In a dramatic evening in Malmö, where the Eurovision Song Contest’s semifinal took place, Denmark’s hope, Saba, was only two spots away from securing a place in the grand final. With her performance of the song “Sand,” Saba achieved a 12th place with 36 points, which was close, but not enough to advance as only the top ten could progress. The competition was tough, and the margins were small. Czech Republic, with 38 points, and Norway, with 43 points, were the direct competitors who snagged the coveted final spots just ahead of Denmark. Norway’s representative, Gåte, who later ended up in last place in the final, performed the song “Ulveham.”
The final on Saturday was not only characterized by musical performances but also by political drama and controversies. Especially Israel’s participation caused unrest, as large demonstrations took place outside the Malmö Arena. Demonstrators protested against Israel’s participation due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and compared the situation to Russia’s exclusion from the competition after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Further drama ensued when the Dutch participant, Joost Klein, was disqualified due to an incident where he allegedly behaved threateningly towards a member of the production team. However, the Dutch TV and radio station Avrotros rejected this interpretation and explained that Klein had simply reacted to his request not to be filmed not being respected.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will be remembered for both the musical performances and the off-stage dramas, once again highlighting that Eurovision is much more than just a song competition.