Former Eurovision winner hits back at Song Contest critics amid growing backlash from Palestine supporters
DOUBLE Euro-vision winner Loreen has issued a rallying defence of the contest amid calls for a boycott over Israel’s inclusion.
The Swede, who won last year in Liverpool with her song Tattoo, to add to her 2012 triumph with Euphoria, insists the show brings huge joy to millions of people across the world.
Speaking to Bizarre’s Howell Davies in Malmo, Sweden, from where the grand final will be broadcast tomorrow, she said: “Positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative.
“If we were to boycott or shut this hub of positive energy to mil-lions of people, punishing millions for the distortion somewhere else, that would be so destructive.”
Interval act
She added of Eurovision: “Right now we need more of this.
“We need more countries to connect with this, we need more artists, we need more creators, we need more people with this capacity to generate good energy.
“Distortion, I call it distortion, these weird things happening are trauma-tising all of us.
“Let me tell you what you can do.
“You can start generating love because that is key to healing traumas and all this negative energy that’s going on.”
Loreen will perform her new song Forever as an interval act during the showpiece final, in which Israel will be represented by Eden Golan.
But Loreen — only the second act to win Eurovision twice, after Johnny Logan triumphed for Ireland in 1980 and 1987 — reveals she can no longer look at social media because of the hate around this year’s event.
Asked if she looks at her socials, she said: “I stop myself going on because I can’t cry all day. It’s important to understand that people are allowed to have opinion. It’s like, we can’t stop that.
“The only thing I’m saying is, ‘Is it constructive? Is it bringing you joy in this moment?’.”
There had been hopes that Loreen’s fellow Swedes Abba, would reunite on stage to mark 50 years since their Eurovision win with Waterloo — but last night that was looking unlikely, despite her efforts.
She said: “Maybe they will come. But don’t look at me — it’s not my fault. I’ve tried everything, seriously. In every interview I said, ‘They should be there. It’s their responsibility’. Poor things.”
Loreen’s belting track Forever took just one session to write and is about how powerful her fans make her feel.
Speaking about the impact of her win last year, as tickets for her upcoming UK tour go on sale today, she said: “I experienced a love I’ve never experienced.
“I was hovering. It was so beautiful. Do you know how many parts of me that healed?
“At that moment, what you gave me was this beautiful gift of healing some parts of me that had to do with love? In every moment I feel grateful.”
And she added of her Eurovision appearance tomorrow: “That’s why this performance, that I’d like to call a gift from me to all of you, is about us.
“You’ll understand when you see it.”
TWINS AIM TO BE UNFORGETTABLE
IDENTICAL twins Marcus & Martinus, will represent host nation Sweden with Unforgettable and reckon they have been preparing for their performance for over a decade.
The brothers, who are actually from Norway, were child stars in Scandinavia so have already spent years honing their craft, even though they’re only 22.
On getting match fit, they said: “We’ve done that since we’re ten. We’re healthy boys, we love football and are always sporty so we’re fit for Eurovision.”
Speaking about their track being compared to The Weeknd‘s music, they added: “The Weeknd is probably one of the best artists out there right now so it’s a great thing.
“He has worked with Swedish people so I guess that might be why.”
ONE of the most bonkers acts is Finland’s Windows95man who wears nude-coloured underwear for much of his performance before pulling on a pair of denim shorts.
And while other acts have been hitting the gym to prepare, he’s been doing the opposite.
He said: “I try to not exercise too much because I want to keep it natural.
“I want to be tall and thin, so if I go to the gym, I never do anything for the leg muscles because I don’t want to change my character.”
He has a song called No Rules and now wants to work with New Rules singer Dua Lipa. He said: “That would be fantastic. Give us a call. We need to send a message or do a cover.”
Er, good luck with that.
BOOKIES’ favourite Baby Lasagna, from Croatia, has peeled back the layers on his unusual stage name.
In an exclusive chat, the singer – real name Marko Purisic – revealed: “It doesn’t have a grandiose story.
“It sounded funny and I wanted something that sounds random and like, ‘What?’
“I did it because I get a lot of questions, like ‘what does it mean?’. But it doesn’t mean anything.”
On the reaction at home to his song Rim Tim Tagi Dim, he added: “It’s crazy. I get stopped every two metres but I’m happy about it. It’s exploded.
“I’m happy that people from Croatia are proud to have me representing.”
CONCHITA WURST will celebrate ten years since winning Eurovision, at a bash in Sweden.
The Rise Like A Phoenix singer, who represented Austria, is throwing a pre-show bash tomorrow with the contests’ official travel sponsor, booking.com.
The site has been working with Eurovision for years to help people find the best deals when staying in the hosting city, as demand soars.
I’m sure they will have hooked Conchita up with somewhere pretty fancy.
A LUCKY SPELL FOR ‘WITCH’?
IRELAND’S Bambie Thug is rising up the ranks and thinks it’s all down to the secret spells they have been casting.
The Doomsday Blue singer, who is non-binary and fourth favourite to win, claims to be a witch with magical powers.
Bambie, who won through Tuesday’s semi- inals, told me: “I cast all good spells, but you have to keep your magic to yourself. I can teach you how to make a spell.
“You can do sigil magic, where you write a poem or a manifestation and then you get rid of the vowels and the repeating letters and you’re left with some letters.
“You make a symbol that you put somewhere as a reminder so it manifests.
“So it’s letting go of your manifestations for them to come back. Retraining your brain is magic, so I do a lot of that, catching my negative self-talk.”
It’s cheaper than a therapy session, that’s for sure.
TOP DUETS AS RIMES SHINES
Caught live: LeAnn Rimes @London’s O2 Arena
LEANN RIMES made sure her one-off special at London’s O2 Arena was a show to remember – by getting David Gray and Ronan Keating to join her on stage.
She and Ronan performed their 2004 Top Ten single Last Thing On My Mind.
While with David, she sang their 2015 collaboration Snow In Vegas and his 2001 hit, This Year’s Love.
Part of her The Story . . . So Far tour, the show saw thousands of fans cramming into the arena to hear some of her biggest hits, including Nineties classic How Do I Live, and tracks from her latest album, 2022’s God’s Work.
Joined by a four-piece band on the stage, LeAnn worked masterfully through her back catalogue and got a huge reaction for her cult 2000 chart-topper, Can’t Fight The Moonlight.
The US singer will be back in the UK soon, but sadly only on the box, after joining ITV’s The Voice as a coach.
Whoever lands LeAnn as their mentor will be lucky to have her on board.
★★★★☆
ZAYN MALIK has put the boot into model Gigi Hadid, the mother of his daughter.
“I don’t know whether I have ever actually truly been in love at this point,” Zayn told US DJ Zach Sang. “Perspective changes it all the time.
“You look back at it with new eyes and go, ‘Maybe I wasn’t in love then’.”
Ed’s big promotion
ED SHEERAN was on great form as he celebrated Ipswich’s return to top- flight football.
He got his guitar out and serenaded his team in a local pub after they secured their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
Ed shared footage online and told his 47.6million Instagram followers: “Took the Ipswich Town lads out for a promotion party tonight.”
I bet the hangovers weren’t pretty.
MABEL’S BODY BLOW TO LABELS
MABEL delivers a brutal takedown of the music industry in her new single, out today, slamming label bosses for sexualising her.
Speaking about Look At My Body Pt. II featuring Shygirl – the video for which drops at 3pm – the singer, told me: “It’s a commentary on the state of the music industry and how we as women need to force a change.
“For the past ten years I’ve been constantly told how to look, act and what to do with my body.
“This is me taking control, being unapologetic and pointing out all the hypocrisies.”
Other new releases include Jodie Harsh’s Joy and Ella Eyre’s punchy return with Ain’t No Love That Blind.
Travis have enlisted Coldplay‘s Chris Martin and The Killers’ Brandon Flowers to provide backing vocals on their cool tune Raze The Bar.
And one song you’re likely to hear a lot of this summer is Italian electronic trio Meduza’s Fire, the official song of the Uefa 2024 Euros.