Last year’s hopefuls just Wild about Erica
WILD Youth may not have covered themselves in Eurovision glory last year, but frontman David Whelan is throwing his support behind his singer friend Erica
Cody to represent Ireland this year.
Ms Cody’s Love Me Like I Do was this week revealed as the first song in the race to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest this May in Malmo, Sweden.
She described her song as the ‘ultimate feel-good self-love anthem’ and said getting the chance to represent her country ‘doing the one thing I love the most and have now made my career not only would be an honour, but a huge full circle moment’ after she missed out playing basketball for Ireland due to an injury.
The talented musician also appeared on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars in 2022, finishing in third place.
Last year David’s Wild Youth exited at the semi-final stage while Sweden’s Loreen stormed to her second Eurovision crown.
But the Dubliner, who is also one of this year’s contestants on Dancing with the Stars, says he is an unbiased fan of Ms Cody’s entry.
‘Erica is a friend of mine, she can sing, she’s so bubbly and full of life and crack a joke, I love Erica,’ he said.
From his experience last year, the Wild Youth frontman is keenly aware the optics, production and stage show are as important as the song itself.
He was impressed by Ms Cody’s decision to have an all-male dance crew to help her woo the Eurovision crowd in Malmo.
‘She has five male dancers… I think that would be cool. I don’t think there’s been an Irish woman with five commercial male dancers before.
‘I think she’d handle it pretty good. So go on team Erica!’