Overview
- GfK Entertainment data show the single fell from a No. 75 debut to outside Germany’s Top 100 within a week.
- Engels said on ARD’s morning show that substantial changes to staging and potentially the song are being prepared for the Vienna final on May 16.
- A stripped-down performance of “Fire” trended on YouTube, and fans urged incorporating a quiet intro or other elements from that version.
- Social-media critiques accused the track of echoing previous hits, including Cyprus’s “Fuego,” Spain’s Chanel and Poland’s Blanka.
- This year’s contest features 35 countries, as several broadcasters sit out over Israel’s inclusion, and the EBU reminded participants of rules against political statements.