Belgium’s Eurovision entrant Mustii hopes the competition will present queer artists “deserve” a platform. (Eurovision/European Broadcasting Union/Peppe Andersson)
Belgium’s Eurovision Track Contest entrant and Drag Race Belgique choose Mustii has shared his hope that the music contest will function a reminder to the world that queer individuals “need to be right here”.
Mustii, who will take to the stage at tonight’s Eurovision semi-final (9 Might) together with his moody pop bop “Earlier than The Social gathering’s Over” in hopes of creating it to Saturday’s Grand Last, says there may be nonetheless a “battle” to get queer individuals accepted.
Talking solely to PinkNews, Mustii mirrored on the truth that, regardless of there being an enormous variety of LGBTQ+ artists on this yr’s contest, among the taking part international locations – like Russia and Lithuania – are lower than accepting of LGBTQ+ individuals.
“I’m a queer artist, I’m happy with it, and I hope younger individuals can determine themselves [in me],” he declares.
“For the international locations the place it’s a bit extra laborious… perhaps I’m naive, however I’ve the hope that via the music, via the feelings that we will ship, they’ll really feel related and they’re going to know that, in truth, [it] doesn’t matter in case you’re homosexual or bi or no matter.
“I hope that by arts, by music, we will present that we share the identical emotion, that it’s OK, that it’s not an issue, that we need to be right here,” he provides.
Whereas Belgium is presently deemed as one of many European international locations most accepting of LGBTQ+ individuals in line with the Rainbow Europe Map and Index 2023, Mustii feels that, even there, there may be nonetheless work to do.
“Even in Belgium, I do know we’re fairly… progressive, the homosexual marriage is there since a very long time, we’ve loads of rights and stuff, however even in these international locations, there’s nonetheless loads of battle and individuals are nonetheless rejected from their households, individuals are nonetheless harm, there’s nonetheless some people who find themselves dying,” he says.
“So I believe it’s a battle that we will need to have and carry on pushing within the mainstream areas.”
Mustii says that he doesn’t think about himself a “political militant” and received’t have any “flag or rainbow colors” throughout his efficiency, however he hopes the lyrics of his music “Earlier than The Social gathering’s Over” will join with queer listeners anyway.
“[The] underlying… message behind [it], you possibly can completely see my music as a music concerning the neighborhood, for instance, somebody rejected from his household,” he explains.
“Lots of people [are] sending me messages as a result of they thought the music was about that they usually’re like, ‘Thanks for that. I really feel actually helped,’ and so for me it’s actually touching to have that. It’s simply that I hope that music can join one another.”
As considered one of a number of LGBTQ+ artists at this yr’s contest, which incorporates Eire’s Bambie Thug and Lithuania’s Silvester Belt, Mustii has loved hanging out together with his neighborhood.
“With [Switzerland’s entrant] Nemo we went alongside very effectively. I’m a very actually enormous fan of [UK entrant] Olly Alexander, so it’s nonetheless bizarre for me to be there like, ‘Hey, how are you Olly?’ It’s a little bit of a dream for me.
“However it’s actually tremendous good and we’re in the identical boat, and I can really feel that. There’s an ideal temper. It’s an ideal yr for the queer artists.”
The Eurovision Track Contest second semi-final airs on 9 Might at 8pm on BBC One, with the Grand Last set to happen on Saturday 11 Might.