Watch first glimpse of UK’s Eurovision entry in live semi final as girlband Remember Monday spark concern
THE UK’s Eurovision hopes rest with girlband Remember Monday - but their semi-final performance tonight has sparked concern among fans.
Trio Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull, both 30, and Charlotte Steele, 31, performed their song, What the Hell Just Happened?, during the competition's latest round.
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But some viewers weren't won over by the track.
One wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “Can honestly say that the #UnitedKingdom will not win #Eurovision with this screeching effort."
Another said: “The UK entry is just weird and confusing. Too many stops and rhythm changes. You think it’s going to be a euro pop bop and then it just stops. Not #Eurovision friendly.”
A third post simply read: “the uk is not good”
Despite the criticism, the band also received strong support from viewers who defended the originality and vocal performance.
One user tweeted: “I honestly, as a Brit who’s fully accepted the criticism we’ve received previously, do not understand the hate Remember Monday and their performance just now. Any other country sending that mega trio would be showered in love. All the haters can go have a breather…”
Another added: “Remember Monday could WIN THIS WHOLE THING. INCREDIBLE. Perfection in the arena!”
Remember Monday were internally selected by the BBC to represent the UK.
Known for their harmonies and storytelling style, the band first gained national attention after appearing on The Voice UK.
As part of the Big Five, the UK automatically qualifies for the Grand Final, which takes place on Saturday at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel.
More than 160million people globally are expected to tune in to watch as 26 bonkers, brilliant and beautiful acts battle it out.
Speaking with The Sun yesterday, the band revealed they've hired a therapist to combat hate-filled trolls.
Lauren told us: “You just have to accept as an artist that what you do isn’t going to be loved by everyone.
“There are people out there that don’t like Taylor Swift. I think they’re a bit crazy, but they do exist. So, you know, we can’t be for everyone and that’s fine.”
The three met in sixth form in Hampshire and are the first girl group to represent the UK since Precious, who finished 12th in 1999 with Say It Again.
Holly explained: “We’re a band that have been together for over 14 years and we pride ourselves in our genuine friendship. I think that’s our superpower — how much we love each other and no matter what happens, we’ll still be solid at the end of it.
“We’re absolutely buzzing that this is an experience we get to do together. Who else gets to do this with their two best mates?”
It comes after 2023 entry Mae Muller said she was unable to get out of bed after coming second to last, while 2024’s Olly Alexander, who came 18th, said his best advice to this year’s hopefuls was: “Get a good therapist.”
Lauren said: “Yeah. I think everyone should have a therapist. And we do. We’re very lucky that we do.
“But we do also think, there’s three of us and we’re each other’s best friends as well as work colleagues.”
Holly added: “There’s no better therapy than just talking it out with each other and having a girly night, unloading and things like that. So we are very fortunate that we’re in that position.”
They insisted they feel “very well looked after” but also believe their background in theatre means they have thicker skin than most.
Holly has performed in West End productions of Phantom Of The Opera and Les Miserables, while Lauren has starred in Six: The Musical and Matilda.
Meanwhile, Charlotte made her West End debut aged ten as Jane Banks in a production of Mary Poppins.
She said: “We’re used to high-pressure situations where we don’t have much rehearsal and we’ve got to still deliver. We’re used to being extremely nervous.”
That said, she confessed “The nerves definitely exist, but I think that’s normal. It means we care.
“And with there being three of us, we are able to share the load. If one of us is really stressed and nervous, it kind of balances out and we can get each other into good spaces.
“The overriding feeling is excitement.”
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