Photo: BBC

Mae Muller will represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with her newly-released pop banger I Wrote A Song.

Following an “extensive” search for Sam Ryder’s successor – “headed by 2023 partners the global music management and publishing company TaP Music” – the news was revealed by Zoe Ball on the Radio 2 Breakfast show on Thursday (9 March).

At 8:55pm, Muller will give her first exclusive interview with Scott Mills on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The British singer-songwriter, from London, is best known for featuring on Neiked’s 2021 nu-disco/funk anthem Better Days, which reached the top 40 in both the UK and U.S. and has been streamed over a billion times.

In a statement, Muller said: “I’m SO excited to participate in Eurovision this year and represent the UK! I’ve loved watching Eurovision all my life, so to compete in such a massive music competition is simply brilliant. 

“I’m a huge fan of so many of the artists that have found success at Eurovision, from ABBA to Måneskin! Sam Ryder was so amazing last year and proved the UK can be back on the left-hand side of the leader board!”

I Wrote A Song, which features writing credits from Lewis Thompson and Karen Poole, came to fruition “a few months ago” when Muller was “going through a hard time and wanted to feel empowered about relationships”.

Muller added: “So for it to be chosen for this year’s UK Eurovision song is honestly a dream!”

TaP Music co-founders Ben Mawson and Ed Millett said they were “really taken” by I Wrote A Song’s “impactful message alongside its “playful tone and up-tempo fun production”.

“From the moment we met Mae, we knew she would be an incredible ambassador for the UK at Eurovision,” they continued.

“Alongside her abundant talent, she has the most wonderfully warm and fun personality and expressed positivity and excitement about the opportunity to represent the UK. We are super excited to work with Mae, EMI and her management company Modest! on supporting Mae to get another great result at Eurovision.”

Rachel Ashdown, Lead Commissioning Editor for Eurovision at the BBC, said: “We’d like to thank TaP for their extensive search for the UK entrant for Eurovision this year. Mae’s commitment and drive in representing the UK is undeniably clear and I am certain that she is going to be a brilliant ambassador with I Wrote A Song.”

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Liverpool in May. The UK are hosting on behalf of Ukraine following the country’s vistory in 2022 with Kalush Orchestra’s Stefania.

Semi-finals will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 9 and 11 May at 1pm, while the grand final will air on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds on 13 May from 8pm.

Watch the music video for I Wrote A Song here or below.