Road to Basel: Ireland
Road to Basel: Ireland! As the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel approaches, we continue our daily spotlight on this year’s contestants. Today, we focus on Ireland.
photo: RTE/Ole-Martin Evensen Sandness
Emmy
Emmy Kristine Guttulsrud Kristiansen, known mononymously as Emmy, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter born on 13 September 2000 in Holmestrand, Norway. She began her musical journey at a young age, participating in the youth music show Melodi Grand Prix Junior in 2015 with the song “Aiaiaiai.” In 2021, she competed in Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix with “Witch Woods,” qualifying for the final. Emmy has also been involved as a songwriter for other artists and gained an international audience through her TikTok account, amassing over a million followers.
“Laika Party” (What does AI say?)
Emmy’s Eurovision entry, “Laika Party,” is a synth-pop track co-written with her brother Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen, Henrik Østlund, Truls Marius Aarra, and Irish-based songwriter Larissa Tormey. The song pays tribute to Laika, the Soviet space dog who became the first living being to orbit the Earth in 1957. Emmy was inspired to write the song after learning about Laika’s story, imagining an alternative fate where the dog enjoys an endless party in space.
National Selection Process
Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTÉ, organized Eurosong 2025 to select its Eurovision entry. The competition took place on 7 February 2025 during a special edition of The Late Late Show. Six acts competed, with the winner determined by a combination of votes from a national jury, an international jury, and a public televote. Emmy’s “Laika Party” won both the national jury and public votes, securing a total of 34 points and earning her the right to represent Ireland in Basel.
- Emmy, “Laika Party“
- Samantha Mumba, “My Way“
- Bobbi Arlo, “Powerplay“
- Niyl, “Growth“
- Reylta, “Fire“
- Adgy, “Run into the Night“
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Ireland has a rich history in the Eurovision Song Contest, having participated 56 times since its debut. The country holds the record for the most wins, with seven victories, including three consecutive wins in the 1990s. Notably, Johnny Logan is the only three-time winner, having won as a performer and songwriter. Linda Martin sang his “Why Me”. She was followed by Niamh Kavanagh, Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan and Eimear Quinn. But let’s not forget that it all started in 1970 with Dana’s “All Kinds of Everything”. In recent years, Ireland’s best result came in 2024 when Bambie Thug’s “Doomsday Blue” achieved sixth place.
A Random Irish Entry
Reflecting on Ireland’s Eurovision history, random.org chose Liam Reilly. He represented Ireland in 1990 and reached a 2nd place with “Somewhere in Europe”. Reilly was really somewhere in Europe, as he took the wrong plane when he travelled to Zagreb for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Betting Odds
As of now, Emmy’s “Laika Party” is currently in 20th place in order to win the Eurovision Song Contest. In the odds to win the semifinal, she has a 10th place at this moment. That means it is still nailbiting for Ireland, but a place in the final is possible for sure!
We eagerly await the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel and look forward to witnessing Emmy’s performance on the grand stage.
