Queen’s Roger Taylor Performs With Sam Ryder At Eurovision 2023

Queen drummer Roger Taylor made a special appearance at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, joining forces with Sam Ryder for a post-show performance of the latter’s new song Mountain.

The performance took place after the 26 grand finalists made their cases for the top prize; Australia’s Voyager performed 15th with their song Promise, while fellow local Andrew Lambrou also performed seventh (albeit representing Cyprus).

Have a look at the full performance below.

Ryder finished second at Eurovision 2022, leading to England being chosen to host this year’s contest. It eschews the usual formula – whereby each Eurovision is hosted in the home city of the previous winner – because the winning country, Ukraine, was not able to meet the event’s strict demands for punter safety amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.

Last year, Ryder joined Taylor at the Foo Fighters’ London tribute concert for late drummer Taylor Hawkins. There, they performed a rendition of the Queen hit Somebody To Love.

Mountain was released earlier this week to coincide with this year’s Eurovision. In part as a tribute to Ukraine, Ryder said in a statement that it’s “about perseverance, conquering and overcoming what life throws your way”. So he sings in the chorus: “I am a mountain / And down in the valley below / Is all that I've overcome.”