The ticket sales for the Eurovision Song Contest finally went on sale last week! It didn’t take long before the grand final was sold out, leaving many fans disappointed. Numerous fans took to social media to express their frustration while also addressing the technical issues they experienced on the Leaan website where the tickets are sold. Due to these technical problems, some fans were unable to complete their transactions.
KAN decided to check these complaints and, according to Israeli media, has found certain “irregularities”, including the the distribution of about 300 tickets to senior officials in the Israeli sports industry and to family members of the hosts. Oddly enough, it was also reported that Eurovision 2018 winner Netta Barzilai’s family weren’t able to get tickets.
In order to investigate these irregularities, KAN ordered Leean to put the sale on hold. They also questioned the CEO of Leean, who claimed that Leaan acted exactly as instructed and that they received specific orders to allocate tickets to these people. KAN’s CEO later instructed Leaan to cancel the tickets that were sold to senior Israeli officials and to put them back in stock for future sale. KAN also reported that many tickets are being resold illegally by their original buyers in order to turn a profit for themselves. The Israeli minister of interior affairs, Mr Gilad Erdan, has instructed police to investigate this matter and to file charges.
Bilal Hassani meets local LGBT+ community in Tel Aviv
The French artist travelled to Tel Aviv last weekend to film his Eurovision ‘postcard’. During his trip, he met up with the local LGBT+ community. He was seen greeting elderly LGBT+ people and thanked them for the impact they’ve made for younger generations. He also met with 20 young members of the community.
Lynda Woodruff returns!
EBU’s most beloved ‘’spokesperson’’ will be making a comeback upcoming weekend for the first time since 2016. Lynda will return during the Melodifestivalen, the Swedish preliminary rounds for the Eurovision Song Contest. Sarah Dawn Finer, the woman behind this hilarious character, announced her return on Facebook.
Lynda Woodruff first appeared in 2012 with her British accent and unique style, becoming an instant fan favorite! The last time we saw here was during the 2016 Melodifestivalen, when she introduced the viewers to Stockholm in a unique and hilarious manner (and she also introduced us to her two ‘’friends’’ Hope & Glory). This year, she will return as one of the hosts for the Melodifestivalen.
KEiiNO (Norway) accused of plagiarism?
Last Saturday, KEiiNO won the Norwegian pre-selection with their song Spirit In The Sky. Prior to winning, it seemed clear that the band had become a fan favorite. But their victory is not without a hint of controversy. Listeners pointed out certain similarities between their song and 2018 contestant Saara Aalto’s Monsters. While KEiiNO’s Tom Hugo acknowledges the similarities, he denies that any form of plagiarism has taken place: “The melody of both Monsters and ours consists of four notes that are part of a minor chord. The rhythm and length of the notes are not alike, and these four notes are found in many other tunes.”
This past week a lot of new acts have been announced! Only a few more countries to go…
Belgium: Eliot – Wake Up
Cyprus: Tamta – Replay
Denmark: Leonara – Love is Forever
Finland: Darude ft. Sebastian Reijman – Look Away
Georgia: Oto Nemsadze - Sul tsin iare
Greece: Katerine Duska – Better Love
Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra
Moldavia: Anna Odobescu – Stay
Norway: KEiiNO – Spirit in the Sky
Portugal: Conan Osíris - Telemóveis
Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna
