Ireland: Lesley Roy

Ah, it's Ireland, our friends from just across the sea (or from just the other side of the border if you're in Northern Ireland). Ireland are the most successful nation in Eurovision history which is surprising to someone like me who had to witness Dustin the Turkey in 2008.

Last year, Lesley Roy would have brought us "Story of my Life". This is a celebration of diversity and of overcoming adversity and being yourself and loving life. It's all good and positive stuff and the video serves as a kind of LGBT Gap advert.  There's some "na na na"s and "hey hey"s thrown in for good measure but it could have done with some "to be sure to be sure"s as well just so we remember it isn't actually Kelly Clarkson/Pink/Katy Perry etc. It's the kind of song that would finally get uncle Trevor to unleashes his inner disco animal on the dancefloor at your cousin's wedding.

This song could have helped Ireland out of the semis but I don't think we were looking at a serious contender. Honestly, I doubt Ireland will get me truly excited about their Eurovision entries until they start sending us Jedward again every year.

The one moment of brilliance in this song that many may have missed is at 1:52 when Lesley channels the spirit of "my friend is on the right" from the song "Friday" by Rebecca Black. Is it deliberate? Or do we all just have this arm shake in our dance move portfolio? Either way it took me back to happy memories of 2011 when this song and its 17 trillion memes made the world a better place!

Anyway on to 2021 and "Maps"....

She sings. She runs in a forest. That's about it.