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Jeangu Macrooy, the Netherlands entry, takes the stage to sing Birth of a New Age, a song penned in response to the police killing of George Floyd and the subsequent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement worldwide.

Skin as rich as the starlit night / Your rhythm is rebellion, the gospel-influenced song begins, saluting the protesters who demanded justice for Floyd last year.

In the chorus, Macrooy switches from English to Sranan Tongo, the language of his native Suriname, a South American country that was once a colony of the Netherlands. Yu no man broko mi, he sings, over and over: You cant break me.

Eurovision is well known for songs that take stands on social or political issues. In 1971, Germanys Katja Ebstein sang Diese Welt (This World), a pro-environment track that was radical for its time. More recently, acts have pushed for gay, lesbian and transgender rights in Europe.

So its great to see Macrooy continuing that trend although, sadly, he has almost no chance of winning. Few countries ever win Eurovision twice in a row. Ireland did three times in the 1990s, but by the third time they were desperate not to win again. The winner hosts the next years show, and it was starting to get expensive.

Read more from the original source:
The Netherlands Eurovision entry featured a Black Lives Matter moment. - The New York Times