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Malmö Messages: yesterday’s pressconference

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Yesterday, after winning the tickets to the final, the 10 winners headed to the winners’ pressconference. We of Eurovision Universe were present at this press conference. Cyprus Silia Kapsis said it was a huge opportunity to be here. She was super proud and super happy. About her country of birth, Australia, she said she was proud as well that the Australians showed their culture. It was her goal to make her country proud and after this, to grow as a pop artist. Serbia Teya Dora said it was crazy; the rehearsals, the performance; it was all super exciting and she was happy. She wants to make her country proud and give the best she can, with the best placement. She loves it that so many people watched her performance. And about Konstrakta, who was in the introduction film, she loved her amazing energy. Lithuania Silvester Belt thanks the audience. To all the bullies from the past he has a message: “I know you are struggling. And to the little boy I was: I love you so much”. The biggest challenge this week was sleeping. About singing in the Lithuanian language he said: “only Lithuanians wanted me to sing in English. Everybody else said I should sing in Lithuanian.” Ireland Bambie Thug said they are completely dissociated after this succes, but also that they are super proud. They have a small team and they are en independent artist, yet they reached this. And also, they are the first non binary artist in the contest. Bambie revealed that they met the rules of the EBU: texts like Ceasefire and Free Palestine were not allowed, so Crown The Witch was the only text left. On the question what made them special, Bambie answered “What makes me special is that I’m a queer”. Ukraine Alyona Alyona explained that she and Jerry Heil raised fund to rebuild Ukrainian schools. She called for donation. Half of the money is there, but you can donate via United24. “Children are our future”, Alyona Alyona stated. Jerry also stated that it was great to be in Malmö now. It was a super possibility to say thank you for your help. And yes, they felt pressure, because they felt Ukraine expected something from them. Croatia The performance was way better than the rehearsals. Before going on stage, Baby Lasagna tried to empty his mind, but before him Poland performed; that song got stuck in his mind. About his first place in the odds he said that odds are just numbers, it’s not over ’til it’s done. He felt comfortable in Malmö as Eurovision is, in his opinion, the next level of professional, with all the sound- and camerawork. The energy to him was fine. Slovenia Raiven said she was grateful. She was unsure about the result and doubting all the time. That meant going to the final was a huge surprise for her. When it comes to making music and visuals she went with her instinct. “The staging is really me, and I am very satisfied with it”, she said. About the fact that she was called Eurovision’s opera diva, she said that it is great to hear that people checked her background. Finland It was our own Kal (!!) who had the opportunity to ask windows95man a question. Due to the lyrics of the song “No rules”, Kal was interested to know which of the many rules of Eurovision had to go in his opinion. “More nakedness! For everybody!”, windows95man replied without any hesitation. Windows95man also told that he got help in preparing for the show. Before the show the men do some physical exercises. Portugal Iolanda from Portugal thinks that music can be whatever you like. She wrote the song in her grandmothers house. Her message is that you can do a lot with not so much money. She designed the act with the stage director and the choreographer. She also added that she believes music connects. Luxembourg “I nearly had a heart attack”, Tali explained, “It was brutal, but the camera was approaching and I thought…. maybe”. In Tali’s opinion Eurovision is a beautiful contet that unites. She was thrilled and was hoping to inspire other countries to return to Eurovision. “Music is my life, my therapy, my everything”, Tali stated.

Malmö messages: a lot of blue light, smoke and a demon

photos: EBU Today, the time has finally come: rehearsals in Malmö have begun. We had to gather our information from various sources because the reports are on Reddit, the photos on Instagram, and the videos on TikTok. All of this is to make it user-friendly for the fans. We at Eurovision Artists have compiled everything for you in one place. Silia Kapsis represents Cyprus and will open the first semifinal. When Silia performs, there is a lot of movement during her song “Liar,” that much is clear. She is accompanied by 4 dancers, but at the end, she appears to be standing alone, as far as we can see. There is also a dance break in this song. Silia wears a white top and white flared trousers during this first rehearsal. She starts in red light and ends with blue lighting. Serbia is represented by Teya Dora with the ballad “Ramonda.” If you know her music video, you won’t find many surprises in Teya’s performance. She is situated among rocks, and the smoke machine is heavily used during this performance. The graphics depict clouds, stars, and lightning. Teya Dora wears a dark gray glitter top and light trousers. Third is Silvester Belt; he will sing “Luktelk” entirely in Lithuanian for Lithuania. Silvester starts as a silhouette on a blue background. Then there is a lot of red: Silvester is dressed in red leather, and the graphics are also red. The dancers, dressed in black for a change, wear masks. Actually, there isn’t much different from the national final. Then we have Bambie Thug, who will represent Ireland. Bambie starts seated in their song “Doomsday Blue,” with a white-painted face and everything else black. The artist wears a black dress. Bambie starts sitting down. Then candles are lit, and a kind of demon appears on stage, seemingly grabbing them. The graphics, according to Reddit, depict “Crown the Witch.” Whether this text appears on screen or is portrayed is not clear. What is clear, without us having seen Bambie Thug perform, is that we can trust them to make theater. You’ll notice that we don’t discuss the singing abilities of the artists. We don’t have access to that information, and if we rely on eurovision.tv, everything is fantastic.

🇮🇪 Road to Malmö: Ireland

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Ireland. Bambie Thug Bambie Ray Robinson, known artistically as Bambie Thug, is an innovative Irish singer born in 1994. Breaking into the music scene, Robinson released their debut EP, “Cathexis,” on 12 October 2023, prefaced by singles “Careless” and “Last Summer (I Know What You Did).” Their music, deeply inspired by musical theatre, serves as a protective yet expressive medium, especially through tough mental health phases. Robinson’s unique sound, described as “ouija-pop” or “hyperpunk avant electro-pop,” reflects their critique of drug addiction’s glamorization in the industry and their ambition to model positive behavior. On 11 January 2024, they were chosen to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with “Doomsday Blue,” winning both jury and public favor in Eurosong 2024. Living in East London and hailing from a diverse family background, Robinson identifies as non-binary and actively contributes to LGBTQ+ visibility in music. Their journey also includes overcoming personal battles with drug addiction, underpinning their advocacy for health and representation. Eurosong In the past, the Irish national selection was called The Irish National Song Contest. However, already for years it’s named Eurosong. The show is part of the famous Late, Late Show, hosted by Patrick Kietty. Six songs competed in the contest. And although the international jury chose boyband Next In Line for the contest, the national jury ánd the televoters chose for Bambie Thug; this was very much to the joy of the Eurofans visiting platform X. They cheered that ‘The Witch has won!’. Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1965 was the first year ever that Ireland contributed to the Eurovision Song Contest. “Doomsday blue” will be the 57th entry. Together with Sweden, Ireland holds the record of no less than seven victories. It all started with Dana in 1970, followed by the Johnny Logan double in 1980 and 1987; a third Logan-victory followed in 1992 with a song, sung by Linda Martin. And from that moment on it seemed like being Irish was one of the preconditions to win the contest, with Niamh Kavanagh in 1993, Paul Harrington and Charlie McGettigan in 1994 and Eimear Quinn in 1996. Note that the Norwegian group Secret Garden, winners of 1995, had an Irish violinist: Fionualla Sherry. The last couple of years, Ireland was not so succesful, with the last four entries missing the final. Who knows, Bambie Thug will change that. The Bookmakers Ireland is currently 16th in the odds to win the contest. Although the odds for the semifinal are not published yet, Ireland is the 5th highest scoring song from the 1st semifinal. It is safe to say that the bookies predict a place in the final. The song And this is the song:

Bambie Thug

©EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett About Quick Facts NameBambie Ray Robinson Born6 March 1994 Nationality🇮🇪 Ireland National SelectionEurosong 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongDoomsday Blue (2024) Biography Bambie Ray Robinson, born in 1994 and popularly known as Bambie Thug, is an Irish singer. Robinson unveiled their debut EP, Cathexis, on 11 August 2023, with its official release on 12 October. The EP was introduced alongside two singles, “Careless” and “Last Summer (I Know What You Did).” In a discussion with DIY Magazine, Robinson shared that the EP draws inspiration from their passion for musical theatre, embodying various personas and characters. They elaborated that these characters serve as a form of protection, especially during challenging mental health periods, yet all represent different aspects of their identity. Robinson was confirmed on 11 January 2024 to compete in Eurosong 2024 with their entry “Doomsday Blue” on 26 January. Robinson secured their spot by garnering the highest votes from both the national jury and the public televote and thus represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Bambie Thug managed to become 6th in the Grand Final. Robinson describes their music as “ouija-pop,” a unique blend that they further define as “hyperpunk avant electro-pop,” alternatively referred to as “grit pop” or “rot.” They aim to be positive role models through their music, criticizing the glamorization of drug addiction within the industry. In an interview with the Gay Times, they emphasized the importance of promoting healthy behavior to be exemplary figures for younger audiences who look up to them. Robinson lives in East London and was born into a family with a Swedish father and three sisters. They identify as non-binary and have openly discussed their experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, especially regarding the significance of having relatable figures in the music scene. Robinson has openly acknowledged their past struggles with drug addiction. Entries Doomsday Blue Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2024 LanguageEnglish LyricsBambie Ray RobinsonOlivia Cassy BrookingSam MatlockTyler Ryder MusicBambie Ray RobinsonOlivia Cassy BrookingSam MatlockTyler Ryder DancersMatt Williams Results Semi Points: 124Position: 3Running order: 4 Results Finals Points: 278Position: 6Running order: 10 https://youtu.be/UMq8ofCstMQ?si=WI5_kC6wHq4AbgKm

🇮🇪 It’s Bambie Thug for Ireland

Bambie Thug will represent Ireland. In an exciting show, part of the Late Late Show, “Doomsday Blue” was chosen out of eight songs. The song is written and composed by Cuntry Ray Robinson, Olivia Cassy Brooking, Sam Matlock, Tyler Ryder. Bambie Thug has a difficult task: together with Sweden, Ireland holds the record of seven wins. Will they be the eighth? Here are the full results: Bambie Thug, “Doomsday Blue”, 32 pts Ailsha, “Go Tobann”, 24 pts Next In Line, “Love like us”, 24 pts Erica-Cody, “Love me like I do”, 22 pts JyellowL, “Judas”, 16 pts Isabelle Kearny, “Let me be the fire”, 8 pts

🇮🇪 Ireland decides via Eurosong

Tonight is the night for Ireland. The country of Johnny Logan will select a new song for Eurovision. As a part of the Late Late Show, six songs will be presented. All the participants are newcomers in the field of Eurovision. The show will start at 22.35. You can watch it here. Below you’ll find all the participants. nr Artist Song * Ailsha Go Tobann * Bambie Thug Doomsday blue * Erica-Cody Love me like I do * Isabelle Kearney Let me be the fire * JyellowL Judas * Next In Line Love like us

🇮🇪 Blast from the Past: Ireland 1979

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today: Cathal Dunne, who represented Ireland in 1979 with the song “Happy man”. Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest Ireland’s journey in the Eurovision Song Contest reads like a tale of two eras. Once the undeniable monarchs of Eurovision, their story is a mix of triumph and challenge, a saga of unparalleled success followed by a period of struggle. In the golden age of Irish Eurovision history, the nation didn’t just participate; they dominated. Their legacy began with Dana’s “All Kinds of Everything” in 1970. The 1980s saw Johnny Logan emerge as a Eurovision icon. His “What’s Another Year” in 1980 and “Hold Me Now” in 1987 didn’t just win; they brought him the title Mr. Eurovision. Linda Martin, with “Why Me?” in 1992, written by none other than Logan, added another chapter to this story. The 1990s continued to smile on Ireland, with Niamh Kavanagh’s “In Your Eyes” in 1993 and the duo of Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan with “Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids” in 1994. Eimear Quinn’s “The Voice” in 1996 was perhaps the zenith of this era. In recent years, Ireland struggles and hardly reaches the final. Johnny Logan, 1987 The Irish National Song Contest 1979 On the 4th of February, the Irish National Song Contest was held. Eight songs were performed, and regional juries chose the winner. Some familiar names could be found on the shortlist: Tweed, “No restrictions“, 4 pts, 5th Johnny Logan, “Angie”, 15 pts, 3rd Anderson, “Goodbye”, 3 pts, 6th The Memories, “The main attraction“, 13 pts, 4th Red Hurley and Tina, “Hiding behind our smile”, 0 pts, 8th Cathal Dunne, “Happy man“, 36 pts, 1st Catriona Walsh, “Superstar”, 3 pts, 6th The Miami Show Band, “Too much is going on”, 26 pts, 2nd Both Red Hurley and Tina represented Ireland before, but faced a zero this time. Totally unknown, but soon to become one of the biggest Eurovision stars ever, Johnny Logan, made his debut in this national final. Cathal Dunne Cathal Dunne, born in 1951 in Cork, Ireland, is a renowned Irish singer, widely recognized for his participation in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest. He represented Ireland with the song “Happy Man,” which became quite popular, reaching No. 3 in the Irish charts. Dunne’s musical journey began early, influenced by his uncle, Jack Lynch, the former Taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland. After graduating from University College Cork and Montfort College of Performing Arts in 1974, Dunne quickly made his mark in the music industry. He won the Castlebar Song Contest that same year with “Shalom” and participated in the Yamaha Music Festival in 1976 with “Lover, Not a Wife.” His single “Bad Boy” and top ten hit “Danny” further established his presence in the Irish music scene. He was also known for his performances with his backing bands, Stateside and later The Formula, in Irish clubs. In 1981, Dunne’s song “We’ll be there” was featured in Fianna Fáil’s general election campaign. His Eurovision entry “Happy Man” won him the Irish National Song Contest, beating notable competitors like Tina Reynolds, Red Hurley, and future winner Johnny Logan. He finished fifth in the Eurovision final in Jerusalem. Dunne’s move to the United States in the early 1980s marked a new chapter in his career. Settling there permanently after initial concerts in Michigan in 1982, he embraced the role of a traditional Irish balladeer, releasing several albums and diversifying his performances with comedy and show tunes. His continued dedication to music has kept him connected to his Irish roots while entertaining audiences in his adopted home. Happy Man As said, “Happy Man” was Ireland’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Jerusalem that year. This ballad with its optimistic lyrics stood out as a cheerful and engaging composition. Dunne, not just the performer but also the songwriter, showcased his multifaceted talent through this entry. The song’s essence, encapsulated in its title, reflects a positive and content outlook on life. Its light-hearted and jubilant nature resonated with audiences, leading to a respectable fifth-place finish in the contest. This achievement was significant, considering the competitive nature of Eurovision and the diverse array of musical styles it encompasses. “Happy Man” enjoyed commercial success following the contest, particularly in Ireland where it reached number three on the charts. The song remains a memorable part of Cathal Dunne’s musical career.

Kasey Smith

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts NameKasey Smith Born29 March 1990 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurosong 2014 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongHeartbeat (with Can-Linn, 2014) Biography Kasey Smith is an Irish singer and songwriter best known for her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 as part of the band Can-Linn. Born on March 29, 1990, in Dublin, Ireland, Smith started her musical journey from a young age. Her first major foray into the music industry was as a member of the girl group Wonderland in 2010, which was formed under the guidance of Louis Walsh and Kian Egan of Westlife. The band had some success, releasing a top ten album in Ireland before their disbandment in 2011. After Wonderland disbanded, Smith returned to Ireland and began working on a solo career. She first attempted to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 with the song “Kiss Me There”, but she didn’t make it past the national finals. In 2014, Smith was chosen to represent Ireland at Eurovision as part of the band Can-Linn. They performed the song “Heartbeat”, which Smith co-wrote. However, they didn’t progress past the semi-finals. Despite her early exposure in the music industry, Smith has maintained a relatively low profile, continuing to make music and perform around Ireland. In 2019, she started performing in a resort in Dubai every Saturday evening. She did the job until COVID19 came. Entries Heartbeat (& Can-linn) Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsJonas GladnikoffRasmus PalmgrenPatrizia Helander MusicHazel KaneswaranJonas GladnikoffRasmus PalmgrenPatrizia Helander BackingsSarah May Rogers (Violin) Results Semi Points: 35Position: 12Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/J9zEybTMeEs

Can-linn

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts MembersDonna BissettJenny BowdenTarik ShebaniThomas Spratt Active2014 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurosong 2014 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongHeartbeat (ft. Kasey Smith, 2014) Biography Can-Linn was formed in Ireland in early 2014 with the specific purpose of representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. The name of the band, Can-Linn, means ‘to sing together’ in Irish, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the group. The band is notable for including members from a variety of different backgrounds and for blending a range of musical styles. It features Irish singer Kasey Smith, formerly of the girl group Wonderland, and five traditional Irish musicians who play instruments such as the bodhrán, the fiddle, and the Uilleann pipes. At Eurovision 2014, Can-Linn performed the song “Heartbeat”, featuring Kasey Smith. Despite the group’s spirited performance, “Heartbeat” did not progress past the semi-final stage. Since Can-Linn was formed specifically for the Eurovision contest, the group did not produce further music together. Entries Heartbeat (featuring Kasey Smith) Country🇮🇪 Irish Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsJonas GladnikoffRasmus PalmgrenPatrizia Helander MusicHazel KaneswaranJonas GladnikoffRasmus PalmgrenPatrizia Helander BackingsSarah May Rogers (Violin) Results Semi Points: 35Position: 12Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/J9zEybTMeEs

Liverpool live: Sweaty sweaters, video games and red feathers

Every participant has it’s second rehearsal today. That means we already know a lot and we can just say whether there are (major) changes or not. Different from other years, no independent journalists or fan media can join the rehearsals. What you read is what Eurovision.tv wants us to know. photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings/Chloe Hashemi Norway The Norwegian act is the same as in the first rehearsal. According to the reporters of eurovision.tv she hit the high notes. Alessandra is currently 6th at the bookmakers, which means she might do well for Norway this year. Malta The Maltese act is one were a lot happens. And singer Dav jr. even wears two sweaters. He takes one off during the show. According to him that is quite…. sweaty. Dav already took part in the national final in 2020. However, he says it is now the right time to go to Eurovision. The day after he was eliminated from the X-Factor 2020, his father passed away, so that was not a good moment for Eurovision.Unfortunately the bookmakers are not happy about Malta yet. Hopefully they are wrong this time! Serbia Sometimes it is difficult to know what will happen on tv when you are in the hall. That is why only now a lot of on-screen video game references came up in the reports. It fits in the act: somebody who just wants to sleep as there are so many bad things going on in the world. The song is written during the COVID19 lockdowns. Currently, Serbia is no. 17 in the betting odds. Latvia At least they have their outfits now, so it seems the luggage problem is solved. The band members are all wearing jackets and blouses with long, thin ties over it. Lead singer Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis wears a beige jacket, the others have darker cloths. Currently Latvia does not do well in the betting odds with a 35th place. However, we can not exclude a place in the final. Portugal Enthusiasm for the uptempo song Portugal brings on stage. There have not been many changes at all in the Portuguese entry. Mimicat still wears the feather dress that impressed in the first rehearsal. Portugal is currently 26th in the betting odds, which makes it likely that Mimicat will go through to the final. Ireland About Ireland, the same information is given by eurovision.tv as they did Monday: the members of Wild Youth are having fun on stage. Ireland is currently 24th at the betting odds. However, if you look at the qualifiers of semifinal one, they are 14th. A strange contradiction, and it makes the line on the official website quite cynical: “…and they look like they’re having the best time ever – the Irish delegation should be really happy”. Croatia Croatia’s Let 3 is having their second rehearsal, and their performance looks just as impressive on the big screen as it did in the hall, says eurovision.tv. However, the visual spectacle appears even more impressive and vibrant than before. The colors are now more intense and psychedelic, and the removal of clothing is now even more detailed and noticeable due to the high definition visuals. Judge for yourself if you should be happy with that. The betting ods give Croatia a 15th place. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists