We received the sad news that today, Greek musician Agathonas Iakovidis passed away. In 2013, Iakovidis represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest as a member of the group Koza Mostra. They sang the song “Alcohol is free” and reached the 6th place.
Agathonas Iakovidis was born in Evangelismos, in the northern part of Greece. He began a musical carreer in 1973, after he learned to play a lot of instruments, especially some traditional Greek instruments like the oud and the bouzouki. In 1977 he started playing in a the Rebetiko Band of Thessaloniki and recorded two albums with them. He lived in Athens for years and worked with a lot of folk music artists there. Since 1987 his musical base is Thessaloniki.
Agathanos Iakovidis died in his sleep tonight after a heart attack. He was 65 years old.
Israel Eurovision 2025 Participation Sparks Boycott
Israel Eurovision 2025 Participation Sparks Boycott Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has ignited a major controversy. After organizers decided to allow Israel to remain in the competition, four countries, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, announced their withdrawal from Eurovision 2026 in protest. This rare Eurovision boycott has turned the contest into a political flashpoint. Background: Israel in Eurovision 2025 Israel finished second at Eurovision 2025, a strong result driven by public votes. However, several countries complained that Israel had artificially boosted its tally through a broad advertising campaign urging Europeans to vote for its entry. The dispute unfolded amid the Gaza war, pushing the ostensibly apolitical contest into an uncomfortable spotlight. In response, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) rolled out new measures to protect Eurovision’s neutrality. Government-led promotion campaigns were discouraged under the updated rules. In early December, EBU members reviewed these changes and decided not to hold a vote on Israel’s status. With this, they effectively confirmed Israel would remain in Eurovision 2026. Four Countries Withdraw in Protest Following the EBU decision to keep Israel in the contest, four national broadcasters promptly confirmed their withdrawal from Eurovision 2026. Ireland’s RTÉ deemed participation “unconscionable” amid Gaza’s civilian death toll. Spain’s RTVE and the Netherlands’ AVROTROS also pulled out after the Geneva vote, arguing that taking part was incompatible with their public service values. Slovenia likewise confirmed it would boycott the contest, as it had vowed if Israel stayed. Impact and Reactions The boycott is especially significant because it includes Spain. The country is one of Eurovision’s “Big Five” nations that provide major funding and automatic finalist spots. Organizers warn that losing multiple major countries could dent the show’s global audience (typically around 150 million viewers) and deter sponsors. Israeli officials, meanwhile, welcomed the EBU’s decision. President Isaac Herzog said Israel “deserves to be represented on every stage around the world”. This saga presents Eurovision with an unprecedented challenge: upholding its spirit of musical unity in the face of deep geopolitical divides.
