Eurovision 2024 – live: Ireland’s Bambie Thug suggests they may not perform after missing dress rehearsal

In recent years, Ukraine has proved itself as a strong Eurovision contender, with a win for the country in 2022 thanks to Kalush Orchestra and their song “Stefania”.

This year, Ukraine is being represented at the Eurovision Song Contest by rapper Alyona Alyona and singer Jerry Heil, who have joined forces on the rousing anthem “Teresa & Maria”.

They will compete in the grand final in Malmo, Sweden, on Saturday 11 May, where they are up against delegates from Croatia (Baby Lasagna), Ireland (Bambie Thug), Italy (Angelina Mango) and the UK (Olly Alexander).

The duo, who qualified for the final in the first semi-final on Tuesday 9 May, are using their platform at Eurovision to raise money for the Velykokostromska School that was destroyed by a Russian missile in 2022, in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The Eurovision Song Contest is well and truly underway at the Malmö Arena in Sweden, as protests continue to mount against Israel’s participation in the competition amid its war on Gaza.

The 2024 grand final is taking place on Saturday (11 May), following the first round of semi-finals that saw Ireland’s contestant Bambie Thug sailing through to the final along with Croatia’s Baby Lasagna and Ukraine’s Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil.

Among those finalists are the UK’s entrant, Olly Alexander, 33, the lead singer for now-disbanded pop group Years & Years, with his single “Dizzy”.

Eurovision is widely known for its fiendishly complex voting system, with the European Broadcasting Union making some tweaks for the 2024 competition.

Elaborate staging, wacky costumes, and an abundance of great songs: Eurovision is a song contest like no other.

But Europe’s annual competition is so much more than a kitsch peculiarity: artists including Abba, Maneskin, Olivia Newton-John, Mahmood and Celine Dion have all achieved worldwide fame since performing on the Eurovision stage.

Though it began as a song-writing contest in 1956, having a strong and unique performance is just as important on today’s Eurovision stage. Balancing impressive vocals, skilful songwriting and visually interesting staging, this list ranks the Eurovision winners that found the sweet spot.

Bambie Thug has suggested they may not perform at tonight’s contest after missing their dress rehearsal.

The act for Ireland wrote on X/Twitter, shortly after it was announced Netherlands act Joost Klein had been disqualified from the competition: “There was a situation while we were waiting to go to stage for the flag parade rehearsal, which I felt needed urgent attention from the EBU. “The EBU have taken this matter seriously and we have been in a discussion about what action needs to be taken. This means I have missed my dress rehearsal – I am really sorry to the fans that have come to see me. I hope to see you on stage tonight.”

Ireland’s 2024 Eurovision contestant Bambie Thug is undoubtedly one of the favourites of this year’s competition, winning over more fans after their astonishing performance at the first semi-final.

The Cork-born singer, real name Bambie Ray Robinson, was voted through following their rendition of original song “Doomsday Blue”, a thumping industrial-techno pop song that features dazzling, artistic staging.

Bambie, who goes by they/them/their pronouns, is therefore the first Irish contestant to make it through to a Eurovision final since 2018. They been praised for what many have dubbed a flawless performance that will assert them as one to beat.

They will be competing against singers including the UK’s Olly Alexander, Croatia’s Baby Lasagna and Ukraine’s Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil at the Malmö Arena in Sweden on 11 May.

Songwriting genius and satin came together to wow Europe with ‘Waterloo’ on 6 April 1974. As the Swedish stars (and their fans) celebrate the 50th anniversary of Abba’s triumph, Mark Beaumont traces the road to superstardom for Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid.