Eden Golan performing "Hurricane" for Israel at the Second Semi-Final at Malmö Arena, 9 May 2024;
Credit: Alma Bengtsson/EBU/Eurovision.tv
Following the second semi-final on Thursday 9 May 2024, Latvia, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Israel, Greece, Estonia, Switzerland, Georgia and Armenia will be going through to the Eurovision Final.
On the evening of Thursday, sixteen countries performed, hoping to qualify for the grand final on Saturday. This year’s song contest theme was “united by music” and it was once again hosted by Sweden (for the seventh time), after its singer Loreen won last year with the song “Tattoo”.
On Tuesday 7 May 2024, during the first semi-final, Ireland, Croatia, Ukraine and Luxembourg were among the ten countries to go through to the competition’s next stage.
Israel’s presence at the Eurovision 2024 sparked controversy due to the Israel-Gaza war entering its seventh month, with a significant humanitarian loss.
20-year-old Eden Golan represented Israel yesterday with the ballad “Hurricane”. According to various sources, Eden Golan was booed during the dress rehearsal. A large pro-Palestinian rally took place near the Malmö Arena, where the contest is being held. Nevertheless, the song garnered enough votes to make it through to the final.
At the end of last night’s show, Sweden had the Herrey brothers returning on stage after winning the Eurovision four decades ago, with the cheerful “Diggy-Lou Diggy-Ley”.
