The UK’s 2023 Eurovision entry Mae Muller has spoken to NME about her aspirations for the competition and how her song aims to “make people feel empowered.” Muller was announced last month as the representative for the United Kingdom at the 67th Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Liverpool in May with her track “I Wrote A Song.”
Co-written with Karen Poole (Kylie Minogue, David Guetta, Galantis) and Lewis Thompson (Anne-Marie, Little Mix, Steve Aoki), the song aims to find triumph in the aftermath of a breakup. Muller shared that much of her music stems from pain, even though the outcomes are often sassy and liberating. She wanted to create a song that would empower listeners, whether they were experiencing heartbreak or navigating difficult emotions with a friend.
Although many people perceive “I Wrote A Song” as a revenge song, Muller clarifies that it is about the opposite: choosing self-empowerment over vengeance. She admitted that the song’s production has a touch of “Eurovision flavor” but maintained that it doesn’t deviate much from her original vision.
The song was always meant to be an upbeat, empowering dance anthem designed to instill confidence in listeners. Once she learned about Eurovision, she wanted to keep that in mind and added a spoken word section specifically for the Eurovision performance, aiming to create an intimate moment with the 200 million viewers.
Muller discovered she would be competing in the Song Contest a few months ago, having been hand-selected by the TaP Management team who chose last year’s UK entry, Sam Ryder. She found it difficult to keep the news a secret, especially as rumors swirled around other artists like Rina Sawayama, Birdy, Jessie Ware, and Ellie Goulding possibly representing the UK.
The annual competition will take place at Liverpool Arena in May, with the city hosting the event on behalf of last year’s winner, Ukraine, due to the ongoing war with Russia. Muller expressed her excitement to be participating in such a special year and to be performing in a city with a rich musical history.
Muller has been enjoying exploring the songs she’ll be competing against next month, noting that many strong female artists are participating this year. She also mentioned a shift in UK attitudes towards Eurovision, particularly following the success of Sam Ryder and previous Italian winners Måneskin. Muller is thrilled to be part of the contest’s ever-growing credibility.
Her personal Eurovision favorites include Netta’s “Toy” (Israel’s 2018 entry) and, like many others, she’s a huge ABBA fan. The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will take place at the M&S Bank
