SuRie: UK Eurovision hopeful on Will Ferrell, Party Rings and the Big 5

The Independent caught up with this year's UK Eurovision entry to see how she's feeling ahead of this weekend's final

Our disco ball has no dimmer switch when it comes to the Eurovision Song Contest.

In recent years UK participation has been a wildly fluctuating churn of earnest stage school chamber-pop versus electro-swing, scat-infused advertising jingles, with absolutely no middle ground to cling to.

As members of the auto-qualifying “Big 5” (us plus the hosts and Italy, Spain, France and Germany do not have to go through the whittling down process of the semi finals), as a nation we always seem taken back when our untested polarising entries fail to float with an international audience.

We’ve forgotten how to balance polish and confidence with having fun. Step forward SuRie with our 2018 entry "Storm".

With two contests under her belt (twice finishing fourth as a backing vocalist for Belgium) and a super positive, easy-breezy attitude, SuRie’s already a favourite amongst hardcore fans. James, a UK tourist here in Lisbon, told me: “I genuinely hopes she knows how much we all appreciate her approach to the contest and what she has done - we’ll cheer for her whatever the result” - a sentiment echoed by so many travelling fans throughout the week. There’s a lot of love for SuRie’s attitude and approach.

Along with Rylan, a further breath of fresh air this year, the Beeb are obviously pushing towards a modernisation of how Eurovision is perceived by viewers back home. We’re not quite over the beloved-but-snarky commentary of Terry Wogan - but we’re getting there.

We caught up with SuRie between semi finals and asked: Has she sensed a change in UK attitudes towards the annual singing competition?

“A little, and it’s an honour to be a small cog in the process. I was never intending to go into Eurovision to change the world but if I can help change some of the opinions, reputation and stigma that we have around us [in the UK] then that’s great. Of course that was in my mindset.”

And why do you think that sigma still persists?

“Because some people don’t know Eurovision like they think they know it. They haven’t ventured towards it and that’s fair enough - I guiltily admit that I was that person three year ago. I’d never watched a whole song contest, I’d never dipped my foot into the amazing pool that Eurovision is, and I’m playing catch up now, kicking myself for all the years I missed out on. It’s an incredibly inspiring world, it’s an incredibly educational world - I’m finding it fascinating, all the cultural differences that are being respected and celebrated.

There are just some people who think they know what it is but just haven’t actually gone there yet.”

And what would you say to them?

“Give it a try. If you can - come to an event. Watching it is one thing, and hundreds of millions do, but being at a Eurovision is an indescribably inspiring experience and I defy anyone who attends a Eurovision to then say “nah, I don’t like it”. Honestly I think it’s for everyone.”

This is your third Eurovision…

“The hat trick!”

…and between you and Rylan (particularly on social media), you’ve helped boot UK perceptions of how to “do” Eurovision forward a few years - do you think you’d come back in a mentoring capacity if the Beeb asked you?

“Oooh, now that’s a good question. I wouldn’t say no but there’s all sorts of things as the singer-songwriter that I am that I want to now achieve going forward. Eurovision has been an incredible world that has flung its arms lovingly around me for the past 3 years - so I’d certainly not turn away from it at all, and in fact I’m going on a Eurovision tour across the UK… but there are other records I want to make, there are performances and roles and creative endeavours that I also want to pursue. I think the hat trick, the trilogy might be enough.”

You’re not gonna turn into a Valentina Monetta [San Marino’s perennial contestant]?

“I don’t think so. With great love and respect, I don’t think so.”

If the UK had to take part in the semi finals [as part of the “Big 5” contributors to the EBU we currently enjoy a pass to the Saturday night Grand Final], what sort of impact would it have on our participation?

“I’m not sure if it would impact on the song choice because I like to think, from the BBC’s point of view, that the song they are selecting is a winner. Be it qualifying for the final or flying through the semis, they want a strong track full stop.

How would qualification be received back home? I mean if I step out of this equation for a second, I would say that actually, that’s quite fair. I don’t set the EBU rules but I would be happy to be a part of the semi finals just like everyone else. I’ve had that experience with Belgium twice before and so I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with it. I dunno if anyone else would.”

There’s still a big casual audience that don’t necessarily know about the semi finals…

“What I find really hard is knowing how much work, energy, emotion and finance goes into the preparation for the semis and then some countries are unable to go through to the final. I find that really, really heartbreaking, and I found that really difficult to watch last night. I enjoyed the show but I found it so upsetting for those that have to go home.

If it was up to me I’d make the “Big 5” qualify as well - I’d say that everyone should be in the same pot. But obviously the Big 5 are there for a reason, because they contribute enormously behind the scenes.”

And we saw you consoling the knocked-out Icelandic contestant after the first semi final…

“Ari [Ólafsson] from Iceland - yeah, and Zibbz from Switzerland and I went to find Sennek from Belgium as well but I know she was really upset and just wanted to get out of there - which is fair enough, as there are cameras in your face and it’s just urrrrrgghhhh.

But Ari is a good lad and I clicked with him very early on as he's off to the Royal Academy of Music in September, which is also where I studied so I’m excited for him actually. Last night didn’t go the way he wanted it but from September he’s gonna have the dream time at that conservatoire so I’m very excited for him - but he deserved a few hugs last night, that was tough.”

So there’s a lot of camaraderie between the contests?

“Yeah, you find there are those you click with socially and others maybe not so much - but that’s life. We’re all in this together and only we can really understand what there others are going through. I mean, Ari popped into the dressing room yesterday just for a chat and a hug and I said “how are you feeling? Is today a good today?” So we’ve all got each other’s backs.”

In a ideal world - if you could invite any other nation to take part in Eurovision, who would it be?

“It would be interesting to see something from the K-pop or J-pop world, so Korea or Japan. There are so many interesting, theatrical elements that would fit with the entertainment visual arts concept of Eurovision - but isn’t that already starting to happen with Eurovision Asia?”

I don’t know! Do you know anything about that?

“Isn’t that in the rumour mill? I shouldn’t speculate should I? I haven’t heard anything useful and I’ll end up doing similar to when I heard that Will Ferrell was attending the show and then I heard from another contestant that he was here researching a Eurovision movie, and then I mentioned it, and it just turns out that he’s got a Swedish wife and he’s a fan of the show. So I shouldn’t speculate on anything I don’t know anything about! Ha!”

I’d watch a Will Ferrell Eurovision film though…

“Me too! I think he should make it. If I see him around I’ll pitch that idea.”

Now, we can’t vote for you but who should UK viewers consider giving their Douze Points to?

“This is a tough one! Oh… Czech Republic I love, and Cyprus was the complete package and then Lithuania blew me away - it’s my kinda style and it was stunning. There’s something about this year - I just can’t guess what’s going to go to the top of the leaderboard. I’m just clueless because there’s so much strength this year - it’s a really open year - and maybe it could even be Storm at the top.”

That’d be something to celebrate - what else makes for a good Eurovision party?

“Party Rings. The biscuits. I love them. The pink and yellow icing ones.”

No booze?

“Yeah, a shot each time Graham Norton says something sarcastic. You’d be wrecked by song three.”

SuRie will perform Storm at the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final on Saturday 8pm BBC One. We also can exclusively reveal that SuRie releases a new single on Friday 25 May and kicks off a UK tour shortly before. Tickets available here