Singer to judge Eurovision acts
Last year’s UK hopeful will join famous panel to pick 2010 entry
Published: 06/03/2010
SUGABABES SINGER: Jade Ewen came fifth in last year’s Eurovision Song Contest
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Last year’s Eurovision hopeful Jade Ewen is to help judge acts vying to sing for the UK in 2010.
Four solo singers, one all-girl trio and a five-piece group will perform live for the chance to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, Norway, in May.
Ewen, who is now a member of the Sugababes, will join a panel including Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli and Pete Waterman, with the winner being decided by a public vote.
Two of this year’s hopefuls are originally from outside the UK. A member of the band Miss Fitz hails from just outside Oslo, while solo artist Esma grew up in Austria.
Another contestant, 18-year-old Karen, has previously beaten X Factor winner Joe McElderry in a singing competition.
Graham Norton, the Your Country Needs You! host and BBC1’s Eurovision commentator, said: “If any man can second-guess European musical tastes surely that man is Pete Waterman.”
Waterman is producing this year’s entry with his long-time hit-making collaborator Mike Stock.
Along with Matt Aitken, the producers were behind a string of 1980s hits.
Ewen came a respectable fifth in 2009, following years of poor results for the UK.
She performed Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren’s It’s My Time in Moscow. The hopefuls will compete in Your Country Needs You! on Friday at 8.30pm on BBC1.
The six acts are:
Alexis, 20. Alexis considers himself to be a “showman” and fell in love with singing at school.
Miss Fitz – Gemma, 27, Maiken, 23, and Marina, 25. The all-girl trio are from London.
Josh, 19. When he was 15, Josh was given the part of Enjolras in the school production of Les Miserables.
Karen, 18. Aged 16 she won Music Means Life, a contest in Durham for unsigned artists and bands which had 3,000 applicants. One of her competitors was X-Factor winner Joe McElderry.
UNI5 – Amy, 18, Sam, 22, Dani, 22, Daniella, 19, and Lee, 25. The group have come together for the show.
Esma, 17. Esma grew up in Austria in a Kurdish family and started to sing Celine Dion songs before she could speak English.
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