Elly Arrow and Sybil Jo discuss some controversial entries to the Eurovision Song Contest 2026: "Choke Me" by Alexandra Căpitănescu aestheticizes sexualized strangulation, "Superstar" features George O'Dowd aka Boy George who infamously assaulted and falsely imprisoned a man in escort prostitution, and finally, "Andromeda" by Lelek expresses the pain of Catholic Croat families having their boys and girls kidnapped and forced into military and sexual slavery by the Ottoman Empire - but unfortunately, said history is today often reinterpreted and instrumentalized by religious zealots and dangerous nationalist movements.
Sources:
"Choke Me" by Alexandra Căpitănescu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn0YmI0dPb8
About the "Choke Me" controversy: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/mar/13/romania-eurovision-song-choke-me-criticised-glamorising-sexual-strangulation
Alexandra Căpitănescu says "Choke Me" is about her own depression and mental health struggles: https://youtube.com/shorts/r38KNvV0yUk?is=rY-kmZGQyUiGvTX7
"Superstar" by Senhit feat. Boy George: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ZJdkqcaDw&list=RD84ZJdkqcaDw&start_radio=1
Boy George's criminal history: https://www.goodto.com/entertainment/why-did-boy-george-go-to-prison
"Andromeda" by Lelek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl7Jqnw10sU&list=RDvl7Jqnw10sU
Children in slavery in the Ottoman Empire: https://research.sabanciuniv.edu/id/eprint/42701/1/10336581.Bayraktaro%C4%9Flu_Bahar.pdf
Evaluation of traditionally Croat or Bosnian tattoos by historian Ana Sekulic: https://newlinesmag.com/essays/the-origin-stories-of-bosnian-tattoos-are-only-skin-deep/
Outrage in Turkey over "Andromeda" song: https://en.euromix.co.il/2026/03/17/eurovision-2026-turkey-outraged-by-leleks-andromeda-lyrics/
"Gag Order" by Ke$ha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk2Kkc2y8iU&list=PLCuCdnh8-13dVprHny3jdC-focV_1g5jh
"Alice" by Veronica Fusaro: https://youtu.be/PfpYGAzW5dM?si=tnxPhCgfcTY3vKsv
"Nova Zora" by Tamara Živković : https://youtu.be/nuvy2d60HbI?si=Rnh03oesdb50GEuW
"Tanzschein" by Cosmo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPGP9ZphxiY&list=RDzPGP9ZphxiY
