THE week of Eurovision is always my favourite of the year — a celebration of pop music in all of its beautiful, fun and ridiculous glory.
But this year, the contest feels a long way from its tagline “united in music”.
In Malmo, the atmosphere is tense.
Thousands of fans have descended on the city for the event, but the celebrations are muted and it feels like everyone is on edge.
More than 70,000 Muslims call the city home and from my hotel room on Thursday I could hear pro-Palestine protestors in a nearby square chanting: “How many kids have you killed today?”
Out on the streets there are Palestinian flags everywhere — and even fake blood smeared on some Eurovision pop-up installations.
And just last week, there was another protest where a Koran was set alight outside the city’s cathedral.
There are snipers on the roofs of buildings around the arena and there is strict airport-style security in the venue itself, where all bags of any size are banned.
That is both reassuring and worrying in equal measure.
Eden Golan, representing Israel, has been warned to stay in her hotel room when she’s not performing.
There are armed police patrolling outside the hotel and other guests have described seeing plain-clothes agents with earpieces on duty at the breakfast buffet.
The controversy has only seemed to increase her chances though and Eden is now second favourite.
However this has caused even more anguish among fans like me — torn over wanting to have a good time and celebrate music, but also acknowledging the suffering happening in Gaza.
It’s taken its toll on the performers themselves, who have received a deluge of abuse on social media for not boycotting the contest and have been banned from showing any support for Palestine on stage.
Some of the frustrated acts have even been goading each other, leading to tonight’s press conference being cancelled at the last minute.
I’m amazed none of them have pulled out, although that could still happen.
Asked if competing posed a safety risk for the other contestants, Eden said: “I think it’s safe for everyone and we wouldn’t be here [if not].”
I hope so.
But it’s hard to see where Eurovision goes from here, now that it has become such an inherently political event.
