Robyn calls Eurovision 'embarrassing' on Amy Poehler's podcast

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Swedish pop sensation Robyn brands Eurovision ‘embarrassing’ euronews.com

Swedish pop star Robyn labelled the Eurovision Song Contest 'shit' and 'embarrassing' during an appearance on comedian Amy Poehler's podcast 'Good Hang'. 'We don't have ABBA any more so I don't really watch Eurovision. Now it's just shit, I would say,' the singer said, adding that she watches with American friends, one of whom pulls a blanket over his eyes because it is 'so embarrassing'. She said the contest leaves her 'really overstimulated and in a bad way'.

The criticism lands at a moment when the contest's problems are structural rather than aesthetic. Euronews reports that Ireland has announced it will not take part in Eurovision 2027, and the Czech public broadcaster has pulled out, citing spending cuts. In October, Dutch broadcaster NPO reversed its earlier decision to return, after AVROTROS had said in August it would stay away because of Israel's presence. The head of the Spanish public broadcaster has come out in favour of a boycott. In 2025, five countries — Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia — sat out the contest after organisers declined to exclude Israel over its military actions in Gaza. Slovenia's RTVSLO said it was withdrawing 'on behalf of the 20,000 children who died in Gaza'.

The contest drew 131 million viewers in 2026, down 35 million from the previous year, according to Euronews. Eurovision 2027 is scheduled for Burgas, Bulgaria, on 15 May, after Dara's win in Vienna. Robyn, whose hits include 'Show Me Love' and 'Dancing On My Own', released her ninth studio album 'Sexistential' this year.

Sweden has won the contest six times since ABBA's 1974 victory — in the country where the Melodifestivalen is closer to a folk movement than entertainment, an artist of Robyn's standing calling it embarrassing reads less as gossip than as a verdict on the institution itself.