This year United Kingdom has chosen Sam Ryder as its representative on Eurovision 2022 that will take place in Turin this month with the song “SPACE MAN”. But who is Sam Ryder? In this article you will have the opportunity to know more about United Kingdom’s singer for Eurovision 2022.
About Sam Ryder
Sam Ryder started working in the music industry as a singer and guitarist in 2009, playing for the bands The Morning After, Blessed by a Broken Heart and Close Your Eyes.
He rose to fame thanks to TikTok, where, since the first confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, he started releasing cover songs.
Since 2019 he has released several singles, the first one being “Set You Free” and in 2021 he released his first EP entitled “The Sun’s Gonna Rise” which included singles such as the eponymous track of the EP’s name or “Whirlwind”.
In late 2020, Sam Ryder became the most followed UK artist on TikTok, which led to him signing a record deal with Parlophone and management agency TaP Music.
The track chosen to represent the UK in Turin is entitled ‘Space Man’ and was released on platforms on 24 February, before the artist himself was announced as the country’s official representative.
Sam Ryder himself wrote the song with Amy Wadge and Max Wolfgang, while Koz, producer of hits for Madonna, Dua Lipa or Alice Merton, was responsible for “Space Man”.
The United Kingdom is one of the countries with the highest amount of participations in the Eurovision Song Contest, having started participating in the contest in 1957. It has won Eurovision 5 times (1967, 1969, 1976, 1981 and 1997).
Lyrics
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 center
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 wanna go home
If I was an astronaut
I’d speak to satеllites
My navigation systems
Would search for othеr life
But I’d be up here thinking
‘Bout what I 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 wanna 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 wanna go home
United Kingdom in Eurovision
The United Kingdom made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957. To date, the UK has won the Eurovision Song Contest 5 times. The UK has also finished second a record 15 times and also has the record for the longest-running string of Top 5 placings.
The United Kingdom holds the record for the longest run of consecutive appearances in the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest, 59 times in a row. The record would have gone to Germany had the country not been relegated in a pre-selection round in 1996.
The UK holds another record, which is regarded as one of the biggest achievements in the history of the Contest: coming in second in the final ranking 15 times.
The UK has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 8 times, stepping in to stage the event when others were unable to do so. The UK last hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998 in Birmingham following Katrina and the Waves’ victory with Love Shine A Light in 1997.