In a thrilling revelation, Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander has confirmed his role as the United Kingdom’s representative at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. The singer announced the exciting news during the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing finale, expressing his sheer excitement and labelling the opportunity as a dream come true.
“I love Eurovision so much, it’s a dream come true,” Alexander shared with host Claudia Winkleman during the show’s interval. “I’m just so, so excited.”
Collaborating with producer Danny L Harle, recognised for his work with Dua Lipa and Charli XCX, Alexander confirmed his song will echo the spirit of the contest in the “gayest way possible,” intending to deliver an exceptional performance.
Talking about the announcement in a press release, Alexander went on to say, “I really can’t believe I’m going to be a part of such a special legacy and fly the flag for the UK in the gayest way possible. I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got and put on an excellent and unforgettable performance for you all!”
In November, The Sun claimed that Alexander was in advanced talks and they also mentioned that his song would be a collaboration with Danny L Harle – something BBC also confirmed in the press release.
The iconic producer has released his own music, in the past, going on to feature Carly Rae Jepsen on “Super Natural”, Caroline Polachek on “Ashes of Love”, and collaborated with Tkay Maidza on “Bom Bom”. He is best known for his extensive songwriting and production credits, which include Dua Lipa’s “Houdini” and Caroline Polachek’s “Bunny is a Rider” and “Billions”, as well as working with PinkPantheress, Skrillex, Liam Gallagher, Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama, and Chic.
“This was very difficult to keep quiet omg! So excited to announce that I’m the UK’s Eurovision entry for 2024!” Alexander exclaimed on Instagram. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long long time and it feels like the right moment to start releasing music under my own name. I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got. I shall put on an excellent and unforgettable performance for you all! Let’s do this!”
On top of that Rylan has confirmed that he’ll look after Alexander’s mum in Sweden, going on to reference Verka Serduchka’s mother – Inna Bilokon. It’s clear that Alexander is a huge fan of Eurovision and is sure to represent the UK perfectly.
This isn’t Alexander’s first stint with the BBC; he’s previously graced the broadcaster’s New Year’s Eve show – ringing in the year 2022 – and has duetted in the last couple of years with music legends like Kylie Minogue and Elton John, as well as iconic DJs Galantis and Regard. His track record with Years & Years boasts five UK top 10 singles – including number-one single “King” – and two number-one albums, captivating audiences not only in the UK but also across Europe.
“Having headlined arenas and festivals worldwide – not to mention collaborating with the likes of Sir Elton John, Kylie, and Pet Shop Boys – Olly Alexander’s icon-status recently saw him immortalised at Madame Tussauds London,” the BBC statement elaborated.
Olly himself echoed his excitement: “I’ve loved watching Eurovision ever since I was a little kid and I’m beyond excited to be taking part next year. As a young boy I always looked forward to this incredible event of unbridled joy, the wonderfully chaotic mix of musical styles, theatrical performances, heartfelt emotion and humour.”
He went on to say, “I really can’t believe I’m going to be a part of such a special legacy and fly the flag for the UK in the gayest way possible, it shall be an honour! I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and it feels like the right moment to start releasing music under my own name. I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got and put on an excellent and unforgettable performance for you all!”
The revelation of his participation in Eurovision 2024 sparks immense anticipation, not only for the performance but also for the unveiling of his collaboration with Danny L Harle. As the event draws closer, eyes and ears around the world eagerly await the UK’s entry into this celebrated musical extravaganza.
The announcement of Olly Alexander as the UK’s official Eurovision representative isn’t the only Eurovision news since Malmö was confirmed as that host city – we’ve had a whole range of announcements. Alongside this UK representative reveal, other countries have also confirmed their representatives, some even revealing their songs. France revealed one of their top artists, Slimane, as their act who has three number-one albums in France, and they also revealed his song, which is titled “Mon amour”. For Czechia, Aiko won their national selection show, with the song “Pedestal”. Slovenia has also announced their act, known as Raiven, who will perform a song titled “Veronika” which will be unveiled in January.
A few other countries have only revealed their artist, so far – much like the UK. Belgium internally selected Mustii to represent them; for Cyprus, they chose Silia Kapsis; as for Greece, they chose Marina Satti; and for the Netherlands, they chose Joost Klein.
BBC has confirmed that Olly Alexander’s Eurovision journey will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with both the semi-finals and the grand final scheduled for May 7, 2024, May 9, 2024, and May 11, 2024, respectively, also set to broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer. This makes it the first time, in the history of Eurovision, that the broadcast of the semi-finals will be shown on BBC One when the host country is not the UK.
The song, co-crafted with Danny L Harle, remains under wraps, heightening the anticipation for what promises to be a captivating and unforgettable musical display.
Stay tuned for more updates as Olly Alexander gears up to grace the Eurovision stage with his distinctive talent and vibrant energy, bringing forth an electrifying performance that is set to leave an indelible mark on the competition. Eurovision is not only a huge opportunity for any act but there is a lot of preparation from rehearsals to promotion to press conferences to Eurovision pre-parties, we’re excited to see Alexander take all this on and bask in the glory of Eurovision overall.
