For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails
Sign up to our free breaking news emails
Mae Muller has been selected to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in May, according to media reports.
The 25-year-old singer will perform at the event in Liverpool with the track I Wrote A Song.
Muller was chosen by BBC bosses and global management company TaP Music, which has counted Lana Del Rey and Ellie Goulding among its clients.
TaP was behind selecting Sam Ryder as the UK entrant for the 2022 event, where he changed the country’s fortunes and came second behind Ukraine.
Recommended
- Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide
- Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east – follow live
The north London-raised vocalist will be the first female entrant for the UK since SuRie competed in 2018 with Storm, coming 24th.
Muller was 19 when she wrote her first song, Close, which was produced by a family friend and “paid” for with wine in lieu of money.
Muller’s early musical influences included Prince and Sade – while Gwen Stefani, Florence Welch and Lily Allen have impacted her in more recent years.
Her releases have so far explored “dysfunctional relationships and inconvenient emotions with wit and verve”, according to her record label Capitol.
In recent years, she has worked with chart-topping acts including girl group Little Mix, rapper Aitch and music producer and DJ Sigala.
Her 2021 single Better Days, featuring Neiked and Polo G, peaked at number 32 in the UK charts.
Muller has 126,000 followers on Instagram and more than 6.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
In 2019, she supported Little Mix on their LM5 tour – their last to feature former member Jesy Nelson.
A BBC spokesman said he would not comment on speculation and that the act would be officially announced during the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Thursday morning.
Eurovision is set to take place in Liverpool after the UK was chosen to host the competition on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.
Tickets for grand final, which will take place at the 11,000-capacity Liverpool Arena later this year, went on sale on Tuesday and sold out in just over half an hour.
While some fans celebrated after they were able to secure tickets, others commiserated after experiencing technical difficulties when trying to purchase tickets through the Ticketmaster website.
Recommended
- Holocaust survivor made MBE says Britain allowed him to ‘become human again’
- Scottish parliament approves 3% rent cap for private tenants
- Coroner warns of danger of Army ceremonial daggers after double murder
Eurovision is set to air on the BBC and will be hosted by singer and Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon, Ted Lasso actress Hannah Waddingham and Ukrainian singer Julia Sanina, as well as returning favourite, comedian and talk show host Graham Norton.
The semi-final evening preview kicks off at 8pm on May 8, with the grand final live show bringing the contest to an end starting at 8pm on May 13.
✕
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log in{{/url}}