Eurovision's Bambie Thug: "It's amazing this little non-binary witch is doing so well!"

It's been six years since Ireland last qualified for the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, when Ryan O'Shaughnessy's Together placed 16th in the competition. Sadly, for whatever reason, any song selected to represent Ireland since hasn't quite connected with the public (justice for Brooke's 2022 track That's Rich, we say).

Until now.

This year, independent artist Bambie Thug looks set to turn the country's fortunes around with self-described 'electro-metal breakdown' Doomsday Blue; proving so popular with the bookies their current odds are 9/1 to clinch the trophy.

Ahead of this week's semi-finals, we catch up with Bambie (born Bambie Ray Robinson) to talk Ireland's chances, being a role model for the queer community and naked nights in Amsterdam.

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Hey, Bambie! Your odds to win are already amazing - could we see a major turnaround for Ireland?

I try not to think of the odds, because odds can always be beaten. But obviously it’s great that we’re in the Top 10 – I want to be in the Top 3!

For Ireland to not have been in the Grand Final since 2018, to then send their little non-binary witch, this weird goth who’s a bit alternative, and for us to be doing so well after years of doing badly, I’m like ‘told you!’ It’s crazy.

You've been travelling around Europe with the other contestants for a while, now; who've you grown closest to so far?

Olly Alexander, Silvester Belt, Nemo, MEGARA. I’ve hung out with Slimane as well. In Amsterdam we all went out together.

We were like ‘where’s a bar that’s open?’ We went to one called Free Willie. We got there and they said ‘you can’t come in the bar unless you get completely naked. We were like ‘no, this is too soon for us – we’re not that good friends yet!’

And was anyone up for getting naked to get in...?

Yeah, but I don't want to tell you who. Haha!

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What's been the best part of the whole experience so far for you, Free Willie aside?

People’s parents reaching about their kids, sending me clips of their children performing my songs and dressed up as me. They’re, like, tiny kids.

I’ve had a lot of lovely messages from queer kids and parents of non-binary children, reaching out to show their support and thank me for being so open. That’s been really lovely; it reaffirms to me that it is, in some small way, making a difference. It tells me it’s the right decision for me to be authentically me.

You do get the other side which is really nasty, and then you have these messages and think ‘that’s what matters, that’s what I’m thinking about. I really love all the fan art people are doing – I fancy myself in some of them!

My fans are super talented themselves. Meeting the Eurovision fans is amazing; they’re so dedicated. I’m making so many new friends.

How would you describe your performance in five words?

Mature, romantic, ethereal, theatrical and witchy.

What are your favourite songs competing this year?

I really like Czechia’s song Pedestal by Aiko. To me, that has the most pop sensibility of the other songs; it’s the most current sounding, to my taste. I like a lot of them, to be honest. I love the melody of Ukraine’s chorus [alyona alyona & Jerry Heil’s Teresa & Maria], I love France’s melody [Slimane’s Mon amour], Olly Alexander’s Dizzy’s fun, Lithuania’s fun [Silvester Belt’s Luktelk], Nemo’s The Code is fun. 

It’s funny that the two non-binary contestants are the ones fusing the genres!

Bambie Thug's Doomsday Blue is out now via HAUS OF THUG.

LISTEN to Bambie Thug's Doomsday Blue below: