Aden Golan at the final of "The Next Eurovision Star" in Keshet 12, performs a cover version of the song "I don't want to miss a thing" by Aerosmith, February 6, 2024/ Keshet 12
The name of the song that Israel is expected to send to Eurovision 2024 - "October Rain" - caused a stir even before it was revealed.
Yesterday, as I recall, the journalist Eran Suisa revealed that the song written by Avi Ohion, Keren Pels and Stav Begar will be called "October Rain" while of course alluding to the events of October 7, and Eurovision fans around the world are outraged that Israel is expected to send a song with a political connotation, which the name alone indicates.
Fans recall that Georgia's 2009 song "I Don't Want to Put In" was disapproved due to its heavy allusion to Russian President Putin.
"October Rain. Israel intends to send a song with this name. It's so blatant and transparent it's crazy. The European Broadcasting Union must veto this if it has any common sense left," one fan wrote.
Another added: "Eurovision lost its integrity a long time ago but by allowing Israel to enter the contest while it is committing genocide in Palestine with a song called October Rain is a new low, even for them."
Another tweeter wrote: "Unfortunately, I doubt that the European Broadcasting Union will reject the song. They will probably claim that Aden Golan is singing about her personal case."
Last night our Eurovision representative Aden Golan soared in the betting charts - after the corporation's announcement of the selection of the song for Eurovision 2024. The song has indeed been selected but has not yet been revealed.
In the first place in the betting tables is still Ukraine and in second place - Italy.
Iceland, which is considered a vocal opponent of Israel in Eurovision, has already deteriorated to sixth place in the betting charts.
In fourth place in the betting tables is Great Britain and in fifth place is Sweden, which is hosting Eurovision this year.
Eden Golan/photo processing, Shay Franco, public relations
A few days ago, the band Gåte, which won the Norwegian pre-Eurovision and considered boycotting the contest because of Israel's participation in the shadow of the war in Gaza, folded - and made it clear that it would participate in the contest.
The band will compete in Eurovision with the song "Ulveham" ("wolf skin"), based on a medieval Scandinavian ballad.
Initially, the members of the band, who were asked about Israel's participation in the competition, said that they would take the time to think about the issue.
Today they already clarified otherwise.
"Yes, we said we needed some time to understand that we really won, we needed it to internalize and take a breath. But now we are ready to say that we chose to participate," said the band's singer, Gunhild Sundli.
However, they emphasized that they intend to use the platform to express their opinion on the war and call for a ceasefire, saying that they oppose Israel's participation in the competition, which they called "problematic".
"We have considered thoroughly and for a long time how to use our voices around this crisis that the world is experiencing," said the band's guitarist.
In Ireland, Finland and Iceland, there were also calls to expel Israel from the competition and boycott it if it participates, but so far, after the European Broadcasting Union made it clear that Israel will participate in the event, no competitor has carried out their threats on the subject.
More on the same topic:
Eurovision 2024
Norway