Ireland's 2025 Eurovision entry

Ireland has a long and successful Eurovision history going all the way back to Dana's 1970 song "All kinds of everything". Eurovision was very different back then of course. This positive, sweet song about (presumably heterosexual) love fitted the Eurovision bill perfectly and stormed to success, even being covered by Sinéad O'Connor.

How Eurovison has changed though. One contestant for Ireland's Eurovision entry on the Late Late Show described Eurovision as the "Gay Olympics". Indeed at least three of the six contestants were from the LGBT+ community. Plus Ireland's 2024 winner Bambi Thug is as far away from Dana's clean cut image as it is possible to be. She's non-binary, is covered in tattoos, and has a history of drug taking. She's divided opinion, yet remains a very popular act to this day.

Norwegian singer EMMY

Talking of dividing opinions, the choice of EMMY to represent Ireland did that to a degree. Her song Laika Party was definitely catchy. It's a good dance anthem with a strong up tempo rhythm and good vocal. The lyrics reimagine the life of a dog sent up to space by the Russians in 1957 who to this day is alive and partying as it revolves around our galaxy. A positive spin to a sad story about a dog. It should be met well by the Eurovision community. 

The song and group has a fun edge to them as well. I'm not sure what spelling their name in capitals is trying to say, but EMMY's choice of song title has a definite young and funky edge. For "Laika", read "Like a". Geddit? But what really set them aside from the other contestants was the song's performance. Flanked by two dancers flanked is silver shell suits, you could be forgiven for missing the singer's brother standing at the back playing a keyboard. His deadpan look and robotic choreography was a nod to Germany's Kraftwerk, and went down a storm.

As for any controversy, there wasn't much on the night. EMMY were one of two stand out songs and were always likely to be a strong contender. The expert panels may have thought Samantha Mamba's "My Way" was a stronger entry, and the public vote won out. As for Emmy themselves, they're entry makes we wonder about the entry criteria for acts. As Norwegians, should they really be allowed to sing for Ireland? Well rules are rules, and they're not the first non-native to represent a country. Besides Dana was from Derry which technically at least isn't Ireland.

Has EMMY a chance of winning? That's hard to say without hearing the other entries. Being Norwegian may count against them, but the song is a banger and it's on-stage performance was right up there with the great Eurovision performances of the past. Perhaps it doesn't have the shock value of Finland's Lordi, but I'd be disappointed if it didn't do well. Whilst I'm not a massive Eurovision fan, I be routing for EMMY in May.