After the withdrawal of the Netherlands from Eurovision 2026 following Israel’s participation, Lenny Kuhr, one of the most prominent supporters of Israel, returns to the stage in Amsterdam, with a clear message to the Dutch national broadcaster AVROTROS
Eurovision 1969 winner Lenny Kuhr continues to make headlines and surprise the fan community. Two and a half weeks after it was announced that she will immigrate to Israel, the singer declared that she is expected to appear at “Eurovision in Concert”, which will take place in Amsterdam on April 11th, where she will perform her winning song “De Troubadour“, alongside the artists who will participate in Eurovision 2026, just before the start of the contest in Vienna, Austria.
What Is “Eurovision in Concert” – Why Is Everyone Looking at the Netherlands?
“Eurovision in Concert” is one of the largest events of the Eurovision community, held annually in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. The show is part of a series of promotional performances by Eurovision artists competing in that year’s contest, taking place just a few weeks before rehearsals begin in the host city. These promotional events are held in several countries across Europe, with “Eurovision in Concert” considered the largest show, featuring the highest number of artists.
This year, the concert comes after the Dutch national broadcaster AVROTROS announced its withdrawal from Eurovision 2026, following Israel’s participation in the contest.
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
The organizers describe how significant pressure was put on management to take a stand on the issue of Israel:
“Dear Eurovision fans, we have received a large number of emails and messages regarding the holding of the event, due to the news about the withdrawal of national broadcasters (including the Dutch one) from the 2026 contest if Israel participates. We understand and apologize for the complex times we are in. We fully understand the complexity of the matter and are aware that opinions within the fan community are divided”.
After this introduction, the post presents the official position of the management team:
“We believe that our role is somewhat different, since ‘Eurovision in Concert’ is not part of the contest itself. We strive to be a promotional party where artists, fans and media outlets come together and celebrate the unique diversity on which Eurovision is founded. Music is supposed to unite people, especially in times of division”.
As mentioned, the Netherlands, through the Dutch national broadcaster AVROTROS, announced that it will not participate in Eurovision 2026 after the EBU approved Israel’s participation, and in the international media this was presented as a move that joins a wider protest around the issue. With the organizers’ decision to host Lenny Kuhr, a winner who has announced that she will immigrate to Israel, the organizers are effectively saying that they do not necessarily agree with the broadcaster’s decision to withdraw. This is not just another guest appearance. It is a statement that is hard to miss.
Lenny Kuhr – A Clear Voice in Support of Israel
After her announcement that she is retiring from her music career, Lenny Kuhr, one of the most prominent voices in Dutch music and one of the four winners of Eurovision 1969, revealed in an interview that she is leaving the Netherlands and immigrating to Israel, after saying that “the atmosphere towards Jews in the Netherlands is no longer good”.
Lenny Kuhr announced her retirement for two main reasons. First, her husband Rob Frank’s health has declined, as she shared about a week ago:
“My husband said he couldn’t endure another year. We did everything together – Rob was my manager, he handled bookings, cooked for the band, managed the merchandise stand at concerts – he was an inseparable part of the team. Now that he can’t continue, I must follow him, and it hurts my heart deeply”.
The second reason is the growing hostility she has faced in the Netherlands because of her vocal support of Israel and Judaism. A notable example is the Dutch national broadcaster NPO, which reportedly disapproved of her appearance on the show “Beste Zangers” and canceled her participation at the last minute.
Why Lenny Kuhr Chose Israel?
Lenny Kuhr converted to Judaism at age 25 and has long maintained close ties with Israel – having lived there, given birth to her second daughter Daphna, and performed for wounded soldiers. After her final concert scheduled for May, she and her husband will leave the Netherlands and settle in Israel, where they are now seeking a home close to their children. She explained:
“We decided to move to Israel. The atmosphere toward Jews here in the Netherlands is no longer good. Moreover, my children live there, so it makes sense to relocate. We are very welcome there”.
Despite the hostility she currently faces in the Netherlands, she leaves her country with gratitude, saying:
“So many loving fans, so many beautiful moments I got to experience”.
When asked about the highlight of her career in the Netherlands, she hesitated before replying:
“Of course, memories of the 1969 Eurovision come to mind – I won the gold, it was wonderful. But really, my entire life as a singer-songwriter has been one long summit. I could not have imagined a more beautiful life”.
“Eurovision in Concert”: Full Line-Up So Far
As of now, six representatives from Eurovision 2026 have already been confirmed for Eurovision in Concert 2026. This is only the beginning, and the organizers expect to announce additional countries as we get closer to April.
In the meantime, these are the artists who have already confirmed their participation:
- Albania – Alis -“Nân“
- Denmark – Søren Torpegaard Lund – “Før vi går hjem“
- Luxembourg – Eva Marija – “Mother Nature“
- Montenegro – Tamara Živković – “Nova Zora“
- Moldova – Satoshi – “Viva Moldova“
- Ukraine – Leleka – “Ridnym“
The Netherlands at Eurovision 2025
“C’est La Vie” is the title of the song performed by Claude, who represented the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025. The Netherlands qualified for the Grand Final after placing third in the first semi-final with 121 points. In the Grand Final, the Netherlands finished in 12th place with 175 points, with the jury awarding the country fifth place, but the public at home ranking it only 15th.
This year, the Netherlands participated in the Grand Final after two years of missing out. In 2023, Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper failed to qualify from the semi-final, while in 2024, Joost Klein was disqualified after the semi-final due to a violent incident involving the competition’s production team.
Eurovision 2025: This was the Netherlands’ 65th participation in Eurovision. The Netherlands joined the competition in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won it five times over the years. The Netherlands’ last victory was at Eurovision 2019 with the song “Arcade” performed by singer Duncan Laurence.
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Ilay Gaist is a leading Israeli content creator and writer specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He is a well-known commentator with extensive expertise in the contest’s history, rules, and dynamics. His passion for Eurovision drives him to deliver rich, professional, and innovative content to his audience.
Ilay holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic and has a multilingual background. He also engages in cultural research, with a particular focus on global culinary traditions and the evolution of local cuisines around the world.
