real name is Jere Pöyhönen, quickly released a statement on Instagram clarifying that the video was not a political statement or an endorsement of any kind. He also expressed his disappointment that the video was shared without his permission and requested for it to be taken down.
But the controversy surrounding Israel's involvement in Eurovision did not end there. Golan's song was changed to "Hurricane" from its original title "October Rain" due to the competition's rules against political messages. However, during her performance for the Eurovision Jury, she was still met with loud boos and tension in the arena. This incident has added to the ongoing saga and criticism surrounding Israel's participation in the competition this year.
Even the United Kingdom's entry, Olly Alexander, has faced pressure to withdraw from the competition. The Years & Years singer, who will be performing "Dizzy" for the UK, has admitted to feeling distressed and on the edge of a breakdown due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Despite this, he still believes that Eurovision is a good platform for people to come together and be entertained.
For those of you who want to stay updated on all the Eurovision drama, Metro is hosting a WhatsApp party where you can receive all the latest news, memes, and iconic moments from the live shows. You can also join in on the fun by sharing your reactions to each performance and voting for your favorites in our polls. So don't forget to join the party and follow the link to join our chat!
As the competition heats up and tensions rise, we can only hope for a peaceful resolution in the Gaza conflict. Let's continue to support our favorite contestants and enjoy the show. Don't forget to tune in to the live final on Saturday at 8pm on BBC One. And if you have any celebrity stories, videos, or pictures, don't hesitate to share them with us. You can email us, call us, or visit our Submit Stuff page – we would love to hear from you!
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