All songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 have been selected. During the weeks between the national final season and the actual Eurovision Song Contest, we will introduce all 43 entries in random order. Part thirteen of the series is dedicated to the Irish entry.

Basic information

Performers:	Jedward
Song:	Lipstick
Language:	English
Music:	Daniel Priddy, Lars Halvor Jensen, Martin Michael Larsson
Lyrics:	Daniel Priddy, Lars Halvor Jensen, Martin Michael Larsson
Draw:	19th in the second semi final

The song

Lipstick is an up-tempo dance pop song. Through the lyrics the protatgonist tells how he stumbles from one love affair into another:

I’m about to fall in head first
Sisters let me tell you how it works

She’s got her lipstick on
Here I come, da da dum
She’s got her lipstick on
Hit and run, then I’m gone

The performers

Identical twin brothers John and Edward Grimes became famous when they competed in the sixth season of the UK talent search The X Factor. Despite being heavily critisised for their vocal abilities they reached the top six before being eliminated. In January 2010, they released their debut single Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby), a mashup op the Vanilla Ice song Ice Ice Baby and the Queen/David Bowie song Under pressure. It became a number one hit in Ireland and it also reached number two on the UK single charts. Jedward's debut album, which only consisted of cover versions, followed in July. It reached number one in Ireland and number 17 in the United Kingdom.

In 2011, they competed in the Irish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest with their first orignal song Lipstick. They narrowly won ahead of Nikki Kavanagh therefore getting the ticket to Düsseldorf. Afterwards, the song reached number two on the Irish single charts. It is the highest peaking Irish entry since Donna & Joe's Love in 2005, which also reached number two.

The songwriters

Lipstick was written by the team of Daniel Priddy, Lars Halvor Jensen and Martin Michael Larsson. Lars Halvor Jensen and Martin Michael Larsson are very successful record producer from Denmark, who are best known for his work with DEEKAY music. Acts they have written songs for include Lil Wayne, Ashley Tisdale and Sugababes. They also co-wrote the song Breathe easy, one of the biggest hits of Blue, UK representatives in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.

The national selection

Once again, the Irish natioal final was held during a special edition of The Late Late Show. The winner was chosen by mixture of jury voting and televoting which gave the jury a bigger impact on the final result.

Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Ireland is best known in the Eurovision Song Contest as the country that has the most victories on its account – no less than seven in total. However, the country was generally very successful until the downfall of the langugage rule and the introduction of televoting in the late 1990s finishing in the top ten no less than 27 times. However, from 1999 onwards, it turned: Ireland was only in the top ten twice since and achieved its first last place ever in the final in 2007.

Statistics

This will be Ireland's 45th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. It will be the fifth time that the country is represented by a duo and the third time by an all-male duo. Furthermore, Ireland will remain one of the countries that had all of its entries performed in a national language.

Lipstick is the 19th and hence last entry to be performed in the second semi final. It is preceeded by the mid-tempo pop song from Denmark. The last time Ireland closed the show was in 1970, when Dana would go on to win the whole contest. The 1967 Irish entry was also performed last and finished second. Seven of the ten songs performed in semi finals so far qualified for the final. Since the introduction of two semi finals in 2008, only one of them missed out.

We wish Ireland and Jedward the best of luck and a good result in Düsseldorf!
Ádh mór ar Éirinn, agus ar Jedward. Go raibh toradh maith agaibh i Düsseldorf!

Videos

Live performance in the national final:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sTzlaJOEz4

The preview video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75ux9AvDPfI

Performing Ghostbusters in The X Factor:

Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twghf0sniuI

Tomorrow, we will take a look at the Portuguese entry.

Previous parts of the series:

1. Estonia
2. Italy
3. Croatia
4. Slovakia
5. Lithuania
6. Finland
7. Switzerland
   
8. Ukraine
9. Norway
10. Moldova
11. Belgium
12. Azerbaijan