Eurovision 2023: France Télévisions defends La Zarra

The one who is to represent France next May in Liverpool canceled several services at the last minute, raising many questions.

By Benoît Leroy for Le Point

Un “lynching”. A few weeks before the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest, the broadcaster France Télévisions is protesting against criticism of La Zarra. “How can we win at Eurovision if our country is critical of our artist? “Asks Alexandra Redde-Amiel, director of entertainment and games at France Télévisions, in the columns of Tele-Leisure, Friday, April 21. In question: the cancellation, on April 15, by the singer of Quebec origin of several services for “personal reasons”, before a torrent of criticism fell on her.

“She did not perform on stage due to a personal problem. And when I see the lynching that is done around her, ”insists the leader, who is also the boss of the French delegation to Eurovision. She calls, moreover, to “not feed gossip or fantasies” around the state of physical or mental health of the young singer. Especially since, according to Alexandra Redde-Amiel, the controversy has never crossed borders. “International countries haven’t picked up on all of this. For us to win, we need the French, all the French. »

READ ALSOEurovision: should we already throw the stone at La Zarra? The singer, who will be on the British stage in Liverpool on May 13 with “Obviously”, was even “cut off from social networks” in the face of “so much hatred”. “In football, if France does not carry its team, we cannot succeed. Eurovision is not won alone ”, judges the entertainment director of France TV. According to online betting tools, La Zarra is in sixth place in the standings, with just a 3% chance of winning the trophy in the 67th edition of the European competition. She is thus far behind the Swedish favorite Lorreen with the title “Tatoo” and her 42% chance of winning, according to information as of April 21.