Twelve months ago, if you’d have said this year’s Eurovision Song Contest would take place in the UK, most people would have laughed in your face. For a disappointingly long time we’d been doing really badly in the annual songfest, culminating in 2021 with a double nil points (nothing from the international jury, and another zero from the public).

But in 2022 something shifted. A new team and a new approach by the BBC, who is responsible for selecting our entry, led to Sam Ryder being chosen as our representative with the unforgettable Space Man. And everything went stratospheric! We had an amazing singer, a great song, and fantastic staging, and - pinch me, it was real! - the 12 points came rolling in.  Yes, in Turin our Sam won the jury vote, eventually coming a well-deserved runner-up to the emotionally charged Stefania performed by Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.

Led by Sam, the nation’s attitude to the contest changed too. He understood that Eurovision is, in his words, about “unity, peace, love, togetherness, inclusivity, expression.” For a country so used to the contest being sneered at, Sam reminded us that it is a wonderfully fabulous event, which brings people together and can also be a launchpad for an emerging musical artist. And, at last, he put paid to the idea that the UK couldn’t do well in the contest.

With the war in Ukraine, it sadly proved impossible for the winning country to stage the contest, so, the honour went to the UK.  And, appropriately enough, Liverpool, perhaps one of the most musical cities in the world, is where acts from 37 nations will gather to sing their hearts out. But there can only be one victor, so following two semi-finals (on Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 May), which will whittle the numbers down, 26 countries will take part in the Grand Final on Saturday 13 May.

Interest in the musical jamboree seems to have reach new heights. Tickets for the contest sold out in a matter of minutes, and advance media coverage has helped build unknown levels of excitement.

But what of the songs? Well there’s a wonderful mix of heartfelt ballads, pop bangers, and the downright quirky.  The favourite comes in the guise of Sweden’s Loreen who won the contest back in 2012 with what is considered one of the best Eurovision songs ever - Euphoria. This year she’s back with the energetic, yet spine tingling Tattoo. On stage she’s squeezed between what looks like some sort of sophisticated sandwich toaster, but this is both catchy and classy.  50 years after ABBA won the contest with Waterloo, could we be heading back to Sweden in 2024?

Loreen’s main competition, if you listen to the bookies, comes in the shape of her neighbours, Finland. Their entry, Cha Cha Cha, is a piece of insistent techno pop, performed by the loveable Käärijä, whose fashion choices include a natty bowl cut, acid green bolero jacket and tight black leather look trousers (with little horns stuck to them). Oh, and he’s forgotten to put a shirt on.  It could be awful, but it’s glorious, and I predict a Europe-wide summer hit.  Finland has only won the contest once (remember Hard Rock Hallelujah by Lordi, those latex monsters who triumphed in 2006?), but they could well be on their way to their second victory.

What of the UK? Sassy pop singer, Mae Muller has stepped up to the plate with I Wrote A Song, a revenge anthem, brim full of serious attitude. The focus of Mae’s anger is some man who’s done her wrong, but rather than ‘trash his Benz’ she chooses to write a song to make herself feel better. We’ve all been there, Mae.  It’s one of my favourite UK entries for some time, and it entered the Top 40 in its first week of release, a feat not achieved for over a decade. It’s going to be performed last in the final, and is certain to raise the roof.  Mae’s already had a few hits, and supported Little Mix on tour. Whether she wins or not, Mae deserves every success for delivering something both current and that will attract a new generation of fans to the contest.

Italy’s Marco Mengoni probably has the best ballad in the contest, Due Vite, and Heart of Steel by Ukraine’s electro outfit Tvorchi is about being brave, and not giving up in the face of adversity.

Other acts to look out for include French disco chanteuse La Zarra, who, by her own admission channels the style of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, with a sound that combines Edith Piaf and Lady Gaga.  Her Studio 54 number Évidemment looks certain to be in the Top 5. And don’t miss the Austrian duo, Teya and Salena, with the fan favourite, Who The Hell Is Edgar? Seemingly it’s a song about being possessed by Edgar Allan Poe (now a lyricist and not a novelist) who is going to make them rich by writing a hit tune for them... But it’s actually a swipe at the modern music industry where you’re more likely to make a measly 0.003p per stream. Quite whether that message will register on the Eurovision stage remains to be seen, but it’s great infectious fun. Oh, and don’t miss Croatia - it needs to be seen to be believed.

The motto for this year’s contest is United by Music, which seems to sum up beautifully what Eurovision stands for. And let’s not forget that the UK is hosting on behalf of Ukraine, and let’s hope that, very soon, Europe can be fully united again.

A spectacular Eurovision beckons. Enjoy it.

Article by Dean Asker