Bambie Thug, Ireland’s entrant in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, has said that they have “no regrets” about participating in the competition, claiming that it has changed the trajectory of their career and presented them with a host of new opportunities.
This year’s competition was notably tainted by a politically fraught backdrop that included protests against Israel’s inclusion in the song contest, backstage tensions between delegations and the disqualification of Joost Klein, the Dutch contestant.
In an interview with The Sunday Times on the eve of the announcement of their first headline European tour, the non-binary singer-songwriter described the experience of being directly involved in the contest as “intense” and responsible for a “rollercoaster of emotions”.
After a post-Eurovision rest, when Bambie has spent time taking “lots of naps” and binge-watching the Netflix show Bridgerton with friends in Brighton, the artist has renewed their focus on the next chapter and said they are ready to get back to work.
“[The reaction to Eurovision] is just incredible. My following has skyrocketed up. I’m getting loads of fan art drawn, loads of kids dressing up as it [the witch outfit used in the live show] still. Loads more streams. It’s been incredible, I’m receiving so much love and so many messages of support,” they said.
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“There are lots of nice and exciting things coming, so it’s been really well received,” added Bambie, who captivated audiences with the “ouija-pop” song Doomsday Blue and secured Ireland’s best Eurovision result in 24 years, scoring 278 points to come sixth.
With a new level of fame to capitalise on and legions of fresh fans entering their “coven”, Bambie revealed that they have “loads of music in the vault to release”, and that the extreme artistry and spectacular theatre that they brought to the stage in Malmo in Sweden has opened the door to a possible record deal.
“We have some meetings but we will see. It’s great, it’s positive. There is interest, yeah. There are lots of things. I don’t know what’s going to happen but it’s going to be lots of music,” they said.
While it has been a “turbulent” past few years for the artist both behind the scenes and musically, Bambie said that they were keen to secure somewhere permanent to live in London by the end of the year.
“I have just been couch surfing for like two years, so my stuff is in storage … I always just trust the process and it will make when I have a place so much sweeter, and it’s going to be so beautiful,” they said, adding that despite London being a financially “difficult” place to live, they had many friends to offer somewhere to stay whenever they were in need.
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The 31-year-old, who is a member of the Swedish Lagerqvist family, said they were not sure if they would eventually return to Ireland and expressed interest in venturing to the US, but said that they continued to be creatively inspired by their home country.
“I would definitely come back and do a little retreat in Ireland, and write for a bit. The nature there, the air — there is something different, something mystical in that. I’m back in Ireland next week for my mom’s birthday.”
Bambie, originally from Macroom in Co Cork, has been an outspoken supporter of Palestine and has launched a scathing attack on the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organisers, for its handling of this year’s Eurovision.
Bambie said that they had cried with their team when Israel, represented by Eden Golan, qualified for the Eurovision final. Alan Shatter, the former justice minister, lodged a formal complaint with the EBU over the airing of the comments and urged RTE to make a public apology.
• Melanie Phillips: Eurovision’s anti-Israel mob behaved like brats
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Despite the criticism, Bambie remains defiant in defence of their behaviour and said that a commitment to “honesty” compelled them to conduct themselves in the way they did.
“People can criticise me as they want if I am emotional because I don’t think that something is right. Also, the thing I will stand by is honesty. I am not going to taper my responses just because it might upset someone. People have a lot to say about how I react or what I say — and would they say the same thing to me if I was just a cis white guy?” said Bambie, who was also the subject of much online commentary linking their performance with satanic symbolism.
While they conceded that the usually joyous Eurovision was a deflated affair this year in comparison with the others in the competition’s 68-year history, they said they were left with fond memories.
“I don’t think you can have regrets because what happens, happens, is meant to happen. What will be, will be regardless,” they said.
Bambie’s 28-date Crown the Witch tour will involve performances at venues across Ireland and Britain, as well in Paris and Amsterdam.
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The tour will conclude with a homecoming gig in Cork in November. They are also scheduled to open the main stage of Download Festival in Britain and appear on Mighty Hoopla’s main stage in London next month.
Bambie also hailed the innovative and experimental efforts of their team and said the performance had represented a great breakthrough for “queers and alt music” in the mainstream cultural sphere.
“Overall, has it done amazing things for me? Yes. Have I met amazing people from it? Yes. I very much look for silver linings over everything. Does it need reform? Yes. But I’ve come out of it a lot stronger in myself, a lot more confident in myself and with a lot to show for it. Overall success.”
