BBC bosses are preparing to reveal Tik Tok star Sam Ryder as this year’s Eurovision Song Contest entrant for the UK.
The 31-year-old from Essex has built up 12million followers during the pandemic after posting covers of hit songs by Adele, Michael Jackson, Blondie and Queen. Now he counts Alicia Keys and Justin Bieber among his many fans.
He is set to perform the song Space Man - ESC fans have noticed that the original song is too long at 3minutes 40seconds but a shorter version is currently being played on BBC radio. DJ Scott Mills, a Eurovision host, has made the tune his song of the week.
The song, which contains soaring vocals and plenty of falsetto from Sam, contains the lyrics: “There’s nothing but space, man. I wanna go home.”
Rumours started swirling that Sam would represent the UK after he cancelled a string of gigs in the run-up to the Eurovision final in Turin, Italy on May 14.
He also axed a gig in Glasgow scheduled for the day after.
Some fans are worried that another male soloist is a risky strategy coming just one year after James Newman finished last after scoring the dreaded nul points.
One said: “Sam is a better bet. His live vocal appears to be strong, especially with the falsetto and there’s plenty of emotion. With some clever staging incorporating the space man theme - and if the UK gets lucky and draws a slot in the second half of the grand final - this could easily make the top 10.”
But not everyone was impressed.
One fan sighed: “I was hoping we might get something more experimental, given that TaP wanted to present the ‘best of British music’ or whatever. This still sounds like what the BBC thinks would do well at Eurovision.”
In 2020, Ryder was the most viewed UK artist on TikTok. His cover of What’s Going on, by 4NonBlondes, has been viewed 55million times and he’s attracted millions more for views for songs by Adele, Gnarls Barkley, Queen and Michael Jackson.
Sam’s popularity surged during lockdown and his breakthrough moment came when he posted a version of Britney Spears’ Hit Me Baby One More Time, which got him noticed by he likes of Bieber and Keys.
“Really it was when Sia posted something that it kind of hit the next level for me,” he has explained.
Since then he’s started releasing his own tracks, including debut single Whirlwind.
This year’s entry is being put together by TaP, the management outfit behind Dua Lipa, Lana Del Ray and Ellie Goulding, whose co-founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett have started following Ryder on Instagram.
Launching their search last year, Ed said: “We really want the entire nation to get behind the UK Eurovision act like never before. As a team, we’re incredibly focused on finding a really special act that creates excitement for the UK - both in the build-up to the final and beyond.”
Ryder is also being followed by Dan Shipton, who is thought to be working on this year’s staging for the UK alongside Marvin Dietmann.
The down-to-earth singer warms up his powerful vocal chords using ginger tea to help.
He told the BBC two years ago: “I’m just a guy who’s singing his head off and going red while he does it.”
The BBC - expected to announce Ryder as this year's ESC entrant later this week - declined to comment.
