James Newman responds to Eurovision Song Contest result: "I want to focus on the positives"
James Newman has responded to finishing with nul points at the Eurovision Song Contenst last weekend (May 22).
James' song Embers is the fifth time the UK has come last in the competition, and the second time is has received no points, after Jemini's Cry Baby in 2003.
Despite the result, the singer-songwriter put on a brave face on the night, cheering and waving to the audience as the bad news was delivered.
In his first social post since the competition, James said he wants to "focus on the positives of this amazing experience. I stood on a stage and sang to hundreds of millions of people with a song that I wrote and love.
🧡🧡🧡 pic.twitter.com/0iaSSrT30Y
— James Newman (@JamesNewmanUk) May 24, 2021
"The thing about writing songs is that there is no guarantee that a song you think will connect with people, will connect with an audience.
"The times when it doesn't play out how you hoped it might, teach you how to pick yourself up and be stronger".
MORE: Eurovision's highest-charting songs in the UK
Italy won this year's contest with Zittie e Buoni, performed by Måneskin. The band's singer Damiano David shouted "Rock and roll never dies" as the quartet group collected their glass microphone trophy.
It's Italy first win in 31 years following Insieme: 1992 (Together: 1992) by Toto Cutugno. Watch Måneskin's winning performance below:
MORE: Where every UK Eurovision entry has charted
Article image: BBC/Eurovision Song Contest
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PK
Philip King
Dull song and average performance, get a real band on there with a memorable anthem instead of some album filler sounding track.
thierry henon
He didn't deserve to come last! His song was actually much better than most of the other countries!! France ( even if am French) was awful!! Boring song..same goes for Switzerland!! this year THE ESC was anyway awful..loved it 2 years ago: so many talented artists like KEIINO, MAHMOUD, DUNCAN LAWRENCE. TAMTA etc...but i never actually watched an ESC that bad!!
Neil Morgenstern
The UK always sends poor music to Eurovision, and in general has pretty much always done so, it's just that in the past so did pretty much everyone else, but now other countries take it seriously and send major artists. Major UK artists would probably decline entering even if asked.
In general, the British music scene has been in decline for a long long time anyway. Hardly surprising that the last time we won was when Britpop was at its heights (1997). At least then we could recognise what good music was.
Will
Your idea of "good music" is not universal and neither is it objectively correct.
A
Andrew
Every year, UK, Spain and Germany finish at the bottom. With the exception of Italy, who always seem to do well, the 'Big Five' nearly always come last. Other countries won't vote for them because they resent that we are fast tracked to the final. Plus we don't perform in the semi finals, where people will choose the song they will vote for on Saturday before hearing the Big Five in full. I think songs should be anonymous, you vote for the number you like, and don't know who/where it is until voting has closed.
Neil Morgenstern
France also did quite well this year. Maybe because they sent a better song than we did?
Küll
UK and Spain shouldn't participate again.
Rob Parkinson
Why Spain? The UK could have ABBA and would still come last, it has become more about politics before music, such a shame for what was once a great competition