Katrina & The Waves' Katrina reveals how HUGELY Eurovision has changed since their 1997 win

Virgin Radio

14 May 2024, 13:30

Katrina Leskanich (formerly of Katrina and The Waves) has opened up about how hugely Eurovision has changed since her band won in 1997.

Speaking with Ryan Tubridy on his mid-mornings Virgin Radio show, the former UK contestant explained what the backstage experience was like the year her band performed and won the competition.

While Katrina enjoyed her time at the Dublin-based show, she told listeners: “Compared to practically the stadiums that they have Eurovision in now, it was almost like a barn dance! It was so small and intimate…

“Everybody was very relaxed,” she continued. “They called your name and you shuffled out and did your song. There was one spotlight, and then you shuffled back to the green room - which was just this small room with one little broken screen in the corner, which everybody ignored. So you couldn’t even watch the show!”

But one of the highlights of the “wholesome” comparatively low-key affair was meeting Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan, who famously used to commentate on the show for the BBC. “He kept saying ‘I’ll eat my hat, I’ll eat my shoes, if the UK don’t win!’” Katrina revealed.

This meant a lot, as the ‘Walking on Sunshine’ singer explained: “Everybody said ‘Don’t get your hopes up… the UK can never win. Because of political voting, the UK can never win.”

Similar comments have been shared after 2024’s Eurovision Song Contest which saw UK hopeful Olly Alexander score a shocking nil points from the audience votes across Europe and the rest of the world.

But much like Sam Ryder in 2022, Katrina and the Waves proved the naysayers wrong by winning over the hearts of the contest's many voters with their song, 'Love Shine a Light'. Still, Katrina and her team were taken by surprise by their victory in 1997.

“We could hardly see that broken screen in the corner, and then somebody was saying ‘You know, I think you’re going to win!’” she revealed. “Ronan Keating tapped me on the shoulder and he said: ‘Come on love, you’ve got to go sing the song again… because you’ve won!’”

Katrina popped into the Virgin Radio studios today (14th May) in order to discuss her latest single, ‘I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love’, which was released on 3rd May.

Listen to Ryan Tubridy’s mid-morning show on Virgin Radio UK, weekdays 10am - 1pm.