Disqualified from Eurovision, Joost performs tonight in Tallinn at a sold-out concert

Dutch pop star Joost Klein takes the stage in Tallinn on Friday at a concert that has been completely sold out. While many know him because of the Eurovision disqualification scandal, Joost has since grown into one of the world's most successful Eurovision-affiliated artists after ABBA.

Dutch musician Joost Klein performs on Friday, 20 June 2026, in Tallinn, and the concert has long been sold out. This shows how far the man has come, a man whom many in Europe remember primarily for his disqualification from the Eurovision Song Contest.

Rise to fame marked by scandal

Joost Klein's name reached the wider public in 2024 at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Malmö, where he was excluded from the final while representing the Netherlands. The reason was an incident in which he was found to have behaved aggressively towards a television crew. The scandal made waves around the world, with criticism directed at the organisers and support for Joost himself.

But unlike many others whose careers would have stalled in such a situation, Joost turned the scandal to his advantage. By leveraging the public attention, he rapidly expanded his fanbase across Europe and beyond.

A phenomenon that unites generations

What makes Joost special is his ability to appeal to very different audiences. His music combines nostalgia for 1980s and 1990s synth-pop with contemporary dance floor energy and a humorous, self-ironic approach. This mixture resonates both with younger listeners who discovered his music through TikTok and with older fans who recognise references to the pop culture of earlier eras.

Experts have compared Joost's success to what ABBA achieved in its day, the ability to create music that is not tied to just one generation. After ABBA, Joost is now arguably the most successful Eurovision-affiliated artist in the world.

Tallinn concert, a sign of global rise

The sold-out Tallinn concert is a clear sign that Joost's popularity has not waned since the events associated with Eurovision, quite the opposite. The Estonian audience will have the chance to see for themselves on Friday evening whether the Dutch superstar's reputation is deserved.