Two keenly anticipated live performances at the Eurovision Song Contest grand final on May 22 will not take place because of positive COVID-19 tests.
On May 19, a member of the Icelandic group Daði og Gagnamagnið, one of the competition favorites, tested positive for COVID-19, while the rest of the delegation tested negative. They took the decision to withdraw from performing in this year’s live Eurovision Song Contest shows, as they only want to perform together as a group.
Consequently, they did not perform at the second semi-final on May 20, but were voted through into the final. Their song “10 Years” will remain in the competition and their rehearsal performance, recorded on the stage on May 13, was broadcast during the semi-final and will be shown again during the final.
The Icelandic delegation will remain in quarantine and be monitored by the health authorities.
Meanwhile, Duncan Laurence, winner of the 2019 Contest for the Netherlands, was scheduled to perform live during Saturday’s grand final but has also tested positive. He has mild symptoms, and because of the seven-day minimum isolation period, will not be able to perform live in the Ahoy venue in Rotterdam. He will “still feature in the show in a different form,” organizers said.
Laurence tested negative on May 17, thus enabling him to perform at the first semi-final on May 18.
“We are of course disappointed, first of all for Duncan, who deserves a live performance on our very own Eurovision stage after his 2019 victory and the worldwide success of Arcade,” Sietse Bakker, executive producer of the Contest said. “We couldn’t be more proud of his opening act for the first semi-final. Of course we wish Duncan a speedy recovery.”
“Duncan is very disappointed, he has been looking forward to this for two years. We are very happy that he will still be seen in the final on Saturday, May 22,” Laurence’s management said.
