The Pop Corporation

We all know Eurovision defies logic – that’s why we love it. Australia have been entering songs recently, which of course, meant that sniffy Suede fans who only take notice of pop music twice a year (to be ‘above’ Eurovision, and to complain about how much of it is on the Glastonbury coverage) were out in force to be the first person to say ‘ERM! WHAT PART OF EUROPE IS AUSTRALIA IN?! ERM! LAST TIME I CHECKED HAHA AUS WASN’T IN EUROPE! HO HO! UNLESS SOMEONE MOVED AUSTRALIA NEXT DOOR TO LICHTENSTEIN OR SOMETHING?! HAR HAR!”

They’re going to be beside themselves when they hear what Eurovision have in store for the 2024 competition. They’ve said that “the Caribbean is coming” to the show.

Go and have a look on their Instagram. We’re not kidding.

Now, Eurovision fans already know about non European countries taking part in the show. It’s been happening since the ’70s. We’ve had Morocco in 1980, and Armenia might sound like it’s Europe, but it’s Asia, so there. And most notable of course, is Israel, which has even won the top gong at Eurovision a few times.

Eurovision tries to avoid overt politicism, but this year it’ll be unavoidable. Just like it was incredibly present for the constant booing of Russia and Ukraine’s charitable win. Russia found themselves banned from the 2022 show, which was uncharacteristic honestly, and now, Eurovision may have painted themselves into a corner concerning any Israeli entry.

Israel are cracking on like they’re invited, but it’s not without complications. Just weeks after auditioning for the 2024 spectacle, Shaul Greenglick was killed in Gaza while serving for the IDF. This came a matter of days after the IDF killed one of their own – drummer for Israeli rock band Persephore.

Still, nothing compared to over 20,000 Palestinians.

The teaser of a Caribbean entry is something of a distraction at least, as the Association of Composers and Lyricists in Iceland have demanded that Israel is banned from Eurovision 2024, and protests will surely ramp up in the coming weeks. The European Broadcasting Union have issued a statement saying that they won’t be banning anyone.

They said: “The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition for public broadcasters from all over Europe and the Middle East. It is a contest for broadcasters – not for governments – and the Israeli public broadcaster has been participating in the contest for 50 years.”

“The EBU is a member-led organisation. The EBU’s governing bodies – led by the Board of Directors – represent the members. These bodies assessed the list of participants and decided that the Israeli public broadcaster complies with all competition rules. Together with 36 other broadcasters, it will be able to participate in the competition next year.”

Remember the Russians executing an attack on Ukraine as they performed their 2023 entry, leaving the Ukraine performers to hold up a makeshift sign of the place attacked?

Israel won’t escape criticism, that’s for sure. It’s not like they’ve already not been getting it already. Olly Alexander, who will be representing the United Kingdom in 2023 has already signed a pro-Palestine letter which called Israel an “apartheid state” and accused it of committing genocide. Imagine that – a Eurovision entrant having more of a backbone than laptop punk Sleaford Mods. No surprise, really.

It’s not that acts haven’t already been showing support for Palestine already, and you have to assume that the 2024 competition, people are really going to let their feelings be known.

It’s going to be fun, sure. It’s going to be exciting. However, this year, we think there’s going to be a tension and should any Israeli entry get through to the final Saturday, while security will be high to avoid stage invasions and the like, you can’t police booing or a crowd turning their back on an act.

Eurovision crowds have historically been lenient to performers, as they’re simply pop singers trying their best and not necessarily puppets of any regime. However, this one feels different.

The 68th Eurovision will take place in Malmö, Sweden, with the Grand Final of the competition due to be held on Saturday, May 11, 2024. See you there. And good luck to the Caribbean entry walking into the potential political maelstrom.