Eurovision Heats Up: Non-Binary Artist, City Boy Anthem
The Eurovision Song Contest, a music festival watched by an estimated 200 million people worldwide, opens this Sunday in Malmö, Sweden, with the "turquoise carpet" ceremony.
Bookmakers have named Croatia, Switzerland, and Ukraine as the frontrunners to take home the trophy this year, while Spotify streaming data suggests the Netherlands, Italy, or host nation Sweden may have a strong chance of winning.
"This year is particularly exciting because there are four or five countries with a genuine shot at victory," remarked William Lee Adams, editor of the Eurovision fan site Wiwibloggs, in a recent interview with Reuters. "Eurovision can be quite predictable when there's a clear favourite months in advance. But this year, the competition remains wide open."
Croatian contestant Baby Lasagna (real name Marko Purišić) has this week overtaken Switzerland as the bookmakers' favourite with his song "Rim Tim Tagi Dim." The upbeat track tells the story of a young Croatian man leaving his hometown in search of better opportunities as a "city boy."
The song contest, which has been held annually since 1956, has become increasingly progressive in its embrace of inclusion and acceptance within the LGBTQ+ community. This is reflected in the participation of 24-year-old Swiss singer and rapper Nemo, who will perform "The Code" - a song that blends drums, bass, opera, rap, and rock, exploring their journey of self-discovery as a non-binary person.
Ukraine, which emerged victorious at the competition two years ago just months after being invaded by Russia, is represented this year by the duo alyona alyona, 28, and Jerry Heil, 32. Their entry, "Teresa & Maria," is a pop song with folk influences, featuring a driving dance beat and rapid-fire rap.
Another strong contender is 26-year-old Joost Klein from the Netherlands. His song, "Europapa," combines pop melodies with happy hardcore. Inspired by the loss of his parents at a young age, Klein describes the song as a story about an orphan travelling Europe in search of himself, reflecting his father's belief in a Europe without borders.
Italy will also be vying for the top spot with 23-year-old Angelina Mango and her song "La Noia," which translates to "Boredom." The host country, Sweden, has a chance of achieving back-to-back victories with Norwegian twin brothers Marcus and Martinus Gunnarsen, who will perform their song "Unforgettable."
Moldova's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 is singer Natalia Barbu. Barbu will take to the stage for the first semi-final on May 7th in Sweden, performing under number 11.
Her song, "In the Middle," was chosen as the winner by the jury, accumulating a total score of 60 points. The public vote yielded an additional 2,421 votes for Barbu.
This marks Natalia Barbu's second time representing Moldova at Eurovision. Her performance in 2007 with the song "Fight" secured her a respectable 10th place finish.
Translation by Iure Tataru
