IRELAND’S EUROVISION ACT Bambie Thug has said that winning the competition would be “so incredible” – but that Israel’s participation has cast a “cloud” over the proceedings and that the organising union could stand to benefit from “some heart and some conscience”.

Bambie Thug turned around a losing streak for Ireland when they qualified for the Eurovision Grand Final at the first semi-final on Tuesday with their song “Doomsday Blue”.

More than two dozen countries are due to participate on Saturday night. Among them is Israel’s singer Eden Golan, who qualified at the second semi-final on Thursday night.

Asked what their reaction was upon hearing Israel got through to the Grand Final, Bambie said: “I cried.”

The young singer spoke to media in Malmo ahead of the Saturday night final as the acts made their final preparations.

The last day of practice came with tensions as Netherlands’ singer was prevented from joining live rehearsals due to an “investigation” by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) over an “incident” that was reported to it.

The Dutch singer Joost Klein had a tense moment with Israel’s singer at a press conference on Thursday night.

Bambie Thug told media that the atmosphere backstage during a rehearsal on Friday was “very intense”.

“It’s a very intense atmosphere. I don’t think it’s sitting well with any of the other contestants, to be honest,” they said. 

Bambie has been critical of Israel’s participation in the competition as it continues to bombard Gaza, where the death toll since October has reached around 35,000 people.

The singer has said they stayed in the competition to ensure that pro-Palestine voices are represented among the contestants.

Asked today how the EBU could handle the situation better, Bambie said: “By gaining some heart and some conscience and some humanity.”

They said that Israel’s presence is “completely overshadowing everything”.

“It goes against everything the Eurovision is meant to be,” they said.

Bambie said that there is a sense of the performers overall being a “big community” but that they have not been able to engage with the act from Israel.

“God forbid we have some conversation where minds might be changed. It’s definitely putting a cloud above it.”

Final preparation

Bambie said they can “feel the love from Ireland” as the countdown to the Grand Final narrows and that they are proud to represent the country and bring a new image of Ireland through their unusual act.

“We’re an incredibly imaginative and poetic nation and my act is paying homage to our earliest roots. Some of the most incredible minds I know are my Irish creative friends, so I think it’s just opening a window to hey, this is what it’s like.”

Bambie said they can imagine winning the competition, but added: “I am fearful that we will miss a lot of votes because of the boycotting and that those will then maybe give someone else more of a chance to win who I don’t think should. But there are 200 million viewers, and I think that, regardless, our performance stands out and it’s undeniable how theatrical a moment it is.”

Bambie said winning would be “so incredible” and “mean everything”.

“It would be amazing for Cork too. Imagine Cillian Murphy gets the Oscar and we get the Eurovision!”

Additional reporting by Daragh Brophy