Israeli Eurovision fans were left flabbergasted after Finnish rap star, Käärijä, put out a statement saying he will not perform in a show at Tel Aviv's Hayarkon Park. This came as a surprise after he said he would love such an opportunity to collab with local pop star Noa Kirel. His explanation was simply that he has a "scheduling conflict."
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Negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing. At one point, Kirel's side offered nearly $$22,000 and it seemed like a done deal, only for Käärijä to ultimately back out of the arrangement. Despite attempts to re-enter negotiations, it did not pan out.
As you might remember, Kirel and Käärijä met at the Eurovision and seemed to really hit it off. During a backstage interview, the Finnish star said he would jump at the chance of a collab in Israel, and Kirel said she'd be delighted to have him.
Kirel's performances in Hayarkon Park, sans Käärijä, are scheduled for September 21 and 23, with the former already sold out.