Former Eurovision star Brooke Scullion has said she is “living her dream” since the song contest last year – as she urges tonight’s contestants to “have a ball”.
The Derry native failed to qualify for last year’s Eurovision with her song, That's Rich, but performing on the global stage helped her launch her own solo music career.
Brooke is currently competing to lift the glitterball trophy on this year's Dancing With The Stars.
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She said: “I can’t believe it’s been a year since my @eurovision journey began. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s supported me, I’m literally living my dream thanks to you!
“Best of luck to all the contestants tonight, I know you’re nervous but have a ball & enjoy this crazy experience! Tune into #Eurosong tonight @latelaterte to choose your 2023 Irish representative.”
Former Sex Pistol’s frontman John Lydon and band Wild Youth are among the six hopefuls who will battle it out in tonight’s Eurosong competition.
John will be dedicating his song, Hawaii — in which he looks back on a holiday the couple had together in the mid 1980s — to his wife Nora, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
He told us: “It’s going to be hard not to burst into tears when I sing it tonight on the Late Late. Particularly when I sing the lines ‘All journeys end, some begin again’, because myself and Nora both know there is an end to this, and it will be tragedy.
"But it will be the start of another journey because if, like me, you believe in any sort of spirituality, you know death is not the end.”
The singer said he only wishes his late parents, John and Eileen, who hailed from Galway and Cork, were alive to see him sing for Ireland.
John said: “I’m not pulling any sympathy strings here or family connections. I have been given an opportunity to sing a song about a person I love.
“So it’s not win lose or draw for Johnny because the biggest winner will be Nora watching this. Even if I get booted out she will see me singing a song to her.”
Student, 19-year-old Jennifer Connolly is already the bookies' favourite with her song Midnight Summer Night. Connolly, who has just turned 19, said the performance on The Late Late Show will be her first proper gig.
"I've never really performed," she told shocked reporters, "at the odd family wedding and stuff but never a proper gig."
The IADT student from Leitir Meailláin said she was "very" surprised to find out she was favourite to win and admitted she's feeling the pressure - but is excited too.
"I think Eurovision, the past few years, it's starting to become pretty cool again," she said. "The competition is getting better and better each year. I think people are starting to take it seriously and use it as a proper platform again, which is cool."
Wild Youth’s Conor O'Donohoe told us it would be amazing to fly the flag.
He said: “I think it would be so exciting and we really want to do it and we’re very passionate about it. We’re big Eurovision fans as well. I think it would be quite fun as well. No band has done this for Ireland in 40 years.”
Conor said Eurovision has always been an amazing platform.
“To be exposed to that audience is life changing and also to represent your country doing that is unbelievable.
“I think you just have to leave your ego behind and go for it and give your best performance. If you deserve to be there, you’ll be there.”
The other acts competing include ADGY with Too Good for your Love, Leila Jane with Wild and K Muni & ND with Down in the Rain.
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