Latest news with #Måneskin
Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Damiano David on his first solo album, his famous girlfriend and that Springsteen moment
Rock-star conspicuous in a brown leather bomber jacket, Damiano David struts into a hotel bar in downtown Los Angeles, finds a table near the back and orders an orange juice in his suave Italian accent. The 26-year-old singer from Rome broke out in 2021 when his band Måneskin scored a global smash with its cover of the Four Seasons' 'Beggin''; by then the quartet had already won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Zitti e Buoni' and crashed the top 10 of the U.K.'s singles chart with 'I Wanna Be Your Slave.' (If the latter calls to mind the Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog,' consider that Iggy Pop teamed with Måneskin for an alternate version of the song.) Yet David is here on this April afternoon to talk about 'Funny Little Fears,' his debut album as a solo act. Written and produced with a squad of industry pros including Jason Evigan, Sarah Hudson and Amy Allen, the LP moves away from Måneskin's glammy rock toward a more synthed-up pop sound somewhere between Harry Styles and Benson Boone. Among the highlights are the swooning 'Born With a Broken Heart,' which has more than 100 million streams on Spotify, and 'Sick of Myself,' a dreamy ballad David wrote about his girlfriend, the singer and actor Dove Cameron; 'Zombie Lady' features a vocal turn by Cameron herself, with whom David is in the middle of moving into a new place when we meet up. 'We're getting furniture and all that bull—,' he says, his hair still shower-wet (or coiffed to look like it). David, who still spends half his time in Rome, will tour this summer with stops at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza before a show at the Wiltern in November. These are edited excerpts from our conversation. You're living in L.A. part time because of work? It's mainly for my partner. But also because for this project, I started everything here, so it made sense to have a life here. You like L.A.? It's cool — sunny and everything. What really matters is the people, and I built a very nice community. Songwriters and producers and the like. Basically, I speed-dated every songwriter in L.A. for two months, then I made my selections based on guts and personal feeling and how much we would click with each other. I found my people, and now we go for dinners and we text. In an interview with Zach Sang, you referred to experiences with a couple of songwriters that didn't work out well. Really didn't. What happened? Sometimes it was nobody's fault — we just didn't click. What happened once was with a very big name — a big, big, big one — and he was basically never in the room. So it felt like a waste of time. They were like, 'This big name wants to do a session,' and I was like, 'F— yeah.' Then I went there and it was me and his sound engineer. Fair to say that with Måneskin you were operating in a rock space, and on your own you're operating in a pop space? I think it's fair to say if you're strictly talking about genres. But I don't think it's 100% correct because even with the band — what we did, of course, had distortion and everything, but I think it has a pop scheme. That's a good term for it. Me being the songwriter in both scenarios, I have a pop soul. I'm truly into my generation's sound, rather than an older sound, which is more what [the other members of Måneskin] are into. I think the connection between these two things made us work. On my own, not having the power trio — that's basically what we are — the sound is going to be more pop because it's cleaner. The New York Times said Måneskin 'play rock music, but operate according to the logic of pop.' I was born in 1999, so I started listening to music with a conscience in 2010. I'm born and raised with pop, and that's what I was always mainly interested in. What was the first band rock band that spoke to you? My first music memories in general are R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers and Soundgarden, because that's what my dad would listen to. I'm trying to think how old you would've been when Chris Cornell put out the record he made with Timbaland. Sick. I don't know about it. Some people were like, 'This is insane,' and some people were like, 'He's such a good singer that he can do anything.' For me it would probably be the second one. Not everything is done to be extremely successful — some things are done really just for the sake of it. The male pop star has sometimes seemed like an endangered species over the last decade or so. Did you sense a vacuum that you thought you might step into? I really don't think that way — I'm not that industrialized, OK? But it's true: Girls are taking over, and it's not necessarily a bad thing. Honestly, it gives a lot of hope to see that the five biggest people in music right now are girls in their 20s to 30s. There's still men — there's Benson, who's doing amazing. And he's actually good. It's not something put-together that feels weird and made-up. I hear he's the nicest and most normal guy. You clearly put a lot of thought into your visual presentation. Is this solo record giving you an opportunity to try looks that wouldn't work with the band? It's a different aesthetic. With the band, we started very, very young. You know how in school there's the football guys, there's the basketball guys, there's the art-project guys? We were the art-project guys. So we made that our strength, and we started playing with makeup and nakedness and weird clothing because it made us feel special. In this [solo] scenario — well, first of all, I'm not 15 anymore. With the band, we were kids in an industry of adults, so we needed this armor or shield. Now I'm 26 and I don't need it. To my eye there's a bit of classic Hollywood to the styling with your record. If I have to imagine how I would look my best, I would think it's in a nice suit with an open-collar shirt. Did you care about clothes even before you began performing? Always. Not about brands — just about having something that felt personal to me. Both my parents are very well-put-together people. Stylish. My mom is very stylish. My dad dresses as a man of his age. In terms of appearance, one difference between Europeans and Americans, broadly speaking, is that Americans — You're for comfort. That's a nice way to put it. What's it like for you to walk through an airport in the U.S. and take in the view? In an airport, I'm a fan of looking like trash. These people in the industry who come off a plane and get papped in a full outfit — like, what the f—? You're on a metal tube with 20 centimeters for your legs. Why are you wearing a dress? Where did the idea for 'Zombie Lady' come from? I'm a big fan of [Tim Burton's movie] 'Corpse Bride,' and I always rooted for the zombie lady somehow. I was watching it with my girlfriend, and I thought: What would happen if I was with another girl and she popped out from a grave? 'The First Time' has a big sax solo. I think it beats a guitar solo. We were doing a writing camp in Malibu, and we were listening to Bruce Springsteen. We were like, 'Let's do something like him,' basically. I think we nailed it. It's very driving-on-Route-66 type of s—. Was Springsteen someone you cared about when you were young? I was never a huge fan, but he definitely mattered for my dad. I mean, when it was full activity [for Springsteen], I was like 2. Did you go to concerts as a kid? I'm not a big concert person. Even now? I have a hard time finding someone that I think the whole project is fire. It's always four or five good songs, then the others, I'm like, 'Why?' But also I'm not a big crowd person — it kind of overwhelms me. You said another thing to Zach Sang that I wanted to hear more about, which is that you're determined to make beautiful art even when the art is about something ugly. I have a hard time finding a piece of art that talks about a negative matter that stays negative. There's paintings of assassinations and war, but we consider them masterpieces because of the ability to take something that on its own would be bad, horrible, painful and somehow reshape it and make it into something beautiful. Ugliness can't be an artistic virtue? I'm thinking about a band like the Sex Pistols, for instance. To go to a concert of the Sex Pistols was probably the most fun thing you could do in that decade. They were about freedom and f— the rules. How can we consider that ugly? You sing in English on this album. What's Italian about the music? The level of drama. I'm extremely feeling — up and down — and I manifest it in a very express-ful way. That's very Italian about me. I'm very passionate and easy to read — I don't have many masks. Though I do think you've got a bit of rock-star mystique about you. That's because there's a complexity. I'm the Måneskin singer and everything that comes along with it, and I'm also what I am in this record. I'm an extremely positive person, and I'm also a person that went through stages of depression. This complexity is something that cannot be expressed fully in even 10 records. Which song on this album would surprise the you of five years ago? 'Sick of Myself.' I would never have declared so openly that I'm in love with this person. She's the major inspiration for this album — what she makes me feel. It's a level of directness that I would never have had. Even in interviews, I would've been more circling around the point: 'If there's a person…' Now I'm like, 'This song is for my girlfriend, 100%.' Sometimes you wear a mustache, but not today. What shapes that decision? How I feel in that moment. It's not strategic. Walking around Coachella last month, I think I saw more guys with mustaches than without. Maybe that's why I don't. Since everyone started having a mustache, I stopped. You told Vogue you listen to podcasts in the shower. Which ones? European football podcasts. Comedy stuff. Which comedians do you like? I don't think I can say the ones — I like the harsh ones. Are you interested in marriage and children? Marriage, yes — I want to get married at one point in my life. I don't see me in the future with kids, but I'm 26, so what the f— do I know?
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
How to watch and vote in the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest
BASEL, Switzerland -- Sprinkle on the sequins or settle down on the sofa: It's time to find out who will be crowned champion at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. Acts from more than two dozen countries will take the stage in Basel, Switzerland on Saturday to vie for glory through a 3-minute pop song. Millions of people across Europe and beyond will be watching and voting for their favorites. Here's how to join them. In Europe, the grand final begins at 9 p.m. Central European Summer Time. In Britain, it airs at 8 p.m. In the United States and Canada, the finale starts at 3 p.m. EDT. The competition will be aired by national broadcasters in participating nations — the Eurovision website includes a list. In some territories, it'll be watchable on Eurovision's YouTube channel. In the U.S., Eurovision will stream live on Peacock. Viewers in participating countries can vote during the competition, and for about 40 minutes after, by phone, text message or the Eurovision app. Each viewer can vote up to 20 times, but not for their own nation's entry. Voting is open all day Saturday for viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries, who can vote online at or with the app. The combined 'rest of the world' vote is given the weight of one individual country. Countries are awarded points based on both viewers' votes and rankings from juries of music industry professionals. These are combined into a total score, and the country with the highest score wins. At its simplest, Eurovision is an international pop music competition in which acts representing countries across Europe, and a few beyond it, compete on live television for the title of champion, and a crystal microphone trophy. Launched in 1956 to foster unity after World War II and test new live-broadcast technology, Eurovision has grown into a feel-good celebration of pop music and international unity. It has grown from seven countries to 37, including non-European nations such as Israel and Australia. The number has been whittled down to 26 finalists through two semifinals this week. Eurovision is known for electro-pop anthems and disco dancefloor-fillers — often paired with elaborate costumes and spectacular staging — and for a steady smattering of kooky novelty acts. Past winners include ABBA, who won in 1974 with 'Waterloo"; Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion, for Switzerland in 1988; and the Italian rock band Måneskin in 2021. This year's favorites include KAJ, representing Sweden with their ode to sauna culture 'Bara Bada Bastu'; Dutch singer Claude with soulful ballad 'C'est La Vie'; Austrian singer JJ's pop-opera song 'Wasted Love'; French singer Louane with 'maman'; and Israel's Yuval Raphael, with her anthemic 'New Day Will Rise.'
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
Eurovision explained as the extravagant pop contest reaches its grand final
BASEL, Switzerland -- There has already been triumph and tears, singing onstage and in the streets, and a touch of political division, as the 69th Eurovision Song Contest approaches its grand final in the Swiss city of Basel. Musical acts from 26 countries will take the stage at the St. Jakobshalle arena on Saturday in a spectacular, sequin-drenched competition that has been uniting and dividing Europeans since 1956. Here's everything to know: Eurovision is competition in which performers from countries across Europe, and a few beyond it, compete under their national flags with the aim of being crowned continental champion. Think of it as the Olympics of pop music or the World Cup with singing instead of soccer. It's a celebration of silly fun and music's unifying power, but also a place where politics and regional rivalries play out. 'It's Europe's biggest cultural event,' said Dean Vuletic, an expert on the history of Eurovision. 'It has been going on for almost 70 years and people love to watch it, not only for the show, for the glitter, the stage effects, the crazy costumes, but also because they like to see it as a reflection of the zeitgeist in Europe.' Of 37 countries that sent performers to Eurovision, 11 were knocked out by public voting in semifinals on Tuesday and Thursday. Another six automatically qualified for the final: the host, Switzerland, and the 'Big Five' that pay the most to the contest — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. The 26 countries competing Saturday, in order of performance, are: Norway, Luxembourg, Estonia, Israel, Lithuania, Spain, Ukraine, the U.K, Austria, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Poland, Germany, Greece, Armenia, Switzerland, Malta, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, France, San Marino and Albania. Favorites, according to oddsmakers, are KAJ, representing Sweden with 'Bara Bada Bastu,' a jaunty serenade to the sauna. Dutch singer Claude is also highly rated with soulful ballad 'C'est La Vie.' Other favorites include classically trained Austrian countertenor JJ with his pop-opera song 'Wasted Love,' and Israel's Yuval Raphael, with her anthemic 'New Day Will Rise.' Eurovision has a reputation for campy europop with nonsense lyrics — past winners include 'La, La, La' and 'Boom Bang-a-Bang.' But It has also produced some enduring pop classics. And it helped make stars of performers including ABBA — winners in 1974 with 'Waterloo' — Celine Dion, Austrian drag performer Conchita Wurst and Italian rock band Måneskin. This year's finalists range from Lithuanian emo rockers Katarsis to a power ballad Spanish diva Melody and Ukrainian prog rockers Ziferblat. Campiness, humor and double entendres abound. 'Espresso Macchiato' is a comic ode to Italian stereotypes performed by Estonia's Tommy Cash. Miriana Conte sings for Malta with the double entendre-filled 'Serving' -- performed on a set including a glitter ball and giant lips, it is classic Eurovision. It was once widely accepted that the most successful Eurovision songs were in English, but that is changing. This year's contest features songs in a record 20 languages, including Ukrainian, Icelandic, Latvian, Maltese and Armenian. Vuletic said viewers these days want 'more authenticity in Eurovision entries. 'They don't just want a standard pop song sung in English,' he said. 'They want to also see something about the culture of the country that the song represents.' Once all the acts have performed in the final, the winner is chosen by a famously complex mix of phone and online voters from around the world and rankings by music-industry juries in each of the Eurovision countries. As the results are announced, countries slide up and down the rankings and tensions build. Ending up with 'nul points,' or zero, is considered a national humiliation. The final starts Saturday at 1900 GMT (3 p.m. EDT) and will be aired by national broadcasters in participating nations, on streaming service Peacock in the United States and in many countries on the Eurovision YouTube channel. During and immediately after the final, viewers in participating countries can vote by phone, text message or the Eurovision app — but not for their own country. Viewers in the U.S. and other nonparticipating countries can vote all day Saturday, online at or with the app. The combined 'rest of the world' vote is given the weight of one individual country. The contest's motto is 'united by music,' but the world's divisions inevitably intrude. Russia was banned from Eurovision after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and since then Ukrainian musicians — including 2022 winner Kalush Orchestra — have competed under the shadow of war in the home country. This year's contest has been roiled for a second year by disputes over Israel's participation. Dozens of former participants, including Nemo, have called for Israel to be excluded over its conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests have both taken place in Basel, though on a much smaller scale than at last year's event in Sweden. A handful of protesters attempted to disrupt a rehearsal by Israeli singer Raphael on Thursday with oversized flags and whistles and were escorted from the arena. Organizers say they have tightened security ahead of the final.
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Eurovision's biggest scandals from 'fascist' rigging to cocaine claims
The Eurovision Song Contest is as political as it is musical, and has had its fair shares of controversies over the years - ranging from sneaky fake acts to full censorship If there's one thing the Eurovision Song Contest is guaranteed to do, it's put on a show. The music competition has been running since 1956, and in the decades since has built up a reputation as being one of the most outlandish, bizarre, entertaining events out there - whether you think the singing's actually any good or not. Alongside the spectacle of heavy metal Vikings and banana-obsessed wolves on stage, Eurovision also makes headlines for its more dividing moments. From national feuds and law-breaking moments to stage blunders and eyebrow-raising behavior, Eurovision has it all. The 69th final of the Eurovision Song Contest is just moments away, taking place at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel, Switzerland on Saturday, May 17. Before we're given even more shocking antics to debate over in the coming weeks, let's take a look back at some of the most controversial moments leading up to this year's event. Francisco Franco vs Cliff Richard You would have thought that world leaders would have bigger things to worry about than Eurovision, but that might not be the case. While it's often more unknown singers who enter the competition, back in 1968 the legendary Cliff Richard represented the UK. He was obviously expected to win, but was beaten by Spanish entrant Massiel by just one point. While it might be down to the musical tastes of voters, a modern Spanish documentary claimed that there was something more menacing going on. Apparently, the dictator Francisco Franco strongly felt that winning Eurovision was essential in showing the strength of his fascist regime, and so rigged the vote to make sure they came out on top. The song contest made it clear that they weren't going to investigate the matter, with director Bjørn Erichsen stating: 'No! Just to make Cliff Richard a little happier and the Spanish winner a bit more unhappy? I don't think you should dig up old bodies to prove he was or wasn't the father. It's history.' Drugs bust More recently, viewers were certain that they spotted a competitor sneakily taking drugs live on air. Damiano David won Eurovision in 2021 as the lead singer of his band Måneskin, but prior to the win was seen lowering his head behind a bucket of drinks while the presenters interviewed the contestants, before quickly raising his head when his bandmate nudged him. The band was quick to respond on X, formerly known as Twitter, when the allegations spread, writing: "We really are AGAINST drugs and we never used cocaine. We are ready to get [tested], cause we have nothing to hide. We are here to play our music and we are so happy about our Eurovision win and we wanna thank everyone for supporting us. Rock'n Roll never dies. We love you." Damiano stayed true to his word and underwent voluntary testing, which gave him the all-clear. Eurovision also released a statement firmly denying the allegations, writing in part: "No drug use took place in the Green Room and we consider the matter closed. We are alarmed that inaccurate speculation leading to fake news has overshadowed the spirit and the outcome of the event and unfairly affected the band.' Undercover journalists In one wild turn, it was discovered that some singers in a band weren't singers at all. In 2000, the band PingPong beat out all of Israel 's other entries to represent the country at the final stage. They ended up placing a low 24th, but that wasn't the only controversy. In their song, 'Be Happy', the lyrics mentioned a boy from Damascus dating an Israeli girl. If that weren't enough in the tense political climate, they then unfurled Syrian flags at the end of their performance - a country with whom Israel has incredibly tense relations. PingPong was then officially 'disowned' by Israel, and damned for their political message and wild routine. However, it turned out that they weren't exactly a real band anyway. They initially entered the song contest as a joke, and two of the band were actually journalists writing for the newspaper Ma'ariv. Same-sex scandal Considering the values Eurovision is supposed to represent and the sexual overtures of many performances, it's shocking to think that some things are still considered to cross the line. Unfortunately, this happened in 2013, when Finland included a same-sex kiss in its performance at the final. Krista Siegfrieds performed the song 'Marry Me', taking to the stage in a wedding dress and singing about nuptials. Basic enough, until she proudly kissed one of her female backing dancers. This was a classic case of performers not revealing their plans until live on air, and caused a furore in some countries. Krista was protesting Finland's anti-same-sex marriage stance, but some nations refused to get the message. China censored the moment, while Turkey decided not to air the show at all. Gladly, however, same-sex marriage in Finland was legalised just a few years later in 2017, and Eurovision is no longer so shocked by the occasional same-sex kiss.
Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The data that predicts this year's Eurovision winner. And why it's not looking good for the UK
It's time for the annual spectacle where glitter, glamour, and geopolitics collide, entertaining millions across Europe and beyond. For Brits, Sam Ryder 's almost -triumphant 2022 performance aside (coinciding as it did with the same year Russia invaded Ukraine), it's a day of national humiliation – an annual reminder of either our hated position on the continent or awful taste in music. The UK is entering its 28th year without topping the Eurovision leader board. Using our machine-learning model, we look at what truly is holding the UK back – music or politics – and what the country can learn from the rest of Europe, including our prediction for this year's winner. Choice of song Song-wise, the UK has played it safe over the years. With the vast majority of winning songs either pop or ballad, the UK has almost entirely followed this path, avoiding genres such as rock, which tend to score poorly, as we were made aware in 2013 when Bonnie Tyler's rock entry Believe In Me landed us in 19th place. However, this isn't always the case: notable first-place exceptions being the Italians' leather-clad, fiery entry Zitti e Buoni (Shut up and Behave) from Måneskin in 2021 and Loreen's EDM hit Euphoria in 2012. Language barrier The UK also stumbles into a second advantage: our language. In the past 20 years, 70 per cent of the winning songs have been sung in English, with the lingua franca aiding entrants to appeal to a broader audience, but this wasn't always the case. Historically, the contest had strict language rules forcing countries to perform in their native tongues. Whilst this made the contest a celebration of linguistic diversity, it limited the ability of entries to resonate with audiences unfamiliar with Slovene, Maltese or other smaller European languages. When the rule was lifted, the dominance of English began in earnest, giving an edge to countries like the UK, Ireland, and Sweden, whose entries defaulted to the international language. Once again, exceptions to these rules exist. A notable example is the Portuguese 2017 ballad Amar Pelos Dois by Salvador Sobral, and Ukraine's Stefania by Kalush Orchestra in 2022. Similarly, the UK's entries consistently hit the right beat. Our modelling finds that songs in a major key – that is happy, upbeat and brighter sounding – increase the song's odds of success. Whilst they tend to vary between the minor and major tone, the UK repertoire is heavily slanted towards happier songs, with 85 per cent of our entries in the last 15 years being in a major key. From Sam Ryder's Space Man (2022) to Katrina and the Waves' Love Shine a Light (1997) to Sandie Shaw 's Puppet on a String (1967), happy pays off for the Brits – and Eurovision contestants as a whole. Across these three main areas, the UK hits all the right notes, statistically guaranteeing a high ranking spot rather than our average 18th place since 2010. If the song is right, perhaps it is the performance which brings us down. Performance matters The artist's performance on the night can make or break a country's entry. Eurovision is not short of iconic, over-the-top, eye-catching spectacles, from Finland's gothic Lordi to butter-churning Polish milkmaids. Male performers have a noticeable edge, earning higher points on average than their female counterparts, a trend that the UK has made use of with 50 per cent of our participants in the last 20 years being male artists, as opposed to female artists or mixed groups. Meanwhile, the UK appears to have carved out a distinctive approach to staging. Compared to other countries, the UK consistently opts for fewer backing dancers, with a lower-than-average number of dancers and minimal variation year-to-year on this choice. This restraint does not stand us in good stead however, with each back-up dancer adding on an average of 10 points to a country's entry in recent times. Lastly, running order seems to play a pivotal role; acts that perform later in the final or semi-finals often rake in more points, a phenomenon known as recency bias. This plays to our advantage as we have coincidentally averaged quite a late running order position of 15 in the last 25 years, compared to the show's midpoint of 13. Whilst the UK is often light on spectacle, bar perhaps Buck Fizz 's 1981 famous skirt-ripping routine, our performances, much like our songs, stand us in good stead. The final piece in the Eurovision puzzle is reputation. Politics at play It can often feel like Eurovision is a microcosm of broader European politics, with clusters of like-minded and historically linked countries scheming together. This is probably why the UK has long felt isolated on the Eurovision stage: short on allies in a game of bloc voting. Since 2008, our Northern Europe voting bloc (UK, Ireland, Finland, Denmark…) has contributed the biggest point share out of all the European blocs for only a third of our entries, meaning for the other two-third entries we've received more support from distant countries than we have our closest neighbours. This is a stark contrast to countries like Ireland and Sweden, our fellow northern European countries, who have received the highest percentage of their points from our group on all occasions in the past 20 years. Tight-knit blocs, particularly in Northern and Eastern Europe, significantly improve winning chances, either through mutual support or by rallying behind standout entries. Since the year 2000, Sweden has given 9 per cent of their total votes to Norway, and Norway has similarly sent 13 per cent, making them the strongest pair of point exchangers along with Cyprus and Greece, which have both given each other around 14 per cent. The UK, meanwhile, often stands apart, both literally and figuratively, on the voting stage. While our shared cultural history and proximity suggest we should benefit from Northern Europe's solidarity, our relationship with the bloc has been tepid at best, and recent geopolitical shifts have only deepened the divide. The closest ally we have is Ireland, which has been our biggest points donor since 2000, contributing almost 10 per cent of our total received points. Reputation also plays a role. Countries with a strong Eurovision legacy often enjoy a halo effect, perceived as reliable sources of quality. Our five historic wins should theoretically hold us in good stead, but with the last victory stretching back almost three decades, the newer generation of viewers will certainly not have the UK pegged as a strong producer of talent. Predictions With that in mind, bar a once-in-a-generation performance, the UK is going to struggle to win. This year, our machine-learning model predicts a Swedish victory. The jaunty, folk-inspired song by KAJ leverages the pop genre with male performers and a decent number of backing dancers, all data-backed strategies, and further bolstered by Sweden's reputation as a Eurovision powerhouse. Most importantly, Sweden can count on its voting bloc for support, and its powerful Scandinavian alliances mark them as the act to beat. The UK's entry, a pop anthem by Remember Monday, ticks many boxes for success, but will restrained staging (by Eurovision standards) and unfavourable voting patterns undermine these efforts once more? In the end, the UK's struggles at Eurovision are less about our music and more about our place on the European stage. Time and again, our entries align with winning trends, yet we are outpaced by countries with tighter bloc support and stronger reputational momentum. Until the UK can mend its fractured ties with Europe, even the brightest melodies may struggle to find their echo across the continent.
