The Irish entrant for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, 31-year-old Bambie Thug, undoubtedly showed a special interest in Israel, being one of the most outspoken anti-Israel participants in this year's contest. The non-binary singer took an aggressive anti-Israel stance, including calls to remove Israel from the competition, wearing a keffiyeh, smuggling a watermelon-shaped plushie to the grand final, and attempting to go on stage with the word "ceasefire" written on their face. Such dedication has definitely sparked our interest in the self-described "goth gremlin goblin witch" according to The Sunday Times. Here's everything you should know.
Thug, originally named Bambie Ray Robinson, was born in Macroom, County Cork, Ireland to a Swedish father and an Irish mother. They took great pride in being half-Swedish during their time in Malmo, Sweden. Would knowledge of the origins of their last name foster the same sense of pride?
According to the "Find My Past" website, Robinson is thought to be most often a patronymic surname that originated in England, but in some cases, it can be an anglicization of some Jewish names like Rubenstein and Rabinowitz. Coincidence? In an interview on the "Upgrade Sounds" YouTube show, they stated they have been practicing witchcraft from an early age, it being their "saving grace." They added they are using words as spells, "retraining speech to ensure you're not calling in anything you don't want." This might explain their "top six, minus one" remark in praising the singers who reached the first six places, ignoring Israel's Eden Golan. Unfortunately for them, Israel is still in 5th place. Extra practice might be in order, it seems.
The singer has gone from practicing ballet in Ireland and studying musical theater in London to the world stage of Eurovision with "Doomsday Blue", an unconventional and startling blend that fuses elements of witchcraft and primordial screaming. Their unparalleled musical genre "ouija pop" also consists of metaphorical elements and underlying meanings, as their "radio-friendly, vulgar" hit song "Kawasaki" is essentially about a sexual act performed on a man.
Thug's distinctive musical style and persona aim to convey strong and clear artistic messages that are meant to resonate throughout the world – whether in a song, a hex, or a pagan ritual. However, given the darkness and hardships surrounding the whole world, the last thing we need are demons.
