Tag: eurovision

Did you watch Eurovision 2019 this past weekend? If you live in North America, the answer is most likely “no.” The world’s largest music event (last count was 180 million viewers worldwide) is not broadcast here. The only possibility would have involved finding a TV station somewhere on Earth that live-streamed the show on their Web site, and then using a VPN to sign on and watch it. Although who would do such a thing? That’s illegal. For the uninitiated,...

This is gay rights The Eurovision Song Contest began on Tuesday (14 May) and fans were treated with a kiss cam on the first night of the competition. In 1998, Dana International won Eurovision representating Israel. This year, she returned to the Eurovision stage, located in Tel Aviv, and wowed the crowd with a powerful performance. During her performance, a kiss cam suddenly panned across the audience and viewers were treated to a glorious gay kiss when two man grabbed each other’s...

Bilal Hassani, a 19-year-old from Paris, recently won France’s selection contest for Eurovision with his song “Roi.” Hassani was born to a Muslim family of Moroccan origin, is gay and performs in colorful wigs and heavy makeup. He was well-known in France before the contest as an internet personality and for performing in a song contest for youth when he was 15. The gender-bending singer,has received hateful messages and threats due to his sexuality and appearance and for his planned trip to...

The state broadcaster blurred rainbow flags in the crowd and removed the Irish performance altogether Eurovision banned the airing of this year’s final in China after it censored several moments in the semi-final including, LGBTI content. The singing competition blocked China’s Mango TV from airing the second semi-final after it did not air Ireland’s performance. The song by Ryan O’Shaughnessy featured two male dancers acting out a romantic storyline. Mango TV also blurred rainbow flags in the crowd and the tattoos of...

Always a huge deal in Europe, the 63rd annual Eurovision Song Contest is currently underway in Lisbon, Portugal, with 43 countries vying for this year’s title. Representing Ireland this year, former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Ryan O’Shaughnessy took to the big stage to perform his single, “Together.” The music video for the song, which chronicles the breakup of a couple, features way cute dancers Kevin O’Dwyer and Alan McGrath falling in and out of a tender, romantic dance on the streets...

You have to watch this Ireland’s Eurovision entry features a gay couple in the music video. Ryan O’Shaughnessy, who competed on Britain’s Got Talent in 2012, will perform in Lisbon in May with the acoustic track Together. The 25-year-old, who previously also appeared on The Voice of Ireland, unveiled the video this weekend. It sees a same-sex couple walking through the streets of Dublin hand in hand. It is hoped this video will see Ireland through to the Eurovision final for the first time...

" proud that slowly the country is changing." Next month, the Eurovision Song Contest comes to Kiev, Ukraine, a region not exactly known for being a gay paradise. Maybe that’s why Eurovision producers are redecorating the People’s Friendship Arch in Cross Park with rainbow colors and renaming it “the Arch of Diversity.” “ proud that slowly the country is changing,’ said Gennady Kurochka, who runs a publicity company working with European Song Contest in Kiev. “ filled with new meaning, a...

This year's Eurovision contest has embraced the LGBT community more than ever. Maybe there weren't many gay participants, but the contestants were all supportive of the LGBT community. Russia's favorite Sergey Lazarev didn't win, but if he had won he said that Russia would welcome gay people for next year's Eurovision. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZkXb_IGS1g Held in Stockholm, the gay-friendly European capital, the contest had its winner, and that was Jamala from Ukraine. Last time Stockholm hosted Eurovision was in 2003, but 2016 appeared to...

Sergey Lazarev was Russia's representative this year at Eurovision, and one of audience's favorites. Lazarev declared that if he's going to win and Russia will host next year's Eurovision, he is sure that gay people will be welcome in his country. “Gay life exists in Russia, it’s not a secret. We’re a modern country, all cities have gay life, we have gay clubs – you can Google it and see how many gay clubs in Russia we have. “I think if Eurovision...

"I’m nice, I’m bi." Tomorrow is the Eurovision Song Contest, when artists from all over the continent and beyond sing their hearts out in hopes of snatching victory. We’ve touted how queer Eurovision is—drag performer Conchita Wurst won in 2014—and it turns out Israeli entrant Hovi Star isn’t the only LGBT contender hitting Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe in Stockholm. https://www.instagram.com/p/BFUcs0HljmX/ And what a butt! https://www.instagram.com/p/BE_UspPFjiL/ Born Douwe Bob Posthuma, the 24-year-old is the son of Dutch fashion designer Simon Posthuma. He started playing piano at age 6...

Russia's Eurovision entrant, Sergey Lazarev is one of the favorites this year, and if he wins Russia might host next year's Eurovision. While many LGBT fans and singers fear to go to Russia, Lazarev encourages them not to be susceptible. When asked: “The majority of the Eurovision audience is part of the LGBT community. A lot of people are afraid of coming to Russia – is it safe for them to come for the Eurovision next year?” The singer replied: “Gay life...

The vice-chairman of the Swedish Federation for LGBT rights called on Stockholm to organize a separate and secure fan zone for the LGBT community at the song contest "Eurovision". The world famous song contest will be held in Stockholm in the mid of May 2016. The Swedish capital already hosted this event in 2000. But over a period of 16 years a lot of changes have happened to the contest itself and in Europe as well. The annual event has grown in...