Latest news with #KatrinaAndTheWaves
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Eurovision's UK act Remember Monday dealt huge blow ahead of final following fan hopes of rare UK victory
Eurovision 's UK act Remember Monday have been dealt an unfortunate blow just hours ahead of Saturday night's grand final. The country pop band, made up of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, all 30, left fans impressed with their performance during the semi-finals. Theories began flying that they might take home the trophy at the 69th iteration of the annual contest in Basel, Switzerland - which would be the UK's first win since 1997. Despite their high-energy routine, it appears the odds are not in their favour as they are more likely to finish in last place than first, according to Ladbrokes. In a crushing blow to their chances of success, they have been ranked at just 66/1 to take home the trophy by bookies, with nine other countries soaring ahead of them. Their odds of coming in last place are much closer at just 3/1, while the chance of them scoring 'nul points' has been ranked at 12/1. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: 'Remember Monday need nothing short of a miracle to cause an upset in Switzerland tonight, if the latest odds are anything to go by.' The UK last finished triumphant in the contest 27 years ago with the victory of Katrina and the Waves in 1997, with their track Love Shine A Light. Remember Monday have fallen far behind Sweden and Austria, who are both the bookies' leading favourites to win the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest. Sweden have been the favourite since late February and moved to odds-on for a record eighth Eurovision triumph last month with dance-pop trio KAJ. Their entry single, Bara Bada Bastu is the group's first chart-topper, and the first song sung in Swedish entered by Sweden since 1998. However, a groundswell of support for Pop-Opera soprano Johannes 'JJ' Pietsch has seen Austria come in from 3/1, and Sweden drift to 10/11. Despite Austria's finishing position of 24th last year, JJ seems to have captured the hearts of fans, and the country has now been bestowed 11/4 odds. The 24-year old's entrant song Wasted Love has gained traction for its artistry, 'beautiful vocals' and 'captivating performance' according to fans. 'It's looked like Sweden's contest to lose for a long time, but this odds shift is making people think again,' Carl Gildart of Ladbrokes said. 'Those who phone in to vote for Austria will be hoping their support isn't wasted love.' France is coming up third place in the betting, with pop-ballad soloist, Louane, going from 10/1 to 9/1. The Netherlands follow closely behind, with 12/1 odds on their 21-year-old pop star representative Claude. The country faced disqualification from the competition last year when Joost Klein was banned from the grand finale hours before it took place on account of 'threatening behaviour' towards a female camera operator. Israel's odds are at 25/1 amid controversy surrounding their involvement in the contest this year. Over 70 former Eurovision contestants have signed a letter demanding Israel's expulsion from the event. The letter addresses the pro-Palestine protests that arose from the inclusion of their entrant Eden Golan last year, suggesting that it became the most 'politicised, chaotic and unpleasant' show in the competition's history. FIRST HALF 1. Norway - Kyle Alessandro, Lighter 2. Luxembourg - Laura Thorn, La Poupee Monte Le Son 3. Estonia - Tommy Cash, Espresso Macchiato 4. Israel - Yuval Raphael, New Day Will Rise 5. Lithuania - Katarsis, Tavo Akys 6. Spain - Melody, ESA DIVA 7. Ukraine - Ziferblat, Bird of Pray 8. United Kingdom - Remember Monday, What The Hell Just Happened? 9. Austria - JJ, Wasted Love 10. Iceland - VAEB, ROA 11. Latvia - Tautumeitas, Bur Man Laimi 12. Netherlands - Claude, C'est La Vie 13. Finland - Erika Vikman, ICH KOMME SECOND HALF 14. Italy - Lucio Corsi, Volevo Essere Un Duro 15. Poland - Justyna Steczkowska, GAJA 16. Germany - Abor & Tynna, Baller 17. Greece - Klavdia, Asteromata 18. Armenia - PARG, SURVIVOR 19. Switzerland - Zoe Me, Voyage 20. Malta - Miriana Conte, SERVING 21. Portugal - NAPA, Deslocado 22. Denmark - Sissal, Hallucination 23. Sweden - KAJ, Bara Bada Bastu 24. France - Louane, maman 25. San Marino - Gabry Ponte, Tutta L'Italia 26. Albania - Shkodra Elektronike, Zjerm
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Three best UK Eurovision entries of all time named – did your favourite make the cut?
THE best British Eurovision entries of all time have been revealed following the results of a new poll. Bucks Fizz's Making Your Mind Up, Sam Ryder's Space Man and Brotherhood of Man's Save Your Kisses for Me came top of the pile. 6 6 6 6 Cliff Richard's first Eurovision entry in 1968, Congratulations, and Katrina and the Wave s' Love Shine a Light, the last Eurovision win for the UK in 1997, make up the remainder of the top five, in a study of 2,000 adults. Others to feature in the top UK Eurovision songs include Lulu with Boom Bang-a-Bang from 1969, and Sonia's Better the Devil You Know, which finished an agonising second place in 1993. Cheryl Baker, who won Eurovision as part of Bucks Fizz's hit in 1981, said: 'That's fantastic! It's amazing it was 44 years ago that we won. 'Katrina was a lot more recent, my favourite was Sandie Shaw with Puppet on a String, and I was so excited when I got to meet her. 'Brotherhood of Man were the biggest selling of the Eurovision entries – I think they sold six million records! But it's an absolute honour and a privilege that people think of our entry as the best of British. 'There's been so many great songs which have come from the UK over the years, and it makes me so proud that people think of Bucks Fizz when they think of Eurovision.' Speaking at the WhichBingo Awards, she also lifted the lid on how the UK's entry, Remember Monday, would perform – and which nation she thinks will win Eurovision this year. Cheryl said: 'Who knows – with Eurovision, I've never picked a winning song yet. I think the girls are fantastic, and the song is really good. 'I know the bookies are only giving it a one per cent chance – but you never know. 'I love what the girls wear, it's almost theatrical, and historical in a way – it could be something from Bridgerton. Eurovision fans spot huge technical blunders in UK entry Remember Monday's performance ahead of final 'But they're up against Sweden and they put everything in – it's not just the song and the singing, it's all in the production. 'I think they could possibly nick it, which would make them the most successful Eurovision country ever, and they'd love to take that crown – but we'll give them a good run for their money. 'It all depends on if the song's good enough – When Sam did it, his song and performance were great, and had it not been for Russia invading Ukraine, we could have won that year.' TOP 10 BRIT EUROVISION ENTRIES 1. Bucks Fizz – 'Making Your Mind Up' 2. Sam Ryder – 'Space Man' 3. Brotherhood of Man – 'Save Your Kisses for Me' 4. Cliff Richard – 'Congratulations' 5. Katrina and the Waves – 'Love Shine a Light' 6. Lulu – 'Boom Bang-a-Bang' 7. Sonia – 'Better the Devil You Know' 8. Olivia Newton-John – 'Long Live Love' 9. Bonnie Tyler – 'Believe in Me' 10. Cliff Richard – 'Power to All Our Friends' 'I'd like to think Making Your Mind Up will still be popular in another 44 years – the bit they always show on the telly is when the skirts come off, as simple as that was – it made that performance and that moment is what stuck in people's memories.' The research found the most important elements to a Eurovision-winning entry includes a catchy, memorable chorus (38 per cent), a strong hook melody you can't forget (34 per cent) and an emotional or powerful vocal performance (24 per cent). Other vital ingredients include a charismatic performer you can root for (20 per cent) and a sense of fun and chaos (19 per cent). It also emerged the UK is a Eurovision-loving nation, as 38 per cent either watch it every year or most years. And there's confidence among fans that the UK could end its 28-year wait for a Eurovision win, with 15 per cent believing Remember Monday could win. Almost a third (32 per cent) want Ed Sheeran to compete for the UK at Eurovision – ahead of Adele (29 per cent) and Harry Styles (20 per cent). WhichBingo spokesperson, Charlie Shakespeare, added: 'We're backing Remember Monday to go all the way, but how cool would it be if Ed Sheeran stepped out for Britain one year? 'As our research shows, there's a few different factors which go into a knockout Eurovision performance. If they can stick close to them, there's no reason Britain can't go all the way.' 'It's been great hosting so many stars at our awards ceremony this week. There's been a real buzz about the place with everyone chatting and having so much fun together.' 6 6
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Who is Katrina Leskanich? Katrina and The Waves singer and winner of Eurovision 1997
KATRINA Leskanich is an American singer best known as the lead vocalist from British pop rock legends Katrina and the Waves — the last act from these shores to win Eurovision. With the 2025 edition of the continent's premier Song Contest well under way, here's everything you need to know about the UK's most recent winners. 3 3 Who is Katrina Leskanich? Katrina Leskanich was born on April 10, 1960, in Topeka, Kansas, but moved to the United Kingdom in 1976. Her dad was a Vietnam vet and colonel in the US Air Force and due to her family's military background, she moved around frequently during her childhood, eventually relocating to the UK 1976, where she has lived ever since. Katrina 's music career began in England with the band Mama's Cookin' — a pop cover band formed in 1978, in which she sang and played keyboards. The band evolved into Katrina and the Waves after Kimberley Rew, guitarist and songwriter, joined the group and began writing songs specifically for Katrina. The band gained international fame with their hit Walking on Sunshine (1985), which became a global anthem. The song reached the Top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and UK chart, as well as earning the band a Grammy nomination. Biggest hits In 1997, the band's tune Love Shine a Light stole the Eurovision crown. It went on to reach at No.3 in the UK Singles charts and No.2 in Norway and Austria. Other Katrina and the Waves' smash hits include Walking on Sunshine, Do You Want Crying and Sun Street. Katrina's solo projects Katrina has thrown herself into a number of exciting projects since Katrina and the Waves disbanded in 1999. Eurovision winners unrecogniseable She worked as a DJ for BBC Radio 2 before taking on the lead role in musical Leader of the Pack. The popular singer has also released some solo tracks, including covers of Kirsty MacColl's They Don't Know and Clash tune Hitsville UK. She has also played at a number of different festivals in Europe, including Rewind and the San Fermin. When Katrina won Eurovision? Katrina and the Waves secured victory at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997. 3 It was the group's biggest success since they released Walking on Sunshine 12 years earlier. This victory was notable for achieving the highest score at the time — 227 points — a record that stood until the voting system changed in 2004. Two decades after Katrina's Eurovision success, the singer returned to deliver the UK's scores at the annual event. Richard Osman and Nigella Lawson were among those who presented the marks in years prior to Katrina's stint.
The Irish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Who will represent the UK in Eurovision 2025 and who are the previous entries?
THE UK has had a chequered history of success in the Eurovision Song Contest, including five wonderful wins and two notorious nil points. Here get to know the 15 Remember Monday is the first girl group to represent the UK since Precious in 1999 Credit: Corinne Cumming/EBU 15 Their theatrical entry is titled What The Hell Just Happened? Who is representing Great Britain at Eurovision 2025? The Sun exclusively revealed in February 2025 that the UK would be represented at the Made up of members Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, the country-pop trio may be new to read more on eurovision 2025 They previously supported Billy Joel and Joining Lauren continued: ''That turned into us singing every single day of the week and not going to our classes and our teacher used to come and find us in random spare classrooms and knock on the door and be like, 'Girls are you coming into class today?' and we were like, 'No Jenny, we're just going to stay in here, sorry!' "So we did that for years and years and it kind of became a little in joke that it was always happening on a Monday so that's where Remember Monday was born and, yeah, about a year and a bit ago, we packed in the day job and went full time and it's going OK! [laughs]. Here we are.'' Who are our nation's previous notable entries? 2022 - Sam Ryder 15 Eurovision made Sam Ryder a millionaire He was selected internally by the BBC and TaP Music, marking a shift in the UK's approach to Eurovision after years of disappointing results. The singer-songwriter from Essex co-wrote Space Man with Amy Wadge and Max Wolfgang. The song quickly became a fan favourite and was praised for its positive energy and strong composition At Eurovision, Sam Ryder delivered a standout performance that captivated both the jury and the public. He finished in second place with a total of 466 points, winning the jury vote with 283 points and achieving the highest score ever for a UK entrant in the contest. 2013 - Bonnie Tyler 15 Bonnie represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 Credit: Getty Tyler's biggest hit is Total Eclipse Of The Heart, the lead single from her 1983 UK chart topping album Faster Than the Speed of Night. Bonnie represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song Believe In Me and finished in 19th place. 2011 - Blue 15 Blue reunited in 2011 to represent the UK at Eurovision Credit: Getty Blue are a British boyband consisting of members In late 2004, the band announced a hiatus but reunited in 2011 to represent the UK at Eurovision where they sang a song called I Can - finishing in 11th place with 100 points. The boys have released some massive hits, which include All Rise, Too Close, If You Come Back and Fly By. 1997- Katrina And The Waves 15 Katrina And The Waves sang Love Shine a Light Credit: Reuters The UK last triumphed at Eurovision in 1997 with Katrina And The Waves. Their song was called Love Shine A Light and it received a whopping 227 points. The band was formed of The band's previously big hit was in 1985 with Walking On Sunshine. 1981 - Bucks Fizz 15 Bucks Fizz received the most points in 1981 Credit: BBC Bucks Fizz received the most points in 1981. The four-piece, made up of The song was one of three of the band's UK number one singles. In 1985 Jay Aston quit the group to be replaced by Shelley Preston. 1976 - Brotherhood Of Man 15 In 1976 Brotherhood Of Man triumphed with Save Your Kisses For Me Credit: Alamy In 1976 Brotherhood Of Man triumphed with Save Your Kisses For Me. The contest took place in The Hague, in the Netherlands. The song then became a worldwide hit and has remained one of the biggest selling Eurovision winner tracks ever. 1974 - Olivia Newton-John 15 Olivia Newton-John is a singer and actress best-known for playing Sandy in Grease Credit: Rex Features Olivia Newton-John is a singer and actress best-known for playing Sandy in Grease Her songs from the movie such as You're The One That I Want, Summer Night and Hopelessly Devoted To You became smash hits. In the 1974 Eurovision competition, she sang Long Live Love and finished in fourth place. 1968 + 1973 - Cliff Richard 15 Cliff Richard is one of the UK's best-selling artists of all time Credit: Getty - Contributor Cliff Richard is one of the UK's best-selling artists of all time. His huge hits include Living Doll, Summer Holiday, Devil Woman, and We Don't Talk Anymore. In 1968, Cliff sang the UK entry Congratulations, but lost by one point to Spain's La La La. His second appearance was at the 1973 contest, where he performed Power To All Our Friends and came in third place. 1969 - Lulu 15 Lulu sang Boom Bang-a-Bang Credit: Getty Two years after Sandie's win, Lulu triumphed in 1969 in Madrid. Lulu sang Boom Bang-a-Bang but her win wasn't without controversy. France, The Netherlands and Spain tied with The UK on 18 points and there were no rules in place to decide an overall winner. All four countries were declared winners but Finland, Norway, Sweden and Portugal did not participate in the 1970 Contest as a protest against the result the following year. The rules were then changed to make sure the situation never happened again. 1967 - Sandie Shaw 15 The UK's first ever winner was Sandie Shaw Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd The UK's first ever winner was Sandie Shaw with the track Puppet On A String in 1967, which was hosted that year in Vienna. Sandie was one of the most successful pop artists in the 1960s, with her Eurovision win the icing on the cake in that decade. Sandie retired from performing in 2013. Here is a full rundown of Britain's entries since we first entered the competition in 1957, and where they placed: 1957 - Patricia Bredin - All (7th place) 1959 - Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson - Sing Little Birdie (2nd) 1960 - Bryan Johnson - Looking High, High, High 1961 - The Allisons - Are You Sure? (2nd) 1962 - Ronnie Carroll - Ring-a-ding Girl (4th) 1963 - Ronnie Carroll - Say Wonderful Things (4th) 1964- Matt Monro- I Love The Little Things (2nd) 1965 - Kathy Kirby - I Belong (2nd) 1966 - Kenneth McKellar - A Man Without Love (9th) 1967 - Sandie Shaw - Puppet On A String (WON) 1968 - Cliff Richard - Congratulations (2nd) 1969 - Lulu - Boom Bang-a-bang (1st) 1970 - Mary Hopkin - Knock, Knock (who's There?) (2nd) 1971 - Clodagh Rodgers - Jack In The Box (4th) 1972 - The New Seekers - Beg, Steal Or Borrow (2nd) 1973 - Cliff Richard - Power To All Our Friends (3rd) 1974 - Olivia Newton-John - Long Live Love (4th) 1975 - The Shadows - Let Me Be The One (2nd) 1976 - Brotherhood of Man - Save Your Kisses For Me (WON) 1977 - Lynsey de Paul and Mike Moran - Rock Bottom (2nd) 1978 - Co-Co - The Bad Old Days (11th) 15 Eurovision 2021 is taking place in Rotterdam Credit: EPA 1979 - Black Lace - Mary Ann (7th) 1980 - Prima Donna - Love Enough For Two (3rd) 1981 - Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up (WON) 1982 - Bardo - One Step Further (7th) 1983 - Sweet Dreams - 'm Never Giving Up (6th) 1984 - Belle and the Devotions - Love Games (7th) 1985 - Vikki - Love Is... (4th) 1986 - Ryder - Runner In The Night (7th) 1987 - Rikki - Only The Light (13th) 1988 - Scott Fitzgerald - Go (2nd) 15 The Eurovision 2021 final will take place on Saturday May 22, 2021 Credit: BBC 1989 - Live Report - Why Do I Always Get It Wrong (2nd) 1990- Emma - Give A Little Love Back To The World (6th) 1991 - Samantha Janus - A Message To Your Heart (10th) 1992 - Michael Ball - One Step Out Of Time (2nd) 1993 - Sonia- Better The Devil You Know (2nd) 1994 - Frances Ruffelle - Lonely Symphony ( 10th) 1995 - Love City Groove - Love City Groove (10th) 1996 - Gina G - A Little Bit (8th) 1997 - Katrina and The Waves - Love Shine A Light (WON) 1998 - Imaani - Where Are You? (2nd) 15 Brotherhood of Man won the competition in 1976 Credit: Getty 1999 - Precious - Say It Again (12th) 2000 - Nicki French - Don't Play That Song Again (16th) 2001 - Lindsay D - No Dream Impossible (15th) 2002 - Jessica Garlick - Come Back (3rd) 2003 - Jemini - Cry Baby (26th) 2004 - James Fox - Hold On To Our Love (16th) 2005 - Javine - Touch My Fire - (22nd) 2006 - Daz Sampson - Teenage Life (19th) 2007 - Scooch - Flying The Flag (For You) (22nd) 2008 - Andy Abraham - Even If (25th) 2009 - Jade Ewen - It's My Time (5th) Most read in TV 2010 - Josh - That Sounds Good To Me (25th) 2011 - Blue - I Can (11th) 2012 - Engelbert Humperdinck - Love Will Set You Free (25th) 2013 - Bonnie Tyler - Believe In Me (19th) 2014 - Molly - Children of the Universe (17th) 2015 - Electro Velvet - Still In Love With You (24th) 2016 - Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone - (24th) 2017 - 2018 - 2019 - James Newman reveals he will be UK's Eurovision Song Contest act for 2021
