Dare To Dream and Love Out Loud! UK’s Birmingham Pride — the UK’s largest two-day pride festival — keeps the momentum of music and celebration going during the month of May. After a rather disappointing last place finish for the UK at Eurovision 2019, we look to a sizzling hot line-up of acts gracing the Birmingham Pride main stage this weekend. From chart-topping acts, to American superstars, from Drag Race stars to local talent, this event has got you sorted. Could one of these acts place us on the left side of the scoreboard next year? Let’s find out…

FAITHLESS

With record sales from 6 albums exceeding 15 million copies, Faithless are one of the most iconic dance bands to ever emerge from The UK. In addition to their core catalogue, they’ve released four remix albums, three compilation albums and twenty singles including 8 Top 10 UK hits. If Darude can represent Finland,  Faithless can represent The UK.

YEARS & YEARS

Years & Years are a British synth-pop band that fuse electro-pop, R&B and 1990s house elements. The band’s debut studio album, Communion, debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and was the fastest-selling debut album of the year from a UK signed band. Their biggest hit single “King”  reached number one in the UK Singles Chart in 2015, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland. If The UK select them, they already have an established fanbase across the continent.

KATE NASH

Kate Nash is an awarded singer-songwriter and actress who rose to prominence in the UK in 2007 with the sleeper hit “Foundations”  Her debut album, Made of Bricks, peaked at number 1 in the UK, and crossed-over to the US Top 40 Billboard charts. Nash subsequently won the award for Best British Female Artist at the 2008 Brit Awards. Since then, she has released three other albums to critical acclaim. If the jury vote is what The UK is gunning for, then, look no further.

NAO

Nao is a star on the verge of a major breakthrough. With BRIT Awards and MOBO award nominations tied to her name, she has gone on to have two top five albums. Her exciting collaborations with the likes of  Chic, Disclosure and Mura Masa have notched her much praise in the music industry.

M.O

Modus Operandi are the hottest chicks in town. Packed with sass and afro-beats that could awaken a corpse, their YouTube presence have clocked in tens of millions of hits. They have gigged at large festivals, and supported Little Mix on their European tour. Eurovision could be the perfect big-break they need for their career.

THE HUMAN LEAGUE

The Eurovision Song Contest is no stranger to quality heritage acts. Englebert Humperdinck had a go in 2012, and Bonnie Tyler succeeded him a year later. Since forming in 1977, the Human League have released nine studio albums, two remix albums, one live album, six EPs, 30 singles and several compilation albums. They have had five albums and eight singles in the UK Top 10 and have sold more than 20 million records worldwide. They are particularly popular in Europe and regarded as one of the main figureheads of the British music invasion. Their presence at Eurovision could right many wrongs.

Birmingham Pride takes place this weekend with many acts performing on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th May

The colourful pride parade sets off at 12 noon precisely, and can’t be missed. It will wind its way around the city centre and then down to the top of Hurst Street, by the Birmingham Hippodrome. Main Stage Tickets available HERE

Are you excited about this year’s Pride lineup? Who are you most looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Tigg
Tigg
4 years ago

what has this ACTUALLY got to do with Eurovision apart from being an “oh please please please”?

Why not report some news instead of making up things from Pride events which aren’t even linked to Eurovision.

josh
josh
4 years ago

Years & Years would be a BRILLIANT internal selection for the BBC. Alternatively, I’d love Marina.. Jorja Smith (with an intimate ballad).. CHVRCHES.. Fleur East.. Grace Davies.. so many options!

Serafina
Serafina
4 years ago
Reply to  josh

Y’all have too much faith on BBC though, I mean… Why would they choose Years & Years or any other established British artist when they can just pick a random nobody and give them the most generic X-Factor single ever?

Liam Lindsay
Liam Lindsay
4 years ago

They are all good choices with exception of The Human League. No disrespect to them whatsoever they are an iconic figurehead in British music but what the BBC did to Engelbert and Bonnie I don’t want to see a major British musical figure to down the pan like those two. Recommendations for ESC UK 2020 Years and Years M. O. CHUVCHES Foxes NAO Louisa Johnson Lewis Capaldi James Arthur Fleur East This is what the UK needs to do, send a act that is known in the UK or Europe or even both and pair them with a good song… Read more »

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago

Deban makes really good points. We really need a more substantial act to represent the UK. Not one which pops up at Eurovision time, in parallel with the BBC’s promotion of the contest

Talentina Monetta
Talentina Monetta
4 years ago

I don’t really see the correlation between Birmingham Pride and Eurovision but anyways, the UK needs to stop sending X Factor contestants with Melodifestivalen rejects and start sending artists with a more distinct sound.

Colin
Colin
4 years ago

I wish UK would change their approach for picking songs. Why not finding someone talented who wrote a 3 minute song (or who at least participated in some capacity in song’s creation) they truly believe in? Why do most British ESC songs (both good and bad) *feel* like ESC songs from a mile away? Try something different, fresh, something “outside the box”. Might not do well, but *at least* the fan response would be “UK FINISHED LOW!! WTF!!!???” and not “Oh, UK is again last, so…”

Loin dici
Loin dici
4 years ago

I think NAO is an impressive songwriter with a distinct sound. If she was chosen and *given creativity* over their entry, I can see her doing quite well.

Liam Lindsay
Liam Lindsay
4 years ago
Reply to  Loin dici

Well the BBC royally f’d up with Paloma Faith, so hopefully they have learned something from that farcical fiasco.

David
David
4 years ago

As The Netherlands showed this year, the singer doesn’t matter. No one has to know who they are but you have to have a good song!

Fatima
Fatima
4 years ago
Reply to  David

Well I think the singer needs to have experience at live performances, and dealing with the media, social and otherwise. Michael Rice did not have the latter. This year’s “You Decide” featured an act (MAID) who have never previously performed live, and what’s more, that was their selling point. Good luck to them (if they are still together), but this was a low point in UK Eurovision history.

jeanne
jeanne
4 years ago

stop focusing on the singer, the uk’s problem is the song. They havent sent a descent song since blue in 2011

Serhatari
Serhatari
4 years ago
Reply to  jeanne

Molly 2014, Lucie 2017?

Steve
Steve
4 years ago

I think Years and years will do amazingly well at Eurovision in 2020.

Joe
Joe
4 years ago

I would die of joy if Kate Nash represented the UK. Here’s hoping she will someday.