Eurovision’s Romania Entry Defends ‘Choke Me’ Song Lyrics After Backlash

Romania’s 2026 Eurovision entry, Choke Me by Alexandra Căpitănescu, is facing backlash for glamourising sexual strangulation, with critics calling the lyrics “dangerous” and “reckless”.

The 2 minute 58 seconds track includes the lyrics:

Born for you to control, I want you to choke me
Ch-ch-ch-choke me, ch-ch-ch-choke me
Make my lungs explode

Why do you want to tame me?
It’s hard to breathe in.

Clare McGlynn, author of Exposed: The Rise of Extreme Porn and How We Fight Back, told the Guardian that the song’s messaging ‘shows an alarming disregard for young women’s health and wellbeing’.

She adds: “The song – and its choice by Romania / Eurovision, and promotion by those organisations – represents a reckless normalisation of a dangerous practice.

“It’s playing fast and loose with young women’s lives. The emerging medical evidence is that frequent sexual strangulation is giving young women brain damage.”

Alexandra Căpitănescu, winner of season 11 of The Voice Romania, does not agree. In fact she claims the song is just a ‘metaphor’ and definitely not about sexual violence or promoting dangerous kinks.

In a statement, Căpitănescu said: “Choke Me is a metaphor for the pressure we sometimes place on ourselves. It speaks about inner fears, self-doubt, and the feeling of being emotionally suffocated by our own expectations. It was never intended to represent anything sexual.

“As a songwriter, I often use symbolism to give shape to feelings that are difficult to explain directly. This song reflects the weight of certain emotional struggles and the journey of reclaiming your voice and autonomy. Music is how I process complicated emotions and make sense of my inner world.

“When I stop putting pressure on myself, I reach my maximum potential. The lyrics are about taking back control over anxiety and emotions that are choking you. I’m grateful to everyone who listens and engages with my music in good faith.”

Well, I guess we’re going to have to take her word for it. Choke Me is a totally deep tune about being suffocated by the expectations we place on ourselves, and not about sex at all, even though she’s in bondage gear when she sings it.

The thing is, even if that were true (and we’re not saying it isn’t), the song will be experienced by 200 million+ casuals at surface level when she performs it at Eurovision. And to them the song will sound as though she’s talking about her wanting her lover to choke her. I mean – it’s right there in the lyrics!

Whether that’s as big a deal as critics are making it out to be is up for debate, especially given all the other behaviours glamourised in music these days. Still, I suppose there’s no bigger mainstream audience than the Eurovision, so maybe a little more care is to be expected.

Either way, you already know it’s finishing higher than the U.K. entry.