Wild Youth – the band set to signify Eire at this 12 months’s Eurovision Music Contest – have introduced that they’ve parted methods with their inventive director, Ian Banham, following alleged transphobic and anti-vax statements.
Shaped of Conor O’Donohue, David Whelan, Ed Porter and Callum McAdam, the band made the announcement on Twitter earlier at present (April 25), explaining that they purpose to signify their beliefs of their music, and can now not have Banham with them for his or her “Eurovision journey”.
“Wild Youth is a band that stands for unity and kindness,” they wrote. “Our tune represents our beliefs as a band. We have now reduce all ties with Ian Banham and won’t have him on or close to our crew or Eurovision journey. We’re so sorry for anybody offended by his feedback.”
They later confirmed that Raidió Teilifís Éireann – a Nationwide Public Service Multi-Media Organisation for Eire – are conscious of their actions and stand by the choice: “And simply to notice […] @rte had been as horrified as we had been.”
Wild Youth is a band that stands for unity and kindness. Our tune represents our beliefs as a band. We have now reduce all ties with Ian Banham and won’t have him on or close to our crew or Eurovison journey. We’re so sorry for anybody offended by his feedback. ❤️
— Wild Youth (@bandwildyouth) April 25, 2023
And simply to notice we had been with @michaelkealy1 and each himself and @rte had been as horrified as we had been.
— Wild Youth (@bandwildyouth) April 25, 2023
The announcement was later reiterated by an replace web page for the tune contest, which defined that the choice stemmed from Banham’s latest feedback concerning the trans neighborhood and vaccinations.
“RTE have fired Ian Banham as inventive director for Wild Youth at Eurovision 2023, following a sequence of transphobic and anti-vaccine tweets rising on-line and after stress from followers to fireplace him,” it wrote. “We at Eurovision Updates totally assist this resolution.”
The choreographer was introduced because the Inventive Director for Eire’s efficiency at this 12 months’s Eurovision Music Contest again in February. Beforehand he has labored with acts together with Westlife and Nathan Carter, in addition to on TV sequence together with Dancing on Ice, Received To Dance and So You Assume You Can Dance.
Banham has not but responded to the accusations, nor issued an announcement discussing the choice to half methods.
🇮🇪 RTE have fired Ian Banham as inventive director for Wild Youth at Eurovision 2023, following a sequence of transphobic and anti-vaccine tweets rising on-line and after stress from followers to fireplace him
We at Eurovision Updates totally assist this resolution 🏳️⚧️❤️#Eurovision2023
— Eurovision Updates (@escjescupdates) April 25, 2023
Wild Youth will signify Eire on the 2023 Eurovision Music Contest – which is about to happen in Liverpool subsequent month. The band will carry out the tune ‘We Are One’ through the first semi-final, going down on Could 9.
O’Donohue, who’s the lead singer of the four-piece, beforehand introduced that the efficiency has been designed to honour late guitarist Mark Sheehan, who was mostly recognised for his work with The Script. He died final week, aged 46.
“Mark was an extremely particular individual. I had the honour of working with The Script for such a very long time,” he stated to the Sunday World (by way of Goss.IE). “Within the studio day by day he was the primary person who backed me… I type of owe Mark the whole lot and the Eurovision efficiency goes to be wholeheartedly devoted to Mark.”
Final week, it was introduced that Sam Ryder, Kalush Orchestra and Netta are among the many artists set to carry out at this 12 months’s Eurovision Music Contest grand remaining, which takes place on Could 13.
