While the principle occasion remains to be just a few weeks away, the Eurovision circus landed in London - bringing with it the loud costumes, odd props and vibrant characters.

But they don't seem to be within the UK to compete - as an alternative it was a part of an unofficial (however extensively endorsed), whistle-stop tour of the continent the place the acts get an opportunity to check out their songs in entrance of actual audiences stuffed with Eurovision followers in an effort to get their campaigns beneath manner.

The London Eurovision Party was headlined by, in fact, the UK act Mae Muller, with performances by artists from this 12 months, in addition to years passed by.

And it will likely be all eyes on Loreen in Liverpool in May - she received the competition for Sweden in 2012 with Euphoria, which is likely one of the hottest Eurovision tracks in historical past.

She's again with new tune Tattoo, and whereas bookies have her at odds-on favorite to win, she advised Sky News the one stress she feels is a inventive one.

"I so badly want to create something that matters," she mentioned, including: "It's more pressure to create something as a performance.

"I by no means thought that this was going to be my path. What occurred was the tune got here to me... I immediately felt after I obtained that, that I knew that there's something that is going to occur to me with this tune, after which per week or two later, they pop the query [to do Eurovision again] I'm like, 'no, no, wait, wait, you possibly can't be critical'."

If Loreen does do the enterprise and take dwelling the trophy, and nothing is for sure in Eurovision, she would turn out to be the primary lady to win the competition greater than as soon as (Johnny Logan for Ireland holds the official document for essentially the most particular person wins as a performer and author, in case you puzzled).

Hot on the heels of Loreen is Finnish act Käärijä, together with his Euro-hyper pop tune Cha Cha Cha.

Spotted a mile off on the celebration, he's famed for his neon inexperienced sleeves-only puffer jacket and distinctive haircut.

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Describing the monitor he hopes to win with, he advised Sky News: "It's very much power and energy and fire, and it's the freedom for me in the story.

"Eurovision, it is a... humorous factor, and it makes folks completely happy when they're watching. And what occurs is many artists doing humorous issues and creating nice songs."

The Scandi-star added he was looking forward to maybe fitting in a game at Anfield too when he gets to Liverpool, adding Mo Salah is his favourite player.

But as well as the front-runners, Eurovision is built on its memorable songs and this year Austria provides the goods.

Teya and Salena will carry out their (and that is actual) ode to the American author Edgar Allan Poe.

The pair defined to Sky News that the thought to carry out a tune in regards to the ghost of Poe got here in a reasonably unconventional manner, with Teya saying they merely improvised the opening strains to the monitor at a writing session - however the tune wasn't even their first pitch for the competition.

"We just wanted to make people laugh at the listening session because we had like an hour left, and we just were like, 'Oh, let's just do another song just for funsies' - and it turned out to not be just funsies.

"And Edgar Allan Poe, he is the epitome of the struggling artist, which we all know loads about, and we simply put our experiences into the tune and that is the way it occurred."

Australia's act, Voyager, have been additionally absorbing on the environment in London, having beforehand executed the Madrid and Amsterdam Eurovision events.

The veteran prog-metal group mentioned their tune is "synth-sational" and "Duran Duran but heavy" - and it comes full with screamed choruses and a guitar solo.

And their message to those that query why the nation is a part of the present?

"Australia is a nation built up of immigrants really, and we've got a lot of European people living in Australia.

"It sort of simply is smart to have Australia be part of the Eurovision Song Contest."

The present is being hosted in Liverpool, however in fact Ukraine received the final contest - however with the continued warfare there the organisers deemed it unsafe to stage it on Ukrainian soil, so the BBC stepped in to host as a substitute after the UK's Sam Ryder got here second in final 12 months's occasion.

The week (sure, a whole week) kicks off on 9 May with the primary semi-final, and the second two days later, adopted by the grand remaining on 13 May, and will probably be hosted by Hannah Waddingham, Alesha Dixon, Julia Sanina and Graham Norton.

Content Source: information.sky.com