United Kingdom UNITED KINGDOM 2022 - Sam Ryder - Space Man

[escYOUnited]

If I was an astronaut, I'd be floating in mid-air
And a broken heart would just belong to someone else down there
I would be the centre of my lonely universe
But I'm only human, and I'm crashing down to earth

If I was an astronaut, I'd have a bird's eye view
I'd circle 'round the world and keep on coming back to you
In my floating castle, I'd rub shoulders with the stars
But I'm only human, and I'm drifting in the dark

I'm up in space, man
Up in space, man
I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There's nothing but space, man
And I want to go home

If I was an astronaut, I'd speak to satellites
My navigation systems would search for other life
But I'd be up here thinking 'bout what I'd left behind
'Cause I'm only human with the real world on my mind

I'm up in space, man
Up in space, man
I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There's nothing but space, man
And I want to go home

Gravity keeps pulling me down
As long as you're on the ground, I'll stick around
Stick around
I'll stick around

I'm up in space, man
Up in space, man
I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
There's nothing but space, man, no
Oh, I'm in the wrong place, man
Nothing but, nothing but, nothing but space, man
Nothing but, nothing but, nothing but space, man

I've searched around the universe
Been down some black holes
Nothing but space, man
And I want to go home​

 

[Lance Esgard]

Y'know, it just struck me that the customary Golden Shower pyro from the UK actually works thematically this time around, 'cos it can either represent stars (which are famously in outer space) or the jet of a rocket engine.

 

[voteme]

Now, that's a great performance - vocals were on point, although I think for Eurovision I'd want his hair down!

Y'know, it just struck me that the customary Golden Shower pyro from the UK actually works thematically this time around, 'cos it can either represent stars (which are famously in outer space) or the jet of a rocket engine.

Haha it does, I hope the staging can be quality this year - I'm thinking Lucie Jones, something which elevates the song into the Top 20/10!

 

[jeriswani]

Sam did an interview on the show.

https://youtu.be/rEJkBwMYuaQ

He’s on his way to Switzerland now. I hope his vocals will be ok after all this promo.

 

[ChiversLookDivine]

Sam did an interview on the show.

https://youtu.be/rEJkBwMYuaQ

He’s on his way to Switzerland now. I hope his vocals will be ok after all this promo.

He seemed really nervous at the start, but by the time they got around to showing off his TikTok videos he felt like he belonged. He's got a lot of natural charm.

As opposed to our last few entrants, it feels like we're sending a star. The best compliment I can give him, whatever the result in May, is that I think he's going to end up being a big deal in music.

I hope other up-and-coming artists see the sort of platform Sam has got from doing Eurovision and will jump at the chance next year. TaP need to stick around.

 

[I bims]

He seemed really nervous at the start, but by the time they got around to showing off his TikTok videos he felt like he belonged. He's got a lot of natural charm.

As opposed to our last few entrants, it feels like we're sending a star. The best compliment I can give him, whatever the result in May, is that I think he's going to end up being a big deal in music.

I hope other up-and-coming artists see the sort of platform Sam has got from doing Eurovision and will jump at the chance next year. TaP need to stick around.

They really know how to find good artists, no wonder they were the management of Dua Lipa.
Sam is really something extremely different compared to the past UK singers and that will show in May. I can't imagine this being on the right side of the scoreboard.

 

[jeriswani]

He got into the Viral 50!! It’s so hard for UK Eurovision songs to do this due to the lack if promo they get. Usually this happens Post-Eurovision as the grand final is the only time UK really notices Eurovision at all.

 

[MopManMoss]

Its a real shame that the best part of the song isnt in the eurovision version

 

[crashworld]

I think there has never been a concern on his vocals. I am sure he is going to get the notes to perfection on the actual night.
My only issue with his performance is his facial expressions when he sings. It's borderline Lucie Jones all over.
Hopefully he will work on them. Other than that, give him a complementary staging, he should be able to help UK get the best results in years.

 

[theditz83]

He's just a genuine musician performing his socks off - it's such a delight to see him really enjoying his performance, and even adding little adlibs and runs to show that he isn't just a static puppet that follows set cues and is scared to perform. The good sentiment can only continue to grow as the tour continues (hopefully) and I'm sure that he's accomplished enough to understand how to look after his vocals despite the register of the song (it's high, but in the context of his catalogue, it's pretty standard )

I'm getting some butterflies stirring - I think I might cry again at the performance this year for the first time since Lucie

 

[ayzelto]

I think there has never been a concern on his vocals. I am sure he is going to get the notes to perfection on the actual night.
My only issue with his performance is his facial expressions when he sings. It's borderline Lucie Jones all over.
Hopefully he will work on them. Other than that, give him a complementary staging, he should be able to help UK get the best results in years.

I don't mind about his facial expressions. His vocals just blow me away

 

[Jonkonfui]

I listened to this song (well half) yesterday and I think UK this year follows the line they have been following in past years, that is 'not really trying' but surprise, surprise their 'not trying' this year has appealed many people. I dont think UK has gone wow with this song and I find it quite 'similar' to songs they have send in previous years.

 

[voteme]

I listened to this song (well half) yesterday and I think UK this year follows the line they have been following in past years, that is 'not really trying' but surprise, surprise their 'not trying' this year has appealed many people. I dont think UK has gone wow with this song and I find it quite 'similar' to songs they have send in previous years.

I think this is pretty unfair, it's clearly the UK's best for quite some years and if they can package it well it will be out best effort since 2017, although I'd argue 2002!

It's also one of the best packages (so far) this Eurovision season - catchy song which sounds British and current, a good visual and he's serving live vocals for days - TAP have done a great job so far.

It's already hit #1 on iTunes in the UK and is currently charting on Spotify's viral chart (both in the UK and other countries) - that only usually happens after the contest. We also seem to be having a UK Promo tour, which is great to see.

So yeah, is it the best entry this year - no probably not (although for me, it's currently Top 3) - but it's a solid entry, with an amazing vocalist - any number of countries could have sent this and got an even better reaction than the UK...

 

[jeriswani]

I think this is pretty unfair, it's clearly the UK's best for quite some years and if they can package it well it will be out best effort since 2017, although I'd argue 2002!

It's also one of the best packages (so far) this Eurovision season - catchy song which sounds British and current, a good visual and he's serving live vocals for days - TAP have done a great job so far.

It's already hit #1 on iTunes in the UK and is currently charting on Spotify's viral chart (both in the UK and other countries) - that only usually happens after the contest. We also seem to be having a UK Promo tour, which is great to see.

So yeah, is it the best entry this year - no probably not (although for me, it's currently Top 3) - but it's a solid entry, with an amazing vocalist - any number of countries could have sent this and got an even better reaction than the UK...

Junkunfoi isn’t going to be satisfied until the UK forces Adele to participate for them. The expectations some people have for the UK is quite frankly laughable and far from reality. Looking how the song is doing in Spain i trust them to judge the song fairly.

 

[ChiversLookDivine]

Junkunfoi isn’t going to be satisfied until the UK forces Adele to participate for them. The expectations some people have for the UK is quite frankly laughable and far from reality. Looking how the song is doing in Spain i trust them to judge the song fairly.

I've spent the last 20 years arguing against British locals about "political voting" at Eurovision, I wholeheartedly deny it at every turn. I've long denied that Brexit or Iraq or something ridiculous has an effect. Why have we done badly? We've sent bad songs, performed badly, staged badly. Simple. But... I also believe that a few countries at Eurovision have a slight handicap before the contest even begins. With us, it's a handicap I call 'The UK Paradox'.

We know that there are a few countries that people judge differently, either given greater scrutiny or underdog status. Sweden and Italy are scrutinised because of their success. San Marino is judged lightly because they're tiny. I dare say some countries this year will be judged lighter because after years of struggling they've sent a potential winner (hello Poland!)

The UK entry is frequently judged against the best and brightest from our colossal music industry, and that's such an incredibly unfair comparison. People from other countries argue that the UK should send their most popular singers because other countries do the same. If we don't send Adele or Ed or Dua or Harry Styles then we're not trying, right?

The reason it's a paradox is because if the UK did what they were asked and pulled up one year with Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran or Adele - someone with 50-100 million monthly listeners on Spotify, multiple Grammys, years worth of discographies and a worldwide profile - critics would declare it as cheating.

But we already know Adele isn't going to show up. She's not going to pull up to the Grammys or a Las Vegas residency or a Vogue cover photoshoot and then plan the rest of the first half of her year around doing Eurovision. Someone like that has nothing to gain and everything to lose from doing it.

If everyone knows Adele isn't going to do it, and if she did somehow show up they'd accuse the UK of cheating anyway... then why give the UK the handicap of "not trying" because we didn't send our 'best' singer?

The only way to get out the paradox is to focus on our award-winning best UK talent other than the singer. The current UK plan is the right one. Instead of singers, they should get the best and brightest producers and songwriters from the UK music industry, and pair them up with up-and-coming talent with a decent following on social media. James Newman would have been great if he wasn't the performer, as a Grammy-winning songwriter he would have been fantastic supporting someone else (imagine if Becky Hill sang Embers instead). Amy Wadge helped to write Space Man with Sam Ryder, she won awards for writing Thinking Out Loud for Ed Sheeran.

We're not going to get Adele to sing for us, we're never going to be able to send our biggest stars like other countries can do, but that doesn't mean we can't send the people behind our biggest stars. Like TaP, who made Dua Lipa a star, and are doing a cracking job with Sam.

 

[Jonkonfui]

I think this is pretty unfair, it's clearly the UK's best for quite some years and if they can package it well it will be out best effort since 2017, although I'd argue 2002!

It's also one of the best packages (so far) this Eurovision season - catchy song which sounds British and current, a good visual and he's serving live vocals for days - TAP have done a great job so far.

It's already hit #1 on iTunes in the UK and is currently charting on Spotify's viral chart (both in the UK and other countries) - that only usually happens after the contest. We also seem to be having a UK Promo tour, which is great to see.

So yeah, is it the best entry this year - no probably not (although for me, it's currently Top 3) - but it's a solid entry, with an amazing vocalist - any number of countries could have sent this and got an even better reaction than the UK...

I am not saying anything against the song. I think it is ok for me and even though I dont particularly like it (but this is due to my odd -more elevated- musical taste) I understand why other people might like it. What I dont see with this song is BBC really trying or a change of attitude respect previous years. Uk has chosen a correct and safe song: a solo singer without dancers quite basic as regards lyrics and I suppose the staging will be on the 'simple' side (same as previous years) But again I dont criticize the song which I think is ok.

 

[Jonkonfui]

Junkunfoi isn’t going to be satisfied until the UK forces Adele to participate for them. The expectations some people have for the UK is quite frankly laughable and far from reality. Looking how the song is doing in Spain i trust them to judge the song fairly.

what the hell is junkunfoi??? 3 out of 4 vowels wrong... Great result.

 

[voteme]

I am not saying anything against the song. I think it is ok for me and even though I dont particularly like it (but this is due to my odd -more elevated- musical taste) I understand why other people might like it. What I dont see with this song is BBC really trying or a change of attitude respect previous years. Uk has chosen a correct and safe song: a solo singer without dancers quite basic as regards lyrics and I suppose the staging will be on the 'simple' side (same as previous years) But again I dont criticize the song which I think is ok.

I don't get your point about your musical taste being more elevated - we all have different tastes, my favourite artists are Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell - but I don't claim my taste to be better than anyone else, it's all personal.

Again I'll say, the BBC have taken a different approach this year by getting TAP involved and they've got together a decent song which is elevated by a charismatic and talented singer.

As for the lyrics, I read them to be deeper than you suggest - it speaks to my battle with mental health issues I've experienced, that's my interpreted but I've seen others say the same.

As for staging, ever since Lucie Jones (which was properly stunning) the UK has been pants at staging, I hope we can do something atmospheric to really lift the song - simple staging doesn't mean bad - just look at recent wins for Portugal or Netherlands.

 

[Iker]

Junkunfoi isn’t going to be satisfied until the UK forces Adele to participate for them. The expectations some people have for the UK is quite frankly laughable and far from reality. Looking how the song is doing in Spain i trust them to judge the song fairly.

I, for once, would be dissatisfied if UK would go with Adele as the only two songs of her that I liked were released long time ago (Hometown Glory & Chasing Pavements) . But obviously in that highly unlikely scenario of UK being able to prompt Adele to represent them they would automatically be favourites to win the contest.

 

[Jonkonfui]

I don't get your point about your musical taste being more elevated - we all have different tastes, my favourite artists are Tracy Chapman and Joni Mitchell - but I don't claim my taste to be better than anyone else, it's all personal.

Again I'll say, the BBC have taken a different approach this year by getting TAP involved and they've got together a decent song which is elevated by a charismatic and talented singer.

As for the lyrics, I read them to be deeper than you suggest - it speaks to my battle with mental health issues I've experienced, that's my interpreted but I've seen others say the same.

As for staging, ever since Lucie Jones (which was properly stunning) the UK has been pants at staging, I hope we can do something atmospheric to really lift the song - simple staging doesn't mean bad - just look at recent wins for Portugal or Netherlands.

Ooo i love 'Both sides now'... I am not saying my musical taste is better it is just more elevated.
The lyrics no idea because I dont know what are the lyrics about, so I dont think I am suggesting anything about the lyrics. But not knowing shit about a topic has never prevented me from discussing about that topic so I might be suggesting something about the lyrics but I am not really aware of doing so.
The staging will be Uk style: him a micro and some structure behind. But i am not criticizing the song. I think i like it. I have not listened to it yet. I dont think I like it but I cannot be 100% sure.
Finally I have to say I am not the right person for a serious conversation about Esc songs I usually write what comes into my mind regardless of whether it makes any sense.

 

[Jonkonfui]

I, for once, would be dissatisfied if UK would go with Adele as the only two songs of her that I liked were released long time ago (Hometown Glory & Chasing Pavements) . But obviously in that highly unlikely scenario of UK being able to prompt Adele to represent them they would automatically be favourites to win the contest.

who is Adele?