Eurovision – Your Decision
About the artists
Andy Abraham
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- Song: Even If
Written by: Andy Abraham, Andy Watkins and Paul Wilson
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Andy Abraham has already had the chance to prove to the nation that he's incredibly musically gifted. He won the hearts of millions of viewers of the X Factor with his vocal talents and endearing personality.
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The release of his first album, The Impossible Dream, made chart history selling 176,689 copies in its first week and reaching platinum status.
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His song for Eurovision: Your Decision, Even If, is a funky love song about a man who has found genuine love with a girl. He wants to let her know that he's committed to her and won't let her down.
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Andy believes his song his memorable, and thinks that's where the UK has gone wrong over the last few years, claiming that all the UK entries have been fairly forgettable.
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"A good Eurovision track is catchy, memorable and original," he says.
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He thinks the nation should vote for him because: "They'll love the song and they'll love the performance and most of all they'll believe like I do the song is the best to represent our nation in the Eurovision."
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Eurovision is special to him as it is something he always watched as a youngster with his mother and, being musically minded, he was naturally drawn to it. It was always such an annual family tradition to sit around the TV watching all that international talent. He cites the contest as the original TV talent show.
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Looking back at some of the great winners of the past such as Dana, Johnny Logan and Bucks Fizz, he admires their success after the competition and has high hopes for himself.
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Andy is certain that once viewers hear his song, it will stick out in their minds enough to fall in love with it.
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"It's a real crowd pleaser," he chuckles.
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In return for their vote, he will do his best in Belgrade to bring it home for Britain.
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Michelle Gayle
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- Song: Woo (You Make Me)
Written by: Michelle Gayle, Morten Schjolin and Rashelle Davies
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Michelle Gayle is no stranger to the music industry and has had major chart success over the years.
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Nominated for three Brit awards – twice in 1995 for Best Single and Best Female and once in 1998 for Best Female – Michelle has had a string of Top 10 hits including Sweetness, Do You Know and Things Are Looking Up.
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She has also had various roles in film and theatre, which have included playing Belle in the West End musical Beauty And The Beast in 1999.
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Michelle is thrilled about being up for the chance to represent the UK at this year's Eurovision.
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"I thought it would be a good opportunity to write a song with Eurovision in mind. I hate the fact that we keep getting bad results in the final so I wanted to make a catchy song that the other countries would vote for."
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Michelle's song is incredibly important to her, as it marks new territory in her musical style. "It's pop in essence, but it has a very cool Sixties vibe to it," she says.
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According to Michelle, the song is about a couple who are from different countries, so have a language barrier – they are lost in translation.
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"My song is called Woo (You Make Me) and I started humming the melody of it the morning after my birthday – always a good sign.
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"It's about falling for someone that can't speak English and I'm trying to make him understand the way that he makes me feel. My friend once went out with a Spanish guy who couldn't speak a word of English so I based it on that."
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Eurovision reminds Michelle of her childhood. She always watched it with her mum and grandmother – they all loved seeing how each country performed and what they were wearing.
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She cites ABBA and Bucks Fizz as the best examples of winning Eurovision performances, because they were having so much fun with their songs.
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For Michelle, the ingredients of what makes a winning song changes year-on-year, which some might say Dana International was responsible for changing. "She introduced the concept of novelty – but it shouldn't be about novelty alone, it should be more about the song."
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And the Brits, she believes, haven't done too well at picking very good songs to represent us. "We've tended to think if a song sounds modern, it must be good. But, by the time we got to the final, we've been let down by the quality of the rest of Europe's stuff."
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Michelle thinks she should represent the UK because not only does she have a dazzling song to perform but it is original and fun too. "I'll nail the vocal on the night, and I'll guarantee that I'll give the best performance of my life".
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She adds: "I just want to walk out on that stage, hold my head high and sock it to them!"
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LoveShy
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- Song: Mr Gorgeous
Written by: Oscar Gorres, Teresia Bjarneby, Aimee Kearsley and Emma Beard
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Lively pop duo LoveShy consists of best friends Aimee Kearsley (22) and Emma Beard (24).
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Aimee and Emma first hit the headlines after getting down to the final ten girls in Popstars The Rivals. The show went on to form Girls Aloud and four of the runner-up girls, Aimee, Emma, Lynsey Brown and Chloe Staines, formed girlband Clea.
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Clea had four hit singles from their debut album Trinity. The band reduced to a three-piece in 2005 (Chloe Staines emigrated to Canada) and travelled and toured the world, achieving success across Asia and Europe.
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With the decision by Lynsey Brown to leave the group at the end of 2006, Aimee and Emma set about making plans for a new sound, look and band to continue their quest for success.
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LoveShy are convinced that it's now time to bring credible and stylish British pop back to Eurovision and are focussed on bringing Eurovision to the UK again.
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Aimee and Emma say that entering this contest is like a dream come true.
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Emma said: "We have always loved the idea of being involved in Eurovision. For the past five years Aimee and I have watched the show and said how amazing it would be to represent our country in the world's biggest singing competition.
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"It's like the singers' version of the World Cup. Who wouldn't want to be involved? Every year we have watched good old Terry Wogan fighting our corner, wouldn't it be great to battle back to the top where the UK belongs.
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"When we found out we were selected to take part in the show I couldn't stop jumping up and down."
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Aimee has always been a fan of the show since she was a child, and remembers screaming at the screen when the UK started flagging behind in points.
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She believes there is only one thing more important than their song – and that's Terry.
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"Eurovision is all about him," she laughs. "He's just so tongue-in-cheek."
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Emma says their song Mr Gorgeous is about meeting the perfect guy you really just want to spend all your time with and you feel you could "eat him off a plate".
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Aimee says: "It's a sexy, pop, electro song that is sure to get you singing along and, once you've heard it, it will be stuck in your brain whether you like it or not! Ha."
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There will even be a few surprises in their performance on the night: "We don't want to give too much away but expect something for everyone to enjoy during Mr Gorgeous including some Mr Gorgeous's on stage!"
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Emma cites Gina G's Ooh Ah Just A Little Bit as Eurovision at its best because it had all the correct ingredients of a true hit. It was catchy and had the hook, and even came with a dance, and had instant like-ability. It was the whole package.
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Aimee has fond memories of when we last won with Katrina And The Waves, and cites the UK's 1999 entry by Precious as one of her favourite tracks – although Dana International gave the best performance ever.
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The Revelations
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- Song: It's You
Written by: Adam Howorth
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The Revelations are Annika Magnberg (24), Sarah Vitorino (22) and Louise Masters (24).
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The girls have been together since 2005 after they answered an ad in NME to form a new girl group, although they have all been singing individually since they were in their teens.
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At the start of 2006 The Revelations went into the studio to record their debut album. That summer they made their festival debut at the O2 Wireless Festival in Hyde Park.
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The Revelations' album is the first from an unsigned act to be picked as ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 2 Album of the Week.
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It's fitting that they're hoping to enter Eurovision, as they themselves have roots all over Europe. Louise is from East London, as is Sarah, although her father is from Portugal, and Annika hails from Sweden – the country so famously known for winning Eurovision with ABBA in 1974. Annika's only been living in the UK for just under three years – she moved here especially to join the group.
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While Sarah and Louise are ecstatic about the possibility of representing their country in Eurovision, Annika jokes that her family and friends will be less enthused as Eurovision is taken so seriously there!
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They describe their musical style as original modern Motown, and with a slight ABBA influence, which they put down to Annika's vocals.
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The girls say that their song It's You is about suddenly realising that you are in love with someone, and how good that feels. It's a celebration of love!
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"Our song is a Motown-inspired, energetic up-tempo song. It's a conversation between a girl and her two friends. She has found the man she loves and is worried he might not feel the same way. Her friends are trying to re-assure her it will all be ok," say the girls.
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Because of ABBA's influence on the band, they say that Waterloo is definitely their favourite Eurovision track of all time.
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"ABBA performing Waterloo, of course, is our all-time favourite Eurovision moment."
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They all have many memories of Eurovision growing up.
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Louise first remembers watching the show on a caravanning holiday and loved the excitement of the scoring of all the countries at the end. Sarah watched it religiously every year with her Nan, and Annika says in her house the highlight was when Sweden won the competition in 1991.
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She says: "Carola – she won for Sweden in 1991 with a song called Fangad Av En Stormvind. It was a tie between her and France, so they had to count up who had the most tens and twelves in their scores to decide who had won!"
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The girls feel that UK Eurovision entries are too gimmicky these days and now need a fresh approach with an original song. They feel that's probably why the UK has not had a win in 11 years – with Daz Sampson and Scooch our lowest points.
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"We're not too keen on the gimmick acts that have been entered over the last couple of years; it just needs to be a good song, hopefully the public will like ours! The entrants were better 20 years ago than they are today, but hopefully we can change that!"
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They believe It's You has the right ingredients of a winning song because it's genuinely a good tune. The Revelations are "all about the music" and fantastic harmonies, so it's a good start!
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With their own origins routed deeply in Sixties girl bands, they cite Lulu's 1969 UK win Boom-Bang-A-Bang as an example of Eurovision at its finest.
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They don't feel the need to say anything to convince viewers to vote for them, as they're confident that the song will speak for itself. Certainly, they believe that their style won't have been seen before on Eurovision.
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Rob McVeigh
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- Song: I Owe It All To You
Written by: Paul Barry and Mark Read
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Rob McVeigh will be remembered by many as one of 2007's final 12 Josephs in the hit ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One series Any Dream Will Do.
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"Rob The Builder", as he was affectionately known, comes from Rotherham, and just 12 months ago had no idea he was about to be launched into a new full-time career as a singer, let alone be up for representing the UK in Eurovision.
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He jokes: "It's a far cry from all that bricks and mortar."
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Any Dream Will Do was Rob's first foray into professional singing. Since then, he's left his days as a builder firmly behind him.
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Over the last few months, he's been busy auditioning for various West End roles and, most recently, he appeared in pantomime in Cinderella at Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre. He played Dandini alongside Blue Peter's Matt Baker as Prince Charming.
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He's thrilled about the possibility of representing the UK in Belgrade, and feels proud to be considered. His family are ecstatic.
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He says: "I have always wanted to represent my country at something which I do well and, having decided that this is the career path I want to take, it is an ideal opportunity for me and one I could not turn down."
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He's incredibly excited about singing Owe It All To You.
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"It is a song I can relate to and I see every word as a thank you to the public and Andrew Lloyd Webber for giving me this opportunity. It is a big rock ballad with some great lyrics which can be sung with true meaning and real emotion. The title I Owe It All To You is like a thank you to the public for putting me where I am today from Any Dream Will Do."
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Rob thinks the nation has got it all wrong when it comes to winning Eurovision.
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"We just don't take it seriously like everyone else", he says. "Rather than just voting in the novelty factor, we need to vote in something decent that's going to represent our talent in songwriting. Our national pride is at stake!"
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He respects artists such as Celine Dion for making their mark on Eurovision, then moving onto even bigger things, proving that representing your country doesn't have to make you a one-hit wonder.
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He firmly believes that if he goes through to Belgrade, it will be just the beginning for him.
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Over the years he's enjoyed some Eurovision hits more than others, but says the highlight is definitely the scoring at the end of the show.
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He says he would be extremely nervous at this part of the proceedings if he made it as this year's entry, as he would feel the pressure from everyone back home.
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He feels that people should vote for him because he's a genuine Joe Bloggs, and represents the everyday man.
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"I want to show Europe how an ordinary bloke from the North of England can reach for his dreams, and get them."
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Rob thinks the one thing missing from the UK's acts over the last few years is passion – something he has plenty of for the song, his country, and his love for performing.
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Simona Armstrong
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- Song: Changes
Written by: Simon Ellis, Emma McGettrick, Mari Loretzen, Eleanor Wilson and Caroline Reed
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Simona Armstrong was one of Lord Lloyd Webber's final ten from the hit ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ One series How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? Andrew handpicked the girls as possible lead actresses in his new production of The Sound Of Music.
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Sadly, Simona didn't make it as Maria but she has continued to audition for roles and has just finished filming an episode of The Bill.
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Born and raised in Romania, Simona is a passionate woman who puts her all into every performance. She believes this prevailing characteristic – set against the backdrop of Eurovision – will enable the great British public to really see her at her best.
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She is immensely proud to have the opportunity to represent the UK this year, and says that her pure passion for the song alone will ensure one of the most astounding performances of her career to date.
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Simona can really relate to the girl in the story of the song Changes who is going through massive changes in her life due to a relationship that has ended. But she says what makes this song different from the others in the running, is that the message is so universal to everyone.
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She says: "It could be about the changes we face every day in life, relationships, friendships, and even in jobs. It's about keeping your head held high as we try to adapt to the changes and challenges that surround us. It's about keeping positive."
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Back home in Romania, she says that everyone takes Eurovision incredibly seriously, and she hopes to inject a little of that pride into the UK this year.
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She says: "The public don't vote for me, they vote for themselves. Eurovision is not for me as an individual, it's for Britain. I am the messenger! If they think I am the right one to go along I will be honoured and do my best."
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She's not worried about a backlash from her Romanian fans, as she explains that 80% of home-grown music there has a British feel to it, so she's positive that if she does end up in Belgrade in May, Romania is bound to give the UK douze points!
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Her favourite Eurovision hit of all time was Turkey's 2004 winner Sertab Erener who sung Everyway That I Can. "The performance was so wild," she says.
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She is sure that she can lead the UK to a victory because, more than anything, she has the belief in herself and the song.
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"A winning song requires much passion and spirit in the storytelling as you perform each line. It is the same technique one must use in musical theatre, and I really know about the importance of conveying the message of the song to your audience," she adds.
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Simona's fighting spirit has brought her this far, and she is determined to continue.
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"When you believe in yourself, anything is possible. So, yes, I do think I can win it for the UK. After all, it's all about changes!"
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