GLAM ROCK

Eurovision this year after being internally selected by Israeli broadcaster KAN back in July 2022. Her song Unicorn is an anthem of self-empowerment and features some lyrics in Hebrew. Noa can be seen showing off some impressive dance moves in the official music video for the song and we can only hope that we’ll get to see these live during the semi-finals (and hopefully finals!).

Käärijä | Cha Cha Cha | Finland

Mae Muller | I Wrote a Song | UK

The UK’s pick for Eurovision this year is Mae Muller performing I Wrote a Song. With the UK’s stellar result in the competition last year, we can hope that this year will be an equally impressive performance, especially with the competition taking place on our home turf. This up-tempo break-up song entered the UK top 40 at number 30, making it a promising contender for this year’s competition.

Tvorchi | Heart of Steel | Ukraine

Heart of Steel is joint host Ukraine’s entry this year, coming from duo act Tvorchi. The pair wrote the song to reflect the resilience of Ukraine’s people throughout the war with Russia, and even added a verse in Ukrainian after they won the Eurovision spot, following a televised competition from inside a bomb shelter. Far from being overly sentimental, the song packs a punch, is full of swagger, and has a good chance of being this year’s winner.

Noa Kirel | Unicorn | Israel

Noa Kirel was the first artist picked for

Eurovision wouldn’t be Eurovision without a slightly more out-there performance, and Finland’s Käärijä provides that in spades with Cha Cha Cha. With neon latex costumes, energetic choreography, and a surprisingly catchy beat, this is Euro-pop at its finest. While the lyrics are in Finnish, the song is fittingly about shaking off stress and letting loose on the dancefloor. This number is sure to be one of the biggest spectacles of the semi-finals so keep your eyes peel for it.

Loreen | Tattoo | Sweden

Sweden’s entry is the current bookmakers’ favourite for this years’ winner, but that doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing. The song’s current odds are down to its popularity – it entered the Swedish charts right at number one after it debuted at Melodifestivalen and has swept across mainland Europe since. The performance was so successful that it doubles as the song’s official music video, featuring some spectacular lighting that we can only hope will be replicated in Liverpool.

If this rundown has got you raring to watch Eurovision, then you’re in luck because a massive watch party will be taking place in Cheetham Hill food market GRUB on 13th May. You can catch the final live, surrounded by free-flowing drinks and Eurovision inspired eats. GRUB will be using this party to fundraise for Ukraine, with tombola, donation points, pay-per karaoke, and several more fun fundraising activities taking place throughout the evening.

Eurovisionworld.com

Manchester Museum

Manchester Museum on Oxford Road is one of the UK’s largest university museums, featuring around 4.5 million objects across a wide range of subjects such as Egypt and Sudan, Archaeology, Earth Sciences, Entomology, Living Cultures, Zoology, and many more. It’s easy to get lost among this incredible collection and one day may not be enough to see everything!

A particular highlight is the museum’s Vivarium, which is recognised worldwide for its conservation work. Visit a range of amphibians and reptiles, including many critically endangered species. It is unusual for a museum to care for live animals, making this area a must-see when you visit. Museum.manchester.ac.uk