She’s the Queen of Pop slated to perform at the Grand Final of Eurovision 2019 as an interval act.
But now, Madonna‘s performance at Eurovision 2019 may be in jeopardy.
That’s because Eurovision executive supervisor Jon Ola Sand says the EBU has yet to confirm Madonna as an interval act.
Though the Media Handbook, a booklet with all the information necessary for journalist and commentators, states that Madonna will appear at the Grand Final, this seems to be a question, rather than a statement.
Volgens mij is er nog steeds geen officiële bevestiging, maar in mediaboek staat toch echt dat Madonna tijdens finale songfestival op zal treden #ESC19 #TelAviv pic.twitter.com/7TNO80Qrha
— Martijn van der Zande (@vanderzande) May 11, 2019
Last night during a press conference, one journalist asked whether it was true that the EBU has not confirmed Madonna. Jon Ola Sand answered:
“It is true that we, the EBU or KAN, has never confirmed Madonna as an act for the Eurovision Song Contest. For the simple reason that we do not have a signed contract with her team. And if we do not have a signed contract, she cannot perform on that stage. It’s very simple.”
The organisation is busy securing Madonna as an act however and Jon Ola Sand added that they are in discussions with Madonna’s team:
“So we are negotiating now, in the final stage of that, but if there is no signed contract this week, she will not be on the stage. That’s very easy.
“So, we are in a situation now that is a bit strange. We have an artist who would like to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. We would love to welcome her on that stage. But for that we have to have the framework security.”
Meanwhile, Israeli media outlet Srugim.co.il reports that Madonna is said to arrive on Wednesday in Tel-Aviv.
Besides special requests regarding safety, her team seems to have had other demands, especially regarding the technical material that still has to be sorted out.
Hold your resolve, Jon Ola! THE SHOW MUST GO ON! You know that as well as everyone else. If she can’t make it to the stage before the show is over, too bad!
You’re absolutely right about that. It will be as if it never happened.
If she doesn’t come … They’re just going to be embarrassed by the millions of people who watch the show around the world, it’s not nothing. They may have been too ambitious. there are many artists who are as famous as Madonna but who would probably have been more reliable to get. Next time they should bet on someone who has stayed cool, who doesn’t annoy anyone and who still keeps his commitments, like Sting.
Sting would be a huge improvement! He is a SONGWRITER, a prolific songwriter! That’s what this contest is all about, yes? 🙂
No one will be going bananas over this ridicilous comment either
Eurovision God Jon Ola Sand confirms there was no contract as of last night. I believe him. I don’t know how these entertainment contracts work, yet it is mindboggling to me that the signing of a contract for an undertaking like this one, a live show full of technical sophistication and precision, is pending the very week of the broadcast. #themindboggles, #help
For those of you who fancy a good laugh therapy after a hard day at work/school, see her film “Swept Away” (and thank me later) 😀
No contract, no drama. Big cost saving. Yey for more time for everyone else. Only downside is for Madonna fans, obviously, who might be able to claim their money back on tickets – it depends whether or not the announcement was ever official.
Israeli media should talk about Kobi Marimi, not about Madonna. The very presence of Madonna is the biggest problem, among all problems this year. This is not the way ESC became so famous in these 64 years.
HELP So basically I`m gonna be stuck at work until 23:00 tonight. Can I watch the semi final back on YouTube after the live stream ends or anywhere else?
Yes you can watch the full livestream back on youtube or at eurovision.tv but watch out for spoilers. Or you go to the website of your local broadcaster. Usually you can watch it back there.
So it’s basically all the same as back in 2018?
The qualifiers’ press conference is at 23:30 CET, I don’t know if the livestream recording will be available on the ESC YT channel before that. But it should be there. As Frisian said, do watch out for spoilers.
She’s landing in TLV tonight.
I said previously that something will stuff up the Madonna appearance. Not only does she have a habit of keeping people waiting for hours during her concerts which she did in Australia for no particular reason other than she couldn’t be arsed to get on stage on time and when she finally did played 6 songs and walked off( which she did in Australia) For the price of the ticket people felt ripped off . But to do 2 songs for a fee and a contract ( that hasn’t been signed) ? She won’t do this last minute – please… Read more »
Money are not a problem because a sponsor wants to pay, the question is why there are no papers for all this?
I swear to god I’ve just seen her team in the arrivals at the airport in Tel Aviv….
How do you know that?
I really don’t like the announcement of whether Madonna is going to perform or not before the semi-final starts. The attention should be on the competition itself and the artists. Not on a big star. I wonder if it’s done on purpose. How is it possible that a big name like Madonna is traveling without a contract? I consider her very hard working and professional.
It were journalists who addressed the issue, not the ebu. And im sure madonna is still capable enough to recall if she signed a contract or not.
This years organization has been an absolute mess, it’s finally gets to end on Saturday
Although I’ll miss the contest, I won’t miss this chaos of an organization
*pretends to be shocked*
Does drama ever ends in this contest?
I don’t watch Eurovision to see American artists, I live in America! I want to see European acts!
Katrina and the Waves, Andras Kallay-Saunders…and a few more from what I recall.
Sorry, but who cares about Madonna? Frankly enough, I prefer several artists in this year’s ESC than Madonna. For me I’d rather watch Tamta, Michela, Duncan, Miki and Kate, amongst others.
A lot of people care about Madonna. That’s why they asked her. And how much I liked some of the acts you summed up, please don’t compare them with an icon like Madonna …
I’d rather listen “Sister” on repeat.
In the end, if there are some minutes available, they can squeeze in something like more Nadav Guedj, “Bassa Sababa”, or Harel Skaat. Or just a random Ketreyah doing a song.
*Random Ketreyah rises from the floor*
A Ketreyah is a mysterious creature that I would like to see as interval act this year
*random ketreyah ascends down from the ceiling riding a massive star of david*
The fact that she travels to Tel Aviv with her team, without a contract…is something very shady. Contracts like that are signed months before, first of all to protect the artist. What is the real agreement with that sponsor? Money laundry? No taxes?
Maybe for the best if she does not appear. Would rather see additional performances from Netta, Conchita, Mans , or Eleni
Eleni for sure!
Hahaha, you gotta be kidding me … HAHAHA
Ma-Madonna, here we go again.
To be fair, whatever. If she shows up, fine, if she doesn’t, then at least I hope she’s gonna enjoy her trip to Tel Aviv.
Jon ola sand gives us good news for once
Aye! Watch the guy paying Madonna $1 million to appear get on his knees to beg Jon Ola to delay the final for a day to have more time to work out a deal for her appearance…
…Sorry, pal! It don’t work that way! THE SHOW MUST GO ON! With or without her!
Replace her with MARUV!
Good riddance if she doesn’t turn up, quite frankly.
Aye! When you sign a contract to appear on a show like this, you’d better make your requests known BEFORE you sign! You’re on THEIR turf; therefore, everything will be on THEIR terms! And no, they will NOT delay the show for one guest performer, even if it’s Madonna! The show WILL go on as scheduled!
They got Onuka when Lady Gaga couldn’t make it when they had this problem before. Maybe they can get Maruv when they cancel Madonna! No big loss for us! It’ll be as if it never happened.
A kangaroo will be a more effective supervisor than Jon Ola Sand
NO.
KAN and the organisation couldnt deliver the requierements of some delegations, basic requierements to that!
Why would they be able to meet Madonna and her even bigger requirements?
Come on people, don’t blame Madonna or her huge ego etc. EBU/KAN is beyond stupid for announcing her before there was a contract signed. Very unprofessional.
If the organization wasn´t capable of delivering the basic requirements of certain delegations, imagine with Madonna…Everything this year is a HUGE mess from A to Z.
what were they?
The right staging ( correct tv angles, correct lighting, correct LCD features, even a basic thing like the right soundtrack on the microphone/earphone previously chosen by the artist wasn´t there…) just to name a few. When you have a limited time to test everything and you have none of what was asked ( 2nd rehearsal !), I guess it can be very frustrating.
i second you. Some delegations had to have a third rehearsal and some countries, firstly Malta, had to shift to a plan B during their second rehearsal (which was technically their first then) as the technical issues were not resolved in time.
I believe this kind of difficulties happen all the time. Every year I’m reading about these if a country has not hosted Eurovision before. All participants have plan B and C if necessary. Otherwise, it’s best if they bring their own crew and equipment if possible.
I don’t want her in ESC. Let the participants shine instead. ESC is for them.
dancing queen, young and sweet only 60
Age shaming is NOT OK.
Nobody would shame ABBA, that are over 70. Madonna is shaming herself for being pathetic.
Even so, age shaming is not ok.
Yet it is. People are telling her that her 60 old b u t t needs to retire, or to be covered.
Age shaming is NEVER OK. If people don’t like her behind, they don’t have to look. I am not of a fan of the choices she makes to stay relevant, but she can do whatever she wants. She’s had an unparallel level of success, as un-orthodox as she was, but that’s what made her an icon. And despite or because of her birth name when compared to the symbolism of the mother of JC.
Yes it is.
Her management team probably thinks they can get away with anything at this point and puts in way too many diva conditions in the contract. For example she would perform one of her new songs + like a prayer on the eurovision stage, but in the end she refused that and demanded to sing two of her new songs instead. I say let her team fly to tel aviv for nothing and don’t sign the contract in the end.
#OURSHOWFORTHEWIN
Give than all the other acts for Saturday will have rehearsed and performed multiple times already, it doesn’t seem to be a good idea to let her do her thing with minimal notice. Also, there must be some other act who won’t know whether they are performing or not, depending on the negations with Madonna and co. Not fair on them.
Bottom line: We like Madonna, but please don’t mess with the Eurovision Song Contest
Again that picture with the arms.
“No signed contract” means she didn’t wanted to pay taxes????
She must have exquisite finance/tax counselling/people. Ultra rich people always do.
Wasn’t Lady Gaga supposed to perform at Eurovision two years ago, but this never happened (probably for the same reason as Madonna) and the Ukrainian broadcaster had to draft in ONUKA?
She wanted to – and was going to do it for free – but the Ukrainian broadcaster couldn’t afford the cost of her rider. In the end, they replaced her with Ruslana’s new song.
Who cares about Lady Gaga?? Ruslana did a better job anyway.
I care about Lady Gaga but still, I want to see local talent instead. Eurovision is Eurovision.
What’s a “rider” pretty please?
A rider is the requests artists make for things to help bring a performance together. This could be things like props, lighting, effects, etc., or basic hospitality stuff like having certain food available backstage.
Thanks!
Apparently, she will have her own lights and camera director. Well, she probably isn’t a fan of wide angles then hehe.
Anyway, I am more interested into the Eleni, Mans etc. performance as this is something we would only see in ESC unlike Madonna where we have/had many chances to see her performing (on telly or live that is).