It was one of the TV moments of the year. In May, Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra rode a wave of continent-wide public support to claim a rousing victory at the 66th Eurovision song contest in Turin. Meanwhile, a peak of 10.6 million UK viewers watched as new national hero Sam Ryder (basically a cross between a golden retriever and Jesus) single-handedly repaired our tattered Euro reputation by finishing in a plucky second place with his anthem Space Man.
Now, Eurovision is back. Yes, already – albeit in pint-sized form. To capitalise on the competition’s newfound credibility and before Liverpool hosting the main contest next year, Junior Eurovision is being shown by the BBC for the first time. Launched in 2003 for talented singers aged between nine and 14, the youth version follows the same format of the grownup event with live performances, online voting and national juries, but be warned: nobody ever scores “nul points”. That would be too cruel on the kids.
The UK is taking part for the first time since 2005, although Wales competed independently in 2018 and 2019. CBBC favourite Lauren Layfield and vowel-averse singer HRVY will host coverage as the landmark 20th contest takes place in Armenian capital Yerevan on Sunday, with 16 countries competing. Stock up on snacks, drinks and flags to wave – and in the meantime, meet five of the young crooners vying for the coveted title …
Freya Skye (UK)
The song: Lose My Head, which Layfield calls “a certified bop”. “It’s a powerful, upbeat song about putting the past behind you,” says Freya. “Having your friends by your side and moving on.”
The singer: The 13-year-old Buckinghamshire schoolgirl found out she’d been chosen to represent the UK when her parents took her to the Apollo theatre in London on the pretext that she needed to do one more audition. Instead, she was surprised by Welsh singer and West End performer Lucie Jones, who broke the news that she’d been selected to go to Armenia. “I told my parents off afterwards!” says Freya. “I was surprised they managed to keep it a secret. My mum’s the kind of person who tells you what you’re getting for Christmas.” X Factor alumna Jones competed at Eurovision herself in 2017 and took Freya aside for some words of advice: “She told me to enjoy the whole process and write everything down because so much happens, it’ll fly past in the blink of an eye.”
Freya is a Eurovision fan (“We watch every year with snacks and union jacks – that rhymes!”), so I ask if she knows much about acts of old. “I know Abba were in it,” she says. I find myself explaining Bucks Fizz’s skirt-ripping routine and she looks rather shocked. Her love of music began when she got a karaoke machine for Christmas when she was five and couldn’t stop singing Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe. Nowadays she’s more of an Anne-Marie fan. During lockdown, she taught herself the piano and started writing her own songs. “Music and my dog Ruby kept me sane,” she says.
If a music career doesn’t work out, her fallback plans are to be a footballer (she’s a Spurs fan and plays every lunchtime at school) or start her own bath bomb company (“I know, bit random”). She’s been set homework to do in Armenia and also has online tutoring sessions. I bet Sam Ryder didn’t have to do maths before Eurovision. “Yes but he already graduated,” she says. “A bit of history or English homework will be a nice break from performing.”
Lissandro (France)
The song: Oh Maman!, a swinging self-belief anthem Lissandro calls “a cross between Elvis and Bruno Mars”.
The singer: For a 13-year-old from a small village in eastern France, Lissandro has slightly surprising music taste. “I love rock and my idol is Elvis Presley,” he says. “I also love British bands such as Queen, UB40 and the Beatles.” When he auditioned for the French version of The Voice Kids two years ago, his rendition of Presley’s early hit Too Much made all four judges turn their big red chairs then join him on stage to dance. It earned him the nickname “Elvissandro” and he went all the way to the final.
He apologises sweetly for his English but there’s no need – especially when he sings in an impressive five languages. In the buildup to Junior Eurovision, Lissandro has met the last four French representatives. “They all advised me to enjoy every moment because it’s an amazing experience,” he says. “They’re right – it’s the adventure of a lifetime.”
Lissandro would love to become a professional singer someday but sagely adds: “My priority in life is to be happy. If not a singer, my dream is becoming a speech therapist.” He has a pet rabbit called Calinou and a pug named Roxy. Do they enjoy his singing? “Yes! Roxy barks sometimes … but in a happy way.” What about if Lissandro wins Junior Eurovision and France lift the World Cup? He grins: “One victory is amazing, two victories is better!”
Sophie Lennon (Ireland)
The song: Solas, an ethereal ballad about a guiding light. “It’s about mental health,” says Sophie. “Even during dark times, like Covid or the war [in Ukraine], everybody has that light inside of them.”
The singer: Her dad, Marcus, has told 13-year-old Sophie about Ireland’s illustrious Eurovision history, including two-time winner Johnny Logan and two-time losers Jedward (“They judged me on the pre-entry contest, they’re hilarious”). However, she’s amusingly baffled when I mention Dustin the Turkey from 2008. “That was a low point for Ireland,” chips in Marcus. “A dark day. Johnny Logan was superb but oh my God, the turkey!”
Hailing from Mayobridge in County Down, Sophie has become such a local celebrity that she turned on the village Christmas lights. “It was mad,” she says. “Everywhere I go, people wish me luck.” With that surname, is music in her blood? “My great-granny was originally from Liverpool, the same street at Paul McCartney, so you never know.”
Sophie filmed the video for Solas at a nearby lighthouse, with the clifftop setting and her medieval frock lending it a Game of Thrones vibe. “One of the Game of Thrones sets is 10 minutes from here,” she says. “Occasionally you’d see an entire army, just casually crossing the road. It’s a tourist attraction now.”
Her musical heroes are close to home. “My granny and granda’ inspire me a lot,” she says. “They’re in their 80s now but used to be in a band called the Castaways who toured all over.” It was her grandfather who inadvertently set Sophie on the path to viral stardom: “I sent him a video of myself singing O Holy Night, his favourite Christmas carol. My mum posted it on Facebook, thinking a few friends might like it, then the comments and likes rolled in. It reached 7m views!”
Sophie is a registered carer for her disabled older brother Conor: “He’s non-verbal and can’t feed himself, so I help with all his necessities.” What does Conor make of your singing? “He loves it,” she beams. “Last night when I was practising Solas, he started humming the tune and mimicking the words.” If a music career doesn’t work out, she’d like to become a doctor “because I’ve grown up helping Conor and would love do the same for others.”
Nicolas Alves (Portugal)
The song: Anos 70, a retro rocky number with gravelly vocals. “The chorus is about how I would like to have been born in the 1970s but the message is just be yourself,” says Nicolas. “Don’t change who you are, whether it’s your music taste or the way you look.”
The singer: When I mention The Office, Nicolas laughs in recognition because he grew up in the unlikely location of Slough, home to fictional paper merchants Wernham Hogg. The 13-year-old’s Brazilian parents moved to Europe for work, so Nicolas was born in England and lived here until age 10. “I have incredible memories of Slough, of my friends there,” he says. “I hope they’ll be supporting me on Sunday, along with the UK entry.”
He’s now based near Lisbon and having lived there only three years, says representing Portugal is “a big deal for me. It’s helped me connect with Portuguese culture”. Would he really like to have been born in the 70s? “I guess,” he smiles. “Lots of my influences come from back then. The music from that era is incredible.”
Nicolas knew he wanted to become a singer when he watched Queen’s Live Aid performance on YouTube: “I was just mesmerised by Freddie Mercury’s voice and the control he had over the crowd.” He has already bonded with France’s Lissandro on the group Instagram chat because they have so much in common. They not only share a love of Queen, Led Zeppelin and Elvis but both reached the final of The Voice Kids in their respective countries.
Along with playing guitar, Nicolas’ hobby is cooking with his mum, Maria. “My favourite things to make are fish and chips or Victoria sponge,” he laughs. “I like British food. Told you I have fond memories of Slough!”
Zlata Dziunka (Ukraine)
The song: Unbreakable, an anti-war ballad co-written by Zlata herself. “It’s a prayer, an appeal to God about all the hardships that Ukraine has suffered,” she says.
The singer: If 14-year-old Zlata seems wise beyond her years, it’s because she’s had to be. “War is close to every single Ukrainian,” she says. “It’s not safe anywhere because we have a full-scale invasion.” Has Zlata lost anyone close to her? “I don’t think so. At least, my parents haven’t told me if we have. But my uncle is at war and my friend’s father is missing.”
Unsurprisingly, she was inspired by Kalush Orchestra’s win seven months ago: “Everyone was talking about it. That’s why I wanted to participate. Any victory is important for Ukraine nowadays to lift morale. It’s a great responsibility to deliver my song to so many people, and it is important that this message comes from a child. Children are touched by war, too. I’m proud of being a Ukrainian child with this unique chance to share what’s happening back home.”
Her song’s candlelit video was partly born out of necessity: “It was filmed in a bomb shelter and the power supply failed, so we had to improvise. The candles symbolise all the Ukrainian children that have suffered during the war. And the bomb shelter was in the basement of a church, which seemed fitting for a hymn-like song.”
Her performance will be stripped-back: “I’ll be the only one on stage. I want people to focus on the message of my song. I don’t want to distract them with a ballet or anything.” Back home, an entire nation will be cheering her on. “My friends will gather together and watch the show, waving flags. If the power supply allows them to, of course,“ says Zlata with a rueful smile. “A victory would be the best Christmas present for Ukraine. It would motivate people to keep going, no matter how scary it is.”
The Junior Eurovision song contest 2022 will be simulcast on BBC One, CBBC and iPlayer on 11 December at 3pm.
