Eurovision star Emmy was ‘scared’ of Irish judges

By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter

Eurovision Song Contest hopeful Emmy Kristiansen has said she was “scared” of the judges who sent her through to represent Ireland in the competition.

The 24-year-old Norwegian singer was voted through as the 2025 Ireland Eurovision representative after performing her song Laika Party – about a dog sent into space by the Russians – on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show.

Samantha Mumba, the Irish actress and singer who appeared in a movie based on HG Wells’ The Time Machine of the same name, criticised the judging in February, saying they “were unnecessarily rude” to the finalists, after she entered with My Way for Basel 2025.

Emmy told the PA news agency: “I love Samantha, we are good friends, and I feel like … I was also scared of the panel.

“And because we are humans with feelings … we have feelings, even though we put ourselves out there so (if) panels – when music is what we do – make comments, it can be really scary, yeah, because we have feelings.”

The Irish panel, made of Donal Skehan, a TV chef, Dancing With The Stars judge Arthur Gourounlian, radio presenter Laura Fox and last year’s Irish Eurovision entrant Bambie Thug, who came sixth in Malmö, all suggested that Mumba’s work could be elevated.

Mumba posted that they did not have the “credentials” to judge, and she stood by her “art.” Skehan responded that her post was “entirely understandable in such a high-stakes competition”, but defended his background, which included entering the Irish competition and being behind hit singles.

RTÉ said that the panel’s feedback was done in a “thoughtful and considered way”.

Emmy also said it was “so crazy hard to believe” that she has gone from being a TikTok star to performing in front of audiences, alongside her brother Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen, aiding her performance.

“It’s a huge honour, and we’re just so grateful,” she said.

“I feel like it’s almost an even bigger honour to represent another country. I’m so, so, so grateful and happy for the support of the Irish people. That really means a lot.”

She also called the experience a “childhood dream”, shared by her brother, and said she hopes that the song helps move away from the “really traumatising” true story of Laika.

Emmy said: “I’m such a big animal lover, if I see a fly drown, I try to save it. So to hear about a dog that was sent out in space all alone, to die, it just broke my heart, and I wanted to create a scenario where she gets to be happy and alive instead.”

The two-year-old dog’s flight to space on November 3rd, 1957, paved the way for human space missions, and despite surviving in orbit, she was soon dead.

Reports at the time said she was euthanised after a week, but conflicting stories after the Soviet collapse claimed Laika apparently died of overheating after only a few hours into her journey outside the Earth’s atmosphere.

Emmy was asked about the controversies at Eurovision last year, and Bambie accusing organisers of not supporting them over a row with Israel.

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She said: “I hope that Eurovision can be a place where everyone can feel safe and happy and maybe like an escape from reality, celebrating music, because I used to say that my biggest job as an artist is to bring comfort and happiness to everyone that I can – especially in hard times.”

The singer spoke before RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst revealed he has written to the organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to ask for a “discussion” on Israel’s inclusion amid the war in Gaza.

The EBU has said it appreciated there are concerns about the “current conflict in the Middle East” and remains “in constant contact with those participating this year”.

Emmy, who took part in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin in March, also said she has “two goals for Eurovision, and that is to try to do my best and to make Ireland proud”.

She also revealed her favourite Irish entry was Jedward, the singing twins John and Edward Grimes, who came eighth in 2011 and 19th in 2012 in the competition.

Emmy will perform in the second Eurovision semi-final on May 15th, as she represents Ireland, which has had seven wins at the contest.