Ukraine’s former Eurovision winner Jamala said Ukraine was “incapable” of boycotting the song contest because it needed the opportunity to remind Europe of Russia’s intrusion.
As the war in Gaza continues, there are calls for artists to refuse participation in music competitions in Israel.
The first round begins on Tuesday in Malmö, Sweden, following singer Rowling’s win in Liverpool last year.
Jamala, the winner of Ukraine’s 2016 election, said boycotting Israel’s war with Hamas was not an option for Ukraine. She said that when the public is “tired” of hearing about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, artists need to remind the world “loudly and creatively.”
The question of whether to withdraw due to Israel’s involvement also dogged British contestant Olly Alexander. In a BBC documentary aired on Tuesday, he said the reaction to his decision to take part had been “very extreme”, with people calling him an accomplice to the genocide.
Jamala said Ukraine needs to seize the opportunity to raise awareness as it has declined in the news since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
“Some countries may refuse to participate [in the contest], but we don’t do that. Especially in times of war, we cannot give up on games like this. “There are a lot of wars in the world right now, and of course it’s not easy to constantly keep an eye on yourself so that people don’t get tired of our wars.
“But that’s our task, those who remain in Ukraine, those who are fighting, to stay loud and creative… It’s the task of artists to find new ways to reveal and show their country.”
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Ukraine’s contestants this year are rapper and singer duo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil. Jamala, 40, whose real name is Susana Alimivna Jamaladinova, said she hoped they could give multiple interviews “to talk about the fact that the war in Ukraine is still going on.”
Before being selected as Britain’s Eurovision contestant, Alexander signed an open letter calling for a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas and describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide”.
Palestinian queer organizations launched a petition in March calling on him to boycott Eurovision over its inclusion of Israel, calling the event a “cultural cover” for “ongoing genocide”.
“There have been a lot of comments made by a lot of the contestants and myself, like ‘you’re complicit in genocide by participating in the Eurovision Song Contest’,” the singer said in a BBC documentary aired on Tuesday. “It’s quite extreme. It’s very extreme. .
In an interview with The Times, Alexander reportedly began crying while discussing the ramifications of his decision to move on. “Obviously, I wish there was no war or this crazy humanitarian crisis. I wish there was peace, and I find this experience very… I just feel very sad and distressed at times,” he said.
“But I still believe that it’s a good thing for people to come together and have fun. That’s why I want to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Irish contestant Bambie Thug has also previously supported an “immediate and lasting ceasefire” but refused to boycott the event. “It is important for us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and to convey our heartfelt wishes for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the safe return of all hostages,” the artists, along with Alexander and Danish contestant Saba, said in a statement .
“We stand united against all forms of hatred, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.”
