On Monday Ireland’s RTÉ announced the five acts and songs for this year’s Eurosong. Amongst them was Erika Selin with “Break Me Up”, a Swedish native with no connection to Ireland. Some people aren’t happy.
Erika Selin “Break Me Up” Official Video
As y’all know, RTÉ implemented an open submission process for this year’s contest, inviting entries from both home and abroad. However, with Irish acts such as Ryan Dolan, Mary Byrne and Liir failing to make the cut, there have been rumblings of discontent about Erika’s inclusion. And RTÉ have been forced to respond:
This is not a new rule – in the past we’ve had acts from Slovenia and Latvia take part in our Eurosong final just as other countries have allowed Irish singers and songwriters enter their national finals. Indeed Irish national Fionnuala Sherry won the competition for Norway a number of years ago.
While we may complain about the Irish broadcaster’s attitude towards Eurovision from time to time, we have to agree with them on this one. Eurovision is international and transcends borders. If the song and singer are good enough then we’re all for it. Remember, many of the contest’s legends had little or no links to the countries they sang for – think Celine Dion, Gina G and practically every single Luxembourg act.
Luckily for Erika, this “controversy” doesn’t seem to be doing much damage to her chances. She’s currently coming second in both our reader poll and the betting odds. For the moment only Nikki Kavanagh stands in her way.
What do y’all think? Does it matter that she’s Swedish? Or do y’all just care about the music? Let us know below.
Actually over the past day i have just kept listening the BREAK ME UP and i have kind of changed my mind i would love Erika to represent us at Eurovision and show that she is welcome to IRELAND!!!!!!!!
@realist
thanks for the comment. What i mean by that is that the back up singers should not be like right beside her. Like last year the back up singers were like right becide Kasey
@Niall Campbell nikki will need backing vocals as there are some notes that are too risky.
1.’she’s so fine’ THIS WOULDN’T GET US ANYWHERE IN EUROVISION!!!!!!!! 2.”anybody got a sholder” nice sweet song but does not say eurovision 3.”break me up” this past couple of years we have went with uptempo songs and have got no where with them. 4.”memories” love this song this is this is the real winner for but the staging will have to be perfect NO BACKUP SINGERS AND DANCERS just Nikki on the stage. 5.”playing with numbers” really like this song hope it comes 1st or 2nd would be very happy if molly would represent us but the same as i… Read more »
It should be about what song has the best chance and it shouldn’t really matter where she is from but sadly, in reality it will. It’s very close between Nikki and Erika but I expect Nikki to win and Erika to come a close second.
But the songwriter is Irish though right? So it doesn’t matter because its a SONG contest. Come on, look at Celine Dion who is French-Canadian and won for Switzerland with a song written by a Swiss!
As per usual, the Irish never realize when they are onto a good thing (I can say this, I’m Irish) I for one, would be very happy to see Break Me Up fly the flag for Ireland in Vienna, its a catchy, up tempo song and its very chart worthy. Not only is it current, but it also stands the chance of getting votes from the scandinavian countries in our semi-final, of which Sweden (Erika’s homeland) is one of them. Plus Irish acts have shown us that they really cannot do it in the past few years. Plus our only… Read more »
there was an austria/bosnian singer in 2010 with an okay song and she came 3rd ( niahm kavanagh was a runaway) but it was quite close between 2nd and 3rd and the 2nd place singer was a relatively big name so its not uncommon and idc i like both entries a lot and either way ill be gutted because if one wins there will be the sadness that the other one lost, I’m into uptempo songs myself so id pick erika but i have a feeling nikki is the smarter choice.
Armenia just went international, so Ireland won’t be the first ones to have a foreign representative should they end up with Erika.
Yes. It matters that she’s Swedish, y’all.
RTE need to bring back the ‘Irish only’ rule for Eurosong, just like any self respecting music making nation would (e.g. Sweden itself!)
Don’t care, surely she likes Ireland to want to compete for us??? That’s enough in my book. Sure we’ll teach her ‘cúpla focail’ before Austria if she wins!
And nobody has mentioned Kitty Bruknell yet…..
Do people really think the Irish are that shallow to not vote for one of the best songs because she is Swedish. The acts barely talk on the Late Late Show and its not like the presenter is going make it clear that she has no connection to Ireland! Alot of the winning entries now a days are written by Swedish songwriters with no connection to the country!
I hope Erika wins!
Erika participated in Swedish Idol in 2009.. she is a great singer. Obviously RTE nominated her for a reason..
Representing a country that isn’t your own is my biggest Eurovision pet peeve. In my mind, it kinda destroys the concept of Eurovision of each act presenting a bit of their country’s culture in their song. Sure, in Secret Garden’s case that’s a little different since one half of the duo was Irish and one was Norwegian. Céline Dion is a little too different as she still came from a Francophone country. Kosovar and Macedonian artists attempt to represent Albania every year, and I think that’s not very different from what Céline did. But if for example a Latvian singer… Read more »
im irish and would be proud to have represent Ireland .. only decent entry for ireland in last 10 years including jedward..
I would love to see this in Vienna.
The fact is this song is better than 95% of things we’ve seen in Ireland in recent years. It’s great to see that we can still attract foreign singers to sing for our country. Good luck to Erika!
So not fair towards the poor girl she deserves it and its one of the best songs rte could hope for also whats the point say i auditioned to eurosong im polish but live in ireland does that put down my chance i just don’t get it
i think this ignores the importance of national identity to some. Small nation identities can easily be swallowed by the forces of globalisation, and international competitions are a way of showing and celebrating your culture. The resistance to this entrant reflects that, especially when Ireland is not a country short of musical acts. It gives the impresson ireland has no identity of its own. Eurovision is unusual in that the performers and songwriters are not expected to have a connection to the country. olympics, world cup and other international contest require a connection, even if third generation, to the country… Read more »
Celine Dion, a Canadian singer, won Eurovision representing Switzerland. I don’t think it matters at all. And IMHO, Erika’s song is the best in the competition.
its not like she’s the first person to go and try represent another country, why all of a sudden is it an issue?
They can’t toss Erika, she is the best one.