James Newman has revealed that he was asked by the BBC to return for Eurovision in 2021 during the summer of 2020.
Speaking to Graham Norton on Virgin Radio UK, James Newman revealed that he was asked by the BBC to compete in Eurovision 2021 during the summer of 2020. The singer was only formally announced as the United Kingdom’s representative for this year’s contest in February.
James Newman will be performing “Embers” for the United Kingdom this May. The song was written at the end of last year with the song being about “the glow in the fire that hasn’t burnt out that can be reignited” and that is a representation of people coming back together after COVID-19.
James Newman will perform in the final on May 22nd. As a Big 5 country, the United Kingdom will not need to pass through the semi-finals.
Who is James Newman?
James was previously selected to represent the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2020 with “My Last Breath” before the contest was canceled.
As a songwriter, James has written for several international artists such as Calvin Harris, Little Mix, and Jess Glynne. He won the Brit Award for British Single of the Year in 2014 for the song “Waiting All Night” by Rudimental feat. Ella Eyre. He also wrote “Dying to Try”, the Irish entry for Eurovision 2017. James has also been a featured vocalist on many tracks, most notably “Therapy” by Armin van Burren, which reached number 4 on the Dutch Top 40. He released his debut EP “The Things We Do” in Summer 2020 and ended the year with another new collaboration with Armin Van Buuren, “Slow Lane”.
Source: Virgin Radio UK | Image Source: BBC / Victor Frankowski
The United Kingdom debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 and holds the record for the most consecutive appearances in the contest. To date the UK has won the contest a total of five times, with their first victory coming in 1967 and their latest in 1997. The UK holds the record for the most second place finishes in the contest, having been runner-up a total of 15 times. Since 2000 the UK has finished within the top 10 only twice, this being in 2002 with Jessica Garlick and in 2009 with Jade Ewen.
