"We remain dedicated to protecting the values of a cultural competition which promotes international exchange and understanding," said the EBU.
Stefano Guidi/Getty ImagesRussia has been booted from the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute,” the Executive Board of the European Broadcasting Union, which produces Eurovision, said in a statement issued Friday, Feb. 25. Eurovision 2022 is set to take place this May in Turin, Italy.
The EBU board said its decision was based on a recommendation made by Eurovision’s governing body, the Reference Group, rooted in “the rules of the event and the values of the EBU.” The EBU’s Television Committee also supported the decision.
“We remain dedicated to protecting the values of a cultural competition which promotes international exchange and understanding, brings audiences together, celebrates diversity through music and unites Europe on one stage,” the EBU board statement concluded.
Russia has competed in Eurovision since 1994 and has won the contest once, with Dima Bilan taking home top honors in 2008 with the song, “Believe.” As it happens, Russia’s representative at Eurovision last year, Manizha, appeared to come out against the war in Ukraine in an Instagram post shared yesterday, Feb. 24.
“I believe that [the current aggression] is against the will of our people,” Manizha (via Google Translate). “There are Ukrainians in my family too. My daughter-in-law is from Ukraine. My future husband is half Ukrainians. My close friends are Ukrainians. Russia and Ukraine are not just two countries. We are relatives. Any war between us is fratricidal.”
Other prominent Russian musicians have spoken out against the invasion as well, including the singer Valery Meladze, rock musician Zemfira Ramazanova, and popular rapper, Oxxxymiron. Oxxxymiron even canceled six sold out shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg in protest of the invasion, saying, “I know that most people in Russia are against this war, and I am confident that the more people would talk about their real attitude to it, the faster we can stop this horror.”
Taylor Swift believes Nashville has a music scene that stands apart from anywhere else.
The 36 year old singer moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when she was young to chase her dream of becoming a country music star. After being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on Monday (26.10.26), Taylor took the opportunity to recognise the city and the talented writers who have helped shape its music scene.
In her acceptance speech, Taylor said: "I believe you really get to master a craft by doing it again and again. That's exactly what the incredible songwriters in this wonderful town do every day."
Taylor also spoke about what makes Nashville such a special place for musicians.
The award winning singer, who ranks among the best selling music artists of all time, said: "You won't find another music community quite like this one. Trust me, I've checked them all."
Taylor also shared how being part of Nashville's songwriting scene had taught her valuable lessons about life and working with others.
She joked: "I've learned to be flexible when your co writer turns up with a hangover, or when they need to spend ages talking about their divorce before we can even get started on a song."
Taylor previously spoke about how Faith Hill and Shania Twain inspired her decision to move to Nashville.
Speaking to Time magazine, the singer said: "I couldn't get enough of watching TV biographies about Faith Hill and Shania Twain, and I realised they had both moved to Nashville to get their careers started. After that, I kept asking, pleading and begging my parents to take me there.
"When I was 11, my mum took my brother and me to Nashville during spring break, and we spent the trip driving around Music Row. She stayed in the car while I rushed into record companies one after another, giving my demo CD to the receptionists. I found it fascinating that so many major record labels were gathered along a single street, often inside little buildings and old houses.
"What really stayed with me was how welcoming people were to newcomers and complete strangers like us. We started visiting Nashville more often, and when I was 13, I received an offer for a development deal from a major record label. That was when my parents finally agreed to leave Pennsylvania and move with me."
