Olly Alexander's Eurovision stance betrayed fans - it could cost him his career

11 May 2024 , 11:00

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Olly Alexander's Eurovision journey has been far from the enjoyable experience it should have been (Image: BBC)

Like soap stars who quit Britain for Hollywood, only to return for a stint in the jungle or on the BBC's dancefloor, Olly Alexander has seemingly overestimated his star power.

While Beyonce and Taylor Swift* can get away with being "problematic favs," Alexander doesn't quite have the back catalogue to alienate large sections of fans.

While Alexander may not admit it publicly, at least not for a while, signing up to be the UK entry for this year's Eurovision Song Contest has been a disastrous career move that could haunt him for years.

The singer's tears in the BBC documentary about his Eurovision experience and his subdued social media updates over recent days indicate he may already be well aware of the damaging effect singing Dizzy on stage in Sweden this evening will have on his career.

While Sam Ryder transformed Eurovision's image to UK fans in 2022, with the Space Man hitmaker narrowly missing out on the top spot, Alexander's time flying the Union Jack flag has been very different, thanks to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

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While many will feel sorry for Alexander's Eurovision stint unwittingly coinciding with Israel's war on Palestine, arguing that he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't, the former Years & Years singer can't be afforded the same grace Eurovision presenters Rylan Clark and Scott Mills have been granted, mainly thanks to his past activism and previous politics.

In Olly Alexander's Road to Eurovision '24, the It's A Sin actor sobbed as he addressed the calls for him to boycott this year's contest over Israel's inclusion, saying he "wasn't qualified to speak on" the heartbreaking scenes coming out of Palestine, referring to it as an "incredibly complicated political situation."

Yet in October, before being unveiled as the UK entry for Eurovision two months later, Alexander called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the governing body in Gaza. An open letter from LGBT charity Voices4London signed by Alexander referred to Israel as an 'apartheid regime' aiming to "ethnically cleanse" Palestine.

'He will have to think long and hard about his next career move and work towards rebuilding his relationship with fans' (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/REX/Shutterstock)

Alexander can't plead ignorance of how boycotts work either, thanks to being just as well known for activism over the years as he is for his artistry. In 2022, Alexander vowed to no longer wear Fenty underwear or clothing in support of Amber Heard after Fenty owner Rihanna invited Johnny Depp to one of the brand's shows.

No boycott of Fenty has ever been called, yet Alexander went above and beyond with his own personal actions to do what he believed to be right. It's these past displays of moral consciousness that make Alexander's decision to ignore the Palestine plea for a Eurovision boycott feel like an even bigger betrayal to his fans, who have spent months begging him to drop out.

"By insisting that he knows better than Palestinians, Olly Alexander again flaunts a colonial mentality," Queers For Palestine said in a statement regarding Alexander's response to their boycott plea. "We reiterate our call on Olly Alexander to boycott Eurovision. Doing no harm to the Palestinian freedom struggle by refusing to be complicit in artwashing genocide is a profound ethical duty. Olly, it's not too late to do the right thing. This moment could define the rest of your life. Consider your place in history."

With just hours to go before the big Eurovision final, it might be too late for Alexander to do "the right thing". Whether through his choosing or pressure from higher authorities, Alexander has cemented his place in history regarding this year's ill-fated Eurovision Song Contest as someone who buckled when it was time to stand firm on past principles.

Regardless of how Alexander does tonight, be it he wins or gets lumbered with a dreaded 'Nul Points', the under-fire singer will have to think long and hard about his next career move and work towards rebuilding his relationship with fans who used to support him for his activism just as much as his singing.

*Both Beyonce and Taylor Swift were asked by the BDS not to air their concert films in Israel last year. Neither star responded publicly to the request and their respective features were available to watch in Israeli cinemas.

Zoe Delaney