Bishop’s Stortford singer-songwriter and Eurovision star SuRie is backing Olly Alexander to win for the UK this year.
The 35-year-old former Herts and Essex High School student, who was also a pupil at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in the town, competed in 2018.
Although she finished 24th out of 26 with her song Storm, she won a place in the contest’s annals when her performance was interrupted by a stage invader.
Despite a man snatching her microphone and appearing to shout “Nazis of the UK media, we demand freedom” before being dragged off by security staff, SuRie remained composed. She won fans’ hearts when she calmly continued with her performance.
Born Susanna Marie Cork in Harlow, she grew up in Warwick Road and was a member of Bishop’s Stortford Musical Theatre Company’s junior section. She also sang with youth choir Cantate and attended the Jenny Myhill School of Dance and Performing Arts.
This year, former Years & Years vocalist Olly is hoping to win with a high-energy performance of his song, Dizzy.
SuRie is a Eurovision veteran, having also been part of the Belgian delegation in 2015 and 2017, and is convinced Olly is a smart choice for the contest.
In an interview with Spin Genie, she said: “Olly’s gorgeous, he’s a star. Having someone on stage who can just carry themselves like he can and embrace the theatricality of Eurovision is incredible.
“This is what works so beautifully, when someone who is an actor as well as an amazing popstar and amazing musician but can marry all these worlds.
“I’ve seen clips of the staging, the design and the whole concept, and it’s amazing.
“I’m so excited to actually see it properly and watch the whole show. I think he’s a fabulous choice, he’s a fabulous human and I hope he has the best time.
“He knows what he’s doing, so he can handle the intensity around it as well. It’s great.”
SuRie’s advice to the flamboyant star who headlined at Standon Calling in 2023 was simple: “He needs nothing from me. He’s got this down. But, it’s definitely important to take some moments out, if you can.
“It’s really hard to try to find a quiet moment to take it in, to just absorb it, to pat yourself on the back and look at what you’ve achieved and remember that this is just such an amazing moment in your career and a phenomenal production to be a part of.
“Having a couple of moments of reflection is quite hard in that week, but if you can find them, it’s a precious thing.”
With the grand final in Malmö, Sweden, on Saturday (May 11), SuRie is as enthusiastic as ever about the iconic competition.
“I really struggle… with some of the snobbery or stigma that people who don’t get Eurovision and will throw shade. They’re missing out on the most inclusive, beautiful, wonderful bubble of humans, and I wish we could bottle up that positive energy. A space that allows you to be yourself, free of judgement and discrimination, is such a gorgeous thing.
“I really didn’t expect that international audience to shower me with so much love at that moment.
“Ever since, I never expected the loyalty to remain so strong, and I am so fortunate. Of course, what happened was unfortunate, but the way the community kind of wanted to protect me and tuck me under their wing, have supported me and come into shows ever since and [are] still sending me lovely fan mail and writing to me and gifts and things like six years later, it’s really unexpected but incredibly heartwarming.”
That magic means she has not totally ruled out her own return as a performer, but her dream would be to follow in the footsteps of UK presenters Hannah Waddingham and Rylan Clark.
She said: “Having had the privilege of being at three Eurovisions now, I feel like I was in the background of the first two, but I had an amazing time.
“Coming fourth with the Belgians both times was an absolute honour and a thrill. A hat-trick of Eurovisions is possibly enough, I’ve probably had the Eurovision moment in my career, but you can never say never.
“If an amazing creative track came my way and I was approached about it, I wouldn’t say no, I’m not an idiot. It’s an amazing show to be a part of, so of course I’d consider it, knowing what a thrill it is.
“Hannah Waddingham is an idol of mine from musical theatre as well. So for me, that’s the goal.
“That’s the dream. I think she’s in her 50s now and I really hope I haven’t got that wrong, but give me 20 years to get some really good credits on stage and TV under my belt and then maybe I could host it, if I had a high enough profile at that time, I’d put myself in the ring.
“Hannah Waddingham is the dream, but just give me 20 years to get there, and then Rylan, obviously Rylan as well. Throughout my whole adventure of Eurovision, because 2018 was the first year that Rylan came on as a presenter and semi-finals, I’ve never met a more gorgeous human.
“I’ve never met a more kind, genuine, friendly, talented, smart, intelligent, bright person, quick-witted, quick with the jokes, quick with everything. So I would love to see Rylan fully take on a hosting gig if it came back to the UK.”
She summed up: “Of course, since the success of Sam Ryder [who won the jury vote and came second to Ukraine overall in 2022], there has been a tide shift in how people feel about it from a performance point of view as well.
“It’s a huge scoop to have Olly Alexander, that’s amazing, and hopefully year on year it can just keep building and we just keep having these amazing times.
“It’s not all about winning. I know it’s probably laughable for me to say that, having come towards the very bottom of the scoreboard, but from a performance point of view, it’s the most amazing thing to be part of.
“You want that for everyone whether emerging or established. You want someone like Olly Alexander to proudly go, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it for the UK’. It’s an amazing show to be a part of, wherever you come in the points and scoring.”