Over the past week, a total of eight artists and organizers canceled performances in the run-up to the song contest. According to the Swedish news agency TT, the reason for the withdrawal is Israel’s participation in the competition and Israel’s role in the Gaza war.
Since the beginning of April, several local acts, including the duo Medina, which placed second in the Swedish preliminary round for the Song Contest, had canceled their concerts as part of the ESC supporting program, expressly citing Israel’s participation, and Titiyo, the four-time winner of the Swedish Grammis, moved on Tuesday -Music Prize, and her Swedish songwriter colleague Dotter. Titiyo’s management officially cited “logistical reasons” for the cancellation.
Concert with Conchita takes place
Those responsible for Malmö Pride, who, according to TT, were supposed to co-organize a concert that was also planned with Austria’s ESC icon Conchita alias Thomas Neuwirth, have also canceled. According to Neuwirth’s management, the concert with Conchita will take place as planned on May 6th in Malmö.
In the last few weeks, around 1,000 Swedish artists have signed a call for a boycott against Israeli participation at the ESC in Malmö. Last Wednesday, some activists demonstrated loudly in front of Malmö City Hall. The city administration had previously made it clear that it would not prevent “any country from taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest”.
The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö from May 7th to 11th. From May 4th to 6th there will be an extensive supporting program with numerous planned performances and events. Austria is represented at the 68th ESC by the singer Kaleen, who will sing the song “We Will Rave” in the second preliminary round on May 9th for a place in the final.
