Back in October Dua Lipa, Elton John and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were among the stars that sang the praises of TaP Music, the music company that’s behind the BBC’s search for a Eurovision 2022 artist and song. Now, if the update from TaP’s founder Ben Mawson is anything to go by, all of that support and goodwill has helped push the search in the right direction.
Speaking to Music Week, Ben boasted that the shortlist features “an incredible mixture of both established, emerging and brand new talent.” He added:
“We’re getting really close to making our final decision, we have lots of options and have been pleasantly surprised by how many wonderful artists, both new and more established, want to be part of this process with us. Like us, they recognise that Eurovision is the biggest music TV opportunity in the world. It’s a tough decision with so many strong contenders, many with existing European fanbases, which is exciting. When we decide on the act, we will put an incredible team around the chosen act and look forward to sharing news shortly.”
“It’s been fantastic to work so closely with the BBC on this project so far, in particular Radio1 and Scott Mills – who’s offered incredible insight and has been a major part of the team. Radio 1 – the voice of youth culture – is vital to the Eurovision audience which as we know is skewing younger every year. It’s really important to us that this year’s Eurovision has the feel good factor, we want everyone to get behind the act, enjoy the show and hopefully celebrate a great U.K. performance on the night.”
TaP co-founder Ed Millett is equally chuffed.
“The challenge has been finding a talent that has both an incredible voice – because live vocals to 200 million people is no easy feat – as well as having incredible stage presence and an unforgettable song – it is the Song Contest after all. The reason we want to do this, whether our act tops the leader board or not, is to do something special on stage that the UK can be proud of.”
Back in October, BBC Studios, which produces the BBC’s coverage of Eurovision, confirmed its collaboration with TaP Music — the global music publishing and management company behind global stars like Dua Lipa, Lana Del Rey, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Ellie Goulding. Love me like you do, indeed!
At the time, Ben said he wants to leverage the UK’s many musical assets.
“We’re really excited to be teaming up with the BBC for this event and will use Eurovision to authentically reflect and celebrate the rich, diverse and world-class musical talent the UK is globally renowned for.”
Ben doesn’t just know Eurovision through the telly. He shares two children with his long-time partner Mirjam Weichselbraun, a co-host of Eurovision 2015 in Vienna. They met in 2013, so we imagine he was in the Wiener Stadthalle.
Are you excited by this tease from TaP Music? Can the UK help launch an act globally? Let us know in the comments box down below.
One month later…
Keen now for some breadcrumbs of any news. Even an announcement of an announcement date for the UK song / artist would be something.
All the rumours and chatter going around on twitter are getting me a tad excited.
“Shortlist of established and brand new artists” is code for “it will be someone you have never heard of.”
It doesn’t matter … in fact it is probably a good thing considering the dearth of ‘established ‘ rubbish .
Find someone new find someone different find something truly original .
Fat chance !
Fingers crossed that the established act in the running is Jessie J (as teased last year) and not Chelsea Grimes.
What a refreshing, positive tease from the UK delegation. I am buzzing for more!!! I don’t think we ever had this with BMG. It was more a case of “here’s the song, He’ll perform it in May”
TaP are taking this seriously. I’m flying the flag for the UK and I haven’t even heard the song yet LOL
Just choose one of the little mix members, which have just disbanded. I doubt that all 3 of them will have succesful solo careers. Work with one of them, now that they are still fresh from success so it will not look like she is going to eurovision only because esc is an alternative way to regain some (temporary) old glory but for expanding her art as solo artist, to find a new audience and platform to make her music stay relevant and on press.
The Little mix ladies are on tour during April and May. Their final concert before they disband is advertised as being held on the 15th May in London. The same date as the eurovision final. I think they might be busy this year.
“Established artists” don’t won’t to compete at Eurovision mostly because:
Reason No.1 – They don’t get paid enough for it
Reason No.2 – They have to clear months from their schedules (For which they are getting paid)
AND, I believe that it is in the Eurovision rules that established artists (take Elton John for example) are not allowed to participate as it automatically wouldn’t be fair to the other less known or even completely unknown participants.
The first two reasons are correct, but there isn’t any rule against letting established artists compete.
Established artists can take part, only that most of them don’t want to take part because they don’t need it or like it. Those established who have taken part like Cascada, Bonnie Tyler and so either don¨t have busy schedules or see it as a chance to re-launch their career..
Or are given a large cheque, like Flo Rida.
there is no rule against established artists, and that’s the ‘beauty’ of Eurovision, as what matters the most is the song, as it is a SONG competition. Established artists always compete, and most Eurovision participants are established nation-wide in their home countries.
A song contest, yes – which means it’s not just about the singers. Andrew Lloyd Webber did it in 2009, so of course Elton John could do it in 2022 – he first tried 53 years ago, don’t forget.
Sir Elton John just need a to get better from covid. Then he could compete
Why negativity? I choose to be positive. Sounds like we finally have a team who knows what they doing and what is needed. A win is far away but this is a small step in right decision.
Hurrah! Time for a UK victory!
People likes to talk about a big name for the performer. I’d say the UK is full of talented performers and musicians. It’s not the problem. The problem is that the BBC needs to make a real effort to make sure the competing songs have a good enough quality. A decent singer with a good song is what they need. That’s how most others do.
At this point it is obviously Chelcee Grimes.
We’ve heard the exact same words being used with regards to the UK in the past yet it always turns out to be underwhelming. I’m not convinced by anything.
Hoping for the best!
YES! I am very excited and optimistic because they know what it takes to make a star!!
Fingers crossed this is a new era for UK in Eurovision!!! and WOW for Lana Del Ray commenting on the process WOWWOWW!!!
I mean, it seems as if they have some sort of connection to the contest or know something about it, maybe even watched one so that’s better than I usually expect or hear from the UK. With the UK and Irish selection committees, it’s always the disdain they seem to have for the contest that gets me. When they do poorly, there’s always an excuse as to why their results are what they are and not that they sent a bad song. I would like to hear that they’re aware of what other countries are doing in their selection processes… Read more »
I think it’s a little unfair for a country of five million to so often be compared to a country of seventy million.
To be fair John Lundvik did do really well at Eurovision…
Yeah only with the juries though.
He came 2nd with the juries, yes. But he also got 9th place with the televote, and 5th place overall.
The look on his face when he realised his song had tanked with the public was the funniest thing that year
Hopefully they get it right this time. Both of James Newman’s songs were a step in the right direction – and then, they came up with those plastic trumpets of doom.
All this hype for it to turn out and be Chelcee Grimes.
I know, I honestly don’t like her or her music lol.
the UK music industry is too big to only have internal selection for Eurovision. I really hope that, in years to come, they will be braver to (re)hold a televised national selection show. it doesn’t have to be as big as Melodifestivalen, Melodi Grand Prix or Eesti Laul. Something similar to Finland’s post-2020 UMK should be enough, a very efficient selection with many top-quality songs and great production value for a national selection show.
It does need to be as big as those NFS because U.K. BBC have the budget they are just not enthused that’s simply it. The amount of crap shows on BBC with massive budgets and they can’t even accommodate their Eurovision fans with some good music and a great show. There’s definitely no excuse for it.
what I mean is that they should restart it slowly but surely, not that it has to be as big as Melfest straight away. do it in a slightly smaller scale for the first two or three years. If the interest increases and the BBC is getting more serious, they can continue with a Melfest-styled tour, with four semifinals, each held in a UK “country”, and a final in London or Greater Manchester.
They tried that, and it didn’t work well. Winners seemed to be your typical singing contest types. Wasn’t enough about the song and staging as it was how likable the contestants were. So, they got a string of bad results. They are pretty much stuck on the bottom until they prove they are in it to win it with a string of good entries.
but they still didn’t try hard enough. have they done what SVT has done since 2002? have they done what the post-2020 UMK does? I don’t think so. even Spain this year is trying (and I hope the result is far better).
I am a LITTLE bit apprehensive about this, considering that we in the UK generally don’t do too great at Eurovision. But if TaP is able to give us something in a genre other than pop, or heck a song in a minor key, I’ll probably be behind it.
No offense, but the UK’s recent track record makes me a bit skeptical. I hope they can look beyond pop, because Britain could be a country that would do well by bringing genres such as indie, folk or EDM to the contest.
In all fairness, we’ve mostly sent bland middle of the road songs with singers that have zero stage presence. Those type of songs never perform well in a song competition.
Our best song that we never sent was “legends” but then she sang it so out of tune in the national finals, she never had a chance. Whoever saw fit that that song was suited to a solo singer really messed up our chances. We could have built on that.
The amount of enthusiasm here is respectable as it seems the UK might finally have a team that’s taking ESC seriously. However, you’ll have to forgive me for not getting my hopes up. I’m keeping my expectations very low for the time being.
Year after year, those involved in picking the UK entry give me no impression they actually watch the show. No mention of previous winners or other selection processes. No mention of other genres other than pop. No mention of what has helped other acts be successful. They just seem clueless.
Irelands delegation basically have zero clue, he said that semi finals came in around the late 90s. And didn’t know any act apart from Norway 2009. It’s a complete embarrassment.
Well in all fairness, the main man at TaP has a massive connection to eurovision and the PR says that Scott Mills is involved in the process.
I like him but I know many don’t. But he always seems to pick out the songs that do well on his radio show.
We have all been let down more than enough by the UK when they promise to deliver and they never do. I will not get my hopes up and will instead wait for the big reveal to see whether the hype is worth it or not.
“It’s really important to us that this year’s Eurovision has the feel good factor”
This comment fills me with absolute dread.
I’m usually a skeptic but I have a good feeling about this…for TaP to say yes to this they wouldn’t just half-ass it…its their reputation on the line…they might be ok with a bad result but they won’t be ok with a disastrous performance…I think they will bring it and the eurofans are going to be all into it
They can say all the right things, but the general distrust toward their selection process has been earned. Not only will they need to prove they’ve really changed in their artist and song choice, but put in the work with the staging and promotion as well. I hope for everyone’s sake that they’re taking it seriously this time. It’s sad to see a country with such a successful music industry be its own worst enemy year after year.
just send something good
It doesn’t need to be someone famous, most famous British artists have little to gain from participating in Eurovision because they already have a career in Europe. Just use an up-and-comer like Dua Lipa once was, she broke through on the European mainland before she really made it in Britain. Same with Adele. Europe loves a cool new British singer or band, even more than Britain itself does.
Lots of interest from established and new acts. Selecting a strong voice and stage presence and backing them with an excellent support team. If this is true then it is just what I have been hoping for for years. My dream is to have the UK entry actually be strong enough to figure in the voting. However there was similar promise last year so I won’t get my hopes up too much. But for now I will hope that they can deliver on their promises and dream, at least until the announcement
Internal selection, I’m also skeptical but at least if our hopes are low and it ends up being good we will be suprised?
Something is telling the act will be unknown and the song will be co written by a somewhat artist who they’re saying is established. If I’m wrong, it’ll be olly murs lol ?
I have heard it all last year. Typical UK.
Ben Mawson really sounds like he wants to turn around UK’s fortunes at Eurovision with vivid understanding and strong passion exactly how Gareth Southgate did with the England Football team. TaP music have shown more buzz and enthusiasm for their involvement in ESC than BMG ever did. I just hope they have a mindset of searching for a Winner or at least reaching Top 5 instead of something that can just ‘do well’ or make it on the left-hand side which has been a troubling issue for UK’s efforts since 2015. I’m praying for a really good song, really good… Read more »
That’s true, I never would have imagined Gareth could turn around the England football team like they did I the 2018 WC. Not just performance but team spirit and getting the country behind them including most of the press. So anything is possible! But we’ve been burned too many times so I’ll believe it when I see it. Fingers crossed though.
The England team play very conservative and risk-averse football under Southgate, I don’t think that’s the way to go for your Eurovision entry. Sounds a bit like the BBC really 🙂
But England gets RESULTS. Top 4 at the World Cup in 2018, runner-up at Euro 2020, and they’re already qualified for the World Cup this year. If that’s where “playing it safe” gets them, heck yeah they should apply the same ethos to Eurovision.
But my point is: that’s not what gets you results at Eurovision (and also not really at football, at least it doesn’t win you a final with an arguably better team than Italy)
Have Italy gone straight to the World Cup this year?
England were lucky with the soccer. They sailed all the way to the World Cup semi-finals by not playing any of the stronger teams. As soon as they met one, they were out. With Euro 2020, Covid meant that they played nearly all of their games at home – the only team to do that.
Luck can only get you so far. England’s team is excellent.
Maybe they are, but they’re not the best. As all the penalty shoot-outs illustrate, luck can be the thing that decides.
By the way, good luck to England for Euro 2022. I wonder if the women will have the same luck at home that the men got.
I think most people are ignoring the fact that there is an anti eurovision culture that exists in the UK. It doesn’t matter how much the organisers try to attract established artists they will simply decline the offer. We should remember other countries treat this competition differently. They actually treat it with respect not with ridicule like the UK. No act of any note will touch this poisoned chalice. Good luck but I see a hasbeen or unknown being picked.
Hopefully all this will help improve things! Get good scores, attract better viewing figures and help change perceptions
The Netherlands used to treat it exactly the same but managed to turn it around! I think several countries have treated eurovision with ridicule at some point but lately its changing especially with winners also getting more commercial succes like maneskin. I think some people from tap are finally able to see the potential eurovision can have and therefore taking it more seriously now
I think there was a noticeable shift last year, particularly in the press, lots of places that would trot out the “Europe Hates Us” instead acknowledged that everyone else just put in more effort.
If the BBC takes Eurovision seriously, we could someday see Ed Sheeran, an established artist, at Eurovision. Ed showed has interest in Eurovision, but his only condition to apply was for the BBC taking the show seriously. The same could probably be said about other established artists. So, having established artists for the UK is possible, but only if the BBC takes Eurovision seriously.
That isn’t true. The woke BBC loathes anything British or British success. There is the problem. The public love Eurovision – look at the ratings- but get frustrated by the relentless garbage chosen on our behalf
I feel like the UK is gonna win this year. Don’t disappoint me !!!!! Please!!!!!
We can only pray, I hope we do
It would be amazing!
PS: I felt the same in 2020 and then we got mediocre song lol
I hope you don’t jinx it.
All sounds pretty promising, he sounds like he knows his onions and I’m glad Scott Mills is having a bit more input, as I feel he hasn’t really pulled any weight in all the years he’s been involved.
One thing, is it all an internal selection? I’d like a national final if there’s a few good choices, maybe of we get a good result here it may expand and have scope for one. And slicker and more music focused than You Decide.
Every time I see that picture I keep thinking it’s Electro Velvet….
Very very very good point there and it brings this question. If they’re saying they have whittled it down to a number of really great tracks and artists, then why not show us their confidence in a national selection process to that of melodifest standards? This rhetoric seems all too familiar as BMG waffled on like this in 2019-20 and look at the song and artist they thought would bring a win.
Oh, classic UK with their echo chamber hype. Every year they say that. Every single year.
Does established mean having auditioned at The Voice?
Only in Ireland
Lest we forget Engelbert Humperdinck!
I don’t care who they pick, there better be a good song that won’t land the UK in last place again.
I’ll believe it when I see it
oh god i am soo excited. I trust Ben because he’s behind big current names and he knows what’s good. He’s an expert in the current music industry, Very good approach from BBC. about established stars, i am sure they wouldn’t go for old acts from 80s but someone established from the 00s or 10s someone who can appeal to the young audience that gave the victory to Maneskin in 2021 and can go viral in TikTok. Still, i don’t think their intention is to select a well-known act unless it’s really the best. Duncan Laurence or Netta were not… Read more »
I hope Ben chooses an upcoming (remotely unknown) younger artist as the UK entrant and not someone who last had a hit more than 10 years as we all witnessed how that turned out for Flo Rida (and soon possibly The Rasmus)
Eurovision can survive without TikTok and I’d rather not see another winner be known worldwide for a cover they did before, the app is also known for being cringe central and home to a bunch of brainless unhinged lunatics.
I mean sure their most listened to song is beggin but I wouldnt say 500+ million and almost 300 million is bad is it?
Oh god, please get it right!
Just spill it. Engelbert and Bonnie were very established super stars too (at least at some point) and look how that turned out. Better than the emerging artists in 2015 at least.
in all fairness, their songs were weak.
Nobody moved.
I used to be excited every year about UK entry, especially in 2020, but now I’m very neutral about this and I don’t expect anything.
Wtf are these downvotes haha?
Just please something of decent quality is all I ask for.
It’s literally not hard to make a decent entry idk how we’ve been struggling for years it makes zero sense.
I have some hope that this could be a turning point.
On paper it sounds good and towards the right direction. Let’s see if they produce again an X factor final performance.
With this hype, I hope it winds up being good. It’ll be so typical if this one just winds up being another exercise in, “how safely can we possibly play it?”