Barbara Pravi, the French representative who came second in this year’s Eurovision, has responded to the controversy surrounding false allegations of Måneskin using drugs.
Following a video circulating on social media of singer Damiano David from Måneskin leaning over a table during the Eurovision 2021 Grand Final, it was alleged that he was using drugs. However, David voluntarily took a drug test and was cleared of drug use by the EBU.
In an interview with Belgian newspaper Sudinfo, Pravi discussed the incident and commented that she did not understand the controversy. She said the following (in French):
“J’ai l’impression que la polémique n’est pas inhérente forcément à l’Eurovision mais à toute personne qui devient personnage public. Je ne comprends pas ce truc de vouloir faire chier le monde ! Quand j’ai vu la polémique, je me suis dit que c’était vraiment triste. Les Italiens n’ont rien demandé, moi non plus. Et s’ils avaient été disqualifiés, jamais je n’aurais accepté la première place ! Les mecs, ils ont été élus par le public, ils sont extrêmement connus, c’est super cool ce qu’ils font, donc c’est normal qu’ils aient gagné !”
Translated, she observed that controversy is not necessarily inherent to Eurovision, but to everyone who becomes a public figure, and that she does not understand these attempts to ‘piss of the entire world’. Pravi remarked that when she heard about the controversy, she thought to herself that it was really sad; the Italians did not ask for anything and neither did she.
Furthermore, she added that “if they had been disqualified, I would never have accepted first place”. She said that Måneskin were chosen by the public, that they are very well known and that what they do is very cool, so it is normal that they won.
In the interview, Pravi also talks about her Eurovision experience, her ambitions and her upcoming album, which will be released on the 18th of August. You can read the full interview here.
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