Eurovision 2024

🇳🇱 Netherlands are in, Joost isn’t

Netherlands are in, Joost isn’t. The Netherlands will take part in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. Dutch broadcaster Avrotros announced it today. The EBU has given the Netherlands an extension until November 1st. By then, it must be clear whether the country will participate. A little more than a week before that day, Avrotros made a statement. After months of talks, the broadcaster received enough assurances from the EBU that important changes will be made to the music festival. Joost Klein was given the chance to participate again, but he decided to turn down the offer. Song submissions for 2025 are now open. Netherlands are in, Joost isn’t. Until the very last moment, Joost was the contestant to be. However, he decided not to do it. In a statement Joost says: “My team and I had everything ready, but it just doesn’t feel good. I am very thankfull for all the love around the world, however I am still affected by this year. I need to give myself more time to heal”. Dutch broadcaster Avrotros was in doubt about participation, due to the things happening last year. Joost was disqualified because of an incident between him and a camera woman. Joost was not convicted by Swedish police. Avrotros only wanted to participate if the EBU would make significant changes to the festival.

Class of 2024: where are they now? Semi Final 2

It’s been five months since the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 In Malmö has come to an end. In this new series we’re having a look at the participants, and what they have been up to. We’re going to continue with the artists who performed in the Second Semi Final. Class of 2024: where are they now? Marina Satti She represented Greece with “Zari” and ended up in 11th place in the final. Right after Eurovision, Satti released her album called “P.O.P.”, scoring a hit with “LALALALA”. Marina hasn’t been doing nothing, as she’s been on touring Europe all summer long. That’s not all, ‘cause in November she’s is performing in New York! As busy as it all gets, Marina even continued to model for various magazines. Nemo It’s almost been half a year since they won the whole contest! We’re of course talking about the monarch Nemo. They’ve announced a big tour over the continent which starts mid-March next year. Nemo has been hailed as a big star in Switzerland, and has done many gigs there. They also performed a lot of times in London, and after getting a taste of the city, Nemo decided to move to the heart of the U.K. They are releasing their new single “Eurostar” on October 4th. Aiko After not qualifying to the final, Aiko didn’t leave Malmö with nothing as she fell in love with Kat (Megara’s drummer). To this day the couple are still together, and are making music and performing gigs! She had creative summer, as she released her album “AIKONIC” including one of her singles “Hunger” which she made together with Teya (Austria 2023). Next month Aiko will start her Aikonic Tour, with shows all over Europe! Kaleen She closed the Eurovision 2024 final with a big rave! Kaleen performed at many gigs over the continent, including Sziget, one of Europe’s biggest festivals! Last month she even performed a set together with Windows95man, who represented Finland this year. Now she’s enjoying a well earned vacation in Greece. 5MIINUST & Puuluup After winning Eesti Laul, and having a blast at the Eurovision final, 5MIINUST & Puuluup saw their success all throughout their country. The two bands performed multiple gigs together, but also had some shows of their own. Puuluup even performed all over Europ, whilst 5MIINUST saw their success with their international tour! Gåte They might have ended up in last place at the Eurovision Final, but Gåte played at many gigs and festivals over the summer. The folklore rockband even had a sold out concert at The Norwegian National Opera House, one of Oslo’s most iconic building. Gåte released their album “Ulveham” last month, and will travel Europe with their tour starting at the end of the year. Joost Klein After being disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest, Joost Klein saw his success rise. People all over the world started following his social media and music, as a sign of solidarit. Right after Malmö, Joost hopped on a plane to Canada to perform at BBNO$’s festival. In June Joost dropped his following single ““Luchtballon”” which was a direct hit. He followed it up by releasing his other song meant for Eurovision. That’s not all as Joost and Käärijä (Finland 2023) have spent time in the studio together, and released “Trafik!”. Next year, Joost begins his Europapa tour, and will also play across multiple states in the U.S.A. You’re now all caught up with all the info regarding the Semi Final 2 acts. Stay tuned as for next week we’re catching you up with everything you need to know about the big five + hosting country. See you then!

Class of 2024: where are they now? Semi Final 1

It’s been five months since the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 In Malmö has come to an end. In this new series we’re having a look at the participants, and what they have been up to. Today we’re starting with the acts who performed in the First Semi Final. Silia Kapsis She opened this year’s Eurovision, and secured the 15th place in the Grand Final. We’re talking about Silia Kapsis. During the summer the 17 year old singer released her new song “Red Flag”. Silia performed at multiple big events throughout Greece and Cyprus, and is performing all over Europe with Eurovision On Tour starting next month. Silvester Belt After representing Lithuania with “Luktelk”, Silvester has been traveling all over Europe, and even performing at arenas with a 30 thousand capacity. After scoring a number one hit with his Eurovision song, he followed it up with “Tyliai Tyliai” late July. Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil Alyona & Jerry, the powerful duo from Ukraine secured third place in this year’s contest. Next month Jerry is starting her tour throughout Ukraine, but that is not all she’s been doing. All throughout the summer she’s been hard at work in the studio. Not only did she release new music, Jerry is now also a member of the Grammy Academy. That means “Teresa & Maria” might end up scoring a Grammy. Alyona has released a new song as well, and is going on tour. Next month she’s not only performing her songs all over Europe, but she’s also touring in Canada and the U.S. in November! Luna She didn’t make the Grand Final, but that didn’t stop her from getting creative. Luna has been spending her time in London, and has been seen making lots of new music. She released “Alive” back in July, and will release her new single “Wild West” tomorrow (at the time of writing). On August 30th Luna celebrated her birthday together with the Eurovision winner Nemo. Baby Lasagna After Marko won the televote with his “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, he’s become one of the biggest stars in the Balkan. He knows how to keep the hype going, as he’s been performing at festivals and organized gigs all over Europe. He also signed with Universal Music and he released two new songs and video clips! Raiven She kept the Slovenian qualification streak going with “Veronika. Raiven has been traveling all over the world, as she’s seen the streets from London to Tokyo, and she is not stopping there. Tomorrow (as time of writing) Raiven will release the dates of her European tour, as well as her newest single “Mama”. Windows95man After winning UMK, Windows95man has been performing at lots of European festivals. In August the DJ even performed and met up at the same festival with Darude (Finland 2019), Kaleen, and Joost Klein. Fun fact, Windows95man plays “Europapa” at every gig he plays. He’s also announced his USA tour for early 2025. You’re now all caught up with all the info regarding the Semi Final 1 acts. Stay tuned as for next week we’re catching you up with everything you need to know about the semi 2 acts. See you there! 📸: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cumming/

Investigation Joost Klein closed

Back on May 10th, the Dutch artist Joost Klein was disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest. Following the disqualification, Joost was being investigated by Swedish authorities following the accusations of making serious threats towards a female employee, hitting her camera, and making an unsafe working environment. Today the investigation has been closed because of a lack of evidence. This was the official statement: At the time of disqualification, the Dutch broadcaster AvroTros also released a statement: AvroTros has made clear that they will soon have talks with the EBU following their disqualification, and the closing of the investigation. It is still unclear if the Netherlands will participate in Eurovision 2025.

Independent review of ESC: the results are in

Eurovision 2024 The 2024 Contest reached over 160 million people in 37 public service media markets. This was, however, a contest that will be reminded for other things. Several countries have added complaints about safety behind the scenes. Also, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was disqualified; a novum in the Eurovision Song Contest. Reason for the EBU to announce an independent review of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 in Malmö. Review and conclusion An industry expert led this review. They gathered feedback from various ESC stakeholders, including Heads of Delegation, ESC Reference Group members, and the EBU/ESC core team. Today, the EBU shares the conclusions of this review. Based on the findings, the EBU identified three key areas to focus on in the coming months. These areas aim to strengthen and protect next year’s Eurovision Song Contest and future events. The areas are: EBU Governance and Participation, Safety and Risk Management, and Audience Engagement, Fans, and Media. Actions already taken To keep up the momentum, the EBU appointed a task force of senior leaders. This team will oversee decision-making and changes in these areas. “The review also highlighted the need for a stronger leadership team to manage such a large event. We created a new role, ESC Director, reporting to the EBU Deputy Director General and Media Director. This role supports the Executive Supervisor, focusing on ESC production, delegations, member relationships, and daily production issues. The ESC Director will also oversee a new role called Head of ESC Brand and Commercial.” Decisions “Just six weeks after the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, we made these decisions quickly to ensure the event’s future success. We are dedicated to ensuring that the Eurovision Song Contest continues to thrive. We aim to reassure participating broadcasters and millions of fans that we are committed to maintaining the success of this joyful event.” Development areas EBU Governance and Participation: Clarify decision-making roles within the EBU. Ensure diverse member opinions are heard. Define the responsibilities of the ESC Core Team. Outline the roles of Heads of Delegations and Participating Artists. Safety and Risk Management: Simplify and improve understanding of ESC rules. Strengthen crisis management protocols. Enhance security and cybersecurity measures. Ensuring a General-Audience Show and Broad Engagement: Increase collaboration with fan groups, influencers, and media. Build broader engagement and ensure the ESC remains a prime-time show for all ages.

Independent investigation into EBU and Eurovision 2024

An independent investigation will be started into the EBU. Insiders told Dutch TV-show RTL Boulevard about this earlier today, and the EBU has confirmed it. The investigation is being requested by the EBU itself after several complaints about an unsafe working environment at the last Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden. The investigation will include interviewing the song contest delegations, anonymously if they prefer. Several countries like Ireland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal reported an unsafe working environment behind the scenes. There were more than 13 complaints from different delegations after the song contest. The EBU has also confirmed the news. “The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) strives to continuously improve its services and events. To further strengthen the Eurovision Song Contest, we have asked an independent expert to review ESC 2024 in Malmö to share insights and lessons with the EBU’s governing bodies to support the ongoing improvement of this global event,” they stated.

Eurovision 2024: Facts and rumors.

Last week was the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. It looks like this 68th edition will go down as one of the most controversial to date.What has happened, and what is still happening? Eurovision 2024: Facts and rumours: Participation Israel Fact Friction already starts to arise in February 2024.Israel’s submitted song, “October Rain,” is not approved. At first they refused to change the song, until the President of Israel, Yitzhak Herzog, interfered; the song is adapted, and the title is changed (to “Hurricane”).Israel will once again participate in the Eurovision Song Contest, despite protests from many participating countries. Rumor There has been speculation until the first semi-final that Israel will withdraw at the last minute, which, as we all know, did not happen. Disqualification The Netherlands Fact On Friday morning, May 10, it becomes clear that Joost Klein, representing the Netherlands, is not allowed to rehearse at the very last minute. The EBU then announced that an incident had occurred with an employee of a camera crew. Then it remains quiet for almost 24 hours. Joost is not allowed to participate in the jury final on Friday evening, the recording from the 2nd semi-final will be used. Just before the family show starts, on Saturday afternoon, it is announced that the Netherlands will be disqualified. The matter is transferred from the police to the prosecution. The case is expected to be heard in June. After a long silence, Joost announced this week that “he is very sad”, and agrees that he would have pushed the camera, but denies that he touched or threatened the person in question. Rumor Immediately after the incident, pushing the camera/phone away, Joost Klein apologized. From that moment on, the camerawoman in question refused any form of conversation, although she was asked to do so. European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Facts During and after the Festival, the EBU received a lot of criticism, and several complaints were filed: As mentioned earlier: the participation of Israel. Refusing to display flags in the hall, other than those of the participating countries. For example, the European Union and non-binary flags were banned. The booing in the hall was filtered out, and an audio tape of cheering could be heard on TV. The Spanish, Dutch, Irish and Greek delegations have filed official complaints about the behavior of the Israeli delegation ánd the Israelian press. Nothing has been done with these complaints. Joost Klein (The Netherlands) was disqualified, without it being clear what exactly happened. After the festival, several artists opened up about the intimidating and hostile atmosphere behind the scenes. Various broadcasters from participating countries have requested clarification through a so-called “open letter” to the EBU. Rumors Since there was an incident involving a camerawoman, you would think that there should be camera footage. These could be deliberately withheld. Money talks; Since Moroccon Oil, the main sponsor is from Israel, the EBU does not dare to take action against the misconduct of the Israeli delegation and press. The Dutch artist Joost Klein was sacrificed to turn the attention away from the Israeli delegation. It is sad that the victory of Switzerland’s Nemo has been overshadowed by all the commotion. The calls for the resignation of the incumbent board of the EBU in general, and of its chairman Martin Österdahl, are becoming louder and louder.Will the EBU take a good look in the mirror and take its responsibility? To be continued…..

Malmö Messages: Nemo: we need to talk to eachother

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The Code After clinching victory at the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with ‘The Code,’ Nemo joined the press conference to discuss their triumph. Nemo seemingly unraveled the mystery to winning Eurovision, securing Switzerland’s third win in the contest with their track ‘The Code,’ amassing a total of 591 points. We need to talk with each other Nemo, the contest’s first nonbinary victor, expressed their pride, highlighting the significance of the moment for both themselves and the broader nonbinary and gender fluid communities. They are optimistic about fostering greater empathy and understanding among people. They stated: “We need to talk with each other and I hope tonight can be a way of remembering that.” Grateful Fresh from their performance, Nemo shared their feelings of intense joy and gratitude. They remarked: “I’m mostly just really grateful for this experience and all the friends I’ve made along the way. This was one of the most queer representations we’ve seen at Eurovision which was amazing, I want to shout out all the other queer artists this year.” Nemo also mentioned the difficulty of finding spaces where they can fully express themselve. They advised other artists to focus on what truly matters to them and to create art that is meaningful. To consider Eurovision Nemo talked about ‘The Code’ as a distinctive and impactful song, enhanced by its presentation, extending thanks to their crew. The song emerged from a songwriting workshop where Nemo initially intended to write for others, until they were asked, “Would you consider going to Eurovision yourself?” Nemo added: “[Performing] a song where I speak about my story, having touched so many people and maybe inspired people to stay true to themselves, is the most insane thing that has ever happened to me.” Biel Nemo holds immense pride for their native city of Biel, expressing hope for hosting the contest there, despite its smaller size. They described Biel as a hub of creativity where uniqueness is celebrated and valued positively. They shared: “I’m sending so much love to everyone tonight and I’ll be back soon.”

Malmö Messages: Switzerland wins Eurovision 2024!

For the third time in history, Switzerland has won the Eurovision Song Contest. Nemo took the prize after an exciting voting. They were the clear winner of the jury vote. Other countries did better at the televote, but the number of points Nemo received were enough for a victory! As said, Switzerland won 3 times. The very first contest in 1956 was won by Lys Assia, in 1988 Celine Dion took the trophy home. These are the full results: Switzerland, 591 pts Croatia, 547 pts Ukraine, 453 pts France, 445 pts Israel, 475 pts Ireland, 278 pts Italy, 268 pts Israel, 375 pts Italy, 278 pts Portugal, 152 pts Greece, 126 pts Germany, 117 pts Luxembourg, 103 pts Lithuania, 90 pts Cyprus, 78 pts Latvia, 64 pts Serbia, 54 pts United Kingdom, 46 pts Finland, 38 pts Estonia, 37 pts Georgia, 34 pts Spain, 30 pts Slovenia, 27 pts Austria, 24 pts Norway, 16 pts

Malmö Messages: The Netherlands disqualified

photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming The Netherlands are disqualified and will not perform at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. That is what the EBU just said in this statement: The Dutch artist Joost Klein will not be competing in the Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest. We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate behaviour at our event and are committed to providing a safe and secure working environment for all staff at the Contest. In light of this, Joost Klein’s behaviour towards a team member is deemed in breach of Contest rules. The Grand Final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will now proceed with 25 participating songs. AVROTROS, the Dutch broadcaster, is not amused and also made a statement: We have taken note of the disqualification by the EBU. AVROTROS finds the disqualification disproportionate and is shocked by the decision. We deeply regret this and will come to this later. We of Eurovision Universe agree on the statement of AVROTROS, as a person is not guilty until he is proven guilty. That did not happen yet. However, EBU have decided different.