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New Decade, Who Dis?

Can the UK have a fresh start to 2020, and actually achieve something this decade?

By VISIONPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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The United Kingdom used to be very good at Eurovision. Five wins, a record 15 second places and a consistent presence in the top five for decades.

Now if Malta gives us three points, we go bonkers, and frankly we only have ourselves to blame. Shoddy entries of varying quality, interesting staging and an overall E for effort have culminated in us getting scraps of points, and having a VIP section in the bottom five.

2010-2019 has been the UK’s worst decade by far and to celebrate a new decade of Eurovision, I thought I'd give myself the painful task of reviewing each of the United Kingdom's entries from 2010-2019.

Spoiler alert, we don’t win in this decade. We don’t even place in the top ten!

Lets start with 2010, following the massive success of Jade Ewen, who came 5th and provided the UK’s best result since 2002: the UK decided to send this monstrosity...

Trying to follow the same formula of 2009 by getting music industry experts to create a song for Eurovision. In 2009, they used Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the beautiful musical theatre inspired ballad ‘It's My Time’.

In 2010, to keep up with that level of class, they chose Pete Waterman and the song that was chosen was the Jason Donovan D-Side ‘That Sounds Good To Me’. The song is amongst my least favourite entries of all time. The national final was also one of the biggest disasters ive ever seen.

When one of the final three contestants singing the song at the National Final forgets the words...you know it’s destined to tank. And it did. Europe found it dated, and Josh Dubovie found himself back on the cruise ship circuit.

2011 was a rare highpoint in the UK’s somewhat disaster of a decade. A strong favourite to take the whole thing, Blue’s ‘I Can’ scored very well with the televote, placing 5th. But the Juries hated it, and with sound difficulties in the jury final also playing its part, they placed it a lowly 22nd. Still, 11th place is outstanding by the UK’s current standards.

2012-2013 was another weird phase for the UK. We have made many questionable and downright ridiculous choices, but Englebert Humperdinck?? Really???

Bonnie Tyler in 2013 could’ve been a great choice, had the song not sounded like it belonged on a charity shop radio station and Bonnie sounding six vodkas deep. Oh lord.

Now 2014...this was a year of HYPE. ‘Children of The Universe’ had all the bookies wetting themselves. A strong song, liked by all and with the UK actually trying for once, could this be the year? The final came, and we closed the show: and unfortunately, it just didn’t connect with the Eurovision audience. Possibly one of the biggest disappointments in Eurovision history. It finished an underwhelming 17th and became a ‘could’ve been’ moment for the UK.

I really don’t want to talk about 2015. Like at all. It got five points and it deserved it, watch and you’ll see why....

Joe and Jake in 2016 was lovely, but dull. Symptomatic of the UK in the past few years: not bad, but forgettable. With plenty of other nations to vote for and better songs to pick, they were the first UK victim of the new voting system.

2017 saw a return to form for the UK. Easily one of the freshest entries we entered in years, Lucie Jones ‘Never Give Up On You’ had drama, the best staging (in my opinion) that year and flawless vocals. The juries should’ve scored her much higher, and the televote did her DIRTY. Still, 15th with 111 points is not a result to be sniffed at.

SuRie in 2018 was a huge hit with fans and loved by all...her song however wasn’t and again wasn’t bad, but forgettable. She earned a HUGE amount of respect in the final however, when a stage invasion saw her galvanise the crowd and serve amazing vocals and power. She went from a UK footnote, to Eurovision icon. SuRie herself deserved a better placing, the song deserved a few more points.

‘Bigger Than Us’ did not deserve last place. Periodt. Sure, it wasn’t a winner, but vocally Michael Rice did everything he could. The fact it scored one more point than Josh Dubovie, with the new system we have in place, is shocking to me. Poor Michael.

With the next entry being revealed Thursday, could we start the new decade with a boom bang a bang? Hopes are high, and rumours of all sorts of artists, from JLS to John Newman to Paloma Faith flying around. So, who knows!

pop culture
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About the Creator

VISION

Passionate about all things Eurovision.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelsellers95/

PayPal: paypal.me/michaelsellersxo

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