A decade of dismal results forced a rethink of the Eurovision selection process in the UK this year and the BBC returned to a televised selection from which their entrant would be sourced.
The then-unsigned duo Joe & Jake triumphed over 5 other acts to win the ticket to Stockholm with the bouncy and catchy “You’re Not Alone”.
Finally the United Kingdom delivers a contemporary, accessible pop song without any gimmicks. The Big Five are really taking 2016 seriously (insert claps).
Watch Joe and Jake's official video for 'You're Not Alone':
Four Questions with Joe and Jake
What are the three most interesting aspects of your entry?
- Graham Norton our UK Eurovision commentator told us he thought You’re Not Alone was a "really catchy pop song” which is high praise indeed!
- We're the first UK entry in six years to have been selected by the UK public in a National Final.
- We love that our song has an anthemic quality to it.
What are the most impressive facts about Joe and Jake?
- Robbie Williams is a fan of our music! He tweeted that he was proud of us after the the public voted for us to represent the UK.
- We are also both used to singing competitively as we met as contestants in the UK version of The Voice. Joe was part of Rita Ora’s team while Jake’s coach was will.i.am.
- Joe’s first language is Welsh and he started signing in a Welsh voice choir.
- Jake played his very first gig after only six months of learning to play the guitar.
Do you have a (lucky) routine before going on stage?
Pacing the floor really helps with nerves before we go onstage. It’s worked for us up to now, so we guess you could call that lucky. We’ll be wearing out the carpet backstage before performing in Stockholm in May.
Why is the Eurovision Song Contest important to you?
We can’t overestimate what an honour it is to be representing the UK in the biggest musical contest ever. It’s like a dream come true. The impact of Eurovision is huge, far ranging and it touches so many fans around the world – to perform on that stage is the highlight of our career. It blows our minds to know that millions of people will be tuning in. We can’t wait to get to Stockholm and experience the atmosphere for ourselves.
