It’s a critically acclaimed avant-garde theatre production group. And now, following a flurry of tweets, it has been confirmed that ThisIsPopBaby will be responsible for staging Ireland’s Eurovision 2020 entry.
Meanwhile, station heads promise that details of the artist and song will come soon.
ThisIsPopBaby at Eurovision 2020
The news broke late on Wednesday 29 January when the group’s director Philly McMahon tweeted:
Friends: I have answered Ireland’s call. Happy to share that I will be Creative Director on Ireland’s #Eurovision2020 entry, choreographed by @CompanyPhilipCo and brought to life by the @thisispopbaby family. Can’t wait to share Ireland’s kick ass act! @RTE are *ON IT*!
Friends: I have answered Ireland's call. Happy to share that I will be Creative Director on Ireland's #Eurovision2020 entry, choreographed by @CompanyPhilipCo and brought to life by the @thisispopbaby family. Can't wait to share Ireland's kick ass act! @RTE are *ON IT*!
— Philly McMahon (@McMahonPhilly) January 29, 2020
This was immediately followed by a tweet from the official ThisIsPopBaby account:
@RTE called. They played us the song and we said yes on the spot. THISISPOPBABY will create the show for Ireland’s #Eurovision2020 act. Stay tuned for more details, but we’re all about to have an Italia ’90 moment together. X
For those who may not get the reference, “Italia ’90” refers to Ireland’s historic run of success at the FIFA World Cup in 1990.
.@RTE called. They played us the song and we said yes on the spot. THISISPOPBABY will create the show for Ireland's #Eurovision2020 act. Stay tuned for more details, but we're all about to have an Italia '90 moment together. X https://t.co/F1wC9y8vs4
— thisispopbaby (@thisispopbaby) January 29, 2020
The news has since been confirmed by RTÉ sources, including the Head of Content and Music at RTÉ 2FM — Alan Swan. The radio exec adds that news on the artist and song will follow very soon.
Exciting news below!!! @RTE2fm will have news on the artist & song very soon #Eurovision https://t.co/caii81bJiX
— Alan Swan (@alanswan) January 29, 2020
Who are ThisIsPopBaby?
Self-professed “theatre makers, club creatives, good time gurls”, ThisIsPopBaby are behind some of Dublin’s most outlandish stage productions of recent times.
Their shows include Alice In Funderland — “a colourful tale of camp magic, mischief and machinations in an acid-trip Dublin” and the award-winning Riot. The latter starred Ireland’s most famous drag queen Panti Bliss and Britain’s Got Talent 2017 semi-finalists Lords Of Strut.
They previously entered discussions with RTÉ after Eurovision 2017.
Ireland at Eurovision 2020
Upon opening the window for song submissions last autumn, RTÉ said that it “wants to put in place a three-year strategy aimed at identifying and encouraging contemporary Irish artists and songwriters with the talent and ambition to compete and succeed in this highly competitive environment. This is a rare and valuable opportunity for artists and songwriters to gain exposure on a global scale. Although we wish to encourage and identify promising new talent for the future, we do require artists to have prior experience of performing in public in front of large crowds. Confidence and attitude are definite advantages.”
The process is being organised in conjunction with RTÉ 2FM and the 2FM Rising programme.
The Rumours
To date, three known names have come out and expressed an interest in representing Ireland in Rotterdam.
The first is Alessia Macari, an Irish born star of Italian reality TV. She’s appeared on Your Face Sounds Familiar and won Celebrity Big Brother. Outside of television, Macari has released a handful of singles independently. Speaking to The Sunday World, she said: “A lot of people are linking me to [Eurovision] and it’s something I’d love to do”. We don’t know if she made good on her words and submitted an entry.
One person who’s definitely sent in some songs is Aly Ryan. The German singer tried to sing for her own country in 2019, but “Wear My Love” only came fourth in the national final. Dissatisfied with the experience, she vowed not to go for Germany again. However, Ryan is keen to perform for the Emerald Isle… and Switzerland, San Marino, Austria and Estonia.
Finally, Anglo-Irish trio The Rua are also allegedly in the mix. Apparently, they submitted an entry to RTÉ and left TV bosses impressed. And it’s not just their musical prowess that’s generating buzz. Their lineage seems to be leaving the delegation starry-eyed. While they grew up in the English town of Windsor, their aunt is Dana Rosemary Scallon — Ireland’s first-ever Eurovision winner. She won in 1970 with “All Kinds Of Everything”.
Are you excited to see what ThisIsPopBaby will bring to the stage? Can they help Ireland get back to the final? Let us know in the comments.
I’m thinking Xnthony?
Sounds like a campy clownery.
I still have hope that Ireland will pick Miss Aly Ryan …..and then with that staging (hope they are as good as all say) Ireland will get into the Grand Final (and don’t forget that Germany votes in SF1)
We’re dead.
We’re not dead but there’s absolutely no middle ground this year Liam. We’re either going to win, come top five or we’re going to finish dead last in the semi final with the embarrassment being so huge that withdrawing from Eurovision would be the best thing for RTÉ to do.
Ireland is one of the countries that never should withdraw. We want you in:). Hungary and Montenegro can take 1 year break but ireland MUST be in:). Some irish sound combined with a pop banger or a ballad should make you big again:)
Relax. They’re only doing the staging. Hans Pannecouke did Spain 2017, maybe it doesn’t even count for that much after all. The song is what counts. In any case, thisispopbaby have a wide range. Look at their record, there’s substance to their stuff as well as spectacle.
They are just doing the staging:) I want Ireland to have sucess:) I believe in this:).
If the song is anything like the photo, count me out…
Not unlike Spain I besides hope also have a strange feeling this will be good.. Wouldn’t mind seeing Ireland doing really well if not win it all..
Well, if semifinal one turns out to be a bloodbath, Ireland needs to go big or go home in order to survive.
I guess my hope that they’d send something similar to their JESC entry is definitely not happening then!
I know. Banshee was an absolute masterpiece compared to the ilk we’re sending to ESC most of the time (bar Together ofc)
Are these rumors that Soulé has been selected true? If she is actually selected i will just be so happy. Finally a modern, fresh, 2020 artist for Ireland which we really need. I hope this is true
And she’s a great person as well! She sang at an event based on empowering young women to stand up for themselves, she’s not a bad singer!
Should Soulé be selected I will just mix her up with a comedian in my country named Sule and pretend he’s on Rotterdam.
Soulè will represent Ireland in Rotterdam. The Norwegian producer of the song (FINSON) also produced “ScandiLove” by Ida Maria from MGP 2018. Soulè will debut her song this Friday night on RTÉ. Expect a modern uplifting, electronic tune. 2020 is looking bright for Ireland!
Sounds great! Something very different for RTE
Source?
Really good shout for RTÉ if this is true. She’s amazing!
She’s been on my wish list for some time, but I never thought she’d do it.
You keep posting this but where is your source? Where did this information come from?
It sounds too specific to be made up. I have no idea if there’s a real source for this but from the sounds of it it looks amazing!
She sure sounds different from The Rua, I’ll tell you that much.
We might get an artist reveal this week, but going by tradition, I wouldn’t say we will hear the actual song until maybe the last Friday of February??
It took a minute for Together to come out, but didn’t 22 come out pretty soon after Sara was announced?
I’m a quite hyped about this if I’m honest. ThisIsPopBaby know how to creatively stage something of this scale. It’s their job.
With RTE2fm behind the song and ThisIsPopBaby behind the staging, I feel like they could pull off something great.
Also, by the sounds of things, the Irish entry might be very different to the usual “guy with guitar” that we send.
We are in a tough semi though, yet again. But I’m excited.
why i am afraid that this will be a freak show-overstaged entry? Sometimes less is more *fingers crossed*
I have absolutely no idea how I should feel about this
Just saying…Ireland’s track record competing in the Netherlands is mad solid. I feel really good about this. These guys sound awesome!
I wouldn’t say 1976 was that successful for the Emerald Isle, but I share your sentiment. Ireland’s gotta “rise like a phoenix” eventually, and 2020 might just be the year. 2018 showed us that even an extremely difficult semi is not that much of a threat for them.
This year ends in a zero, though. That’s the key.
You might be on to something. Apart from two victories, the “zero years” brought Ireland a joint 2nd place in 1990, 6th place in 2000 and a qualification after two years of staying in the semi in 2010.
Top ten, still not shabby. Ireland know what works and where to push the button a bit more. 2018 was a classic Irish entry with a modern twist, but this sounds like we’re in for something cool and new and possibly even risky for Ireland. Ireland, as far as Eurovision goes, don’t take many risks (what was the last really risky Irish entry – Dustin the Turkey?), so this could be a great move in the right direction.
I wouldn’t call sending Dustin to Eurovision a risky move, to me it was nothing more than a desperate attempt. Like “we’re not even trying, there are so many talented Irish artists out there yet we chose a puppet to represent our country in front of the whole Europe”. Still, I can’t help but love “Irlande Douze Points”, it’s a damn good tune wasted on a joke act. Btw, can Dustin the Turkey be considered the first animal to perform on the Eurovision stage?
The real question is whether the real turkey was the singer or the song
imagine if they won before Bjorkman resigns, he would be mad his efforts to reach 7 victories for Sweden will be over
Good to hear from Ireland. They are usually a silent partner until the mid May when the song arrives. I hope for something interesting from them this year.
I may be wrong but I feel like Nicky Byrne’s song came out super-early in the year he competed.
Yes, it did. You are right, he was the exception. They also had a NF in 2015 somewhere in January. 2017-2019, however, they kept kind of quiet until releasing the song in late February – mid March. Nothing inherently wrong with that either. Sometimes too much ”announcement for the announcement for the announcement” can kill the hype by going for too long.
Ireland has a pattern of releasing their song on either the 9th or 10th of March, if you look at the past 3 music videos you will see 22 and Together were out March 10th, Dieing to try the 9th with the exception of Nicky Byrne who released the 1st of March – so I am assuming Ireland will release it again on one of these dates?
I love thisispopbaby! I saw RIOT at the Dublin Theatre Festival 2016, and it was magnificent. I still remember it today. If I ever get the chance to see another of their productions, I will be there in a flash. Ireland’s chances of qualifying from the first semi-final have just increased significantly.
let’s hope it’s not Dustin the Turkey again..
It’s going to be an up and coming artist.
It’s not.
Is that Tammie Brown in the red dress?
No it’s Panti Bliss, ha.
I kinda hope aly ryan is the act they chose
Singer of Congolese heritage, Soulé is the representative
how do you know?
Sounds very plausible. Her name was rumoured earlier today and she sounds exactly the type of act these guys would be choreographing and staging.
Omg i hope this is true
Okay, uh, this can be either really groundbreaking or straight up freakish (as in the Dustin Turkey case) so I think it’s better to wait for the artist, song and staging to make a proper conclusion.
I *TOTALLY* agree. We’re either going to *WIN* Eurovision 2020 *OR* we’re finishing *STONE-DEAD LAST* in the semi final (probably with nil points) and the embarrassment would be so great that withdrawing from the contest altogether would be the best thing for RTÉ to do.
Ireland finished last in the 2019 semi-final, and yet that hasn’t stopped RTÉ from returning this year. Don’t worry, this is gonna be great. Comparisons to Dustin have no basis in fact whatsoever.
Soulè will represent Ireland, her producer of the track (FINSON) also produced “ScandiLove” by Ida Maria from MGP 2018.
Source?
This is very very exciting
Very promising that rte is finally creating hype for the entry. Song described as kick ass and something the creative team said yes as soon as they heard it