A quick recap for those who missed it: Joost Klein was disqualified during the last Eurovision Song Contest. Really sucks, right? But don’t panic, because this doesn’t mean he’s banned from participating forever. Jean Philip De Tender, the big boss of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), said in an interview that Joost is welcome as long as he sticks to the rules.
Joost Klein wants to make a new attempt
Although AVROTROS has the deciding vote in this. If they think Joost is coloring within the lines, then there is no reason to stop him. And guess what? Joost has already hinted at a new attempt in 2025, perhaps even on behalf of Belgium. Exciting!
Working conditions under fire
But wait, there’s more to it. The whole fuss about Joost has sparked a discussion about the working conditions behind the scenes of the Eurovision Song Contest. AVROTROS wants things to change within the EBU. So far, no countries have withdrawn, but they have until the end of September to decide on this. The criticism was so fierce that an independent investigation was launched. The report was published last Monday and has led to promises of organizational changes and clearer rules for everyone who participates. “The rules of the Eurovision Song Contest have evolved from one page at the start seventy years ago to hundreds of pages now. We want to make sure that everyone understands them and that they are explained clearly,” says Jean Philip De Tender
F*ck Eurovision
Joost Klein himself has not said much about the Eurovision drama, but he did let his emotions run free during a show in Vancouver. In the middle of his performance, he lashed out at the Eurovision Song Contest. From the stage, he shouted “fuck Eurovision” at the top of his lungs and then started headbanging wildly to the music playing in the background.
S10 speaks out about Eurovision Song Contest
S10 recently spoke out about her experience at the Eurovision Song Contest on Sophie & Jeroen on NPO 1. The singer, who participated in 2022 with the song De Diepte, also experienced the song festival as ‘intense’. According to Stien, the atmosphere behind the scenes was so unsafe that she filed an official complaint at the time. According to the singer, it was about the lack of respect for personal boundaries by some backstage employees at the Eurovision Song Contest. AVROTROS, the organization behind the Dutch entries, later confirmed that a report had indeed been filed.
