The date for Ireland’s Eurosong has been revealed! On 26 January from 21:35 GMT (22:35 CET), Ireland will be selecting their entry for Eurovision 2024 in Malmö, Sweden. Between 8 and 12 January, the songs participating in Eurosong have been released.
The Late Late Show and song reveal
As in previous years, Eurosong will be held as part of The Late Late Show. For the first time, this will be hosted by Patrick Kielty, as Ryan Tubridy stepped down in May of 2023.
Six songs will take part in the competition, which were revealed during The Ray D’Arcy Show, airing on RTÉ Radio 1 between 15:00 GMT (16:00 CET) and 16:30 GMT (17:30 CET). Starting Monday 8 January, one song was revealed each day. On Wednesday, two songs were released on the radio show.
Monday: Erica-Cody – “Love Me Like I Do”
The first artist to be announced for Eurosong 2024 is Erica-Cody, with her song “Love Me Like I Do”! According to her, the song is the “ultimate feel good self-love anthem”. Erica-Cody was born in 1996 in Dublin. She is a pop and R&B singer, songwriter and producer. In 2022, she reached the final of the Irish Dancing with the Stars. So far, she released two EPs and several singles. If she wins Eurosong, she will be the first woman of colour to represent Ireland in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Tuesday: Ailsha – “Go Tobann”
A bilingual Irish/English song, “Go Tobann” (“Suddenly”) will be featured in Eurosong! Ailsha is from county Wicklow and is one of the most promising artists of Ireland, taking inspiration from fairytales and video game music. She is from a musical family of composers and singers. Ailsha likes rock and metal music and mentioned Finland as her favourite Eurovision country. “Go Tobann” is about the experience of learning Irish as an English speaker, featuring the phrase “an bhfuil cead agam dul go dtí an leithreas”, which translates to “can I please go to the toilet”.
Wednesday: JyellowL – “Judas”
Wednesday saw two new performers for Eurosong 2024! The first to be announced is JyellowL, whose real name is Jean-Luc Uddoh. He was born in 1998 in Benin City, Nigeria, and has Nigerian and Jamaican roots. He moved to Dublin as a child and went to the same school as Jedward! JyellowL is an established rapper: his debut album “D|vision” was nominated for Irish Album of the Year, and his music has been used on the FIFA soundtrack. “Judas” is a rap song about overcoming challenges and staying true to yourself. While she is not credited as a main artist, the song also features a chorus by vocalist Toshín.
Wednesday: Isabella Kearney – “Let Me Be the Fire”
The second artist for Wednesday is Isabella Kearney. Isabella is Irish-Australian and grew up in Sydney, also having spent some years in Donegal and Northern Ireland. The 31-year-old is now based in Nashville and is signed to Sony Music as a songwriter. She has worked for artists including Taylor Swift, Lizzo and Demi Lovato and has also written several songs for Australia Decides. Her song “Let Me Be the Fire” is about helping loved ones make it through a difficult time. She wishes the upbeat track can make people feel supported when they are mentally not feeling well.
Thursday: Bambie Thug – “Doomsday Blue”
Bambie Thug was born in Ireland, moved to London to study music and work on their career, and is now based in Cork. Their music is powerful, explosive and eclectic, described by the artist as “ouija pop”, and they are not afraid to introduce difficult subjects in their songs. Bambie Thug is often inspired by spirituality and witchcraft, as can be heard on their EPs “Psilocyber”, “HIGH ROMANCY” and the album “Cathexis”. They will be performing “Doomsday Blue” at Eurosong – a dark, raw song that moves across lots of different genres.
Friday: Next In Line – “Love Like Us”
Finally to complete the Eurosong 2024 lineup are the new boyband Next In Line. The fivesome includes Conor Davis, Joshua Regala, Conor O’Farrell, Neung Kelly and Harry O’Connell, aged between 18 and 22. The band were formed by Irish talent guru Louis Walsh, famous for founding the careers of Westlife and Boyzone. They present the uplifting “Love Like Us”.
The artist that will be selected at Eurosong will aim for a better result than Wild Youth in 2023, who finished 12th in Semi Final 1. The last time Ireland won Eurovision was in 1996, ending their golden years in the contest.
Who is your favourite of Eurosong 2024? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on X/Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram, @escxtra on TikTok and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to follow us on Spotify for the latest music from your favourite Eurovision acts, and on YouTube for reactions and exclusive interviews.