Today came what many have been waiting for. The announcement of the UK participant for this year’s Eurovision song Contest. BBC is counting on Bonnie Tyler to bring back the trophy with the song Believe In Me.
Over the past month several names have been rumoured among them being Mika and Pet Shop Boys. At the end two of the rumoured names were stronger than the rest though: 80 year old Petula Clark and 61 year old Bonnie Tyler. Fans were focusing on facts like Petula just having released an album Lost In You in January this year and Bonnie’s new album Rocks & Honey that were scheduled for March. Both albums could contain the entry, which would be representing United Kingdom in Malmö, Sweden in May.
Following the fans’ behavior online it almost appeared as they were divided into two blocks: The Petula and the Bonnie one. While some fans dug down into the albums from those two, others were able to add that they had heard that the act would be one who was particular popular in Germany. With Bonnie Tyler having released an album titled Live In Germany and being on tour in Germany in February and March this year the fans who believed in this rumour gained more ammunition. Another hint some had heard was that the act would somehow have a gay connection. Fans were then speculating in that Petula might be more popular than Bonnie in the gay community, but this hint could for example also be explained with Bonnie’s birth name: Gaynor.
The excitement was raised and fans were getting quite close to having solved the mystery when the track list for Bonnie’s new album included a three minute long song. The title of that song was Believe In Me. The Petula Clark rumour however was still so strong that no one was completely convinced.
Were the fans onto something or had they been going down the wrong path? Today, the answer came.
Bonnie Tyler, born as Gaynor Hopkins, in Wales got her debut in 1976 where her first hit single Lost In France reached the UK top 10 and the year after she was nominated as Best British Female Newcomer at the Brit Awards. It was also in 1977 that her international breakthrough came with the song It’s A Heartache, which became a hit in most of Europe and the US. Another big international smash hit came in 1983 with Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
She has released a total of 16 studio albums with Rocks & Honey being the latest. On this album we find the song Believe In Me, which she will be singing at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. The song is a pop ballad with clear hints to the rock music we know from her.
Last year the UK was also represented by a well known act with a big international career spanning through decades behind him. Engelbert Humperdinck didn’t quite live up the British expectations when he finished second to last with the song Love Will Set You Free.
Belove you can see the video to the UK entry; Believe In Me sung by Bonnie Tyler.
