United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021

Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Country United Kingdom
National selection
Selection processInternal selection
Selection date(s)Artist: 19 February 2021
Song: 11 March 2021
Selected entrantJames Newman
Selected song"Embers"
Selected songwriter(s)James Newman
Conor Blake
Danny Shah
Tom Hollings
Samuel Brennan
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2020 2021

The United Kingdom will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The British national broadcaster BBC internally selected James Newman to represent the country with the song "Embers". Newman was due to compete in the 2020 contest with "My Last Breath" before the event's cancellation.

Background

Prior to the 2021 contest, the United Kingdom participated in the Eurovision Song Contest sixty-two times. Thus far, the United Kingdom has won the contest five times: in 1967 with the song "Puppet on a String" performed by Sandie Shaw, in 1969 with the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang" performed by Lulu, in 1976 with the song "Save Your Kisses for Me" performed by Brotherhood of Man, in 1981 with the song "Making Your Mind Up" performed by Bucks Fizz and in 1997 with the song "Love Shine a Light" performed by Katrina and the Waves. To this point, the nation is noted for having finished as the runner-up in a record fifteen contests. Up to and including 1998, the UK had only twice finished outside the top 10, in 1978 and 1987. Since 1999, the year in which the rule was abandoned that songs must be performed in one of the official languages of the country participating, the UK has had less success, thus far only finishing within the top ten twice: in 2002 with the song "Come Back" performed by Jessica Garlick and in 2009 with the song "It's My Time" performed by Jade Ewen. In 2018, the United Kingdom finished in 24th place with the song "Storm" performed by SuRie, amassing a total of 48 points. In 2019, Michael Rice with the song "Bigger Than Us" finished in 26th place (last) with 11 points, the fourth time in the nation's history that it has finished in last place.

The British national broadcaster, the BBC, broadcasts the event within the United Kingdom and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. Between 2011 and 2015, the BBC opted to internally select the British entry. For their 2016 entry, the broadcaster announced that a national final would be organised featuring a competition among several artists and songs to choose the British entry for the contest. The same process was used in 2017 and 2018, and changes were brought in for 2019. For 2020, the BBC opted to return to an internal selection, in collaboration with record label BMG.

Before Eurovision

Internal selection

On 19 February 2021, BBC confirmed that James Newman will represent the United Kingdom in the 2021 contest. The BBC also announced the renewed collaboration between BBC Studios and record label BMG. The song, entitled "Embers", was released on 11 March 2021.[1]

In an interview on Newsbeat Newman stated "I feel like everyone wants a party and to have some fun so when I was writing, that's what I had in my head. I wanted something people can dance to, even if it's just in their kitchen".[2]

At Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 is scheduled to take place at Rotterdam Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and will consist of two semi-finals held on 18 and 20 May, and the grand final on 22 May 2021.[3] As the United Kingdom is a member of the Big 5, their entry will directly qualify to the final, along with France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and host country the Netherlands.[4] In addition to their participation in the final, the United Kingdom is also required to broadcast and vote in one of the two semi-finals.

References

  1. ^ "🇬🇧 United Kingdom: James Newman's Eurovision Entry Is Titled "Embers"". Eurovoix. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Eurovision Song Contest 2021: James Newman reselected as UK's entry". BBC News. 19 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Rotterdam 2021 - Eurovision Song Contest". EBU. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Rules - Eurovision Song Contest". EBU. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.

External links


This page was last updated at 2021-05-02 19:09 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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