What's the point of Madonna performing on Eurovision

Madonna will perform at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, and she is expected to take the stage at the halfway mark of the final night singing a back-catalogue favorite and a new song from her upcoming album. Billboard argues that Madonna, who is managed by Guy Oseary, an Israeli-American businessman, is a strategic coup for organizers. Jewish-Canadian philanthropist Sylvan Adams - whose real estate mogul father Marcel Adams has long helped finance concerts in Israel by such artists as Elton John, Justin Bieber and Leonard Cohen - reportedly put up $1.35 million to secure Madonna. Last year, Adams was behind bringing the multi-stage bicycle race Giro d'Italia to Jerusalem, the biggest sporting event ever in Israel. Adams' business partner Danny Ben Naim said that securing Madonna for Eurovision was a way to "increase the exposure and media coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest itself ... as well as of the wonderful people and beauty of the State of Israel." That likely includes strengthening Israel's image globally and fighting off boycott efforts. Palestinian-led movement Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), and its vocal ally, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, have grown as a point of contention leading up to this year's Eurovision: "Israel is shamelessly using Eurovision as part of its official Brand Israel strategy, which presents 'Israel's prettier face' to whitewash and distract attention from its war crimes against Palestinians", Billboard writes.