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Final month, Olly Alexander, the British synthpop artist who used to file as Years & Years, launched the Danny L Harle-produced “Dizzy.” It’s the primary single that Alexander has put out underneath his personal identify, and it additionally serves because the UK entry for this yr’s Eurovision Music Contest. Loads of folks want to change that. This yr’s Eurovision has come underneath main fireplace for permitting Israel to take part even throughout the nation’s marketing campaign of genocide in Gaza. Folks have known as for Olly Alexander to boycott the competition, and he has now put out a press release explaining why he gained’t do this.
The European Broadcasting Union, Eurovision’s governing physique, beforehand excluded Russia throughout the invasion of Ukraine, nevertheless it’s decreed that Israel can be allowed into this yr’s context. That announcement got here after Robyn, Fever Ray, and a thousand different Swedish artists signed a press release demanding Israel’s exclusion. (Sweden is that this yr’s Eurovision host nation.” Earlier this week, the group Queers For Palestine revealed an open letter calling for Olly Alexander to withdraw from the competition: “We share the imaginative and prescient of queer pleasure and abundance you’ve provided by way of your music, and share your perception in collective liberation for all. On this spirit, we ask you to heed the Palestinian name to withdraw from Eurovision.” This morning, Olly Alexander shared his response.
On Instagram this morning, Olly Alexander posted a shared assertion from himself and a bunch of eight different Eurovision individuals from completely different nations:
We wish to start by acknowledging the privilege of participating in Eurovision.
In mild of the present scenario within the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and notably in Gaza, and in Israel, we don’t really feel comfy being silent. It’s important for us to face in solidarity with the oppressed and talk our heartfelt want for peace, a right away and lasting ceasefire, and the protected return of all hostages. We stand united towards all types of hate, together with antisemitism and islamophobia.
We firmly consider within the unifying energy of music, enabling folks to transcend variations and foster significant conversations and connections.
We really feel that it’s our obligation to uphold this area, with a powerful hope that it’ll encourage better compassion and empathy.
In a separate put up, Olly Alexander wrote that he’d responded on to Queers For Palestine, and he shared what he wrote in his response:
I wholeheartedly assist motion being taken to demand a right away and everlasting ceasefire in Gaza, the return of all hostages and security and safety of all residents in Palestine and Israel.
I do know some folks will select to boycott this yr’s Eurovision and I perceive and respect their choice.
As a participant I’ve taken loads of time to deliberate what to do and the choices out there to me. It’s my present perception that eradicating myself from the competition wouldn’t deliver us any nearer to our shared purpose.
As an alternative, I’ve been talking with a number of the different EV contestants and we’ve determined that by participating we are able to use our platform to come back collectively and name for peace.
I hope and pray that our calls are answered and there may be an finish to the atrocities that we’re seeing happening in Gaza.
I’d wish to thank the numerous signatories of this letter whose work I deeply admire and respect and hope that we are able to contribute to work collectively in creating a greater world for all of us.
In December, some conservatives known as for the BBC to fireplace Olly Alexander as this yr’s Eurovision consultant as a result of he’d signed a Voices4London open letter calling Israel an “apartheid regime.”
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