re vision
I won Eurovision – now I have a ‘normal job’ and even worked in Tesco after song contest fame
She was the second singer to win the contest for Ireland
EUROVISION fans would expect that winning the competition sets you up as a singer for life, but the reality can be very different.
One vocal legend who clinched a win for Ireland has since spoken about how she went on to live a normal life after the song contest, even working in her local grocery chain.
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Niamh Kavanagh, 56, shared that Eurovision used to be branded 'the kiss of death' for singers.
She won with her performance of In Your Eyes in 1993.
While Niamh was delighted to represent her country in the competition, she has told of how she used to get quizzed about her lack of success afterwards.
The singer shared: "I think sometimes we look back on Eurovision with rose coloured glasses because obviously we often talk about the glory years in the '90s when we were winning, yet my first question from nearly every journalist at the time was ‘how do you feel about the kiss of death Eurovision is?
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"At one time, a journalist asked me about how I dealt with the lack of success in my career despite the fact that I have been very successful in my life, in my whole life.
"And I went, really, is that just because I have Eurovision on my CV?"
Niamh, who emphasized that she has 'wonderful memories' from that time in her life, stayed humble despite the big win.
The champion even went to work at her local Tesco - at the same time as her son.
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In an exclusive interview with the Irish Sun, she joked: "My youngest boy and I got the same kind of job so we were in the same induction day in Tesco which was hilarious.
"You know a 17-year-old and his 52-year-old mother, even if you think they're great you're sitting there thinking, 'Oh god it's so morto'.
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"It's lucky because I'm known as Niamh Kavanagh and he's known as Megahey, my married name.
"For a little while, people didn't know he was my son. He wasn't for telling them."
Eurovision Song Contest entries 2024
Here are all of the acts taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Finalists:
- United Kingdom: Olly Alexander - Dizzy
- Sweden: Marcus & Martinus - Unforgettable (2023 winning country)
- France: Slimane - Mon amour
- Germany: ISAAK - Always On The Run
- Italy: Angelina Mango - La Noia
- Spain: Nebulossa - ZORRA
- Serbia: TEYA DORA - RAMONDA
- Portugal: iolanda - Grito
- Slovenia: Raiven - Veronika
- Lithuania: Silvester Belt - Luktelk
- Ireland: Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue
- Ukraine: alyona alyona & Jerry Heil - Teresa & Maria
- Luxembourg: TALI - Fighter
- Finland: Windows95man - No Rules!
- Croatia: Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim
- Cyprus: Silia Kapsis - Liar
Semi-finalists:
- Malta: Sarah Bonnici - Loop
- Albania : BESA - TITAN
- Greece: Marina Satti - ZARI
- Switzerland: Nemo - The Code
- Czechia: Aiko - Pedestal
- Austria: Kaleen - We Will Rave
- Denmark: SABA - SAND
- Armenia: LADANIVA - Jako
- Latvia: Dons - Hollow
- San Marino: MEGARA - 11:11
- Georgia: Nutsa Buzaladze - Firefighter
- Belgium: Mustii - Before The Party's Over
- Estonia: 5MIINUST x Puuluup - (nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi
- Israel: Eden Golan - Hurricane
- Norway: Gåte - Ulveham
- Netherlands: Joost Klein - Europapa
Out:
- Poland: LUNA - The Tower
- Iceland: Hera Björk - Scared of Heights
- Moldova: Natalia Barbu - In The Middle
- Azerbaijan: FAHREE feat. Ilkin Dovlatov - Özünlə Apar
- Australia: Electric Fields - One Milkali (One Blood)