Grey people in an ordinary world: Navigating the politics of migration at the Eurovision Song Contest

The Eurovision Song Contest positions itself as a nonpolitical cultural event that unites Europe in song. However, politics and the representation of politicised issues permeate the song contest through a focus on values-based politics rather than state-based politics. This article uses the highly politicised issue of migration to explore how participating artists and nations navigate the Eurovision Song Contest’s rules about political expression and politicisation through these values-based politics. It argues that these values create a political space wherein politicised issues can be addressed without contravening the contest’s rules about political expression.