MALMO, Sweden — The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
Klein, a 26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper, had been a favorite of both bookmakers and fans with his song “Europapa.” Competitors from 25 nations are performing in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers around the world. Each contestant has three minutes to meld catchy tunes and eye-popping spectacle into performances capable of winning the hearts of millions of viewers. Musical styles range across rock, disco, techno and rap — sometimes a mashup of more than one.
The Irish performer issued a statement saying the absence was due to a situation “which I felt needed urgent attention from the EBU” and telling fans: “I hope to see you on the stage later.” Israeli singer Eden Golan has shot up the odds since performing the power ballad, now titled “Hurricane,” in Thursday’s semifinal. Golan faced some booing at dress rehearsals, but was voted into the final by viewers around the world.
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Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsionThe final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
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Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest finalThough Eurovision's motto is “united by music,” this year’s event has proven exceptionally divisive.
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Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest finalThe Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
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Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest finalHours before the final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was dramatically booted out by organizers over a backstage incident. He had failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday, and contest organizer the European Broadcasting Union said it was investigating an 'incident.
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Eurovision explained, from ABBA to Zorra, as the Israel-Hamas war overshadows the song contestScores of musicians, hundreds of journalists and thousands of music fans have gathered in Malmo, Sweden, where the Eurovision Song Contest is building towards Saturday's exuberant, glitter-drenched final.
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For Israel's contestant, the Eurovision Song Contest comes with tight security, boos and cheersEden Golan is in Sweden for the Eurovision Song Contest, but she isn't seeing much of the country.
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