Boy George has shared his thoughts on failing to reach the Eurovision Song Contest final after representing San Marino during the first semi-final on Tuesday evening. Despite his hopes, San Marino’s entry, Superstar, performed by Senhit and written by the Culture Club singer, didn’t make it through to the final stages.
Senhit, alongside Boy George on stage at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle, had aimed to push the song into the final, but the competition’s first semi-final saw San Marino, along with Portugal, Georgia, Montenegro, and Estonia, eliminated after the public vote.
Reflecting on the disappointment, George, 64, posted a message to his followers on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “If you voted for us, thank you so much. I was sad we didn’t make it through to the final, but my Eurovision experience has been fabulous. I wouldn’t take a minute of it back. Thanks to @senhitofficial and the entire San Marino delegation. What a fun bunch. We will perform together in Milan in July at the @RealCultureClub show.”
The competition was packed with 15 performers all vying for a spot in Saturday’s grand final, including strong contenders like Sweden, Croatia, and current favorites Finland. However, this year’s Eurovision has been tainted by controversy over Israel’s participation, particularly in light of its ongoing military actions in Gaza, which led five countries, including Ireland, to boycott the event.
Notably, Israel’s entrant, Noam Bettan, sailed through to the final with his love song Michelle, despite a mixed reception. Some audience members booed and shouted anti-Israeli slogans, while others supported Bettan with cheers. The protests were heard clearly during the TV broadcast, as Austrian broadcaster ORF, the host of this year’s event, chose not to censor the reactions. ORF later issued a statement explaining that the individuals responsible for the disruption were removed by security.
In a separate incident, technical difficulties during the semi-final left many viewers frustrated, with complaints about sound issues drowning out the hosts and commentary.
As for San Marino’s hopes, Senhit’s Superstar, a song that was meant to capture the hearts of Eurovision fans, failed to make the final, despite Boy George’s presence and support.
Meanwhile, in a lighthearted turn, an Irish TV channel announced it would air a Father Ted Eurovision-themed episode in place of the final after the country’s decision to boycott the event. The episode, A Song For Europe, features priests Ted and Dougal attempting to represent Ireland in a Eurovision parody, earning “nul points” for their disastrous performance.
While Austria, this year’s host city, has been decorated with hearts and the “United by Music” motto, the political divide has led to tensions and several boycotts. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland have all confirmed their withdrawal from the competition, citing Israel’s participation as the reason behind their decision.
Ireland, the most successful country in Eurovision history with seven wins, will miss the contest for the first time in 61 years, marking a historic break with the event.
