Friday 23 Lifestyle | Features Friday, May 21, 2021

utch 2019 different form”, the organizers said. “Duncan competition in the Dutch port city, which was winner Duncan Laurence has tested is very disappointed, he has been looking cancelled last year due to COVID-19 and is Dpositive for coronavirus and will be forward to this for two years. We are very going ahead this year with strict health unable to perform live at tomorrow’s grand happy that he will still be seen in the final,” measures. final in , the organizers said. The his management said in a statement. The “We have all been extremely careful the fresh blow for the contest-which was can- Dutch singer is the latest in a series of peo- whole trip so this comes as a huge sur- celled last year because of the pandemic ple to test positive at what is meant to be a prise,” tweeted singer Dadi, who like the rest and is going ahead under strict conditions- strictly COVID-controlled environment at of the band performs in a green tracksuit comes after members of the Iceland and Eurovision. with an emoji of his face on the front. “We Poland delegations also tested positive. are very happy with the performance and Laurence, who won with the power ballad Iceland Eurovision winner super excited for you all to see it! Thank you “Arcade” in Tel Aviv two years ago, devel- tested positive for all the love.” The European Broadcasting oped “mild symptoms” of COVID-19 on Iceland’s Eurovision Song Contest con- Union said in a statement that a member of Wednesday after taking part in a dress tender, one of this year’s favorites to win, the Icelandic group tested positive on rehearsal at the Ahoy Arena the previous will also miss the live shows in Rotterdam Wednesday as did a member of the day, Eurovision said. after a band member tested positive Icelandic delegation on Sunday. “Dadi og “We are of course disappointed, first of all Wednesday for coronavirus. Dadi og Gagnamagnid have taken the difficult deci- for Duncan, who deserves a live perform- Gagnamagnid did not take part in sion to withdraw from performing in this Dutch singer and Eurovision 2019 winner Duncan ance on our very own Eurovision stage after Wednesday’s live rehearsal, yesterday’s year’s live Eurovision Song Contest shows, his 2019 victory,” Eurovision executive pro- semi-final or tomorrow’s final, with footage as they only want to perform together as a Laurence, also known as Duncan de Moor per- ducer Sietse Bakker said in a statement. “Of of the band performing their song “10 years” group,” the statement said.—AFP forms during the first semi-final of the 65th edi- course we wish Duncan a speedy recovery!” in an earlier rehearsal being used instead. tion of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, at the Laurence will now “feature in the show in a The news is a blow to organizers of the Ahoy convention center in Rotterdam. — AFP Cyprus ‘devil’ song aims to set Eurovision ablaze ussia’s unlikely entry to the Eurovision channels. “You’re 30! Hello? Where are your demanded that be pulled as Rsong contest, a Tajik-born refugee and kids? You are cute, overall. But should lose Russia’s Eurovision entry. In an open letter, yprus rarely causes a splash at the feminist activist, knows she is riling the some weight,” went one line from her song. an association of Orthodox women accused CEurovision song contest, but contro- country’s conservatives. “I’ve hit a nerve,” “Every needs to know-you Manizha of “insulting and humiliating Russian versy over its entry “El Diablo” (The Manizha Sangin told AFP in March, after two strong enough, you gonna break the wall”. A women” and inciting “hatred towards men”. Devil) and a fiery rendition by Greek singer conservative groups lodged complaints with columnist at the opposition-leaning newspa- The Investigative Committee, which probes are drawing attention. The the authorities over her song “Russian per Novaya Gazeta voiced surprise that the major crimes in Russia, announced that it is island first took part in Eurovision in 1981 Woman”. The 29-year-old singer, who per- performance was broadcast at all, saying the following up on a complaint from a veterans’ and holds the unenviable record of the most forms under the name Manizha, was not song “declares war on Russian xenophobia organization, which said the text incites “inter- participations without a win. Its best per- expected to win the public vote to pick and misogyny”. ethnic tension and enmity”. And Senate formance was a second-place finish in 2018. Russia’s song for the contest in the The openly feminist tune, which Manizha speaker Valentina Matvienko slammed the El Diablo has been making waves since the Netherlands. describes as an anthem “against stereotypes song as “nonsense” and Manizha’s appear- Cyprus Orthodox Church and religious Donning a brightly coloured and elaborate that I had faced”, has since found a huge sup- ance as “surprising”. Manizha says she groups intervened, protesting that the song traditional Russian costume, then shedding it port base with more than 10 million views on became the target of scorn because in Russia was blasphemous. The song is about falling to reveal red overalls, her performance was a YouTube. But it also led to an outpouring of it is not customary to “air your dirty laundry”. in love with the devil. “I gave my heart to El far cry from values usually promoted on state scorn from conservative groups, who “Society is used to keeping silent about its Diablo... because he tells me I’m his angel,” pain and discomfort in the name of traditional blonde-haired Tsagrinou sings. values and public opinion,” she told AFP. The Cyprus Church argued that the song Even before her Eurovision selection, made an “international mockery” of the Manizha had drawn attention for her views. country’s morals by advocating “surrender to After building up a large online presence by the devil”. The song “essentially praises the posting short music clips on Instagram, fatalistic submission of humans to the devil’s Manizha leveraged her popularity as a plat- authority”, at the expense of the island’s form for her activism. In 2019, she launched a “history, culture and traditions”, according to phone app to connect crisis centers with vic- the church. A protest was staged outside the tims of domestic violence-a problem in Russia Nicosia headquarters of state broadcaster that activists say the authorities have ignored. CyBC, calling for the song to be removed She caused a scandal that same year for from the competition. The government and taking part in a video defending LGBT rights, the CyBC said the song had nothing to do a move that she says cost her 10,000 sub- with devil worship and argued that freedom scribers on Instagram. Always accompanied of expression was protected. It’s about “a by her mother-her “guru” and costume bad relationship with someone,” the singer designer-Sangin (which means “tender stone” told the website wiwibloggs.—AFP in Tajik) recalled a difficult youth.—AFP Russia’s Manizha Dalerovna Sangin aka Manizha (center) poses for a picture during the “Turquoise Carpet ceremony” of the 65th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021, in Rotterdam. — AFP