Eurovision 2018 winner Netta of Israel has excited audiences for months with her song 'Toy'. On the surface, the song appears to be a fun party track, full of rhythmic scats, chicken clucks, quirky lyrics.
But Netta says the song speaks to much more - it is about empowering women and showing allegiance to the #MeToo movement.
“I think the song is #MeToo, but it is an empowerment song for everybody, and everybody can find themselves in it,” she told OUTtv, a cable television channel in Netherlands.
“This song needed to make everyone dance, with a happy beat," said Netta's songwriter Doron Medalie to Times of Israel. “[But] say something different about the #MeToo movement."
'Toy' does that through lyrics which speak directly to women, encouraging them to acknowledge their self-worth -"Wonder woman don't you ever forget, you're divine and he's about to regret."
The mention of Wonder Women is not just a metaphor for every woman's inner strength, but a reference to Israeli actor Gal Gadot. Gadot recently brought Wonder Woman to the silver screen, becoming the first female lead in a superhero movie in more than a decade.
Netta's fashion and elaborate and eclectic staging has turned heads in the lead up to the song contest, too. She says it is important she puts herself out there to show larger women that it's okay to express themselves.
Netta is bringing a feminist anthem to Eurovision 2018. Source: Instagram / Netta
“I see it as a really important way of expression. Also because larger women don’t celebrate themselves,” she said in a press conference following her first rehearsal in Lisbon.
“We only live once and I really believe than I am beautiful and sexy and special… it’s a wonderful chance to make a little change in the world.”
'Toy' had been tipped as a early frontrunner, but slowly dropped in the odds to win as the Grand Final approached.
