Eurovision hits UK as its stars warm up in front of UK crowd ahead of Liverpool spectacular
Mae Muller headlines the London Eurovision Party, but is joined by Sweden's hopeful Loreen, who won in 2012, and Finland's Käärijä, whose track Cha Cha Cha could earn him a place on the top spot in Liverpool.
While the main event is still a few weeks away, the Eurovision circus landed in London - bringing with it the loud costumes, odd props and colourful characters.
But they're not in the UK to compete - instead it was part of an unofficial (but widely endorsed), whistle-stop tour of the continent where the acts get a chance to test out their songs in front of real audiences full of Eurovision fans in an effort to get their campaigns under way.
The London Eurovision Party was headlined by, of course, the UK act Mae Muller, with performances by artists from this year, as well as years gone by.
And it will be all eyes on Loreen in Liverpool in May - she won the contest for Sweden in 2012 with Euphoria, which is one of the most popular Eurovision tracks in history.
She's back with new song Tattoo, and while bookies have her at odds-on favourite to win, she told Sky News the only pressure she feels is a creative one.
"I so badly want to create something that matters," she said, adding: "It's more pressure to create something as a performance.
"I never thought that this was going to be my path. What happened was the song came to me... I instantly felt when I got that, that I knew that there is something that's going to happen to me with this song, and then a week or two later, they pop the question [to do Eurovision again] I'm like, 'no, no, wait, wait, you can't be serious'."
If Loreen does do the business and take home the trophy, and nothing is for certain in Eurovision, she would become the first woman to win the contest more than once (Johnny Logan for Ireland holds the official record for the most individual wins as a performer and writer, in case you wondered). Read More…
