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Music

17th Jan 2022

LISTEN: The first two Irish Eurovision hopefuls have released their songs

Hugh Carr

ireland eurovision 2022

Will it be “Irlande Douze Pointe” for them?

The road to Eurovision has well and truly begun.

While Ireland continues to hold the record for most wins in Eurovision history, recent events have shown that our tunes don’t have the same winning formula as those before.

That could all change this year however, as a the first two singers’ campaign to be selected for the competition began on Monday (17 January).

Ryan Tubridy had the first play of both ‘I’m Loving Me’ performed by Rachel Goode, and ‘Real Love’ performed by Brendan Murray.

The remaining four songs will be performed throughout the week.

A Late Late Show Eurosong Special is set to air on 4 February, where the winner and Ireland’s choice for Eurovision will be selected by a National Jury, International Jury, and a public vote.

The winner will be travelling to Turin, in Italy, where they’ll perform their winning song.

Rachel Goode’s song, ‘I’m Loving Me’, was written by Joakim Övrenius, Thomas Karlsson, Johan Mauritzson and Anna Engh.

The song is full of 80s synths, massive 808 drums, before a big Eurodance style chorus.

Rachel Goode is a classically trained soprano from Ballinasloe, Galway who has performed in the National Concert Hall and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.

“When I am singing, I am in my own world, nothing else seems to matter in that moment and it’s the best feeling ever,” Goode said.

Brendan Murray’s ‘Real Love’ was written by Murray and Darrell Coyle.

A former X Factor contestant and member of boyband Hometown, Murray entered Eurovision in 2017, failing to qualify for the final. Murray has performed in over 20 arenas around the UK, including Wembley.

“The meaning behind ‘Real Love’ is not realising what was right in front of you the whole time,” Murray said.

“You’ve ignored and put the thought of it to one side but then you come to that realization that you should have said what you felt a long time ago.

“You’ve convinced and made excuses for yourself when you really should have told that person how you really felt.”

The two will perform on the Late Late Show Eurosong Special on Friday, 4 February.