Non-binary electro-goth Bambie Thug will represent Ireland in this year’s Eurovision in Sweden.
Their song Doomsday Blue and its gothic staging, with its evocation of fairytale castles and goblins, was the overwhelming choice of two of the three juries - the domestic one, and the watching public - though it was not the pick of the international jury.
Six acts competed in the Eurosong final, which was held on Friday night’s Late Late Show on RTÉ One.
The leftfield song marks a gamble on the part of the Irish Eurovision organisers, but attempts in the past to play it safe have led to an abysmal record of only one qualification for the final in 10 attempts.
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Originally from Macroom, Bambie Thug trained in ballet, then moved to London for a dance scholarship - only to break their arm and resort to studying musical theatre.
“They blew our socks off. I was blown away by Bambie, I really was,” Louise Duffy said, speaking for all the judges who also endorsed the win.
“I am so happy. They are going to do us so proud. They could win the thing.”
It was a topsy turvy voting process, with Louis Walsh’s latest boy band, Next in Line, getting the maximum of 12 votes from the international jury for their song Love Like Us, but only the minimum two points from the domestic jury. They eventually finished second.
The public vote was announced by Ireland’s 2022 Eurovision entry Brooke Scullion, and was decisive in awarding all 12 points to Bambie Thug.
They were clearly a popular audience choice with the crowd who chanted “Bambie, Bambie, Bambie” throughout.
The other performers who participated were Isabella Kearney with Let Me Be The Fire, JyellowL with Judas, Ailsha with Go Tobann, and Erica-Cody with Love Me Like I Do.
