It’s glitzy, it’s glamorous and at times it’s downright baffling. But since its inception in 1956, the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have strived to keep pop and politics apart. This year, that might once again prove difficult.
Although the grand final in Malmo, Sweden, is months away, Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza looms over the competition, which is best known for its wild outfits and a smorgasbord of musical genres.
When Iceland chooses its entry on Saturday, among the hopefuls will be Bashar Murad, a Palestinian singer from East Jerusalem.
If he is selected to represent the volcanic hot spot in the final, he will not be breaking any rules, as singers do not have to be from the country they’re representing. American rapper Flo Rida, for example, performed as part of the San Marino entry in 2021.
Murad told NBC News in a telephone interview Thursday that he was inspired to enter after he “remembered that Celine Dion had participated for Switzerland even though she’s not from there.”
The Canadian superstar won the competition in 1988 with her song “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.”
First Murad will have to win Söngvakeppnin, the Icelandic competition to select the country’s representative for the Eurovision finals.
To compete however, he’s had to learn how to sing his song in the language, something he said he’s worked hard to get right.
He said his song “Wild West,” which he performs in a white suit with a broken-heart emoji on his chest, is about following your dreams and “not letting physical or imaginary borders confine you or define you.”
“I was just walking the streets of Jerusalem and like listening to the song on repeat, and making sure I nailed all the pronunciation,” he said. “It is a difficult language, but it’s also a very beautiful one.”
Murad said he could understand why people might think his decision to enter was political, but he insisted it wasn’t, because he was “telling my personal story and my…
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