Honestly, the Eurovision results this year were a total whirlwind because there was so much drama, and it felt like nobody could actually agree on anything. The biggest reason it blew up was Israel’s participation in the contest. With the Gaza war still going on, a lot of people were super divided—some said Israel shouldn’t even be allowed in this time. Protesters actually interrupted performances, and there were tons of pro-Palestinian symbols in the crowd, even though Eurovision is supposed to be all about music and togetherness.

From what I’ve seen, people also argued a lot about whether politics should play a role at all. Some fans just wanted a fun show, but others thought ignoring what’s happening in the world was wrong. Austria winning was kind of awesome to me—I mean, JJ’s song was epic, and a queer artist winning felt like a win for diversity. But honestly, everything around those Eurovision results showed how a music contest can sometimes be about way more than music. People are still talking about it at school and online, and I get why it hit a nerve for so many.