Ask a Eurovision fan which country has underperformed in recent years and the answer will almost always be the UK. The country came first five times and has been participating since 1957, but has failed to live up to its favorite status for years. Now there’s Sam Ryder and winning the Eurovision Song Contest suddenly seems like an option.
With his long blonde hair and friendly face, Ryder stands out on stage, but when he opens his mouth and starts singing, you really understand why the bookies have had the singer in the top five for weeks.
“I’m in space, man. In space, man. I’ve searched around the universe, I’ve been in some black holes. There’s nothing but space, man. And I want to go home,” Ryder sings on space man† The 32-year-old singer has a huge vocal range: he easily sings an entire piece in his head voice and then carries on in a sensual and soulful way.
Ryder is already a true celebrity for a younger generation, but most people see him on the Eurovision stage for the first time. The singer rose to fame on the social media platform TikTok with his covers of popular hits, which began during the first lockdown in 2020. He now has more than 12 million followers on the platform and has managed to accumulate more than 100 million likes. like. .
Relief after Britain’s goalless performance in Rotterdam
Nationally, there has been a reaction of relief at Ryder’s involvement: after James Newman received zero points for his song. Embers in Rotterdam, the UK urgently needs a winner. Because the previous years did not go very well either.
Michael Rice also finished last with his song in 2019 bigger than us and SuRie did not go beyond number 24 in 2018 with her song Storm† The last time the UK was in the top ten was in 2009, when Jade Ewen finished fifth with It’s my time†
And that although the United Kingdom has secured a place in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest for years: the country belongs to the so-called Big Five and therefore does not have to participate in a semifinal.
Sober under all the positivity
Just because Ryder is primarily known for singing covers doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a talent for writing: space man himself wrote, in collaboration with Amy Wudge (who previously Thinking out loud with Ed Sheeran wrote).
Ryder stays sober in the face of positive reactions, if asked about it by NU.nl. “I haven’t heard or read it that way, but I keep hearing from people here who are really excited. I’m so happy there’s so much support for me in the UK. It seems like everyone is together now, come on up and stand up.” . behind me. That’s great, that makes you very happy.”
The singer doesn’t necessarily want to win, although of course it’s fun. “If I can be myself and people think that’s nice and good, then I’m happy.”
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