Estonia’s Eurovision song entry sparks outrage in Italy, with claims it’s ‘offensive’

Tommy Cash, aka Tomas Tammemets, has sparked controversy in Italy with his song “Espresso Macchiato,” which is Estonia's entry to the Eurovision. (Sergione Infuso/Corbis/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Italians are far from convinced.

The Mediterranean country is up in arms about Estonia’s submission to this year’s Eurovision song contest. Performing in a mixture of English and Italian, rapper Tommy Cash draws on a series of Italian stereotypes in his song, “Espresso Macchiato.”

The song, which lasts for just under three minutes, has sparked some controversy in Italy and now Codacons, a consumer association, has called for organizers of the hugely popular contest to drop it.

An unusual video for the song on YouTube shows Cash drinking a cup of coffee while the catchy tune - typical of Eurovision entries - features lyrics: “Ciao bella, I’m Tomaso, addicted to tobacco. Mi like mi coffè very importante.”

He also sings: “Mi money numeroso, I work around the clocko. That’s why I’m sweating like a mafioso.” Another line states: “Life is like spaghetti, it’s hard until you make it.”

Cash is described on the Eurovision website as “an in-demand artist of huge popularity” who mixes “raw tenderness with twisted humour.”

Codacons lodged an appeal with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest.

Codacons described the song as “offensive” for featuring “stereotypes about Italy and Italians, associated with the usual clichés of coffee and spaghetti, but above all with the mafia and the ostentation of luxury, and which sends the message of a people tied to organized crime.”

Codacons said in a statement: “Just as, rightly, songs by rappers with sexist and offensive lyrics towards women should be opposed, one wonders whether, based on the same criteria, it is appropriate to allow a song that offends a country and an entire community to participate in Eurovision, and that risks transmitting incorrect messages that damage the reputation of a nation and its inhabitants. (Codocons) asks the EBU with this appeal to evaluate measures such as the possible exclusion of the song ‘Espresso Macchiato’ from the next Eurovision.”

Backing the call for the song to be dropped, Gian Marco Centinaio, a senator with the far-right League party, wrote on Instagram: “This singer should come to Italy to see how decent people work before he allows himself to write such stupid and stereotypical songs. If anyone has found a way to make easy money by insulting and taking advantage of others, it’s him. Is this the idea of ​​European brotherhood that the organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have in mind? I really hope they ban him from participating.”

The song has sparked some controversy online. One social media user on X, who said they’re Italian, said they’d “never heard anything so horrible before, it’s the definition of cringe.”

Some, however, were more complimentary, expressing how much they liked the song in response to posts from Cash. One Instagram user wrote in reaction: “I’m Italian and I honestly like this song because it’s also ironic, however there are people who don’t understand this.”

Cash won the final of Eesti Laul, Estonia’s selection show on February 15. This year’s contest takes place in Basel, Switzerland, in May.

The organizers of the Eurovision sent a statement to CNN about the complaint, in which they said: “All participating broadcasters have until 10 March to formally submit their entries for the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. If a song is deemed unacceptable for any reason, broadcasters are given the opportunity to modify it, or select a new one, before the deadline as per the rules of the Contest.”

By Barbie Latza Nadeau and Lianne Kolirin, CNN