New controversy in Eurovision: Campaigners urge the EBU to disqualify Romania’s entry “Choke Me” by Alexandra Căpitănescu, claiming it normalizes sexual choking and endangers young women’s lives.
Campaigners across Europe are calling on the EBU to remove Romania’s Eurovision 2026 entry “Choke Me” by Alexandra Căpitănescu, claiming the lyrics glamorize sexual choking and pose serious risks to young women.
Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, has yet to begin, but the contest’s season of scandals already appears to be in full swing. After withdrawals by several countries and disputes over various participants, a new controversy is now emerging from an unexpected direction: Romania. In recent days, social activists across social media in multiple European countries have stepped up calls to disqualify Romania’s representative, singer Alexandra Căpitănescu, arguing that her song “Choke Me” encourages dangerous sexual practices and puts young women’s lives at risk.
“A dangerous game with young women’s lives”
The uproar began after critics closely examined the lyrics and highlighted what they describe as a “romanticisation of sexual choking”. Over the course of the three‑minute track, Căpitănescu repeats the phrase “Choke me” more than 30 times. In addition, the song features provocative lines such as “It’s hard to breathe in”, “I want you to choke me”, and “make my lungs explode.”
Anti‑violence campaigners were quick to condemn the choice of song. Law professor Clare McGlynn, a leading expert on sexual violence and pornography regulation, launched a fierce critique: “The song – and the fact that Romania chose it for Eurovision – represents a reckless normalisation of a dangerous practice. It’s playing fast and loose with young women’s lives. Emerging medical evidence proves that frequent sexual strangulation can lead to brain damage.”
Additional experts have echoed these warnings, pointing to recent research indicating that more than half of people under 35 have experienced choking during a sexual encounter – a practice that can cause changes in the brain associated with depression and anxiety, as well as serious internal injuries. Some Eurovision fans across Europe have already started circulating online petitions, demanding that the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) intervene and disqualify the song for allegedly breaching contest rules that prohibit messages likely to damage the reputation of the show or encourage dangerous behaviour.
The singer responds: “It’s just a metaphor”
On the other side, Alexandra Căpitănescu refuses to bow to public pressure and firmly rejects the accusations. In recent interviews with European media outlets, the singer has stressed that the song has nothing to do with promoting violence or physical choking. According to her, the lyrics are purely metaphorical, intended to convey intense feelings of “emotional overload and deep inner insecurity,” with the “choking” describing a state of psychological suffocation and inner turmoil rather than a sexual act.
The key question now is how the European Broadcasting Union will respond: will it heed activists’ calls and ask Romania to alter the lyrics – as has happened in the past with entries from other countries – or accept the artist’s explanation that this is a song about inner struggle rather than a violent fantasy? In the coming weeks, the organisation is expected to review formal complaints submitted against the entry and decide whether “Choke Me” can remain unchanged on the Eurovision 2026 stage in Vienna.
Alexandra Căpitănescu – Who Are You?
Alexandra Căpitănescu is a young singer who won the 11th season of the Romanian version of The Voice, “Vocea României.” In previous years, she also took part in the Romanian versions of The X Factor and Romania’s Got Talent.
Immediately after her victory on the show, she began releasing her debut single “Căpitanu,” and in 2024 she released her first EP, also titled “Căpitanu,” which includes the lead single along with four additional tracks. She has now been selected through Romania’s national selection “2026 Selecția Națională” to represent Romania at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, with her song “Choke Me.”
Romania at Eurovision 2026
“Choke Me” is the title of the song that will be performed by Alexandra Căpitănescu, who will represent Romania at the first half of Semi-Final 2 at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, on May 14. The song was written by Alexandra Căpitănescu and Elvis‑Claudiu Silitră, and composed by Căpitănescu, Silitră, Călin‑Alexandru Grăjdan and Ștefan Condrea. This is the first Eurovision entry for both the performer and the songwriting team.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Romania’s 25th participation in Eurovision. Romania joined the contest in 1994 and achieved its best result both in Eurovision 2005 and Eurovision 2010 when Romania finished in third place.
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Roie 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.
