Bambie Thug from Ireland: "Eurovision is a big beast"
INTERVIEW Bambie Thug is ready to take Eurovision by storm with a unique look and sound. They'll be bringing witchcraft to the stage in hopes of giving Ireland one of its best scores in Eurovision in recent years
Bambie Thug will represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song "Doomsday Blue" after winning the Irish Eurosong 2024 back in January.
Bambie Ray Robinson, whose stage name is Bambie Thug, identifies as non-binary. Bambie is an Irish singer-songwriter known for their exquisite fashion style and unique music genre.
Bambie seems pretty confident on their answer when asked about Ireland's poor Eurovision results:
– Ireland hasn't had me in Eurovision.
They didn't, until now. When they were younger, pop girls (especially Britney Spears) as well as Westlife were their main references. Today, things have changed and the references range from so many different spectrums:
– Lady Gaga is my favorite female pop artist, but my influences go beyond pop, they say.
– Paul Simon was my first big guy for songwriting. Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, Snoop Dogg are a few examples... I love everything.
Just like their gender Bambie refuses to be put into a generic musical box, and to describe their sound they self-coined the term "ouija-pop" that encompasses everything they do from pop to rock, from classical to metal.
Doomsday Blue
"Doomsday Blue," their Eurovision entry, is a perfect example of that:
– It's basically a three-minute musical theatre play piece, they describe.
– It goes through a lot of different genres such as spoken word, metal screams, pop, jazz and even electro-metal. For an untrained ear it may be a bit confusing, but if you really appreciate music you'll think it's a masterpiece.
The song was written and included in their most recent EP, "Cathexis," but they felt it could go even further:
– When I submitted it, I was certain it'd cause a stir and it's done exactly that. Whether you like it or not, you know the song. You're not going to forget it and that's all I care about, they continue.
Are you nervous about the result?
– No, I am not. The question is... Is the world ready for the future of music? If not, Eurovision is still an incredible platform and I will still embark on a massive career after this, they confidently say.
Throughout our conversation Bambie addressed the love and the hate they get for their beliefs, act, and song. They seem rather ironic when addressing the haters:
– I try to not take them as much and my sister helps in the way that she'll read to me horrible comments in this funny voice, so it calms me down. She'll make it sound so silly that then it doesn't matter as much.
People fear what they don’t know.Bambie Thug
– It's curious that people watch witchy movies, movies about queer people, and are fine with it. But as soon as they are in their reality, they have a problem with it.
To add on to the list of things looked at with prejudice by society that define Bambie, they also practice witchcraft:
– People fear what they don’t know, and a lot of people like me spark fear in others because deep down they are jealous of the freedom we live in.
But there's still the other side of the coin, the love and support they've been getting:
– That I embrace with open arms. It's been outstanding the influx of new supporters and new fans and it's very heartwarming to me, they say.
Eurovision is a beast
Bambie admits Eurovision can be tiring:
– It's a whirlwind of emotions. I feel sleepy, excited and dissociated, they say.
– Eurovision is a beast.
I hope to inspire young queers and young goths to be able to not care about what people think and just live freely.Bambie Thug
Do you regret commiting to it?
– No, it's worth it.
As an individual marginalized by society for simply being who they are, Bambie knows some people can use them as an example of resilience. That’s also why they embarked on this adventure:
– It's so important to be vocal about all of these causes. I believe that Queer people are the roots of all culture. Fashion comes from us, trends come from us... It all spurs from the queer community and we need more light on us.
They continue:
– I hope to inspire young queers and young goths to be able to not care about what people think and just live freely.
Bambie has several plans ready for post-Eurovision, and is certain Eurovision will open multiple doors. A highlight is already on the way which will be the Download Festival, UK's Premier Rock Festival.
Until then, you can watch Bambie Thug perform "Doomsday Blue" in the first Semi-final of Eurovision 2024 on 7 May.
