Switzerland lives up to stereotype with 'beautifully organised' Eurovision
Switzerland is living up to its stereotype by delivering a "beautifully organised" Eurovision Song Contest, the director of the event has said.
Basel is hosting the 2025 contest after Switzerland's Nemo won last May in Sweden with The Code, which explored them coming to terms with their non-binary identity.
Last year in Malmo, pro-Palestinian protests were held outside the event's arena due to Israel's participation amid the war in Gaza, and the show was also hit by criticism from its contestants.
This time around, Martin Green has been brought in by organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as the new director of the contest, after being an executive producer on Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool, and the ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Mr Green told a press conference on Monday in Basel: "Everyone's really excited to finally show you what we've been up to for the last few months. In the last two weeks, the Swiss have done an extraordinary job this year.
"It is almost stereotypically beautifully organised. Come with us on the journey. Let's share a bit of love this week. Shall we? I think it's probably the biggest weapon we have. It's a bit of love this week, so come with us on the journey."
Following last year, the EBU conducted a review and pledged a new code of conduct for 2025, with a raft of measures to "protect" the wellbeing of artists in Basel - these appear to include the scrapping of semi-final media conferences, and more welfare measures for artists, and rules for delegations, and journalists.
Mr Green said: "I realise that we've changed a few things up this year. What I can absolutely tell you now we've put it into practice, is the artists are loving it.
"They are relaxed. They feel that they've got time to make sure that before they go in front of the world, they feel confident and rehearsed. You'll remember, there's a lot of new artists here. This is the biggest thing they've ever done."
One big change is that the semi-finals will focus on the artists' reactions, using three-split screens to show one act qualifying for the first nine going through.
The 10th act qualifying in each semi-final will be announced the usual way by the hosts.
On Sunday, the Eurovision opening event, the Turquoise Carpet, saw Palestinian flags held by crowds protesting over Israel's inclusion, and more demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday in the city centre at 7pm local time.
Basel police's head of communications, Adrian Plachesi, told the PA news agency that the force was aware these type of events could mean an "increased risk of terror attacks" from extremists, and they were also monitoring in case of "cyber-attacks" on the city's infrastructure.
The force has stepped up video surveillance because of the "heightened threat level" and the city centre has some road closures, Swiss police said.
Mr Plachesi said no permission has been granted for protests, but officers would be stationed for expected pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
He added officers "might have to intervene", if demonstrations interfere with "public safety".
About 1,300 Swiss police officers are on duty in Basel this week, with more forces drafted in from the Swiss Armed Forces, federal police and neighbouring countries - Germany and France - ahead of the two semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday, and the grand final on Saturday.
Current favourites to win include KAJ, who are from Finland's Swedish-speaking minority and will represent Sweden, with the upbeat comical Bara Bada Bastu - inspired by the Nordic sauna culture.
The hit is the first time the country, which is tied with Ireland for the most Eurovision wins, has entered with a song in Swedish since the 1990s, when the rules on competing in a country's official language were relaxed.
Others in contention are Dutch entry Claude Kiambe's C'est La Vie, Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7 2023 Hamas attacks, with New Day Will Rise, Austrian singer JJ's Wasted Love, and French singer Louane's ballad Maman.
On Tuesday, Switzerland's Zoe Me, the Netherlands and Ukraine's Ziferblat will perform, and on Thursday the UK's girl group Remember Monday, Ireland's Emmy Kristiansen and Israel will take to the stage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'When did politics become the new rock 'n' roll?'
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right - here I am, stuck in the middle with you. The 1970s Gerry Rafferty classic got a new lease of life when it was later used in the soundtrack for Reservoir Dogs. Now I find myself humming his Stealers Wheel hit, amid the culture war of world politics today. Whether it's the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Ukraine war, Trump's America or global immigration, my ears are burned off listening to the extremes of both. Headers in keffiyeh scarves are in one ear, going on about Zionists; and in the other ear, the gung-ho pro-Israels who see criticism of the horrors in Gaza as anti-Semitism. Then there's the people blaming everything on the "forr-roight" (member population: 2) and others pointing the finger at refugees. I never thought geopolitics would be the new rock 'n' roll, but you must now pick a side on international affairs. You're either with us, or agin us. When did we get so opinionated? So certain in the rightness of our opinion? We're increasingly divided into hostile groups, each one convinced of its own righteousness. How do you know you're right? It may seem an ironic question, from a columnist. But any view I present is only the researched conclusion I've arrived at. I may be wrong. It's just one opinion to consider, and agree or disagree, as applicable. Those in the music industry were always political and so now they've fully embraced this choosing of sides, which also serves as a form of identity. I'd prefer if they took the LCD Soundsystem approach: shut up and play the hits, but it's more a case of the Rolling Stones - you can't always get what you want. But there is obviously an audience in it. There's a renewed appreciation for the outspoken Morrissey in the post-woke world, judging by the packed house in the 3Arena last Saturday. I was just relieved he didn't make me watch two hours of graphic animal vivisection videos, like he did the last time I saw him there, when all I wanted was to hear Suedehead. Meanwhile, for now, Kneecap are bigger than ever since the Brits charged band member Liam hAnnaidh for terrorism offences after waving a Hezbollah flag on stage. They're on the Glastonbury line-up and will play the festival at the end of the month. It could well be their Wolfe Tones at Electric Picnic moment, with a clamour to see the band that now have the official cachet of rebellion. Lately, the likes of U2 and Radiohead are in the news more for talking about genocide - or not talking about genocide - than they are about their new album. I felt both Bono and Thom Yorke struck the right chord in their views on Israel in recent interviews. But their efforts to find the middle ground left them open to scorn from either side, who refuse anything outside their rigid ideology. Yorke summed up my own view, saying: "I think Netanyahu and his crew of extremists are totally out of control and need to be stopped. Their excuse of self-defence has long since worn thin". He also condemned Hamas asking: "Why did Hamas choose the truly horrific acts of October 7? I believe Hamas chooses to hide behind the suffering of its people, in an equally cynical fashion, for its own purposes." I must be getting on. Because I relate to Bono on all this. He told Brendan O'Connor on RTE Radio One: "It's strange, this competitive empathy that's going around. 'I feel this wound more than you,' and 'my emergency is more important than your emergency'. Outrage. "When I was younger, I had a lot of rage. But as I got older, I demanded more of myself. "I looked towards outcomes. And so, I became that most boring of all things… fighting with, working with, both sides."
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Raucous cheers welcome Macklemore to Dublin as rapper goes through the hits with infectious energy
But it seems nobody has taken the song as literally as Macklemore himself, who has so many outfit changes in his one-and-a-half-hour set in St Anne's Park he must have raided a St Vincent de Paul. When he emerges on stage to perform opener CHANT, the Seattle rapper sets the tone for the night in a vintage Ireland rugby jersey with his head wrapped in a tricolour keffiyeh - a Middle Eastern headdress now synonymous with support for the Palestinian people. He takes off his sunglasses in the evening sun and screams 'DUBLIN, I made it back home. It's our first show of the summer, and it's in my favourite f***ing place in the world.' (This Cork writer hopes he says the same when he visits the Rebel county for his second stop on the tour tonight.) What follows is a jukebox of certified hits. There's the emotional dedication to LGBTQ+ people, Same Love - hearteningly performed on the ten year anniversary of Ireland legalising same-sex marriage - a jazzy homage to the beating heart of any city, Downtown, and the affirming Good Old Days. Even Summer Days is an absolute crowd-pleaser, despite it being a cool 13 degrees. Even if the songs weren't total earworms, Macklemore himself is an incredible performer. His energy on stage is infectious, and perhaps on account of a nine-month break from live shows, is apparently unending. He seems thrilled to be there, awed by the approximate 18,000 spectators, and totally willing to muck in: he raps, plays the drums and busts a move or two. He isn't the only one, as Dance Off sees him pull two members of the audience on stage to, well, have a dance off. Though it was Samantha's birthday, her rival Ben stole the show, as well as the crowd's hearts, on account of his breakdancing. Despite the party atmosphere, there's no forgetting a cause seemingly as close to Macklemore's heart as it is to that of the Irish people: Palestine. There are numerous keffiyehs to be seen in the crowd, and Palestinian flags fly over the audience as if it's Glastonbury. These, he points out, as he introduces Hinds Hall, a protest song he released as a single in 2024. 'I want to say in the last 19+ months of witnessing the first ever live streamed genocide, I have been so proud watching from afar at how my Irish brothers and sisters have shown up for the Palestinian people,' he said, giving a particular shoutout to Kneecap. 'I was thinking earlier today of what I wanted to say and what I realised is Palestine has opened my heart, it was closed before. It has given me the gift of feeling empathy for other human beings. Showing up is not brave anymore, it's just expected and it is human. I want to live in a world where being against genocide is the expectation,' he added, to raucous cheers from an audience that seems inclined to agree. There is a palpable connection between Macklemore and the audience in Raheny. Though he sings too fast for most of us to keep up, there's an energy coursing from stage to crowd that feels electric. He uses the oldest trick in the American book of calling upon Irish ancestry as he introduces the slightly odd Irish Celebration, but we won't hold it against him. Instead, everyone is supportive - literally. As the closer, Can't Hold Us, reaches a triumphant high, he climbs off the stage and into the crowd to be held aloft by them.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Will Ferrell ‘excited' to bring Eurovision musical to Broadway
Will Ferrell has said he is 'excited' to bring a musical version of the Eurovision Song Contest to Broadway. The American actor, 57, is basing the project on his Netflix movie, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga, which he starred in opposite Canadian actress Rachel McAdams and British actor Dan Stevens. 'We are more than excited to bring Eurovision to Broadway,' said Ferrell. 'The stage musical is a perfect place to continue our celebration of all the things we love about this amazing and unifying song competition.' Ferrell starred opposite Canadian actress Rachel McAdams, pictured, in the Netflix movie (Ian West/PA) The production will feature a book by Ferrell, Harper Steele, who both co-wrote the original film and were in the documentary Will & Harper together, and Anthony King, a TV and Broadway writer. Music will come from Savan Kotecha, who was behind the songs for the Netflix movie, and will be directed by Alex Timbers. 'Will Ferrell and Harper Steele are my comedy heroes,' Timbers, a Tony award-winning director, said. 'And when I first saw their joyful movie Eurovision during the pandemic, it buoyed spirits during a very dark time. 'With this stage adaptation, I can't wait to bring that same mix of heart, spectacle, irreverence, and awe to audiences across the world.' In the 2020 movie, The Notebook actress McAdams, an Oscar nominee, and Elf star Ferrell play Icelandic musicians Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir who are competing at Eurovision. JJ from Austria won Eurovision 2025 (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) It was nominated for a best original song Academy Award for Husavik (My Hometown) written by Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus, and Rickard Goransson. Eurovision director Martin Green, from the organising group, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), said: 'This is a stellar team for what I am sure will be an equally stellar adaption of a film the world loved. 'Our aim always is to bring the joy of the Eurovision Song Contest to more people globally – especially as we approach our 70th edition in 2026.' Last month, the 2025 winner of Eurovision was crowned as 24-year-old opera singer JJ from Austria, who entered with the dramatic Wasted Love. Netflix has previously turned its popular science fiction show Stranger Things into a play in the West End called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which serves as a prequel to the series.
