Käärijä denies to announce Finland’s points at Eurovision

Finnish singer Käärijä, who became runner-up in last year’s Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday refused to announce Finland’s points at this year´s Eurovision final in Malmö, Sweden, reported national broadcaster Yle.

Jere Pöyhönen (Real name of Käärijä) took the decision just moments before the event.

“I have decided to withdraw from announcing Finland’s points tonight (Saturday). Giving points in tonight’s final doesn’t feel right,” Käärijä told Yle on Saturday evening.

Radio Suomi host Toni Laaksonen will replace Käärijä following the withdrawal of the singer.

Ville Vilén, Head of Creative Content and Media of Yle said that there had been discussions about the possibility of such a scenario and now it happened.

“But we naturally respect the artist’s own decision in this matter,” Vilén added.

Käärijä performed in the second semi-final of Eurovision on Thursday.

Earlier Käärijä asked for removal of a video of him and Israeli singer Eden Golan from Eurovision social media.

He said that the video was posted on social media without his permission and was not removed despite request from him.

He also said that the video was not a political statement or any kind of endorsement.

Earlier on May 6, Miikka Koivisto, Music Editor of the national broadcasting corporation Yle announced his resignation protesting against the partnership of the corporation with European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which is organizing the Eurovision despite participation of Israel in the contest.

On May 6 several hundreds of musicians and music industry professionals reiterated their call for boycotting the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) protesting against the participation of Israel in the contest.

On January 11, Finnish rapper Jesse Markin, one of the seven singers, who was vying to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest announced to boycott the contest, if Israel is allowed to participate.

Käärijä became second in the grand final of the Eurovision 2023 last month with his song 'Cha Cha Cha'.