ieExplains: Here's everything you need to know about Eurovision 2024
Picture: Poveda Thug Bambie Andres
It’s that time of year again — Eurovision. And as the 68th edition of the weird, wonderful and politically fraught contest draws closer, we answer all your questions about this year's song contest.
Malmö, Sweden.
It comes after Loreen gave the Scandinavian country its record-matching seventh win in Liverpool in May 2023.
Sweden's win last year means the country is now tied with Ireland for the most Eurovision victories.
Two Semi-Finals will be held (and televised) on Tuesday, May 7, and Thursday, May 9, with the Grand Final taking place on Saturday, May 11.
Ireland's 2024 Eurovision entry is 31-year-old Bambie Thug, who hails from Macroom, Co Cork.
The artist will perform their entry ‘Doomsday Blues’ fourth in the first semi-final. Just ahead of the United Kingdom.
Yes. Israel will be allowed to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest after changing the lyrics to its song, organisers have confirmed.
Eden Golan, representing Israel at this year’s competition, originally submitted a ballad called October Rain, widely thought to reference the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
However, the entry was barred on the grounds of breaking rules on political neutrality.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, responsible for choosing the country’s entry, later agreed to amend the song following the Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s call for “necessary adjustments” to ensure it could take part.
The updated version of the song is now titled Hurricane and will be performed in the second semi-final on Thursday, May 9.
Any country in the world may participate in the contest as long as it has a broadcaster that operates within Europe as part of the EBU.
According to the organisation, the Russian public service broadcasters had their EBU membership suspended in 2022 due to consistent breaches of membership obligations and the violation of public service media values.
The Israel public service broadcaster has been a member of the EBU for over 60 years.
The Eurovision Song Contest continues to hold the position that the contest remains a non-political event that unites audiences around the world through music.
Ireland has not qualified for the final since Ryan O’Shaughnessy’s song Together in 2018.
Ireland has not reached the top five since Mysterious Woman by Marc Roberts in 1997. Ireland last made it into the top 10 in 2011, when Jedward sang their song Lipstick.
According to Eurovision World, who analyse odds from multiple bookies like Bet 365, Boylesports and Ladbrokes, Ireland is currently the 9th favourite to win the competition.
Yes. The Big Five countries, as well as host nation Sweden, will each perform their entries in full during the semi-finals. The Big Five, plus the host nation automatically reach the final each year.
In years gone by, only a clip of the six songs from these countries was shown during the semi-finals.
The Big Five — consisting of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom — are the group of countries who via their broadcasters make the biggest financial contribution towards the organisation of the contest.
The United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden will perform during Tuesday's semi-final while France, Italy and Spain will take the stage on Thursday. These entries cannot be voted for until they perform in the Grand Final.
Switzerland.
According to fan site Eurovision World, Switzerland has been noted as the favourite, with their song ‘The Code’ by Swiss rapper and singer Nemo Mettler.