New Zealand have launched a bid to enter the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest with a comedy single by pop duo Two Hearts.
The song, titled “Eurovusion (Open Up)” can be heard below:
New Zealand’s Eurovision bid is being backed by a Kiwi brewery, Yeastie Boys. The brewery owners have started a petition to let New Zealand join the Eurovision contest, alongside their Australian neighbours who are already included.
Nearly 50k views on our song to launch Aotearoa New Zealand’s bid for an invitation to @Eurovision. https://t.co/gL3JDv9Tox
Surely it’s time @bbceurovision gave it some airtime. If this was in the competition it would be a finalist, for sure.
— Yeastie Boys (@yeastieboys) May 8, 2023
Stu McKinlay, founder of Yeastie Boys, said, “We’ve become big Eurovision fans since arriving here in the UK but we really miss having our own country to cringe at while simultaneously supporting unwaveringly.”
Discussing Australia being included but not his native New Zealand, McKinlay continued, “I was the youngest of five kids and whenever my older siblings went to gigs, I was too young to join them. Australia being in Eurovision, when New Zealand hasn’t been invited, gives me the same vibes and I don’t like it.”
He added, “New Zealanders grow up with a sense of social justice being very important and Australia being invited to Eurovision without New Zealand is like inviting someone to your wedding but not giving them a plus one! Everyone loves New Zealand and finds us cute and non-threatening and that makes us a sure thing for doing well in the public vote. I mean who really likes Australia?”
On the petition page, McKinlay writes, “New Zealand is a country with a rich musical heritage that could bring a lot to the Eurovision party. Just ask Lorde, Crowded House or Dane Rumble.We have taken it upon ourselves to highlight this injustice and right this wrong by inviting fellow New Zealand pals Two Hearts to launch the first ever official unofficial Eurovision entry.”
Ultimately, New Zealand asks, “Why the hell are Australia in it? Can New Zealand come and play too?”
The UK is set to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest next week, honouring Ukraine who won last year. The 2023 finals will take place on 9th May and 11th May, with the grand finals on 13th May.
The event will be hosted in Liverpool, with Liverpool-based band Frankie Goes to Hollywood reuniting to open this year’s contest.
Eurovision co-host Alisha Dixon has called this year’s event “so much more than a competition” as the nations gather to honour Ukraine. Dixon said the event is “very important. We feel that sense of responsibility to do it with joy, love.”
Mae Muller is the official UK entrant for 2023, releasing “I Wrote a Song” in hopes of scoring as highly as last year’s UK contestant, Sam Ryder. Listen to Muller’s song here:
