Eden Golan, representing Israel at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, aims to bring people together through her music when she performs this week in Malmo, Sweden.
The 68th edition of the world's biggest song competition takes place as protests occur in many countries against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel. Golan is competing with the song "Hurricane," initially titled "October Rain". "I come here to show my voice, to share my love, my gift from God and to hopefully make people feel something and leave a mark in their souls and to unite by music," Golan told Reuters on Monday.
Israel modified the song lyrics after the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the event, took issue with verses from the original submission that appeared to reference the October 7 attack. The EBU's decision to allow Israel to participate this year despite the conflict in Gaza has drawn protests. Malmo is preparing for potential unrest during the week, although police have not reported any specific threats against the contest.
When asked about the possibility of protests in Malmo, Golan responded: "It's up to the people what to do. They have the right to speak their voice, but I'm focusing on my part which is giving the best performance. It's a super important moment for us, especially this year," Golan said. "I feel honored to have the opportunity to be the voice of my country." The Eurovision Song Contest enjoys immense popularity in Israel, which has won it four times. Oddsmakers currently rank Israel's 2024 entry among the top 10 contenders. The Eurovision Grand Finale takes place on Saturday.
