Note: This is probably not the only post I’m going to write about Tommy Cash, and my opinion is likely going to swing wildly throughout the season. But I wanted to get some initial thoughts down after the release of Espresso Macchiato.
Tommy Cash is ostensibly an Estonian rapper. But in reality, Tommy Cash is a media prankster with an international profile, skilled at garnering headlines and making up “controversies” by simply showing up in locations where there is a lot of press. He has long since shifted from making soundcloud mixes in his house to making art, collaborating with fashion houses, and becoming an international personality.
Yes, there have been people who are similar to Cash at Eurovision before. Joost was a TikTok personality who has millions of fans internationally. Kaarija was a national phenomenon who was popular enough to sell his own flavor of pina colada yogurt. But the difference is that Joost and Kaarija still define themselves primarily as musicians, even though they maintain active social media presences.
Cash, on the other hand, seems to have transcended music entirely. He doesn’t seem to fit any particular style of music within the rap genre. His last major video release – Untz Untz – was largely a Europop parody that was designed to deliver a porn video in partnership with PornHub (although the censored version is still pretty graphic), while his latest EP – High Fashion – has credible hyperpop mixed with 90s throwback sounds, but is over in 11 minutes. All of these songs appear to exist less as satisfying any creative itch, and more to further the project that is “Tommy Cash” – extending his fame. And I think his latest project is trolling Eurovision.
Is Cash a performance artist? He’s certainly engaging in stunts that blur the lines between marketing and performance art, like announcing that he’s invented the world’s longest adidas shoes, or designing doormats with menswear icon Rick Owens, or collectible ramen with Maison Margiela (in addition to bread slippers and a really comfy looking striped jersey).
In addition to all of these collaborations, Cash is also famous for showing up at various fashion shows in a variety of guises, including a homeless man, a mime (to promote the Crocs of the art collective MSCHF), and – my favourite – a person in a bed.
He has shown his art in an actual exhibition with Rick Owens at the Kumu – the Art Museum of Estonia. (And yes, displays of one’s sperm do count as art.)
I would struggle to think of another Eurovision artist that is as familiar to readers of Vogue and Dazed and Hypebeast as they are to readers of Wiwibloggs. But I don’t think Cash is in it for the art – his name is telling us what he’s really interested in.
Let’s for example, take a look at his incredibly mesmerizing video for Espresso Macchiato:
In fact, that is the one thing I like (and that I find so mesmerizing) about Cash’s video for Espresso Macchiato. It consists of a single unbroken shot of Cash sitting down with a cup of coffee – most notably not an espresso macchiato – adding milk and sugar – and then drinking it. What ruins it at the end is someone saying “Hey Tommy, we’re ready to shoot the video,” as if the audience isn’t sophisticated enough to figure it out itself.*
But the video itself? Well, as Eurofan Cuz pointed out on Bluesky:
Cash’s video is pretty much a shot-for-shot (well, single shot) remake of a roughly five minute segment from a 1982 film called 66 Scenes from America, directed by Danish filmmaker Jørgen Leth. In this segment, the famous pop artist Andy Warhol – another person who was good at playing with the intersection of high society and pop culture – eats a Whopper. Now, do I think that Tommy Cash is watching obscure art house documentaries? I mean, maybe. Museums have this film in their collections and are showing it.
What’s more likely is that Tommy Cash, or someone on his team, saw the 2019 Burger King commercial where they unearthed the footage and made it seem like Andy Warhol was endorsing Burger King from the grave. While the surreal vision of Andy Warhol eating a Whopper is the type of image that Cash delights in putting in his videos, the brand synergy – artist plus corporation – to gain publicity is something that he thrives on even more. The edginess of the Winaloto and Pussy Money Weed videos may gain him credibility in the art world (and among the young men who consume his work) but it’s his willingness to sell out that keeps his career going.
In the end, this marketability might be why the EBU will welcome Cash with open arms (and yes, I know he has to win Eesti Laul first.) They will see him as bringing a new audience to the show – a crowd that reads Hypebeast and are sneakerheads and span the globe and would otherwise be completely indifferent to the show. They might also look at his collaborations and feel that Cash’s track record of partnerships means that he won’t jeopardize a live television programme.
But there is a downside to both of those arguments. Bringing in a new audience of fans focused exclusively on a single artist can be disruptive to others. On the mildest end, we saw how host Hannah Waddingham had to calm a Kaarijaa-mad crowd while the votes were coming in during Liverpool 2023. In 2024, we saw reports of people using multiple credit cards to manipulate voting for a single artist. Who knows how fans – particularly ones not invested in the contest otherwise – might try to get their favourite to win, or react when he does not? Secondly, what is acceptable in the fashion world may not be acceptable in the world of Eurovision, which is still ostensibly a family-friendly television programme. Tommy Cash, the man who recorded the incredibly catchy anthem Ass & Titties, is known for appearing nude or almost-nude in his videos, and has superimposed his face on pretty much every body type and/or part he can. The press will be expecting Cash to do something, and the question is what might satisfy them.
So no, I don’t think Eurovision, despite a history dealing with multiple artists, is ready for Tommy Cash, who is a professional troll. The last time Eurovision had one of these, it was Sylvia Night, and she still dominated headlines in an age before social media. Imagine the havoc that Cash could wreak.
Oh, and the song itself? Well, Espresso Macchiato is…not great! Don’t get me wrong – it’s incredibly catchy. I’ve been singing it every day this week, and listening to it on Spotify regularly. It has one or two incredibly memorable lyrics – “life is like spaghetti/it’s hard until you make it”. But it’s like Tommy Cash was playing Mario Kart while listening to Sabrina Carpenter and said “Now I’ve got an idea for Eurovision!”
*Since the video for Espresso Macchiato was released, Tommy Cash has noted that it was the wrong video and he will soon be releasing the official video. Again, clearly a publicity stunt. I know it’s a publicity stunt. I’m still interested.
dudepoints.fun 