John Lydon announced that his group Public Image Ltd. will take part in the national qualifiers for the Eurovision Song Contest. At the auditions, the band will present the song “Hawaii” with a personal text referring to a person close to the musician.
Just a working-class Brit
Although it might seem that the singer known from the hit “Anarchy in the UK” has more in common with England than Ireland, it is the latter country that he intends to represent at Eurovision. Lydon was born in London but comes from an Irish family. He has US citizenship and an Irish passport.
First of all, I see myself as British. When my parents came from Ireland, they became working-class English by nature. I pretty much represent the London working class.
– this is how he described his national identity in an interview with Vice magazine. Known mainly as the frontman of the punk rock Sex Pistols, the vocalist has also been active in the post-punk Public Image Ltd. since 1978, which he co-founded alongside the recently deceased guitarist Keith Levene. Lydon consists of drummer Bruce Smith, guitarist Lu Edmonds and bassist Scott Firth.The group went on hiatus for several years due to the reactivation of the Pistols, but has been forming again since 2009. Although they have been silent since the release of their tenth studio album “What The World Needs Now” in 2015, recently the single “Hawaii” was released, which has a chance to appear in the most popular international song contest.
The song has a unique message
Lydon is not only the composer, but also the producer and lyricist of “Hawaii”. The single has a special meaning for him – he decided to dedicate it to his sick wife.
It’s a thought-provoking, personal yet universal love song that has a chance to resonate with many people.
– this is how the band described the song.
It is dedicated to all those who are going through hard times in life with the person they care about the most. It is also a message of hope that in the end love conquers all.
Lydon said. Nora Foster, his wife, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. They married in the 1970s, and as of 2020, the singer is her full-time caretaker. Although he admitted that his wife’s memories faded with time, he would never consider putting his beloved in a nursing home. “When we decided to get involved, we knew it was forever,” he told the Observer newspaper.
Public Image Ltd. will compete against five other contenders to represent Ireland in the competition. Auditions will feature ADGY, Leitir Meailláin Connolly, Leila Jane, the band Wild Youth, and rap duo Longford K Muni and ND. The final representative will be selected on February 3 on the Late Late Show.
Source: Gazeta
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