Who is Joost Klein? Meet the Netherlands Eurovision 2024 entry
Here's everything you need to know about the Netherlands Eurovision 2024 entry Joost Klein.
Joost Klein, The Netherlands participant at tonight's Eurovision Song Contest, has been disqualified from the competition following a backstage incident after Thursday night's Semi-Final.
A statement issued by Eurovision said that "it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the contest" after an allegation of intimidation was made by a member of the crew.
The singer – who had been considered among the favourites to win the contest – was initially suspended pending an investigation before news of his disqualification was confirmed on Saturday morning, with Swedish police saying a man had been reported for making "unlawful threats" at Malmö Arena.
The Netherlands has a good track record at Eurovision and has win on five occasions (1957, 1959, 1969, 1975 and 2019) after being one of the seven nations who participated in the contest's very first edition back in 1956.
But they will now not be in the running to pick up a sixth win this year following Klein's dismissal from the competition.
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Who is the Netherlands Eurovision 2024 entry Joost Klein?
Age: 26
Instagram: @joostklein
Joost Klein is a rapper, singer and former YouTuber who posted under the name EenhoornJoost (which translates into UnicornJoost).
An accomplished musician, Joost has released a total of eight studio albums. Other notable achievements include sold-out concerts in the Netherlands and Belgium, along with over 100 million global streams of his song Friesenjung.
He is known for blending wacky comedy and imagery with more sombre themes in his music, which has pop punk and hip-hop influences.
How old is Joost Klein?
Joost Klein is 26 years old. He was born on 10th November 1997.
What has Joost Klein said about representing the Netherlands at Eurovision 2024?
Before the news of his disqualification, Klein had said: "The Eurovision performance will be a full-circle experience, turning sorrow into elation."
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"When people see my act, their first response should be, 'What's going on here?' but then only to find themselves moved. An invitation to dive deeper. At first glance it seems a very happy act, but beyond that lie blood, sweat and tears."
What is the Netherlands' Eurovision 2024 song called?
The Netherlands' Eurovision song is called Europapa. Written partly by Joost himself, the song is a tribute to the artist's deceased father.
"Europapa is about an orphan who travels throughout Europe (and beyond) to find himself and tell his story," Joost explains.
"At first, people don't recognise him, but he goes on seizing any opportunity he gets to let himself be seen. Europapa is a tribute to my father. When bringing me up, he passed on to me an expansive view of the world."
Where did the Netherlands come in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest?
The Netherlands' semi-final entry was the song Burning Daylight, which was performed by musicians Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper. Unfortunately, the Netherlands did not qualify for the final, and came 13th out of 15 competing countries with seven points in total.
When is Eurovision 2024?
The first of the Eurovision 2024 semi-finals will air on Tuesday 7th May at 8pm, with the second show following at Thursday 9th May at 8pm.
The Grand Final will take place on Saturday 11th May at 8pm, at Malmö Arena in Sweden.
The Eurovision Song Contest has faced significant criticism over its decision to allow Israel to compete in this year’s competition in light of the current situation in Gaza and the Middle East, with some fans and members of the music industry calling for a boycott of the ceremony.
Noel Curran – director general of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises Eurovision – has said in a statement: "We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the current conflict in the Middle East. We can’t fail to be moved by the profound suffering of all those caught up in this terrible war.
"However, the Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political music event and a competition between public service broadcasters who are members of the EBU. It is not a contest between governments.
"As a member-led organisation, our governing bodies – the Eurovision Song Contest Reference Group and the Executive Board – did review the participants list for the 2024 Contest and agreed that the Israeli public broadcaster KAN met all the competition rules for this year and can participate as it has for the past 50 years."
The artists taking part in this year’s contest have also faced backlash for not pulling out of the ceremony, including the UK’s act Olly Alexander, who signed a joint statement alongside other entrants explaining they "do not feel comfortable being silent".
"It is important to us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and communicate our heartfelt wish for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and the safe return of all hostages," the statement read. "We stand united against all forms of hate, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
"We firmly believe in the unifying power of music, enabling people to transcend differences and foster meaningful conversations and connections. We feel that it is our duty to create and uphold this space, with a strong hope that it will inspire greater compassion and empathy."
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The Eurovision 2024 live final will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday 11th May at 8pm.
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