Who is Joost Klein, the Netherlands’ representative at Eurovision 2024? Why was he disqualified?

There will be only 25 performers at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden instead of the planned 26 after Dutch representative Joost Klein was disqualified only a few hours before the grand final (which begins at 3pm ET and 12pm ET on Saturday 11 May).

The reason for the Netherlands’ Eurovision disqualification

Klein was last on stage in the second semi-final on Thursday, with his performance of “Europapa” securing him one of the 10 available spots in the final. However, he was later involved in an incident with a female member of the Eurovision production crew, who filed a complaint against him that is now being investigated.

A statement from the Eurovision Song Contest read:

“The Dutch artist Joost Klein will not be competing in the Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

“Swedish police have investigated a complaint made by a female member of the production crew after an incident following his performance in Thursday night’s Semi Final. While the legal process takes its course, it would not be appropriate for him to continue in the Contest.

“We would like to make it clear that, contrary to some media reports and social media speculation, this incident did not involve any other performer or delegation member.”

Joost Klein’s Spotify success

Klein’s “Europapa” is the currently most streamed 2024 Eurovision song on Spotify, just ahead of the Angelina Mango’s “La Noia,” the Italian entry.

The 26-year-old is mainly a hip hop artist but also includes elements from other genres of music in his songs. His eight studio albums have charted in the Netherlands and Belgium, with “Europapa” topping the charts in both countries, his first single to reach No. 1.

2024 Eurovision controversy surrounding Israel

The contest has already been marred by controversy, almost exclusively surrounding Isreal’s entry, mainly due to the country’s role in the ongoing armed conflict with Palestinian militant groups, mainly in the Gaza Strip.

There have been protests against Israel’s involvement in the streets of Malmö, discontent among performers that the nation is being allowed to take part and speculation that the European Broadcasting Union, the Eurovision organisers, drowned out boos when Israeli singer Eden Golan performed during the semi-final by playing fake cheers for the television broadcast.

On top of that, Israel had two song entries rejected (for political references to the conflict in the Gaza Strip) before settling on “Hurricane,” which Golan will sing in Malmö.