Hi everyone! As the newest member of the That Eurovision Site! Team, I thought I’d introduce myself to you all, so you can get to know me a little better! My name is Lewis and I am a media and performance student (although I am due to be graduating in just a couple of weeks from now!). When I am not obsessing over all things Eurovision, you can find me playing the xbox, watching and enjoying motorsport on tv, or supporting my favourite football team (which I will not disclose here to save myself any backlash x).
Name: Lewis Thorp
Age: 24
Pronouns: He/Him
Lewis’s socials:
- Twitter: @xLewisThorpx
- Instagram: @xlewisthorpx
How did I get into the Eurovision Song Contest?
My Eurovision journey began at the age of 12. I don’t remember too much from watching Eurovision back then beyond watching Jedward perform ‘Lipstick’ on stage in Düsseldorf. All I do know is I was hooked! The magnitude of the occasion felt surreal to me. Thousands of Europeans packed out the Düsseldorf Arena, and from seeing that many people in one place celebrating their shared love of music, I knew that this would be a show that would stick with me. From there, I became a bit of a casual viewer of Eurovision up to the 2015 Contest when I was fully invested!
What point did I consider myself a Eurofan?
I considered myself a Eurofan in 2015, when the contest rocked up to Vienna. It was then where I first began watching the Semi Finals. This was also the first time that I realised that the songs were released even before Eurovision week itself, but I chose not to listen to any of the songs until they were performed onstage. I found this to be a very strong year, and I was very happy with Heroes winning, but I found that my favourite song from that year was a style of music that I didn’t tend to cater myself to before. This being Il Volo’s ‘Grande Amore’. This style of operatic pop lead me to discovering a whole new world of music that I had not yet given time to. What I found so beautiful in that discovery is that I knew that through Eurovision, I could find musical genres or discover cultural differences in music that I would not be privy to if I just listened to chart music or any music that gets airplay in the UK. I think it’s great to broaden the types of music you listen to, and Eurovision is a great place to do just that.
How has my life changed since becoming a Eurofan?
My life has changed drastically since becoming a Eurofan. It feels like I span my entire life around Eurovision now. In the same sense everyone counts the days down for Christmas, I do that for Eurovision week. It’s the one time of the year I look forward to the most. I had the opportunity dreams are made of by going to Liverpool earlier this year for Eurovision week, meeting so many like-minded Eurofans and even being blessed enough to be in the Liverpool Arena for the 1st Semi Final Preview and even the Grand Final itself. I got to experience all of that with my best friend who flew all the way from Toronto to meet me and enjoy every single second of Eurovision with me. I would not even know them if it weren’t for Eurovision. I had the chance to meet many people I have looked up to in the Eurovision community, and made friends for life. I hope this opens opportunities for me to go to more Eurovision Song Contests in the near future. Fingers crossed for Malmö!
What are my favourite Eurovision Songs and Countries
The countries that I consistently love in Eurovision are Italy, Cyprus, Iceland, Finland, North Macedonia and Bulgaria. I always find myself being a fan of their entries. My favourite entry from each of these Countries are:
- 🇮🇹 Italy (2020) – Diodato with “Fai rumore”
- 🇨🇾 Cyprus (2016) – Minus-One with “Alter Ego”
- 🇮🇸 Iceland (2019) – Hatari with “Hatrið mun sigra”
- 🇫🇮 Finland (2021) – Blind Channel with “Dark Side”
- 🇲🇰 North Macedonia (2019) – Tamara Todevska with “Proud”
- 🇧🇬 Bulgaria (2021) – VICTORIA with “growing up is getting old”
What are my favourite National Final Songs
Admittedly, I didn’t pay attention to the National Finals for a long time. I only watched Eurovision: You Decide in the UK and Eurovision: Australia Decides up to 2023. This year however, I watched most of the national finals. Here are 6 of my favourite songs that never made it to the Eurovision stage.
- 🇦🇺 Charley with “I Suck At Being Lonely” (Eurovision: Australia Decides 2022 – Australia)
- 🇬🇧 Jordan Clarke with “Freaks” (Eurovision: You Decide 2019 – United Kingdom)
- 🇳🇴 Ulrikke with “Honestly” (Melodi Grand Prix 2023 – Norway)
- 🇩🇰 Søren Torpegaard Lund with “Lige her” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2023 – Denmark)
- 🇪🇪 Andreas with “Why Do You Love Me” (Eesti Laul 2023 – Estonia)
- 🇪🇸 Alice Wonder with “Yo Quisiera” (Benidorm Fest 2023 – Spain)
What am I looking forward to in the new Eurovision Season?
I am looking forward to discovering new and returning national finals. I want to broaden my Eurovision discoveries. 2023, I found myself fully invested in national final season and it has me really excited for whats to come in 2024. I also cannot wait for another Swedish contest. The swedes really know how to host Eurovision as proven in the past. I am very sure we are in for another amazing show next year! My fingers are crossed for the return of Lynda Woodruff! I love that we are in for another Malmö contest, but let’s just pray they make the greenroom look much better than the last time they hosted!
What do you think of Lewis’s favourites? Want to learn more about our team? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Don’t forget to follow ‘THAT Eurovision Site’ over at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok as we gear up for the next Eurovision!
News Source: That Eurovision Site
Photo Credit: Lewis Thorp
