Double failure: The singer who conquered the UK has turned into a massive flop, with both the audience and the industry turning their backs on him. What happened to Olly Alexander?

The promise that faded – and the fall that followed: Olly Alexander, who at the beginning of last year was seen as the UK’s safe bet for the 2024 Eurovision contest, recently found himself out of the record label that had signed him for a decade. The same record label – Polydor Records – decided not to renew the singer’s contract shortly after his embarrassing failure at the contest, which ended with him in 18th place, receiving no points from the home viewers.

From Eurovision to the Bottom: What Happened?

The choice of Olly as the UK representative initially seemed like a stroke of genius. Not only was he a charismatic performer, but he was also known as the former lead singer of the band Years & Years, and an acclaimed actor. However, his performance at Eurovision – with the song “Dizzy” – failed to win the crowd’s affection. While the judges gave him some points to save him from last place, the audience at home was clear: 0 points.

A String of Failures and Self-Doubt

After Eurovision, none of Olly Alexander’s singles managed to chart in the UK. Even “Dizzy,” which was supposed to become a hit due to the immense exposure from the contest, only reached number 42 on the chart. This setback was not the first. For years, Olly has struggled to replicate the success he enjoyed as part of Years & Years.

The singer himself tried to present a conciliatory approach in an Instagram story, addressing the departure from his record label: “They didn’t throw me out, they just didn’t renew my contract. It’s okay, and it’s for the better. It was a pretty bad deal for 10 years, it’s time to do something new,” wrote Olly Alexander, perhaps attempting to maintain a stable image or to illustrate that this was a positive step for him.

Political Controversy and Calls for Boycott

However, Olly Alexander’s failure at Eurovision was not just due to the music. A few months before the contest, the singer sparked controversy within the Jewish community in the UK and abroad when he signed a letter from the organization “Voices4 London,” which harshly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and referred to them as “genocide.”

The letter also contained the controversial term “philosemites”. This term, first coined by German antisemites in the 19th century, is sometimes used sarcastically or critically towards those who support Jews. The mere use of this term provoked many reactions and anger from Jewish organizations, which called for a boycott of Olly Alexander from the contest. These calls, however, were unsuccessful.

As a reminder, Olly Alexander was one of the most politically outspoken figures at Eurovision 2024, attracting fire and creating a lot of tension that could have been avoided had he not expressed himself so controversially. Since being announced as the UK’s representative, Olly signed a letter along with other artists expressing support for “the liberation of Palestinians, halting the killings and harming civilians, with an immediate ceasefire,” and he was one of six artists who attended the pre-Eurovision event in Madrid wearing a red, controversial pin from the “Artists4Ceasefire” organization, which called for “ending the bombing of Gaza and safely releasing hostages.”

Emotional Interview – and Tears on Stage

After the controversy broke, Olly Alexander addressed the situation publicly in an interview where he could not hold back tears. He said:

“Obviously, I wish there were no war or this insane humanitarian crisis. I wish for peace… I support a ceasefire, the return of the hostages, and security for all people in Gaza, Palestinians, and people in Israel.”

When asked why he did not boycott the contest, he simply replied:

“My participation or my absence won’t change anything, so I’m going for it anyway. I still hope to enjoy it.”

As a reminder, a day before the pre-Eurovision event in London, the singer received public criticism from pro-Palestinian groups, who criticized him for participating in Eurovision alongside Israel instead of boycotting it. In an interview with “The Times”, he was asked about his position and the many statements he made regarding the situation between Israel and Hamas, and he began to cry. The interviewer, Jonathan Dean, asked why Olly Alexander appeared to be suffering when he performed at the pre-Eurovision event in London.

Olly answered that he had been struggling that day, locked himself in his room, and tried not to have a nervous breakdown. “I couldn’t pull myself together, and I was ashamed of myself. There are a lot of things I would do differently. It’s bigger than me and Eurovision,” he said. “I wish there were no war or this insane humanitarian crisis. I wish for peace, support a ceasefire, the return of hostages, and the safety of all people in Gaza, Palestinians, and people in Israel.”

In a documentary released about the singer, he made another statement on the matter: “Many artists, including myself, were told many things like ‘You’re complicit in genocide by taking part in Eurovision,’ which is quite extreme. I understand where that comes from, but I think that’s not right.” The singer continued: “It’s an incredibly complicated political situation that I’m not qualified to talk about. The background is real, immense suffering. It’s a humanitarian crisis, a war.”

Between Music and Politics – The Future of Olly Alexander

The combination of musical failure, political turmoil, and unfulfilled high expectations puts Olly Alexander at a career crossroads. Will he be able to recover and get back on the success track? Will he sign with a new record label and choose a different musical direction? Or will politics and the public continue to dictate his future?

For the UK, which has been trying for years to regain its prestige at Eurovision, this was another crushing disappointment. But in the case of Olly Alexander, it’s a failure that echoes well beyond the contest, and it’s doubtful whether the singer will ever recover from it.

Eurovision 2025: This will be the 67th participation of the United Kingdom in Eurovision. The UK joined the competition in 1957 and has won it five times over the years. The UK’s last victory was in Eurovision 1997 with the song ‘Love Shine A Light’ performed by the band ‘Katrina and the Waves’.