by Maayan Eli Comment Closed

 




Israel at Eurovision 2025: The workers’ union of the Belgian television network is demanding to stop the annual Eurovision broadcast in Belgium as long as Israel participates in the contest.

Protest Against Israel: The socialist union of employees of the Belgian television network, together with Oxfam Belgium, are calling to halt the broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest as long as Israel is participating. The announcement was published today (Thursday) and joins a series of protest actions that took place earlier this week. The union also criticizes the new regulations of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which they claim restrict any criticism from broadcasting bodies or delegations participating in the contest and lead to sanctions against them. The Belgian broadcaster responded: “We will not respond to further questions. Our position is clear,” referring to previous statements made on Israel’s participation in the contest and the stance presented there.

As a reminder, before the broadcast of the first semi-final of Eurovision, the socialist public sector workers’ union of VRT, ACOD, in cooperation with the Belgian television network, aired Oxfam’s campaign video “Speak Up For Palestine” in protest of Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025. The campaign video also featured various celebrities expressing opposition to the violence in the Gaza Strip.

 

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Last year as well, during the broadcast of the second semi-final of Eurovision 2024, the Flemish television network VRT briefly interrupted the live broadcast to display a message to viewers at home. In the message, which was directed last year against Israel, it stated: “This is an industrial action. We condemn the human rights violations by the State of Israel. Furthermore, the State of Israel is destroying press freedom. That is why we are stopping the broadcast for a moment.” The message included the hashtags #CeaseFireNow and #StopGenocideNow.




Belgium at Eurovision 2025:

“Strobe Lights” is the title of the song that will be performed by Red Sebastian, who will represent Belgium as song number 9 at Eurovision 2025’s first semi-fina on May 13 in Basel, Switzerland. The song was written by the artist himself alongside Ameerah Astrid Roelants, Willem Vanderstichele, and Billie Bentein.

Roelants competed with two songs for the right to represent Belgium in the 2023 Eurovision national selection, co-wrote a song for the British Eurovision national selection in 2017, and co-wrote the song “Pull Up” for the singer Grace. Bentein was a background singer in the song “Would You?” by the singer Iris, who represented Belgium at Eurovision 2012 and did not advance past the semi-final stage. Vanderstichele was a co-writer on most of the songs in this year’s Belgian Eurovision pre-selection, including: “Fille à papa”, “Pull Up”, “Monster”, and “Air Balloon”.

Belgium did not qualify for the finals.

Red Sebastian – Who Are You?

Seppe Herremans – or by his stage name Red Sebastian, at the age of 25, is already a phenomenon in the Belgian music industry thanks to a career that started at an early age and his extraordinary talent. His passion for Eurovision began at a young age with watching the Belgian Eurovision pre-selections and the Junior Eurovision.

Beyond his love for Eurovision, he also has a rich musical background. Starting from piano studies at the music academy in his hometown to studies at the conservatory, where he met teachers who deeply influenced his vocal ability and songwriting. Gustaph, who represented Belgium in Eurovision 2023, was one of his teachers and had a significant influence on him.

 

Eurovision 2025: This will be Belgium’s 66th participation in Eurovision. Belgium joined the competition in 1956 and was one of the seven founding countries. Belgium achieved its best result in Eurovision 1986 when singer Sandra Kim won first place with the song “J’aime la vie”.