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RTÉ have launched the search for Ireland’s next Eurovision Song Contest representative in a bid to continue the country’s resurgence at the annual event. Cork native Bambie Thug finished sixth in Malmo, Sweden, earlier in the year, becoming the highest-placing Irish act since Jedward cracked the top ten with Lipstick in 2011. With Ireland not only reaching their first final since Ryan O’Shaughnessy in 2018, but doing well at it, RTÉ began the hunt for the nation’s next singing sensation on Monday morning.

Confirming that Ireland will take part in the 69th Eurovision Song Contest which will be held in Basel, Switzerland in May 2025, RTÉ said they want to hear ‘from artists, performers and songwriters with the talent and ambition to compete and succeed in this highly competitive environment’. ‘This is an invaluable opportunity for performers and songwriters to gain exposure on a global scale – the rewards for success can be significant and as a result the competition attracts top professional talent from all over the world,’ the national broadcaster said in a statement. RTÉ Eurovision Head of Delegation Michael Kealy added: ‘Our 2024 entry Bambie Thug bewitched audiences and came sixth at the Eurovision in May in Malmo – it was Ireland’s best result since 2000.



Bambie’s song Doomsday Blue has had over 24 million streams to date on Spotify. ‘Their performance at the Grand Final has had 9.4 million views on Eurovision’s official You Tube channel.

Eurovision is an amazing opportunity for any Irish act to catapult themselves onto the world stage. ‘Bambie Thug performed at Electric Picnic in August and is currently on a 30-date tour across Europe with sold out shows in Manchester, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Cologne, Helsinki, Dublin and Galway.’ He continued: ‘Representing your country and performing at Eurovision is an experience unlike any other and can open doors beyond your imagination.

If you think you have what it takes to be our Irish representative in Basel next year we’d love to hear from you!’ Watched by over 160 million people every year around the world, the Eurovision Song Contest is the world’s biggest live music show and one of the most popular annual television events on the planet. The closing date for submissions is 8 weeks from today, 6pm on Monday, November 18, 2024. Further information including terms and conditions are available on www.

rte.ie/eurovision.

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