United Kingdom

🇬🇧 Blast from the Past: UK 1969

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: one of the 1969 winners, the British one. United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest The United Kingdom started participating in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957. Five times it brought them the victory. Sandie Shaw was the first one in 1967, remember “Puppet on a String”? Lulu was the 2nd one, we are talking about this victory today. In 1976, they won again, now with the group Brotherhood of Man and the song “Save your kisses for me”. Five years later, Bucks Fizz got the trophy with “Making your mind up”. The most recent one was “Love shine a light” by Katrina and the Waves in 1997. Note that no less than 16 times, the UK got the 2nd place. National Final Lulu was selected internally by the BBC to represent the United Kingdom. In order to select the song, She performed six new songs in the BBC TV Centre in London on February 22nd. Viewers had a week to vote for the songs by postcards. Are you ready for love (5,560 votes, 5th) March (38,418 votes, 2nd) Come September (11,362 votes, 3rd) I can’t go on living without you (5,087 votes, 6th) Boom bang a bang (56,476 votes, winner) Bet yer (8,306 votes, 4th) Note that “I can’t go on living without you” was written by Elton John (!!) and Bernie Taupin. One of the rejected songs was called “Try it and see“, by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was later recorded by Rita Pavone, but it rose to fame with other lyrics. As “King Herod’s Song” it was a part of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Lulu Early life and 1960s Lulu was born on November 3, 1948, in Lennoxtown, Scotland. She was raised in Glasgow. Lulu’s career began in the early 1960s with her band, The Luvvers. Her breakthrough hit, “Shout,” released in 1964 when she was just 15, remains one of her most iconic songs. In 1969, she represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Boom Bang-a-Bang,” which ended in a four-way tie for first place. Further musical career Lulu continued her musical career in the 1970s with hits like “Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby)” and “The Man with the Golden Gun,” which was the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name. In the 1980s, she saw a resurgence in her career with hits like “I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)” and “To Sir With Love,” which also was the title track of a movie she starred in. Lulu’s relevance and appeal remained intact in the decades that followed. In the 1990s, she collaborated with Take That on a cover of “Relight My Fire,” which became a massive hit. She continued to release albums and singles in the 2000s and 2010s, exploring various genres and showcasing her versatility as a singer. Acting and television Lulu’s foray into acting was marked by her starring role in the 1967 film “To Sir, with Love” opposite Sidney Poitier. The title track, which she sang, became a No. 1 hit in the United States. Over the years, she made appearances in various TV shows and series both as an actress and as herself. She’s been a host and guest on numerous British television programs and has made appearances in radio shows and theater productions. Personal life Lulu has been married twice, first to Bee Gees member Maurice Gibb and later to hairdresser John Frieda. She has one son with Frieda. For Dutch and Belgian visitors: the most recent Eurovision Artists Magazine contains an article about Lulu. Boom Bang A Bang “Boom Bang-a-Bang” is an upbeat, bubblegum pop song. Its chorus is infectious, featuring the repetitive onomatopoeic title, which easily catches the listener’s ear and is designed for sing-alongs. The song was written by Peter Warne and Alan Moorhouse. The song won the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, but not alone. No less than four countries gained 18 votes. The song became an international hit and reached the #1 spot in the charts in Ireland and Norway. Strangely enough not in the UK itself; the song reached the 2nd place in the UK Single Charts.Notably was also the comment in one of the British newspapers: “Of course it will become a big hit. It will be translated into Hungarian and all the dialects of Mongolia, but it remains a lousy song.”

🇬🇧 R.I.P. Patricia Bredin

The first ever British Eurovision participant, Patricia Bredin, passed away last Sunday 13 August. Patricia Bredin was an English actress, born in Hull, England. She represented the United Kingdom in the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “All”. ranking seventh out of ten contestants with her song “All”, marking the debut of the English language in the Eurovision arena. Remarkably, at a duration of 1:52, “All” stood as the briefest performance in Eurovision’s annals for many years. However, this record was surpassed in 2015 by Finland’s Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät with “Aina mun pitää”, clocking in at just 1:27. Some highlights of her career: In 1957, Bredin portrayed Molly, the island damsel, in the inaugural cast of the musical, Free as Air. 1959 saw her in a starring role in the British comedic film, Left Right and Centre, alongside Ian Carmichael, earning her a position among the year’s most promising British stars, as voted by British exhibitors. She stood in the esteemed company of personalities like Peter Sellers and Hayley Mills. As the calendar rolled over to Boxing Day in 1959, she made her mark on BBC TV’s acclaimed variety series, The Good Old Days. This performance was later showcased again in 2016 on BBC4, as part of the BBC’s tribute to the show. 1960 brought with it leading roles for Bredin, one in the adventurous period film, The Treasure of Monte Cristo, and another starring alongside Sid James in Desert Mice. A pivotal moment in her career came when she stepped into Julie Andrews’ shoes, portraying Guenevere in the Broadway rendition of Camelot. She held this role from 16 April 1962, only to pass the torch to Janet Pavek three months thereafter. By 1964, she married the melodious Welsh vocalist, Ivor Emmanuel. Their union, however, remained childless and they divorced within a couple of years. Subsequently, Patricia found love again with Canadian entrepreneur, Charles MacCulloch. However, fate played a cruel twist as Charles passed away during their honeymoon. Adopting the name Patricia Bredin-McCulloch, she passionately reared a group of cows on their estate. This venture continued for a decade, but due to financial hurdles, her journey into cattle breeding concluded. She penned down memories of this chapter in her life in a book titled “My Fling on the Farm” (1989). Patricia Bredin died in Nova Scotia, Canada, on 13 August 2023 when she was 88 years old.

RiskyKidd

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts NameShane Schuller Born17 June 1994 NationalityUnknown National SelectionEurosong 2014 – A Mad Show In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongRise Up (2014, with Freaky Fortune) Biography Shane Schuller, known better by his stage name RiskyKidd, is a British-Greek rapper and singer. He was born on 17 June 1994 in London, England, to a Jamaican father and a German mother. His musical career gained momentum when he moved to Greece at the age of 13. RiskyKidd’s distinct multicultural background influences his unique music style, blending elements from various genres. RiskyKidd began his music journey as a rapper, participating in school performances and local shows. His talent caught the attention of music labels, leading to his initial signing. In 2010, he collaborated with the successful Greek hip-hop group NEVMA for the song “Emena Thes,” which increased his recognition in the Greek music industry. The rapper garnered international attention when he represented Greece alongside the duo Freaky Fortune in the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. They performed the song “Rise Up,” which won them a 20th place in the competition. Despite not winning, the contest boosted RiskyKidd’s exposure and led to further opportunities in the music scene. He releases his music independently through Melody Gang, a joint venture with Gio Melody. RiskyKidd released numerous singles, but his first album came out in 2016: “I am RiskyKidd”. Songs like “Bang” and “Fire in the Night” followed. Two years later the song “Diamonds” came out. In May 2021 he released a single, “Demise”. In November of the same year, the album “I am RiskyKidd II” was released. In May 2022, the song “Smooth operator” and “Top G” were published. Entries Rise Up (& Freaky Fortune) Country🇬🇷 Greece Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsNikolas RaptakisTheophilus PouzbourisRiskyKidd MusicRiskyKidd Backings Mihalis ZeisVasilis Manthopoulos DancersArthour Geremyan (trampoline) Results Semi Points: 74Position: 7Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: 35Position: 20Running order: 10 https://youtu.be/c9y6A1uXLn8

Jake Shakeshaft

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameJake Shakeshaft Born25 July 1995 Nationality🇬🇧 British National SelectionEurovision: You Decide 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongYou’re not alone (2016, Joe & Jake) Biography Jake Shakeshaft was born in 1995 in Newcastle under Lyme. Since 2012, Jake Shakeshaft has been honing his guitar playing and singing skills, starting his solo performances the following year. In August 2014, he distinguished himself as a finalist at the NUA Entertainment Next Big Thing, held at The Cavern in Liverpool, making it to the final five. While studying Music Technology at Newcastle-under-Lyme College and juggling part-time work, he decided to focus on music full time and left his job. In 2015, Jake took part in The Voice UK, being coached by Will.i.am. Jake did not reach the live shows as he had to leave in the knockout round. While participating in The Voice UK, Joe Woolford and Jake Shakeshaft developed a strong friendship that led them to team up for Eurovision: You Decide, a competition organized by the BBC to select the UK’s representative for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. They emerged victorious among six contenders in the national final, a decision determined entirely by public voting that involved both televoting and online voting. Their performance of the song “You’re Not Alone” took place on May 14, 2016, at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. On March 11, 2016, Sony Music UK announced that they had signed a record deal with Joe and Jake. Despite their efforts, the duo placed 24th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. The follow up, “Tongue tied”, was released in January 2017. After a break, Jake started performing again in September 2018. Entries You’re Not Alone (Joe & Jake) Country🇬🇧 British Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsMatt SchwartzJustin BensonSiva Kaneswaran MusicMatt SchwartzJustin BensonSiva Kaneswaran BackingsMikey BurkeRoss HarrisChris MoncrieffLai Shin-Aba Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 62Position: 24Running order: 25 https://youtu.be/XgGahKsBtts

Joe Woolford

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameJoe Woolford Born11 December 1994 Nationality🇬🇧 British National SelectionEurovision: You Decide 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongYou’re Not Alone (2016, Joe & Jake) Biography Born in Ruthin, Wales in 1994, Joe Woolford discovered his deep-seated love for music at the tender age of nine, nurtured by his musically inclined family. His talent truly began to shine when he made it to the Grand Final of the Open Mic UK competition during the period of 2013 to 2014. Equally adept at rapping and songwriting, Woolford’s music is inspired by various influences, not least of which is Tupac Amaru Shakur, better known as 2Pac. In 2015, Joe decided to participate in The Voice UK. With Rita Ora as a coach, he made it to the 2nd live show before he got eliminated. While participating in The Voice UK, Joe Woolford and Jake Shakeshaft developed a strong friendship that led them to team up for Eurovision: You Decide, a competition organized by the BBC to select the UK’s representative for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. They emerged victorious among six contenders in the national final, a decision determined entirely by public voting that involved both televoting and online voting. Their performance of the song “You’re Not Alone” took place on May 14, 2016, at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. On March 11, 2016, Sony Music UK announced that they had signed a record deal with Joe and Jake. Despite their efforts, the duo placed 24th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. The follow up, “Tongue tied”, was released in January 2017. Beside performances as Joe & Jake after Eurovision, Joe teamed up with Hapoly & OutaMatic for the song “Turn back time”, which was released in November 2016. In early 2019, Joe performed in the Caribbean and in Brasil, but also in Hongkong. On 28 January 2021, Joe’s new single “Superpowers” was released. The follow up “Because of you” was released in August of the same year. Entries You’re Not Alone (Joe & Jake) Country🇬🇧 United Kingdom Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsMatt SchwartzJustin BensonSiva Kaneswaran MusicMatt SchwartzJustin BensonSiva Kaneswaran BackingsMikey BurkeRoss HarrisChris MoncrieffLai Shin-Aba Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 62Position: 24Running order: 25 https://youtu.be/XgGahKsBtts

Liverpool live: rehearsals on coronation day

Today, king Charles III will be crowned. You can follow the coronation live on YouTube. However, because you visit our site we think you will be more interested in the Eurovision Song Contest. In that case, you are in the right place! Today is the day of the last few rehearsals. We saw the Big 5 and Ukraine today. Also, the decision will be made today which country performs where in the final. photo credits: EBU/Corinne Cumming/Sarah Louise Bennett/Chloe Hashemi Germany As we only get to see some pictures, it is hard to say whether there is any change or improvement. On the current pictures, the triangle structure behind the band is more visible and notable. Furthermore, it gives the same impression. Germany is currently 15th at the bookmakers. Not a top position, but at least much higher than the last few years. France Also for France there are no differences. La Zarra is still standing on a high structure with the long black rug on it. France is currently strongly on the 3rd place in the betting odds. There are even people who talk about the French song as the potential winner. So who knows…. Italy Marco Mengoni has returned to perform on stage and has changed his outfit. He is no longer wearing the silver vest he wore on Thursday. Instead, he is now wearing a longer silver vest that gradually fades from silver to black, giving it an ombre effect. To create a cohesive look, sparkles have been added to one side of his leather trousers. Italy is currently number 8 at the bookmakers. Ukraine According to eurovision.tv, the graphics are working well in the act. Note that this is their opinion, we have to judge for ourselves. Also, they mention something about the timing that goes perfect. Again, let’s wait and see. Not that we don’t trust TVORCHI in this, but we haven’t seen it ourselves. The bookmakers say the Ukrainian entry would end up in 4th place, which would be a great score for the country. Spain No changes whatsoever in the Spanish act. Still she is wearing the white platforms and the stage is almost red during the whole performance. It is said that she vocally does well. All we heard so far is that this is true. Spain has a 5th place at the bookmakers, which would be a wonderful score for Spain for the second year in a row! United Kingdom Also no changes in the act like it was at the first rehearsal is noticed. Still the graphics with the split head. What the people of eurovision.tv noticed, again for what it is worth, is that she had more energy in this performance. The United Kingdom is 10th at the bookmakers. That would be top-10 twice in a row for the UK, and it is quite a high score for a host country. In collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Liverpool Live: rehearsal schedule

On this day of celebration in the United Kingdom, the last 6 countries will have their individual rehearsals. And after that, we have the turquoise carpet on Sunday. This is today’s schedule: 11.00 – 11.15 Germany11.25 – 11.40 France11.50 – 12.05 Italy12.15 – 12.30 Ukraine12.40 – 12.55 Spain13.05 – 13.20 United Kingdom

Liverpool live: Fireworks, LED-screens and a moon

This is the day when we first see the Big 5 and Ukraine to rehearse. Of course Ukraine is added, not as the organizer but as last year’s winner. photo credits: EBU/Corinne Cumming/Sarah Louise Bennett Germany Lord of the Lost is wearing red costumes, like in the national final. Singer Chris ‘Lord’ Harms wears a collar of flames. The band is elevated on a triangular metal structure, adorned with red and black LEDs, and an unrelenting flashing light display that persists throughout the entire three-minute performance. And of course we spot a lot of fireworks in the performance. France La Zarra is standing on a tall, moving column covered in sparkly black fabric that goes all the way to the ground. The column has a mirror-tiled top, and La Zarra is wearing a fitted gown made entirely of black and red sequins. She is singing her heart out on top of the column, and there’s a French flag displayed on the LED wall behind her at the end of her performance. Italy Marco Mengoni sings his ballad while standing alone on stage. Marco is wearing leather trousers and a silver sparkly vest, while a backdrop of swirling clouds on an LED wall. An oversized moon provide a dramatic visual setting. Ukraine TVORCHI-member Jeffrey wears a black suit covered with gold images. Andrii wears black clothes with a silver jacket over it. During their performance, TVORCHI effectively utilize lighting and an LED wall, with four boxes on stage providing a backdrop for their two dancers dressed in black. Their are big flames during the performance. Spain The staging for Blanca Paloma’s performance resembles the setup seen during Benidorm Fest in January. It features two fringed red semi-circular structures at the center of the stage, forming a circle where Blanca and her five dancers perform. The background is set aglow with black, red, and white lighting. There has been some low smoke during the performance. United Kingdom Mae Muller wears a corset jacket and black trousers, and commences her performance on a raised plinth before the LED wall. The wall features pop art-style graphics. At the beginning, there’s a section where Mae’s face splits horizontally, giving the impression that she’s inside her own head, which enhances the pop video quality of the performance. four dancers dressed in black and red accompany Mae, particularly during the second half of the performance, when they join Mae at the front of the stage for a synchronized dance routine. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Liverpool live: rehearsal schedule

We already head to day 5: some rehearsals of the 2nd semifinal, and….. the big 5. 11.30 – 11.50 Denmark11.55 – 12.15 Armenia12.20 – 12.40 Romania12.45 – 13.05 Estonia13.10 – 13.30 Belgium 14.40 – 15.10 Germany15.20 – 15.50 France16.00 – 16.30 Italy16.40 – 17.10 Ukraine17.20 – 17.50 Spain18.00 – 18.30 United Kingdom

Road to Liverpool: United Kingdom

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: the United Kingdom. Mae Muller Mae Muller was internally chosen to represent the United Kingdom. Her song is called “I wrote a song”. She will thus be the representative of the host country. Do you remember the video of Mika’s song “Grace Kelly“? And do you remember the little girl in the green dress? Well, that was Mae Muller. Mae Muller was working as a waitress in a drag bar. That is how her career started when she was a teenager. In 2017 she started uploading her songs to soundcloud. A year later she released two EP’s. She opened for Little Mix on their 2019 tour. That was also the year she released her debut album “Chapter 1”. Her real breakthrough came in 2021, when she had an international hit with “Better days“. A Song For Europe Mae was chosen internally by British broadcaster BBC, as was Sam Ryder last year. But the United Kingdom has a history of having national finals under the name “A Song For Europe”. In the late sixties and early seventies, a huge star was chosen to sing all the songs. Later, a national final with 8 or 12 songs was held. An international hit was “Have you ever been in love?” for Leo Sayer. The song was sung in A Song For Europe 1981 by a group called Gem. United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest The first time the United Kingdom took part in Eurovision was in 1957. Patricia Bredin sang one of the shortest songs ever, “All”. Five times, the victory was for the UK. Sandie Shaw won with a landslide in 1967 with “Puppet on a String”. Two years later, Lulu got the shared victory with “Boom Bang A Bang”. In 1976, Brotherhood of Man won with “Save your kisses for me”. Another group won in 1981: Bucks Fizz with “Making your mind up”. The last British winner was Katrina & The Waves with “Love shine a light”. Very remarkable: the UK reached the 2nd place on no less than 16 occassions. Bookmakers The United Kingdom currently has the 8th place at the bookmakers. Another top-10 score for the UK would be wonderful. It would also be proof that the UK found their way back to the top. The song And of course, here is the song: