Inside Mae Muller’s rise to Eurovision stardom – UK’s entry has worked with Little Mix & amassed huge social following
FOR years it's been regarded as a national joke, with a string of gimmick acts and no-hopers representing the United Kingdom at Europe's biggest night in music.
Unsurprisingly we have repeatedly found ourselves at the bottom of the leader board.
In 2021 we hit an all time low with James Newman, brother of singer John Newman, failing to land a single point with his entry Embers.
But last year's astonishing resurgence by Sam Ryder and his song Spaceman saw him all but win the contest, once again instilling national pride in British music once more.
Now, after decades in the wilderness Eurovision is a huge opportunity for rising stars.
The Sun can exclusively reveal that young singer Mae Muller will represent the United Kingdom at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
She will take to the stage in Liverpool on May 13 with female empowerment pop banger, I Wrote A Song.
Mae, 25, has been hand picked by BBC bosses and industry execs who have been quietly watching her career for a number of years.
Mae, whose real name is Holly Mae Muller, has already enjoyed chart success both here and across the Atlantic and worked with some of the biggest stars in UK music including Little Mix, Aitch and Sigala.
Her 2021 single Better Days, which featured Neiked and Polo G, peaked at No. 32 in the UK charts and No 23.
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The beauty has amassed a combined social media following of 700,000 - often posting racy bikini shots online.
Mae will be the first female entrant for the United Kingdom since SuRie in 2018.
SuRie's song Storm finished 24th with just 48 points.
Her performance at the live finals fell victim to serial stage invader Dr ACactivism who grabbed her mic halfway through.
The news of Mae Muller's entry will be officially announced by Rylan Clarke, 34, on Thursday morning via Zoe Ball's Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
A source said: "Finally after years of being an international joke the UK are respected when it comes to their acts.
"The BBC are riding high off the back of Sam Ryder's success and believe Mae is the perfect person for the job.
"The decision has been months in the making and a ring of steel has been placed around those in the know.
"The reason the UK is one of the last countries to submit their song is to keep everyone guessing and to hold their cards to their chest for as long as possible."
Once again the BBC enlisted TaP Music management for guidance.
They previously scouted Sam Ryder, 33, via TikTok before helping him secure his place in the 2022 competition held in Turin, Italy.
His song Spaceman peaked at No2 in the UK charts and saw the UK finish second behind Ukraine in last year's competition.
TaP are also behind some of the biggest singers in the UK, having mastermind New Rules singer Dua Lipa's meteoric rise to pop superstardom.
They currently manage chart-topper Ellie Goulding and Lana Del Rey and are quietly preparing to launch Little Mix's singer Leigh Ann Pinnock's solo career.
In 2019 Mae supported the X Factor winning group on the UK leg of their LM5 The Tour.
Reflecting on the tour, Mae said: "It was six weeks on the road. I went from doing 200 to 300 people to like 20,000 every night.
"I did get to speak to them and they worked so hard and they were very busy but when I did speak to them it was very nice.
"We all went out to Jade [Thirlwall's] club in South Shields which was nice. I would see them on stage and I would get tired just watching them."
Since then she's worked with BRIT Award winning rapper Aitch, and international masked DJ, Marshmello.
Mae said of working with the hit-maker: "I got to see what he looked like under there [ the helmet] and he is hot.
"He is not my type but hot. It was really fun. We were in Malta doing the Isle of MTV and the whole thing was fun. It was a great experience."
Her big break came in 2007 when she was just nine-years-old and landed a leading role in the music video for Mika's No1 single Grace Kelly.
Mae said: "I am in a little green dress, which I still have. It is hung up somewhere, I was nine years old. He was very nice and sweet. I sat on the piano with him. Mika was singing to me and I really fancied him. He was nice and very gay... which made me very sad as it didn't work out."
While she may not be a household name just yet, you can bet by the end of the year you will be hard pressed not to have come across Mae in some form.
Mae has already been confirmed to play Brighton and Hove Pride in August as well as Victorious Festival the same month- in what insiders hope will be a victory run.
She will also play Norwich's Sundown Festival in September.
Following in the footsteps of Sam Ryder who topped the UK charts in December with his debut album There's Nothing But Space Man, Mae has already recorded her debut album.
"This year I have a lot of music. An album is happening. I know when but I am not going to say" she told the Saving Grace podcast.
"The cover art is already done and it's exactly what I had in my head. It is such a satisfying thing. A tour is happening as well as the year rolls on."
Mae will also make her acting debut in Amazon Prime Video action thriller Gassed Up which drops later this year on the streaming platform.
She will play Kelly, the love interest of the male lead.
Mae said of the role: "She is a confident mouthy force of a London girl. There was meant to be a sex scene and I got all prepped up for it.
"We had an intimacy coordinator but then we didn't do it."
Last year the UK finished second on the leader board behind Ukraine after topping the Jury Vote.
Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it was deemed impossible for the country to host the competition.
In October the European Broadcasting Union officially confirmed the UK would host instead as runner up.
The Grand Finale of the Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast live from Liverpool's M&S Bank Arena on Saturday May 13 after beating off a rival bid from Glasgow.
Kate Phillips, BBC’s Director of Unscripted, said; "The BBC is thrilled to have such a talented line-up bringing the Eurovision Song Contest from Liverpool - on behalf of Ukraine - to the world.
"One thing that truly unites us all is music, and we’re proud to have a team - who are well accustomed to the worlds of music, performing and live broadcasting - as part of our Eurovision presenting family."
Alesha Dixon, Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, and Julia Sanina will all help host the Semi-Finals and Grand Final.
Mel Giedroyc, Rylan, Scott Mills, Claire Sweeney, Sam Quek and Timur Miroshnychenko have also landed presenting slots.
On Wednesday thousands of Eurovision fans were left gutted as they scrambled to try and secure tickets to May's live shows.
Within seconds of the sale going live Ticketmaster 's website crashed - with many music lovers unable to even get into the "digital queue".
Tickets were priced at £80 to £380 for the Grand Final show.
However, within 30 minutes of them selling out they were being flogged for just under £9,000 per ticket.
The move caused co-host Rylan Clark, 34, to brand cash-hungry touts "pricks" as prices spiralled online.
Taking to Twitter, Rylan slammed the move tweeting a man flipping his middle finger alongside the caption: "To the people selling Eurovision tickets at RIDICULOUS resale prices that aren't proper fans - pricks."
Meanwhile, Sam Quek admitted she also failed to secure a ticket - despite helping host the show.
She tweeted: If it makes anyone feel better… I couldn’t get #Eurovision Grand Final tickets.... and I’m presenting the Opening Ceremony! #Ticketmaster"
In a statement, the BBC said: "The BBC have chosen to use digital tickets only (which includes a dynamic QR code – which refreshes with a new code every few seconds).
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"We have also switched off Ticketmaster’s ticket transfer option (this option enables purchasers of tickets to transfer their tickets into the names of others) in order to reduce the ability to resell tickets at inflated prices.
"Purchasers who wish to resell their tickets can do so at face value through Ticketmaster’s Fan to Fan Resale platform. Any tickets proven to be breaching terms and conditions of sale can be invalidated."