Eurovision in Liverpool is less than one month away. In the run-up to rehearsals we will be getting to know a little more about this year’s artists, their discography, and their Eurovision journey so far! Next up, we will preview Denmark’s act, Reiley.
Reiley’s Eurovision Journey So Far…
Reiley earned Denmark’s ticket to Eurovision 2023 by winning the 53rd edition of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. Of the eight competing acts, Reiley advanced to the three-act superfinal after the first round of voting. He then placed first with the televote and tied for second with the professional jury to win DMGP with 43% of available points.
There was a minor controversy surrounding the eligibility of his song “Breaking My Heart” as he had performed it at a concert in South Korea in October 2022 before the song was released for DMGP. Ultimately, it was decided that it had not gained a competitive advantage (and met the EBU’s 1st September deadline) and would be allowed to compete.
Denmark will perform first in the running order in semi-final two on Thursday 11th May.
Reiley performed at several of the pre-parties this season, including Melfest WKND, the Polish Eurovison Party, Pre-Party ES, Eurovision in Concert, and the London Eurovision Party.
Tim had the chance to speak to Reiley backstage at Melfest WKND!
What Do We Think of “Breaking My Heart”?
The team at That Eurovision Site has been doing their reviews for this year’s contest. Shiloh and Ben give their thoughts on “Breaking My Heart”, which you can see here.
Who Is Reiley?
Reiley is a Danish singer-songwriter who originally hails from the Faroe Islands. In fact, he is the first Faroese artist represent Denmark at Eurovision!
Reiley first gained traction in 2020 by posting covers of hit songs on TikTok, where he has since amassed 11 million followers and over 1 billion views. He released his debut single “Let It Ring” in 2021, followed by first EP brb, having an identity crisis, which included the single “Superman”. In 2022, he released the songs “blah blah blah” and “Moonlight”.
Interestingly, Reiley has also gained a sizeable following in South Korea.
“Breaking My Heart” was written by Reiley, Bård Mathias Bonsaksen, Hilda Stenmalm, and Sivert Hjeltnes Hagtvet.
Denmark’s Eurovision Journey
Denmark first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1957 and notched their first win in 1963 with Grethe and Jorgan Ingmann’s “Dansevise”. The country left the contest after 1966 but returned in 1978, and achieved mixed results in the next two decades. Denmark earned two third-place finishes in 1988 and 1989 but was then relegated three times in 1994, 1996, and 1998.
They finally achieved their second victory in 2000 with the Olsen Brothers’ “Fly on the Wings of Love”, and have only missed the grand final five times since the introduction of the semi-finals. A six-year qualification streak from 2008 culminated in its third win in 2013 with Emmelie de Forrest’s “Only Teardrops”.
Denmark’s recent participation saw them being represented by REDDI with the song “The Show”, which managed to place 13th in the semi-final where they received 55 points from the Jury and Televoters.
What do you think of “Breaking My Heart”? Do you think Reiley can bring Denmark back to the Grand Final? Let us know in the comments or on social media! Be sure to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
News Source: That Eurovision Site/Reiley
Photo Credit: Reiley
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