Today, the sad news came to us that Finnish singer Laila Halme passed away. Laila Halme, born Laila Soppi in the Finnish town of Jääski, was a Finnish singer and actress. She began her career in the 1950, singing in several orchestras. Her first single “Kaunis rakkaus” was released in 1959. In 1960, she released several singles and EP’s at the Philips label. In 1961 she debuted as an actress in two films: “Penkki” and “Tähtisumua”.
In 1963, she participated in Euroviisut, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Olen mikä olen”. She became 3rd, while the song “Muistojeni laulu” won and Irmeli Mäkelä was chosen to sing it in the Eurovision Song Contest. However, Finnish broadcaster YLE decided to let Laila Halme sing it in the international final. She did not receive any point at all. A year later, Laila Halme represented Finland in the festival of Sopot in Poland. She released a couple of singles but left showbusiness in 1967. We only saw her back in 1987, when she hosted Euroviisut. Her son Jussi Halme is also a singer, he took part in Euroviisut in 1990.
Laila Halme was 87 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.
