UK pop group Steps have long been on the wishlist of many UK Eurovision fans — but the group say they have banned themselves from ever competing in Eurovision. However this news comes just days after the group happily covered two Melodifestivalen hits on their new album.
The group revealed news of their self-imposed Eurovision ban in a recent interview with The Sun.
Despite the group’s popularity with fans both in the UK and abroad, group member Faye Tozer has a gloomier outlook and sees a lack of support that would only result in nil points. She explained, “When we have worked so hard to have people take us seriously, and not laugh, to be told: ‘Nil point’ would be such a shame.”
Faye also noted that group member Ian ‘H’ Watkins, “loves Eurovision and is keen.” This is a 180 shift from H’s comments last year, when he told an interviewer, “It’s not a song contest. It’s a political contest to get back at each other and it’s just not the right place for us. Sadly. I would absolutely love to – but for those reasons, no.”
Claire Richards from Steps was more reflective, adding, “It would be an incredible experience. But there are a lot of reasons not to.”
Steps cover Melodifestivalen hits on new album
While Steps are ruling out Eurovision, it hasn’t stopped them from covering two songs especially written as potential Eurovision entries.
On the group’s new album What the Future Holds Part 2., they have happily covered two songs that were in competition on Sweden’s Eurovision national final Melodifestivalen in recent years.
The first cover is Mariette’s “A Million Years”, which placed fourth at Melfest in 2017. Mariette co-wrote it with a songwriting team that included two Eurovision greats: Thomas G:son and Peter Boström. The song also won the 2017 OGAE Second Chance Contest, marking it as Eurofans’ favourite track that didn’t make it to Eurovision.
Their other cover is of “Victorious” — Lina Hedlund’s Melfest 2019 entry. The song placed just 11th in the final, ahead of only Malou Prytz’s “I Do Me”.
Steps previously covered Jenny Silver’s “Something In Your Eyes” — the 2011 song that competed in Sweden’s Eurovision selection show.
Steps also say they’ve love to team up with Eurovision legends ABBA. H from Steps quipped, “I want a project where Steps join forces with ABBA. We could be a super-group called STABBA.”
What do you think? Should Steps do Eurovision? Or would they continue the UK’s nil points streak? Tell us your thoughts below!
Scared of the dark would have made an epic eurovision entry. I still love that song. But as for everything they’ve released since, the latter songs have mostly been forgettable.
Perhaps we can aim to win one year and have steps as an interval act instead?
If they don’t want to do Eurovision, they banned themselves from covering Eurovision songs, and they’ve never participated in Eurovision or even a national final, why should we care? I’ve never even heard of ‘Steps’, so I already didn’t even slightly care what songs ‘Steps’ wants to cover, and looking through the comments section, it seems that nobody else does either.
I don’t know the group ‘Steps’ and so I really don’t care what the want or don’t want to do. What I care about is Eurovision and Junior Eurovision…..btw. why doesn’t report Wiwibloggs about the JESC? Is that how you care William & Co.?
“Steps also say they’ve love to team up with Eurovision legends ABBA”
As if
I used to love STEPS but agree they shouldnt take part. Times have changed, dance schlager pop isnt the thing anymore. Even Sweden realised schlager wont work anymore..
Collaborate with ABBA? Aren’t Steps getting a bit above themselves?
I like them, but agree with them–they would never do well in Eurovision…and not because of the reasons they state…the contest has moved on…their songs are a bit of a throwback to 90s-early 20s…even Sweden who regularly includes their type of music in Melfest has considerably dialed it back and never send their type of music to Eurovision
They believe they will get zero points because Europe hates the UK?
If they were to enter it would baffle must of the voting countries. Outside of the UK their last two albums only achieved low placing in Belgium and Australia. We would not be sending the pop icons they think they are but a rather faded act with ropey live vocals .
Five adults behaving as if they are teens. Are there really people who want them in Eurovision?
I keep on telling this, posting this and that……STEPS spoke about this years years ago and I think none can change their decisions so please stop writing articles about them because they really don’t want to be associated with ESC but yeah they’ve been so cruel to ESC fans because they keep on covering ESC related songs such from melfest.
If they don’t even want to be on the Eurovision stage, what’s the point in writing so mant articles about them?
Wiwibloggs wants them, because I see no one else being interesting in them representing the UK.
Two things: If you don’t like Eurovision, you don’t deserve to compete. If you’re one of those stereotypes who will only think “We’ll do poorly because we’re from the UK” you don’t deserve to compete either. Seriously, only people who don’t know anything about ESC call it a political contest nowadays, so yeah. I hope this is the last article Wiwibloggs writes about these jokers
Please tell me this is the LAST we hear about Steps…
And they are who?
ENOUGH!! Seriously stop with the goddamn steps articles it was boring as hell then and still is now!
Enough with Steps. Jeez. Time to move on and start the Geri Halliwell or Fleur East rumours again.
“UK pop group Steps have long been on the wishlist of many UK Eurovision fans.”
Really? Or you just pushing your Steps wheelbarrow when you know it is pissing us off and most likely pissing Steps off too.
Why so many articles for someone who hasn’t gone to Eurovision and is unlikely to?
FWIW S Club 7 were way better than Steps!
who cares
Guys, let’s be honest. It makes sense that they would not consider doing Eurovision. They love it and it would have been an incredible experience for them (but also for their career outside UKI) but Eurovision is seen as a joke atm in UK, especially after the zero in 2021. I don’t blame them because: a) they made a successful comeback with sold-out arena shows b) they were seen as a joke before, campy and kitsch which fits the Eurovision image in UK but they are not seen as joke now so it’s important for them to keep this success… Read more »
Good! 90s big names don’t do well in 2022. Look at scooch! Engelbert! Bonnie! Fresh new blood I’d what we need!
Engelbert was hardly a 90s name. LOL!
Neither was Bonnie:?
Ok, why again a news report about Steps, if there are like 100 Eurovision related news coming in every day?
Good.
If it weren’t for Wiwibloggs, I would never have heard of them. And if they think they regularly need to talk trash about the contest in order to get a tad of publicity, that’s pretty telling. According to Wikipedia, they don’t even manage to have their songs chart in the UK any longer. Time to stop their trolling then, it’s not like anyone (other than William) was waiting for them anyway. And seriously … they’ve stated they don’t want to participate. Multiple times by now. Does it really take another report on that ‘news’ every two months? Let’s move on,… Read more »
They are well known in the UK, even if they don’t chart anymore, but yeah can we talk about artists that don’t believe the ‘Europe hates us’ trash instead of Steps please. 🙂
Ok it’s good to be aware of the truth. They would totally fail if they were chosen. Thank you, next
“All we want is for people to take us seriously.” You’re Steps. You make schlager. You’re not Phoebe Bridgers or Tom Waits, get off your high horse.
“Take us seriously,” get the heck outta here. If you want people to take you seriously, either make serious music or make music in a way that people will take you seriously for. Making schlager isn’t a barrier from being taken seriously, but let’s face it: Steps aren’t ABBA. They aren’t Cliff Richard. They don’t have the clout, the respectability, or the songs to try for their level. The UK is better off for this self-imposed “ban.” They aren’t the direction the UK wants to go in.
You don’t hear Dschinghis Khan or Fyr og Flamme or your average Melfest participant getting pissy bc people don’t take them as seriously as Mozart. Know your audience.
I’m sorry, I know precious little about this band if I’m honest, but using the possibility of getting 0 points as a barrier to entering makes little sense to me… isn’t that the whole point of a competition? That’s a bit like a football player saying they’re not going to play football anymore, because of the possibility of missing a goal, and having the ball sail wide. Either way, I wish the Uk the best of luck next year, and in their selection! 🙂