Eurovision Contestant John Lydon of PiL Despises The "Disgusting" Contest

Former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon has trashed the Eurovision Song Contest just one day after announcing that his band Public Image Ltd. (PiL) would be vying to represent Ireland. 

In an interview on RTE’s Radio 1, Lydon stated ‘It’s absolutely awful, the songs.”

“The whole thing of it is disgusting to me. I’m a songwriter, I perform live, and these shows just come across as so dreadfully phony to me.”

“But look, we’re giving it a chance to break out of that mould.”

He went on to admit that he had never watched Eurovision in his life.

PiL has been added to the shortlist of six acts competing for Eurovision glory for Ireland with Hawaii, a reflective track that's "a personal yet universal love song that will resonate with many," the band described in a statement. 

Hawaii is dedicated to Lydon's wife, Nora Forster, who lives with Alzheimer's disease. The two married in the late 1970s and moved to California in the 80s. Lydon has been Forster's full-time carer since 2020, he revealed in an interview with The Observer.

"I don’t make commitments lightly and this is my Babbie," Lydon noted, using the nickname he calls his wife.

"When we decided to commit, that was it – it was going to be that way for ever."

Lydon added in a statement, "It is dedicated to everyone going through tough times on the journey of life, with the person they care for the most. It’s also a message of hope that ultimately love conquers all."

Hawaii is now on streaming services and will be released on a 7" vinyl later this year.

The heat to determine Ireland's Eurovision competitor will occur on 3 February, when PiL will perform Hawaii on The Late Late Eurosong 2023 Special. The other artists on the shortlist for Ireland are ADGY, K Muni & ND (Kofi Appiah and Nevlonne Dampare), Leila Jane, Wild Youth, and CONNOLLY.