ESC
Mar 16, 2026, 4:04 p.mMar 16, 2026, 4:04 p.m
Does an entry for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest trivialize the dangers of sexual practice? The British newspaper “The Guardian”, among others, reports on the discussion about the song “Choke me” by the Romanian artist Alexandra Capitanescu.
The alleged message behind it shows “an alarming disregard for the health and well-being of young women,” a law professor is quoted as saying.
In the song, Capitanescu sings, among other things: “Love me, make my lungs explode.” And: “All I need is your love, I want it to choke me.” The artist herself said at the beginning of March that the title and chorus should not be taken literally. “Choke me” means roughly: “Choke me with your love.” Art should not be subject to censorship as long as no one is harmed, she said.
BBC complaint last year
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) did not respond to a query about the controversy, citing Romanian broadcaster TVR. The EBU in Geneva said this could provide further information about the meaning of the song. It is unclear whether another participating country has already complained about the contribution from Romania. The ESC will take place in Vienna on May 16th.
Last year, the British broadcaster BBC lodged a complaint because the contribution from Malta, the song “Kant” (Maltese for “singing”), was very reminiscent of a vulgar English expression for the female genital organ. According to the Guardian, the BBC has not taken this route so far this year. A bill is underway in the UK that would criminalize the possession and/or publication of depictions of strangulation or suffocation in porn. (hkl/sda/dpa)