Bambie Thug on Eurovision: 'It’s still anybody’s game — but hopefully mostly mine'

Bambie Thug is representing Ireland with 'Doomsday Blues' in the first of the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals on May 7 in Malmo. Picture: Lily Lytton

They may be among the favourites to win this year's Eurovision Song Contest but Ireland’s entry Bambie Thug isn’t letting the pressure get to them.

The singer, who hails from Macroom in Co Cork, is relatively unfazed by the mounting hype as they prepare for their "otherworldly performance" in the first of the semi-finals on May 7 in Malmo.

Asked about being among the top 10 favourites to win the contest, Bambie Thug said "it does add an extra pressure,” but added “I’m trying not to look at the odds because I think everything can change on the night.

“It’s still anybody’s game but hopefully mostly mine.

Obviously, it is incredible because it just shows that we did the right thing by sending the witch and we are pushing down doors, and hopefully it will just continue to go up. 

Of their much anticipated performance on Tuesday night, they said: “You can expect to see drama, horror movie-esque shots, and some secret things I am not saying - some dancing, some beautiful make-up.” 

They added that it will also be “an otherworldly performance, a little bit of escapism into my little fantasy”.

Born to a Swedish father and an Irish mother, Bambie Thug studied ballet and dance before studying musical theatre.

They say they also practice witchcraft.

The singer’s Eurovision entry Doomsday Blue has reached more than 1m streams on Spotify and if, as expected, it gets past the semi-finals, it will see Ireland represented in a contest for the first time since 2018.

With seven victories each, Ireland and Sweden tie as the most successful countries at the contest, while Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom all won five times each.

In 1980 and 1987, Johnny Logan represented Ireland and won both times, with 'Hold Me Now' and 'What’s Another Year?' 

In 1992 he wrote Linda Martin’s winning entry 'Why Me?' 

The Eurovision Song Contest second semi-final takes place on Thursday, May 9, and the Grand Final will be held on Saturday 11 May.