Eurovision is already underway. The 68th edition of the European song festival started in style this Tuesday at the Malmö Arena in Sweden, with a triple performance by Eleni Foureira, Eric Saade and the Spanish Chanel. One of the main characteristics of the contest is the risky bets presented by the candidate countries, with Ireland being one of the first and most extreme.
This year's is by Bambie Thug, the first non-binary gender artist to participate in the song festival. The song titled Doomsday Blue also has Spanish participation, with the Elche native Sergio Jaén being its producer. The final result is a cross between aesthetics similar to Maleficent, traditional Irish music and sounds closer to rock, which leave no one indifferent.
The performance features the collaboration of a dancer with a demonic horn, similar to the ones Bambie Thug wears during his performance. The first verses are similar to songs by American singer and YouTuber Poppy, before combining with more relaxed choruses. A costume change is also present, wearing a dress with the colors of the trans flag before concluding the song.
Despite receiving positive feedback during the previous week and his performance in the first semi-final, Bambie Thug's path to Malmö has been surrounded by controversy and harsh criticism. The most forceful were issued by Declan McInerney, a priest from the town of Gallway, assuring that Ireland was “finished as a country” for sending the artist to Malmö: “The poor devil doesn't know how to sing or dance.”
“Any hope RTÉ has of getting any of us to pay a license (annual to watch TV in Ireland) has certainly gone out the window for me. “I have never seen so much garbage in my entire life,” she commented in an interview. Beyond these statements, Bambie Thug has been one of several artists at the contest to take a stand against Israel's participation in what is happening in Gaza.
“I support anyone who boycotts, probably if I didn't participate I would do it too,” he commented, commenting that the EBU had made a mistake admitting the country's participation after multiple changes to its song due to references to the attacks that occurred on October 7. , and that restarted the intensity and violence of the conflict.
