- The singer won a place in the final with her alternative witch chant.
The first Irish singer to reach the final of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2018 has criticized contest organizers for requesting they change his pro-Palestinian body paint.
Non-binary singer Bambie Thug earned a place in Saturday’s final with her witch-like alternative chant, Doomsday Blue, in the semi-final in Sweden on Tuesday.
But the Cork-born singer, 31, revealed they were forced to change their body paint into Ogham script, an early medieval alphabet, which translated into ceasefire and freedom.
At a press conference in Malmo, Sweden, Bambie Thug said: ‘It was very important for me because I am for justice and peace.
“Unfortunately, today I had to change those messages to ‘Crown the Witch,’ which was an EBU order.”
Non-binary singer Bambie Thug earned a spot in Saturday’s final with her witch-like alternative chant, Doomsday Blue (performing Monday).
The Cork-born singer, 31, has revealed they were forced to change their body paint into Ogham script, an early medieval alphabet, which translated into ceasefire and freedom.
The body paint was a nod to Gaza amid Israel’s Eden Golan being allowed to compete in the song contest, but organizers forced Bambie Thug to change it if they wanted to compete in the semi-final on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said: “The writing seen on Bambie Thug’s body during dress rehearsals contravened contest rules which are designed to protect the apolitical nature of the event.”
The body had previously wanted Palestinian flags and symbols not to be allowed in the Malmo Arena.
Meanwhile, the British entry, Olly Alexander’s first live performance on Tuesday, received mixed reviews from Eurovision fans with some criticizing his slightly muffled and shaky voice.
It comes after he sparked controversy on Tuesday for saying he has an “ambivalent” relationship with the Union flag as it can be “divisive” and “nationalist”.
The Year&Years singer, 33, previously contributed to an anti-Semitism row after it was revealed he had signed a letter calling Israel an “apartheid regime” and condemning “Zionist propaganda”.
Israel’s Eden Golan (pictured) will be allowed to compete in the song contest. There have been calls to boycott the contest from activists amid the war in Gaza.
The BBC later said it would continue to allow him to express his views, while Jewish activists called for him to be replaced as a Eurovision entrant.
The Israeli embassy in London responded: “We will be happy to organize a trip for you to visit the sites of the October 7 massacre in Israel, where LGBTQ+ rights are celebrated, protected and valued.” Unfortunately, our neighbors cannot guarantee the same.’
Olly Alexander’s first live performance on Tuesday received mixed reviews from Eurovision fans.
The Mail on Sunday revealed last week that Alexander, who identifies as pansexual, was subsequently given bodyguards after refusing to resign in protest at Israel’s inclusion in the contest.
He has suffered constant threats and abuse from pro-Palestinian fans for his refusal to stand down and last week cried in media interviews after “it all became too much.”