Back with a vengence after Bambie Thug's amazing performance at last year's contest in Malmo, the Eurovision world's eyes are firmly back on Ireland.
Bambi's sixth place with Doomsday Blue was Ireland's best placing in 24 years as they equaled Eamonn Toal's efforts in 2000. To pick their successor for this year's contest in Basel, broadcaster RTE has again selected six acts to battle it out in the country's national selection contest Eurosong.
Ahead of Friday night (Saturday morning AEST)'s contest, 16 Aussievision contributors have ranked this year's contenders and casted their votes - following the same format as Eurosong's voting system of 12-10-8-6-4-2. Here are the results!
6. Reylta - Fire (82 points)
Highs: 12 from Saskia, 10 from Jamie and Liv
Lows: 2 from Fleur, Cooper, Kiel, Laura, Hayley and Joel.
"I love the feeling and power in this song. I think it's high time Ireland sent something with more Celtic roots and we have it in spades this year, and out of these entries this is my favourite (but this race is close!). The fact that Ryan O'Shaughnessy (Ireland 2018) is a co-writer might be the reason." - Saskia
"I love the Celtic vibes to this song which will resonate with the voting public. In what isn't an overly strong Eurosong, it would not surprise me to see this win." - Jamie
"It's been a minute since we've had a good folky Irish entry at Eurovision and this fits the bill nicely. Reylta has such lovely smooth vocals - this atmospheric piece actually gives me 1960s Nancy Sinatra vibes. Delightful." - Liv
5. NIYL - Growth (92 points)
Highs: 12 from Craig and Melanie, 10 from Sam Lows: 2 from John, Emma and Dale
"This is my clear favourite of a very strong Eurosong lineup. There's a distinct Irish flavour to the track without feeling like it's just sampling Celtic Woman clichés (looking at a couple of other entries here), and the pulsing rhythms of the bassline in the chorus really get caught in my head. I think there's an opportunity for a really impressive vocal moment here too if the harmonies in the chorus can be pulled off live (although that remains an if). Loving this, and hope to see it make it all the way to Basel!" - Craig
"Different, edgy, kept me interested until the end" - Melanie
"I love the fusion of traditional Irish sounds with electronic beats. This screams Ireland but also with a unique and contemporary feel, and I feel is a wonderful showcase of Celtic culture and the Irish pop scene currently. I also really appreciate the meaning behind the song, which is a rallying cry to being queer in rural Ireland. I’m rooting hard for this to fly the Irish flag in Basel!" - Sam
4. Adgy - Run Into The Night (108 points)
Highs: 12 from Kiel and Liv, 10 from Tim and Dale Lows: 2 from Jamie, Sam and Craig
"I love the musicality that screams Ireland with the contemporary twist. Generally I just FEEL the message of this entry - the longing to just gtfo, scream into the void and sit in an empty paddock. Welcome back Adgy, I hope this is your year for Eurosong." - Liv
"If the Irish want to go with a safer, more stereotypical choice of track compared with bombastic Bambie last year - this is it. But mark my words, this isn't a DOA generic mess - far from it! Adgy's vocals are superb, as is the slick production, while the voilin bits add an overwhelming amount of Irish DNA. It's bursting with warm vibes and definitely has a good mix of voter and jury appeal - but will it be overshadowed by the Laika Party tour-de-force?" - Kiel
"There's a lot to like here - a well produced song with some fiddle use and I'm a fan of Adgy's stuff. I do wish it kind of went somewhere but it's a pleasant spotify listen for me." - Dale
"This has a great calmness to it that is very sweet and just sounds like a nice great song. It has sounds like a good song to keep you company when you’re driving between 1-5am. I know it’s not everyone’s favourite but I connect to it really well" - Tim
3. Samantha Mumba - My Way (120 points)
Highs: 12 from Joel, 10 from John, Saskia, Craig, Melanie, Fleur and Hayley Lows: 4 from Kiel, Tim and Emma, 2 from Liv
"When (not if) Queen Mumba wins, it’s going to make a lot of 90’s kids very happy! (Still salty that so many people don’t know/remember who she is). This song is all about the vocals, so if Samantha can get her live version to match the studio track she’ll absolutely be on her way to Eurovision." - Joel
"If it's not Laika Party, it must be her. The violin background is very good, and the tempo of that is good for a pop ballad. We need a counterbalance to Albania's entry this year." - John
"Such an interesting production and I love the violins! I also love the off-kilter ending but worry how it will translate in a live performance." - Saskia
"I have no idea who Samantha Mumba is (I know, I know, shoot me), but I know that I like this track. It perhaps falls a bit more into Irish cliché than some of the others, but the vocal is good and I can easily see how this translates to a live performance setting. Assuming Samantha Mumba is as much of an icon as everyone says, too, I think there's a good chance that this really lifts live. Looking forward to seeing how it goes on The Late Late Show stage!" - Craig
"Nice vocals, good lyrics" - Melanie
"I am so happy that finally Samantha Mumba is trying out for Eurovision. This song is probably the best choice for Basel 2025. It has the best production of the 6 songs and has the most complex structure. Let's see how Eurosong goes in that tv studio." - Fleur
"Yes I do remember Samantha Mumba very well (I even bought her CD single!) and wow she really has a great voice! The song is quite dramatic but it really takes a while to go anywhere. I really like the strings in this song but I feel it doesn't have a super memorable melody to sing along to." - Hayley
"Samantha Mumba - this isn't your best moment and you know it. This screams 'album b-side' and leaves us waiting for a real take-off moment that never arrives. Come back in 12 or 24 months with something that doesn't like it's been left on the shelf for a few years." - Kiel
2 Emmy - Laika Party (126 points)
Highs: 12 from John, Jamie and Sam, 10 from Cooper, Emma, Joel, Kiel and Laura Lows: 4 from Hayley and Melanie, 2 from Tim
"I think this might win the Eurosong because not just it is a complete departure from "Doomsday Blue", but also better than "Doomsday Blue". Plus, the fact that she has National Final experience when she participated for Norway not so long ago makes the case. If she had competed for Norsk MGP this year, she would've wiped the competition with ease, but I think it might be the case." - John
"Norwegian singer Emmy chose to submit Laika Party to Eurosong Ireland, instead of MGP Norway and I think it is a good move. It has a great dance beat to the song and something that will appeal to the broader audience. I can see this a definite semi final qualifier at ESC if it is successful at Eurosong." - Jamie
"I’m a little surprised this was my douze puan, but this is my genre of music. I feel this dance track is constructed excellently into an ear worm. There is also a bit of novelty with the space theme. The key to this is whether EMMY can deliver this live, and it may be difficult to perform on the cramped The Late Late Show stage. I hope this does well because I think it is important for Ireland to go in a completely different direction to Bambie Thug last year. Anything similar will be considered a cheap copy that Europe won’t vote for. Also EMMY being Norwegian could be an advantage vote wise at Eurovision, given Ireland’s limited neighbourly support." - Sam
"Out of the Witch Woods into a Laika Party! Emmy's return to Eurovision via Ireland is certainly a surprise but I good one at that. I'm likening this to a less stupid version of My AI from Norway's selection last year (that's a very good thing)." - Cooper
"Emmy is an experienced performer with over 1 million TikTok followers which will make her hard to beat. She has a certain charisma about her performances which comes through in this catchy eurobanger that tells the story of doomed Russian space dog Laika and imagines she is still alive. Hopefully she has the staging concept to back it up - something that Ireland isn't always strong on at Eurosong." - Emma
"Bugger. I didn’t want to like any other Eurosong entries so that Samantha Mumba didn’t have any challengers. But instantly catchy Eurodance numbers that sound like they’re from the 2000’s are my weakness. Chuck in lyrics that tell a story plus a banging chorus, and you’ve got a real competitor." - Joel
"On first listen, I thought this was just a cheesy by-the-numbers Europop throwback - and gave me unhealthy flashbacks to the Super Rob chick from Norway last year. But now, I can see why Emmy is firming as one of the favourites for Eurosong. This will get the masses in Basel hooked and ready to rave from the opening bars, and those choruses will definitely get stuck in voters' heads. It's ready for mass rotation at EuroClub and is destined for a killer public vote if staged correctly. If Ireland wants to go even higher this year after Bambie's breakthrough in Malmo, this really has the potential to do that." - Kiel
1. Bobbi Arlo - Powerplay (144 points)
Highs: 12 from Fleur, Cooper, Emma, Tim, Hayley, Dale and Laura, 8 from John, Jamie, Craig, Joel and Kiel Lows: 6 from Sam, Saskia and Liv, 2 from Melanie
"There is not a bad song in the mix, but this is the one that I keep coming back to. It's a pretty decent EDM track." - Fleur
"This seems like another perfect step in the right direction for Ireland. Last year they sent a real big swing and it smashed a home run for them and this year they have a song that is probably more palatable for a wider audience whilst still keeping it edgy and unique. Bobbi seems enthusiastic about competing and would be excellent in waving the flag for Ireland." - Cooper
"The techno/metal sound of Powerplay stands out a mile from the other Eurosong entrants this year, reminding me of Iceland's Hatari somewhat. There's a lot going on and it will need a big staging concept to carry it but there's enough here to work with and it's my favourite of the six Eurosong entries this year." - Emma
"This is would be a great follow up from last years entry. Has a great base behind it and sounds almost Hatari-esque without being overly dramatic or … anti capitalist in this case I suppose. I think I like it mostly musically, the lyrics don’t do much for me but it sounds amazing." - Tim
"Nothing even comes close to this song in the competition. I like the dark and driving beat and I think this opens up to some great staging opportunities. While Bambie's triumphant top ten result is going to be a hard act to follow, if Ireland really want to stay on the right track, this is the song to choose." - Hayley
"This is not my usual genre but I think there's something really compelling about the song and it does remind me a little of Luke Black's 2023 entry (but just a bit better I think!)" - Dale
"If last year should have taught Ireland anything, it’s that now is definitely not the time to play safe, and that high risk can lead to high rewards. Powerplay should win Eurosong because it’s anything but safe; it’s bold, edgy and catchy - all key ingredients for Eurovision success! It feels like a natural successor to Doomsday Blue without being derivative, and there’s a ton of staging potential." - Laura
"If Bambie was handing over the torch, Bobbi is the best person to recieve it. This is a slick dirty pop track which would carry on the Bambie vibes from last year well - alas - it could also pidgenhole Ireland a bit sending a similar track two years in a row. Has Grand Final qualifer vibes, but not Top 10 vibes unless there's some knockout staging." - Kiel
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So, will Bobbi show she's got 'all the power' or will one of the other five acts be waving the Irish flag in Basel in May?
Eurosong 2025 will be held as a special edition of RTE's The Late Late Show on Friday 7 February (8.30am AEST on Saturday here in Australia). You can watch all the action by streaming the contest on the RTE Player.
For continued updates on all Eurosong and Eurovision Song Contest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and Instagram. All the links can be found at: https://linktr.ee/aussievisionnet
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