Mae Muller who has been confirmed as the UK’s act for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, performing the track I Wrote A Song (Harry Carr/Capitol/EMI/BBC/PA)
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Mae Muller who has been confirmed as the UK’s act for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, performing the track I Wrote A Song (Harry Carr/Capitol/EMI/BBC/PA)
By Alex Green, PA Acting Deputy Entertainment Editor
Mae Muller has said being selected to represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is “honestly a dream”.
The 25-year-old singer will perform at the event in Liverpool with the track I Wrote A Song, which features tongue-in-cheek lyrics about a cheating ex-boyfriend and a propulsive dance beat.
The news was confirmed by Zoe Ball and Rylan Clark on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Thursday.
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Announcing herself as this year’s competitor, Muller exclaimed: “Oh my God, I have been waiting to say that for months. I am shaking.
“That has been on my lips and in the brain and in the soul and on the nails.”
The singer, who was born in 1997 – the year the UK last won at the contest, also revealed she had been keeping the news secret for two months.
I Wrote A Song was co-written with Brit Award-nominated songwriter Lewis Thompson, who has worked with acts including David Guetta and Joel Corry, and Karen Poole, who has been behind hits by Kylie Minogue and Lily Allen.
Muller added: ”I’m so excited to participate in Eurovision this year and represent the UK.
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“I’ve loved watching Eurovision all my life, so to compete in such a massive music competition is simply brilliant.
“I’m a huge fan of so many of the artists that have found success at Eurovision, from Abba to Maneskin.
“Sam Ryder was so amazing last year and proved the UK can be back on the left-hand side of the leader board.”
She said she wrote her song a few months ago “when I was going through a hard time and wanted to feel empowered about relationships, so for it to be chosen for this year’s UK Eurovision song is honestly a dream”.
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Muller was working at a pub when she secured her first publishing deal and has since released three EPs and supported Little Mix on their 2019 stadium tour.
She was chosen by BBC bosses and global management company TaP Music, which has counted Lana Del Rey and Ellie Goulding among its clients.
TaP was behind selecting Sam Ryder as the UK entrant for the 2022 event, where he changed the country’s fortunes and came second behind Ukraine.
Co-founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett said in a joint statement: “We have always been fans of Mae for her voice, songs and star charisma, and when we heard I Wrote A Song, we were really taken by its impactful message – ‘songs as a form of therapy’ (a great message for the biggest song contest in the world!) alongside its playful tone and up-tempo fun production.
“From the moment we met Mae, we knew she would be an incredible ambassador for the UK at Eurovision.
“Alongside her abundant talent, she has the most wonderfully warm and fun personality and expressed positivity and excitement about the opportunity to represent the UK.”
On Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer at 8.55pm, a special titled Meet The UK Act will introduce Muller to the UK audience through an interview with Scott Mills.
Eurovision is set to take place in Liverpool after the UK was chosen to host the competition on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.
Tickets for grand final, which will take place at the 11,000-capacity Liverpool Arena later this year, went on sale on Tuesday and sold out in just over half an hour.
Eurovision is set to air on the BBC and will be hosted by singer and Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon, Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, as well as returning favourite, comedian and talk show host Graham Norton.
The semi-final evening preview kicks off at 8pm on May 8, with the grand final live show bringing the contest to an end starting at 8pm on May 13.