Former X Factor contestant and RTE Last Singer Standing finalist Janet Grogan is in the running to represent Ireland in Eurovision 2022.
The Dubliner has been announced as one of six singers that will battle it out in a special Late Late Show Eurosong contest next month in a bid to represent the nation at the Eurovision in Italy this summer.
Janet will perform her song, Ashes to Yesterday, composed by Aidan O Connor, John Emil, Sandra Wikström in the televised contest hosted by Ryan Tubridy on Friday, February 4.
Janet said: "Ashes of Yesterday is all about rebuilding yourself up after disappointment, to not let self-doubt or others bring you down.
“The message is so powerful and encouraging, especially after the tough few years everyone has had.”
No stranger to the huge international stage, this will mark the singer’s third bid for Eurovision glory, after accompanying Westlife’s Nicky Byrne in 2016 and Ryan O’ Shaughnessy in 2018 as a backing vocalist.
But it has been a lifelong dream to represent Ireland in the Eurovision herself.
She said: “I want to uplift people and if I can do it while representing Ireland, that would be a dream come true."
Janet will also be a well known face to many after her recent stint on RTE’s Last Singer Standing, hosted by Nicky Byrne.
She was the longest-running contestant on the show and made it to the final.
Prior to that, she was a contestant on The X Factor in 2016, making it to Sharon Osbourne’s house where she received memorable compliments from Sharon’s guest Robbie Williams - who likened her to Adele.
The singer-songwriter studied popular music in BCFE which also earned her a scholarship to Germany’s prestigious Pop Music University in Mannheim, Germany.
Whilst in Germany, Janet experienced her first commercial success as a songwriter with Xavier Naidoo’s chart-topping single “Alles Kann Besser Werden”.
This led to Janet featuring on the song and joining Naidoo for his 25 date arena tour around Germany, Switzerland & Austria, boasting crowds of 10,000 a night.
Ryan Tubridy launched Ireland’s bid for Eurovision 2022 glory live on his RTE Radio 1 show on Monday morning, announcing the revival of the song selection show.
The RTE host then pressed play on the first two potential songs for the first time — I’m Loving Me, sung by Rachel Goode, and Real Love, performed by former Eurovison hopeful Brendan Murray.
The six songs and hopefuls were selected from over 300 entries received by RTE following a callout for submissions last September.
The final three songs will be played on Ryan's show on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week.
