WHILE SOME may consider it a hair-raising prospect hot favourites Jedward were last night chosen to represent Ireland in Düsseldorf in this year’s Eurovision.
However, the win followed an OMG moment after Nikki Kavanagh's performance of Fallingtopped the regional juries' vote, meaning Jedward needed the public's top vote to succeed.
In identical red jackets, bedazzled collars and glittery runners the identical twins gave an energetic performance of Lipstick,overcoming the competition in spite of a last-minute change in voting arrangements.
Although the voting was originally supposed to have been an equal split between regional juries and a public vote, this was changed after a 30-second clip of the song was inadvertently leaked on the internet due to an administrative error by Universal Records, the twins' record company.
As a result the voting was changed so the juries’ decision was worth two-thirds of the overall vote, the rest of which was up to the public.
The Grimes twins – John and Edward – entertained, if not completely bowled over, the Late Late Show'slive panel, made up of RTÉ's Marty Whelan; singer Brian Kennedy; Cheryl Baker, a former Eurovision winner with Bucks Fizz; and Today FM's Mairead Farrell. The majority of the panel cited Nikki Kavanagh and her song Fallingas their preference. She also received most points among the regional juries.
This put Kavanagh into the lead with 66 points, four more than Jedward’s 62. But, as Kennedy rightly pointed out, the texting capabilities of “the Jedwardians” ensured the twins won out in the end having secured the public vote, pipping Kavanagh at the post by two points.
Jedward were chosen by mentor Caroline Downey-Desmond, director of MCD and the song was written by songwriters Dan Priddy, Lars Halvor Jensen and Martin M Larsson, who have written songs for the likes of JLS, Blue and Sugababes.
Jedward will now represent Ireland in the Eurovision song contest in Düsseldorf, Germany, with Ireland competing in the second semi-final on Thursday May 12th in a bid to reach the final.