Singer says competition isn't all about music
Adam Tait

10:57 25th April 2013

Bonnie Tyler has spoken of her 2013 entry in the Eurovision Song Contest and says she hopes the show will be about the music - but is worried about the x-rated antics of some of her rivals in the show.

The 61-year-old's instantly recognisable voice has given her career a longevity few singers enjoy, but she says she can't compete with other acts stripping off.

"It's a tricky one the Eurovision Song Contest because it's not all about the music, is it?" she tells the Mail Online. "Some of the videos... I've just been shown a few and I can't compete with the some of them stripping off."

However, she also says she thinks that she has a good chance if the contest is judged on vocals and musical performance.

"If we go by the music I've got a very good chance I think, but it's not all about that is it? It's political as you know.

"Usually the UK votes for Ireland and Ireland votes for the UK. But I am successful in a lot of European countries so hopefully this might do a bit of a turn around, but I'm just going to try my best.

Watch the video for Bonnie's entry 'Believe In Me' below

"I'd love to win it, don't get me wrong," she adds.

Bonnie's career started when she was just 17, and she went on to record classics like 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' and 'Holding Out For A Hero'.

Below: Eurovision's worst - from schoolgirls to Scooch

  • Daz Sampson: Sampson's 2006 Eurovision entry has to be one of the worst. It's not even that the song 'Teenage Life' is that bad (although it is), it's more the way that, as one YouTube commenter put it, "we have a bloke who looks like Ian Huntley cavorting with girlies in saucy schoolgirl outfits." The jury's still out on who could ever have thought this was a good idea.

  • Black Lace: Well before they brought us the (questionable) hit that was 'Agadoo', Black Lace entered the 1979 Eurovision with their song 'Mary Ann'. The song was a blatant rip off of Smokie's 'Oh Carol' but without anything that made it good - note the lead singer's terrible vocals as he attempts to sound more like Chris Norman. The best part is that he isn't even the original singer.

  • Scooch: Congratulations, you're now going to have 'Flying The Flag (For You)' stuck in your head for the rest of the day. It's a wonder why someone thought the 2007 entry should be oddly dressed air attendants with lyrics involving how to use a life vest. Yes, really.

  • Lindsay Dracass: Apart from the fact that 2001 entry Lindsay looks like she's kind of wearing a tracksuit, 'No Dream Impossible' makes it into the worst entries just for the weird rap type thing that happens about 20 seconds in. The ballad is undercut by a backing guy attempting to rap, "Be strong, on and on, keep pushing, holding on," which ruins the song - or would, if it was possible to get any worse.

  • Andy Abraham: In 2008 we entered Andy Abraham with 'Even If', a former X Factor contestant who hadn't even won. Unsurprisingly, Andy became the second UK act ever to come last in Eurovision, and the first since 1989 not to hit the top 40 singles chart. Of all the UK entries that have made the singles chart, 'Even If' is the second least successful ever.

  • Jemini: Possibly THE worst ever (although as there's a lot of competition), Jemini entered in 2003 and performed 'Cry Baby'. Their performance was off-key and the duo came in last, and are the only Eurovision act so far to gain 'nil points'. One half of the pair, Chris Crombey, claimed afterwards that Terry Wogan had said they wouldn't get any points due to the UK's involvement in the Iraq war. Not only was it the UK's biggest failure, but actually the biggest failure overall in the history of the contest.

  • Josh Dubovie: 2010 entry Josh Dubovie also managed to come last, although he did score at least ten points (unlike Jemini). In the days leading up to the contest, William Hill were offering 125-1 odds of the song winning, the longest odds ever for a UK entry, and Times Online called it the pop equivalent of re-processed meat. It is also the lowest charting UK Eurovision entry to date.

  • Samantha Janus: Now famous for being someone in Eastenders, apparently, Samantha Janus entered the 1991 Eurovision contest with a song all about world hunger. With lyrics including "Half the world is hungry just through being born, and every day is a compromise for a grain of corn," it really wasn't the best fit for the competition, although the UK did come in tenth. Which for us, isn't bad.

  • Engelbert Humperdinck: The biggest surprise of the UK's 2012 entry was that Engelbert Humperdinck is actually still alive. An uncomfortable key change and a dated sound saw the 60s singer coming in second to last.

  • Nicki French: The 2000 entry Nicki French was arguably when the rot set in. She finished sixteenth which, at the time, was the lowest ever showing for a UK entry and was (ironically now) best known for her cover of 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'. Nevertheless, Nicki gave it a go with a questionable outfit and the aptly named track, 'Don't Play That Song Again'. Which is just inviting the jokes, really.


Photo: WENN.com