Ireland. John Lydon’s band is a candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest

Submitted by Public Image Ltd, “Hawaii” is said by John Lydon to be a love letter to his wife, who is battling Alzheimer’s disease. As he said, it is “dedicated to all those who are going through hard times in life. It is also a message of hope that in the end love will conquer all.”

The performer to represent Ireland during the Eurovision Song Contest, will be selected during the televised show in Dublin on February 3rd. Public Image Ltd’s competitors are the successful indie-pop band Wild Youth, and four singers just starting their careers: Adgy, Connolly, Leila Jane and K Muni & ND. The winner will be decided by a professional jury and TV viewers.

John Lydon, 66, who used the stage name Johnny Rotten during his Sex Pistols days, was born in London and formed both his first band and Public Image Ltd in London, but his parents were Irish immigrants. He has British and Irish nationality, and since 2013 also American nationality, but he maintains that he considers himself primarily British.

The post-punk Public Image Ltd was founded by him shortly after the breakup of the Sex Pistols in 1978 and was active until 1992, then reactivated in 2009. Lydon is the only member of the group who has consistently been in its composition. Apart from him, the band currently consists of guitarist Lu Edmonds, bassist Scott Firth and drummer Bruce Smith.

This year’s final the Eurovision Song Contest will take place on May 13 in Liverpool. Great Britain he is the alternate host Ukrainewhich won the competition in 2022, but due to the Russian invasion, it is impossible to hold the competition on its territory.

Ireland has won Eurovision seven times, more than any other country, but since 2018, its representatives have failed to make it to the final concert.