What’s the schedule?
The grand finale of Eurovision is slated for Saturday, 11th of May, at 8pm. In addition to this, there are two semi-finals on Tuesday, 7th of May, and Thursday, 9th of May, each commencing at 8pm. As for Ireland, it will take part in the initial semi-final and is listed as the fourth performance.
Where is it being held?
Sweden, after securing a win with Loreen’s Tattoo in 2023 and thereby matching Ireland’s record of seven triumphs in the contest, will host the event. The host city is Malmö, the third-largest city in Sweden. The Malmö Arena, with a seating capacity of 12,600, will be the location of the event, following its earlier stints as a host in 1992 and 2013.
Who’s Ireland’s representative?
Macroom’s Bambie Thug from Co Cork, who is based in London, will be representing Ireland. The non-binary singer describes their sound as “Ouija pop” and will be succeeding Dana, Jedward, and Johnny Logan on stage with their song Doomsday Blue. This skillfully crafted song has been warmly received by the Eurovision community, despite it deviating from Ireland’s typical ‘cuddly’ performance style. Further, Doomsday Blue includes a subtle homage to Harry Potter, alluding to the “Avada Kedavra” curse in its opening line, a deadly spell in the Potter universe that brings instant, painless death to its victim. This is likened to the performance of Wild Youth in Eurovision the previous year.
Who’s expected to come out on top?
Croatia is currently leading the race, boasting the infectious tune, Rim Tim Tagi Dim by Baby Lasagna, the alternate name of 28-year-old talent Marko Purišić. Combining elements of metal, house, and pop music, its distinct sound is difficult to ignore. Trailing behind at second place is Switzerland represented by Nemo’s The Code, a dynamically energised rendition reminiscent of Freddie Mercury’s performance of Barcelona. In the third slot, the odds favour Ukraine offering Teresa & Maria by Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil, a poignant tribute to Mother Teresa and the Virgin Mary.
Ireland, viewed as the dark horse with odds of approximately 33/1, is represented by unbothered Bambie Thug, who disregards the statistics. “I never give much thought to the odds,” Bambie Thug shares with NME this week. “To my mind, odds are always surmountable, as they are essentially manipulated by money.”
Are there any notable performances?
Bambie Thug’s rendition of Doomsday Blue seems promising and will employ an elaborate stage setup. Bambie, outfitted with antlers, will deliver a dynamic performance within a circle of candles, accompanied by a dancer seemingly straight out of Game of Thrones’ final season. Pyrotechnics and a blazing sign that reads “Crown The Witch” will add to the spectacle.
Keep an eye on Spain’s entrant Zorra, presented by the electropop duo Nebulossa, which comprises of a married couple. Even though the song’s title is considered sexist slang similar to “b**ch” in Spanish, Nebulossa insists they are repurposing the term. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has voiced his support for them. Lastly, anticipate a polarising performance by Finland’s Teemu Keisteri, popularly known as Windows95man, with his song No Rules!. On his national stage, he put on a show featuring a denim egg and flames from his shorts, landing him last place among the judges but first place from public votes.
Any contentious issues?
Israel’s involvement has ignited controversy. Over 400 artists from Ireland have put their names to a plea, entreating Bambie Thug to shun the competition as an objection to Israeli undertakings in Gaza. Meanwhile, in Malmö, Eden Golan, representing Israel, has been counseled to confine herself to her hotel, coming out only to perform or attend official Eurovision functions. In excess of 1,000 Swedish artists are championing the call to exclude Israel, sparking an intensified security response. Law enforcement officers have been bolstered with support from their Danish and Norwegian counterparts.
Upon her arrival in Malmö, Golan displayed a badge in support of Israeli civilians held captive by Hamas. She’s been compelled to revise her song that infringed Eurovision’s non-political lyrics rule. The song was originally titled “October Rain”, a title which was largely construed as alluding to the Hamas strikes on October 7th. Under the new title “Hurricane”, Golan denies that the song violated any regulations. She expressed her surprise when the European Broadcasting Union dismissed her song, and maintained that the original version was apolitical.