Eurovision explained, as the contest is shadowed by Israel-Hamas war

MALMO, Sweden (AP) — Scores of musicians, a whole bunch of journalists and hundreds of music followers are gathering within the Swedish metropolis of Malmo, the place the Eurovision Tune Contest is constructing in direction of Saturday’s exuberant, glitter-drenched last.

Even Eurovision can’t escape the world’s divisions, nonetheless. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters are additionally anticipated within the metropolis for demonstrations urging a cease-fire within the Gaza struggle and criticizing Israel’s participation within the contest.

Right here’s a information to what Eurovision means, the way it works and what to observe for:

WHAT IS EUROVISION?

The quick reply: Eurovision is a music competitors, wherein performers from nations throughout Europe, and some past it, compete below their nationwide flags with the goal of being topped continental champion. Consider it because the Olympics of pop music.

The longer reply is that Eurovision is an extravaganza that melds pop, partying and politics – a cross between a music competition, an awards present and a gathering of the United Nations Safety Council. It’s an occasion filled with foolish enjoyable, a celebration of music’s unifying energy, and in addition a spot the place politics and regional rivalries play out.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Thirty-seven nations are entered within the contest, which this yr is going down over a number of days within the Swedish port metropolis of Malmo. The nation is internet hosting as a result of Swedish singer Loreen gained final yr’s competitors in Liverpool, England.

By two semifinals, the 37 acts are narrowed to 26 who will compete in Saturday’s last in entrance of hundreds of spectators within the Malmo Enviornment and a worldwide tv viewers estimated at 180 million.

Nations can enter a solo act or a band. They’ll carry out in any style and language, however the guidelines state they have to sing stay and songs have to be not more than three minutes lengthy. Staging has grown ever extra elaborate, incorporating flashy pyrotechnics and elaborate choreography. This yr is especially sturdy on topless male dancers.

As soon as all of the acts have carried out, the winner is chosen by a famously complicated mixture of cellphone and on-line votes from viewers around the globe and rankings by music-industry juries in every of the Eurovision nations. Because the outcomes are introduced, nations slide up and down the rankings and tensions construct. Ending up with “nul factors,” or zero, ranks as a nationwide humiliation.

The musical type of Eurovision has diversified dramatically because the contest was based in 1956. The early years of crooners and ballads gave strategy to perky pop – epitomized by maybe the best Eurovision tune of all time, ABBA’s “Waterloo,” which gained the competition 50 years in the past.

These days, Euro-techno and energy ballads stay well-liked, however viewers have additionally proven a style for rock, folk-rap and eccentric and unclassifiable songs.

WHO ARE THE FAVORITES?

In accordance with bookmakers, a number one contender is Swiss singer Nemo, who’s performing a melodic, operatic tune titled “The Code.” Nemo can be the primary performer who identifies as nonbinary to win the competition, which has an enormous LGBTQ+ following and had its first transgender winner, Dana Worldwide, 1 / 4 century in the past.

One other nonbinary performer producing large buzz is Eire’s Bambie Thug, whose tune “Doomsday Blue” is Gothic, intense, excessive and an actual crowd-pleaser. (They’re the one contestant recognized to have introduced a scream coach to Malmo). Eire has gained Eurovision seven instances – a complete equaled solely by Sweden – however has fared poorly in recent times.

Different acts tipped to do effectively embody operatic Slovenian singer Raiven, Ukrainian rap-pop duo alyona alyona and Jerry Heil and Spain’s Nebulosa, whose tune “Zorra” has precipitated a stir as a result of its title may be translated as an anti-female slur.

To this point the act with probably the most momentum is Croatian singer Child Lasagna. His tune “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is ideal Eurovision: exuberant, foolish, a bit of emotional and extremely catchy. It’s already an enormous fan favourite.

WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE PROTESTING?

Eurovision’s motto is “united by music,” and its organizer, the European Broadcasting Union, strives to hold politics out of the competition. But it surely usually intrudes.

Belarus was expelled from Eurovision in 2021 over its authorities’s clampdown on dissent, and Russia was kicked out in 2022 after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This yr there have been requires Israel to be excluded due to its conduct in its struggle towards Hamas.

Israel is competing, however was advised to vary the title of its tune, initially known as “October Rain” in obvious reference to Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border assault. It’s now known as “Hurricane” and will likely be carried out by 20-year-old singer Eden Golan at Thursday’s semifinal.

Professional-Palestinian teams are planning giant protests on Thursday and Saturday attended by hundreds of demonstrators, and Swedish police are mounting a significant safety operation, with officers from throughout the nation bolstered by reinforcements from Denmark and Norway.

Palestinian flags hold from some condo balconies in Malmo however have been banned from the televised occasion, together with all flags other than these of competing nations. On the first semifinal, one performer managed to sneak in a political assertion, singing with a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf tied round his wrist.

The EBU mentioned it regretted singer Eric Saade’s determination to “compromise the non-political nature of the occasion.”