Robyn has made a scathing assessment of the Eurovision Song Contest, suggesting it’s not the same without ABBA and branding the long-running event as “s***”.
The Swedish pop star, whose hits include “Dancing On My Own” and “With Every Heartbeat”, shared her verdict on Eurovision during an appearance on comedian and actor Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang.
Getting into the subject of Eurovision, Robyn said she had little interest in tuning in and suggests its appeal had diminished for her, personally, since ABBA’s involvement.
The Swedish pop group famously won Eurovision with their hit song “Waterloo” in 1974 before going on to become one of the biggest pop bands of all time.
Sweden is one of the most successful countries in Eurovision history, winning three times since 2012 – twice with pop singer Loreen, in 2012 and 2023 – and seven in total.
Even so, Robyn told Poehler that she is not a fan, admitting that she occasionally watches the show with friends but frequently finds herself cringing at what she sees.
“I have American friends I watch it with, and my friend Bert has a blanket he pulls up over his eyes when we're watching it because it's so embarrassing. It really is embarrassing,” she said.
“After I've watched it, I feel really overstimulated and in a bad way. I was looking for words – I'm not going to say – but I don't like it.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Robyn spoke about parenthood, her extraordinary music career and her experiences of fame.
Eurovision’s reputation has shifted over the years, from what was once regarded as a cheesy novelty contest to one of the most-viewed TV events of the year, as well as drawing hundreds of thousands of fans to the host city each year.
However, the contest has also been overshadowed by the inclusion of Israel amid its attacks on Palestine.
In August, Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS branded the contest a “platform for division” and announced its intention to boycott the competition again, having done so for the 2026 event.
Robyn was recently announced as the headliner for London’s Mighty Hoopla festival, following the release of her latest album Sexistential.
“Her first album since 2018’s Honey... Sexistential sees the Swedish pop innovator take charge over nine expertly produced tracks, exploring matters of sexuality, relationships and desire with playful candour,” The Independent’s review said.
“It’s brilliant, too; Robyn’s voice is commanding but also curious, enveloped by tremendous salvos of house and electronic sounds. Written in the aftermath of a long-term relationship and while she was going through IVF, it is striking in its direct approach – a sharp contrast to the liquid sensuality and murky emotions of Honey.”
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