Amid the bizarre performances, political protests, and questionable results, one Eurovision performance caused quite the stir after what appeared to be a wardrobe malfunction during the show.
Yes, social media was abuzz over Finland’s Windows95man, whose performance appeared to feature a cheeky cameo that caught viewers’ attention.
On Saturday, May 11, people across the globe tuned into the highly anticipated Eurovision Song Contest Final in Malmo, Sweden.
This year’s event was marked by chaos and controversy, including the disqualification of Dutch contestant Joost Klein just hours before the live final. Additionally, outside the arena, protestors gathered to oppose the inclusion of Israel’s Eden Golan amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Credit: Martin Sylvest Andersen / Getty
By the end of the evening, it was Switzerland’s Nemo Mettler who was crowned this year’s winner. The non-binary singer, 24, performed ‘The Code’ – a blend of opera and dance, balancing on a tipping metal disc.
However, one act who injected a touch of humor and calamity into the evening was Windows95man (real name Teemu Keisteri).
Throughout his performance of the song ‘No Rules’, the contestant came up with numerous humorous ways to hide his modesty after hatching out of an egg. (Don’t worry, he had been wearing a flesh-colored patch for the benefit of the live audience).
Credit: Eurovision/BBC
However, as the performance progressed, some eagle-eyed spectators observed tha, when Windows95man donned a pair of very short shorts later in the song, there seemed to be an unthinkable wardrobe malfunction as the performer gyrated on the stage.
After spotting what appeared to be Windows95man’s genitals slip out, many viewers took to social media to share their reactions, including tennis pro Andy Murray, who tweeted: “Is there a chap on stage with his Boaby out at the Eurovision? Didn’t expect to see that on BBC1.
Some viewers saw an unexpected guest take to the stage. Credit: Eurovision/BBC
Another viewer expressed surprise, stating: “Watching Eurovision right now, why the f**k did Finland have some dude running around with his d**k hanging out?” The viewer also raised concerns about the appropriateness of such a performance for live audiences, particularly children.
A third gleefully tweeted: “OMG he has his kn*b out on the biggest show on earth! Got to love Eurovision!”
Fortunately, as previously mentioned, Windows95man was donning a pair of flesh-colored trunks under his shorts – so what people saw was most probably just his underwear, rather than what lies beneath.
Following the event, winner Nemo spoke out at the show’s press conference and reiterated their commitment to equality, expressing hope that the contest would continue to uphold principles of peace and dignity for all individuals.
“I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in this world,” Nemo said.
Credit: Martin Sylvest Andersen / Getty
The victor revealed that their song, featuring the lyrics ‘break the code,’ was a reflection of their journey to embrace their non-binary identity and to advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. Nemo also addressed the issue of not being allowed to display their flag during the competition, highlighting it as a double standard.
“This is clearly a double standard and as I say, I broke the code and I broke the trophy. Maybe the trophy can be fixed. Maybe Eurovision needs a little bit of fixing too every now and then,” they added.
The event itself saw demonstrations outside the Malmo Arena, with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg among those detained by police.