Cyprus unveiled its Eurovision 2026 song earlier this week, but the release quickly ignited public controversy over its music video – prompting the national broadcaster to announce major edits amid cultural criticism.
On Sunday, the Cypriot national broadcaster, CyBC, revealed the song that will represent the island in Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria — “JALLA”, performed by Antigoni. Soon after its release, the song sparked uproar – specifically surrounding its official music video. Within days, a group of Cypriot artists, academics, and cultural figures issued an open letter denouncing both CyBC and the video’s production team.
Public Letter of Complaint
According to the signatories, the video for “JALLA” constitutes “an insult to Cypriot history and tradition”. They further claimed that the video appears to legitimize extremely dangerous traffic violations, referring to scenes showing two motorcyclists without helmets or protective gear, one of whom performs a wheelie. The letter heavily criticized the video’s direction, with some signees even calling for the song and video to be withdrawn entirely from the competition.
Response from Antigoni and the Broadcaster
In response, Antigoni stated:
“I love Cyprus, and I wanted to bring you a video that shows the Cyprus I love. That’s all I have to say – let them talk”.
CyBC also responded, confirming that edits will be made to the music video. The national broadcaster announced that the upcoming version will remove all scenes depicting the controversial driving behavior. While a release date has not yet been set for the revised video, CyBC emphasized its full support for the song itself, clarifying that no musical changes will be made.
Not the First Time for Cyprus
The situation surrounding “JALLA” echoes previous controversies involving Cyprus at Eurovision. In 2021, the song “El Diablo” by Elena Tsagrinou caused a public outcry due to lyrics expressing love for the devil. At that time, some religious groups argued that the song promoted devil worship. Ultimately, the song’s lyrics remained unchanged, and it competed as planned, finishing 16th that year.
Cyprus in Eurovision 2026
“JALLA” is the title of the song to be performed by Antigoni, which will represent Cyprus in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria.
Currently, Cyprus ranks 13th in the Eurovision betting charts.
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Ido Na’aman is a journalist, content creator, and commentator specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. His extensive knowledge and in-depth familiarity with the Eurovision world are reflected in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
