RTÉ’s vision: Kennedy in Athens
Top tunes have included Boom Bang- A-Bang, Diggi-loo Diggi-ley and A-Ba-Ni-Bi but, despite dodgy lyrics, the Eurovision Song Contest is still a ratings winner, regularly pulling in more than 300 million viewers from around the world.
That’s why RTÉ have decided it’s time to take it seriously again. After almost a decade of dismal results for Ireland, the station yesterday ditched its You’re a Star formula and brought in the formidably talented Brian Kennedy to perform Ireland’s entry for next year’s Eurovision final in Athens.
Described as having “a voice to charm the angels”, Brian Kennedy is one of Ireland’s most successful singer-songwriters. He has had three albums in the Top 30 of the Irish album charts simultaneously and has performed and recorded with Van Morrison, The Corrs, Tina Turner, Paul Brady and Sinéad O’Connor.
He has also enjoyed a long stint performing in Riverdance, alongside presenting television and radio programmes and writing short stories and two novels, the second of which, Roman Song was launched last week.
The decision to enter a professional singer and performer in the next May’s contest in Athens follows Ireland’s humiliating defeat at last year’s Eurovision debacle in Kiev in which Athlone brother and sister team The McCauls failed to even make it to the semi-finals with their song Love.
Lifford singer/songwriter, Mickey Harte, came in 11th place in the 2003 contest while his predecessor, Chris Doran, was second last with just seven points in 2002.
Pop guru, Louis Walsh, and winning Eurovision songwriter, Shay Healy, maintain that if Ireland has any hope of reviving its Eurovision winning streak, professional and well-established performers must be chosen over amateurs.
“We need to get one of our great songwriters like Brendan Graham or Phil Coulter or Johnny Logan who know how Eurovision works,” said Walsh.
Kevin Linehan, commissioning editor, Entertainment Programmes, RTÉ TV, said: “The Eurovision has evolved into an increasingly complex, competitive, professional contest in recent years. RTÉ are delighted that a singer of Brian Kennedy’s international reputation, talent, and renown will be representing Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in May. I believe he will do us proud in Athens and enable us to give it our very best shot. The challenge now is to find the show-stopping song Brian will perform on the night.”
The public will decide which song that will be. RTÉ are inviting songwriters to submit compositions for the contest by December 17. Four songs will be short-listed from those submitted.
A committee chaired by two-times Eurovision-winning songwriter and co- writer of You Raise Me Up, Brendan Graham, along with former Eurovision winner, Shay Healy, and singer songwriter, Paul Brady will select the final four. These four songs will be performed by Brian Kennedy and voted upon by the public in a one-hour television special to be broadcast in early spring.
Song should be 3 minutes long.
Maximum of two songs per writer.
Performance of song to be submitted on CD.
Four copies of the lyrics to be included.
Closing Date: December 17, 2005.
Submissions to be sent to: Fidelma Kelly, Entertainment Department, RTÉ Television, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. Further information on www.rte.ie.
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