I’ve Got A Secret, Whispers The United Kingdom Written by John Kennedy O'Connor on March 13, 2013 | 3 Comments

Last week’s announcement of Bonnie Tyler as the singer for the United Kingdom in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest has got John Kennedy O’Connor thinking about the historical precedent behind the selection, and wonders aloud about the similarities between this ‘Believe in Me‘ and ‘Love Shine A Light’.

So farewell then the secrecy surrounding the UK’s Eurovision entry for 2013. ‘Bonnie Tyler to sing for Britain’ yes, that is the BBC’s big announcement. The worst kept secret since Graham Norton was revealed as Sir Terry Wogan’s successor in the commentary booth was finally confirmed on Wednesday week, quite some considerable time after Bonnie was first rumoured to be the corporation’s choice late last year and the subject had been beaten to death in the social media world. The maturing rock chic will be going to Malmö with a power ballad and (no doubt) leather trousers, hoping to bring home the first British victory since 1997, when if memory serves me, the UK sent a maturing rock chic in leather trousers to sing a power ballad.

It’s very hard to genuinely recognise the UK entry for Eurovision as the UK entry these days. Certainly it goes under that name and doubtless all the British fans will be cheering it on and wishing the very best for Ms Tyler and her song; realistically though, it’s truthfully the BBC’s entry for Eurovision, not the UK’s. The always questionable tastes of the BBC’s license paying viewers (and listeners) were long since retired from that duty. Still, it is the official UK entry and from the reaction so far, it seems to be one that has been met with almost universal praise.

Bonnie Tyler in Action

The online world has exploded with glee and Bonnie Tyler fans have been taking to the airwaves and social media to express their delight that their heroine is back in the spotlight. For others, the choice of someone who at best can be described as having come through a ‘quiet period’ in her career is seen as a huge let down; particularly when such current names as Diana Vickers, Jessie J, will.i.am and Paloma Faith had all been mentioned as potential singers or writers for Britain’s 2013 effort. It’s 18 years since Bonnie bothered the UK singles chart at all and 29 years since she last troubled the top 10. But she seems to be someone who’s meeting with approval and since her strongest competition in the rumour department came from Petula Clark and Bonnie Langford, then perhaps the rush of euphoria is more to do with it not being either of them. Bonnie’s name has been suggested for Eurovision many times in the past, particular in her heyday of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s so maybe it’s a case of better late than never for the fans.

Aside from the UK market, Bonnie does also have huge recognition around Europe and further afield. The French have never quite turned their back on the Welsh songstress; albeit they haven’t been entirely keen on her for a decade now. Hopefully that means she won’t be last in France. Ms T has also topped the US singles chart, a very rare achievement for any Eurovision artist. t.A.T.u. were the last act to have that notable claim to fame, something not even the legendary Engelbert Humperdinck could boast. If Bonnie gets as good a result as the Russian duo did, I’m sure most will be very happy, nay ecstatic. Not that the American market has any bearing on the Eurovision Song Contest; I’m just saying. Might be worth noting at this point that Björn Skifs and Londonbeat also had that distinction. Let’s not cast our minds back to their Eurovision results. No, really, let’s not.

Scooch and Terry Wogam

To me, there seems to be a definite case of déjà vu taking place in the British camp this year. My mind is indeed transported back to May 1997. I don’t see many similarities between Bonnie and Katrina in terms of singing or musical style, but where their careers had taken them in the years running up to the contest do bear uncanny resemblances. Katrina almost slipped into the contest unnoticed, with a staggeringly low key UK selection process and almost zero PR in the run up to her Dublin triumph. Bonnie Tyler looks like she will benefit from a big publicity push and now has over two months to build her campaign ahead of Malmö. I have no doubt she’ll be using that time to familiarize viewers across the continent with the song and remind them perhaps of who she once was, something Katrina & The Waves didn’t try. In the end, they didn’t need to, but then again, only five countries gave their viewers a televote that year. Their victory came primarily from juries.

Many will say the touring and PR didn’t do Blue or Engelbert Humperdinck much good, but this feels different. For a start, the UK will almost certainly be guaranteed a very favourable draw, something neither of the last two UK entrants enjoyed. That the producer of this year’s show has a free hand to organize the running order to suit the musical diversity of the contest will make a huge difference. Yes, someone will still have to open the show and sing in one of the death slots, but it seems very unlikely a power ballad will be on first nor indeed anywhere near the start of the show. Katrina benefitted hugely from a late appearance and if Bonnie’s in a similar slot, it will be a very different story from last year.

The running order will be the next big secret of course and like the results of the semi-finals, it probably will remain so until SVT and the EBU want it publicly known. Their PR and press departments almost certainly won’t be setting up twitter accounts, facebook pages and linking to anything publicly that might give the game away as the cack-handed BBC were doing for the last couple of months as they put their ‘secret’ Bonnie announcement in place. The fans in the twitterverse rumbled the game first and finally The Mail and The Mirror newspapers beat the BBC to the headlines. Careless tweets do cost lives.

My secret, also astonishingly publicly known, is that although I’ve never been keen on Ms Tyler’s work, I’m expecting very big things of big Bonnie in Malmö. I’m not a fan of hers and I’d much rather a more contemporary singer and song was flying the flag, but since I renounced my British citizenship many moons ago, I’m less engaged or bothered about what the UK do in the contest. I’ll pick my favourite and that’s the one I’ll cheer on, regardless of which country it comes from. If it’s the UK entry, all well and good.

For the British public, fans and viewers however, I’m pleased such a solid song has been chosen. It maybe needs some more ‘oomph’ at the end, but in a very even field, with a late draw, I can see there’s potential for a big turnaround from recent British form for this effort.

Much of what I’ve seen in the last few days since the worst kept secret was revealed has indicated that Bonnie is indeed the Eurovision hero the fans have been holding out for. Others are decrying that it’s a heartache. For now, I suggest we all just believe in Bonnie and hope for the best. I’m encouraged by past form indeed. The analogy with 1997 is striking: Anthemic power ballad; butch sounding rock chic; career apparently behind her; needing a comeback; leather trousers; late draw; famous victory.

Who was it who sung “The history book on the shelf, is always repeating itself?” They may have been on to something. I’m just worried the EBU may demand further testing of the UK entry. Reports are around that Bonnie Tyler’s singing voice is 60% hoarse.