UNITED KINGDOM 2011 - Blue - I Can

[A-lister]

Without hearing the song yet, I think UK might win this year (and that will have alot to do with juries).

I don't think it'll be the best entry though, but I just have this feeling about UK's chances this year.

Anyways, checking in to see my future husband Duncan

 

[Scooby]

Alister I hope that Duncan will not disappoint you

 

[Milos-BC]

I hardly think Blue would put themselves out there if they honestly thought they'd do awful, they could come back normally without eurovision and do very well. So Blue & the record label must think they have a shot at this or why all the hassle

This xgood

I can't wait to hear it......I have reserved my 12 points for the UK this year, and I am sure it won't let me down.

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

Yaay!! I must admit Im very hopeful now that we may just actually do it - in 2009 we kinda knew we wouldnt be able to win over Alexander but this year... certainly is a possibility!
Just hope I've not spoken too soon - to have Eurovision in 2012, such a special year, would be dream!!

 

[Rusch]

A win of UK would strengthen the contest even further. I would increase the intrest of the UK people and would show again, that there is in truth not really a thing like an eastern European connection. But in the moment, I`m still not convinced, that Blue will come up with a winning song. The BBC showed a very bad taste many time over the last decade.

 

[Samb]

So Blue & the record label must think they have a shot at this or why all the hassle

Quite simply, as a platform to rekindle their pop career. Its exposure, pure and simple. We've seen it with quite a few British acts over the year. I await with baited breath.

It's disappointing that the UK have really removed the competition aspect from Eurovision in a national perspective. Again I should reiterate that I support an open submissions contest with a similar structure to Eesti Laul. Perhaps I am biased to an extent, or whatever: aside from 2009 (which I thought was distinctly average at best) I have unashamably hated every United Kingdom entry since we last entered a good song in 2002.

But in the moment, I`m still not convinced, that Blue will come up with a winning song. The BBC showed a very bad taste many time over the last decade.

This is absolutely bang on the money.

 

[MrJadeEwen]

Platform to rekindle? Blue don't need a platform, they had a large fan base which with enough promotion didn't need Eurovision at all to get it all going. Breathe Easy was written by the same writers as this new song. I hardly see a bad song being chosen. This single is to try and top the UK charts, if they have an average song that won't happen.

Also as a band Blue would refuse to sing something average at best, they have a very good credibilty and actually only left the music charts about 5 years ago. It's more an opportunity to boost their popularity in the other european countries and personally we should applaud it & not let last years awful song judge this one without it even being heard yet.

 

[Matt]

I agree with MrJadeEwen.

Blue has been very vocal about their intentions and interest in the contest. Antony Costa tried represent the UK at eurovision before a few years ago and one of the other guys announced the british votes in 2009 I think. So they are connected to the contest and regardless of the fact if you like the band or not, they are taking this very seriously so it's not really an accurate (or fair) statement to make.

 

[Samb]

Also as a band Blue would refuse to sing something average at best, they have a very good credibilty and actually only left the music charts about 5 years ago. It's more an opportunity to boost their popularity in the other european countries and personally we should applaud it & not let last years awful song judge this one without it even being heard yet.

It's a nice touch that their PR would set up an account here.

If there's anything that shouldn't be applauded it's the UK selection agian going down the incestuous route of established acts/performers/songwriters to apparently 'crack' the contest.

 

[MyHeartIsYours]

If there's anything that shouldn't be applauded it's the UK selection agian going down the incestuous route of established acts/performers/songwriters to apparently 'crack' the contest.

Why not?? People always say that they want the United Kingdom to send famous acts...

 

[Mickey]

Quite simply, as a platform to rekindle their pop career. Its exposure, pure and simple. We've seen it with quite a few British acts over the year. I await with baited breath.

Blue do already have a platform, but they aren't the only boyband to make a comeback recently. ESC helps them get extra publicity rather than just being another band trying to emulate Take That.

Obviously, Blue want to relaunch their pop career, but the only way Eurovision is going to make that happen is if they do well and get at least a top-five finish.

 

[Samb]

Why not?? People always say that they want the United Kingdom to send famous acts...

I don't know who these 'people' are, but I would suggest that not only is it in the spirit of the thing, but that the format never, ever seems to work. The contest has been approached for years now in the same jaded angle. Fresh blood is needed. Half the time I think people are scared at the possibility of an open contest that just *might* shake things up a bit. It's tiring heading into every year praying that the song will not be abysmal, and practically relieved if it is average. It's a shame that some UK Eurovision fans just trot along and wave their flags without questioning the process, and why, for that matter, they are actually cheering and 'thanking' countries for votes.

 

[Mickey]

the format never, ever seems to work.

This is the first time UK has sent an established pop act as our performer in well over a decade. This format hasn't been tried yet.

 

[Matt]

What about Scooch???
Not sure how 'famous' they were though back in the day.

 

[Samb]

Define 'established pop act'. This incinuates that there is some sort of glass ceiling here. We had Scooch, we had Jessica, we had some of the Fame Academy or whatever with a certain degree of success domestically...If, a couple of years down the line, when a haggared shadow of Robbie Williams crawls up to the mic with a half-wheezed 'hello Europe!' would you suggest that he is a 'more established pop act'?

You only need to see how established acts in several other European countries have taken to the stage and been completely smashed.

 

[Mickey]

What about Scooch???
Not sure how 'famous' they were though back in the day.

I think they may have had one song in the top 20, maybe. At any rate, they're far more famous as a former Eurovision participant than they ever were as a standalone act.

 

[Samb]

Three top tens, one top twenty, in fact. Got big in Japan.

 

[Mickey]

Whatever. Still, the fact remains, if you asked the average person who Scooch are, they would say "They're those ones who lost at Eurovision". No one would remember anything else about them.

The same would not be true for Blue. I'm not a fan of theirs, but I'm certainly aware of "I swear" and "One Love" and they have a massive following both in UK and Europe.

 

[Samb]

So where is this glorious glass ceiling then?

 

[Mickey]

So where is this glorious glass ceiling then?

All I'm trying to do is point out the fallacy in your suggestion that UK has been sending internationally renowned pop superstars for years in succession. No one in Europe would have heard of Scooch and Jessica was an Idol loser who I don't think had even released a single.

If some wannabe off the street wants to become a pop star they can enter X Factor or one of Simon Cowell's other talent-farming operations. Alternatively, they could write some songs, pick up a guitar and do it for themselves. No one's holding anyone back by limiting this year's eurovision selection to a popular act who have a legitimate shot at winning.