Eurovision 2022: TikTok star Sam Ryder to represent the UK
The 2022 Eurovision Song Contest final will be held on 14 May 2022 in Turin, Italy.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: BBC
The UK’s entry into the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest has been announced as Sam Ryder with the song ‘Space Man’.
The 31-year-old TikTok star was announced as this year’s contender on Thursday (10 March) on BBC Radio 1 by DJ and Eurovision fan and commentator, Scott Mills.
Sam attracted a huge social media following on the social media app at the beginning of the pandemic and was the UK’s most viewed artist of 2020. He signed with the record label Parlophone last year.
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Sharing the music video for ‘Space Man’ on Instagram, Sam said it was “ABSOLUTELY BONKERS”.
The 2022 Eurovision Song Contest final will be held on 14 May 2022 in Turin, Italy.
Given the UK’s poor performance in recent years, finishing in last place in 2019 and 2021 (there was no contest in 2020) Sam has told the BBC: “I don’t want to let the stigma or fear of coming at a certain place in a table stop me from doing something and being a part of something that I enjoy so much.”
He adds: “As long as I can go to Eurovision and know in my heart of hearts I’m going to do the best job I can then everything else is out of my control.”
Sam was selected in an exclusive process between the management company, Tap Music, who played a role in Dua Lipa’s career, and the BBC.
Russia has been banned from this year’s contest following its invasion of Ukraine.
Attitude’s View:
After a couple of years of finishing with a grand total of ‘nil points’, we’re in need of a decent act. So, is Sam Ryder up to the task?
If you were wondering what Sam thinks of if he was an astronaut, then ‘Space Man’ is the song for you. It would sit comfortably alongside Coldplay and Ed Sheeran and it’s a decent tune, and unlike some previous entries, it feels like an actual song you might listen to rather than something created purely for Eurovision.
Last year James Newman flew the flag (after Scooch of course) with ‘Embers’. Sadly, as we say, it finished in last place, which isn’t to say it’s bad but it wasn’t very Eurovision-y. If you think about recent successes they’re either true bangers like Måneskin’s ‘Zitte E Buoni’ or ballads like Duncan Lawrence’s ‘Arcade’.
Also, consider some of this year’s competition such as Latvia’s ‘Eat Your Salad’ (above) starting with ‘instead of meat I eat veggies and p****’. It’s bold, hilarious, and fits in with the absurdity and campness that is Eurovision.
As such, ‘Space Man’ might have a similarly hard time as ‘Embers’ standing out.
Ryder’s success will also be down to the performance itself. Audiences seem to want something that is fun and energetic or dramatic and serious. Both can be equally camp. It’s hard to see how ‘Space Man’ will be sold other than a man on stage, maybe with a guitar.
Is that exciting enough? I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but this writer has some thoughts.
Check out Sam Ryder’s ‘Space Man’ below: