British Personnel Representing the UK
British personnel in Europe remembered on Monday talked with NME about competitions in the song contest this year in Basel, revealing that “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen significantly inspired their chaotic song “What the hell has just happened?”
The trio from the pop group Remember Monday, consisting of Lauren Burn, Holly-Enn Hall, and Charlotte Steal, marks the first all-girl group to represent the UK since the previous team secured 12th place in 1999. Since then, the UK has only cracked the top 10 three times.
Challenges and Future Plans
However, in 2023, May Müller finished 25th out of 26 in the Grand Final, similar to Olli Alexander, who faced disappointment the previous year, finishing 18th with zero points during public voting. Despite the fluctuating fortunes of Great Britain in the competition, Remember Monday insisted they do not view their participation as a “risk.”
“We already have big plans after Eurovision,” Lauren stated, highlighting their summer festival performances at Latitude and Big Feastival. “It’s not just about what happens in the final on May 17. We have so many exciting projects lined up.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hu6r3znody
Since its release last month, their Eurovision anthem “What the hell has just happened?” has become their first song to surpass one million streams on Spotify.
Featuring glam rock-inspired guitars and drums influenced by Queen, along with their signature vocal harmonies, the trio feels their upcoming music will be a natural continuation of “What the hell has just happened?” Lauren confirmed their sound is evolving more towards pop.
The trio has been singing together since they met at college in 2012. They competed on The Voice UK in 2019, gained significant traction on TikTok during the pandemic, and embarked on a UK tour last year. All three members have extensive experience in musical theater, including performances in West End shows, but they left their day jobs in 2023 to fully commit to their group.
Remember Monday collaborated with producers Billen Ted (known for working with Ann-Marie and Tom Grennan) as well as experienced Eurovision songwriters Thomas Stshaard and Julie ‘Kill J’ Aagaard. Earlier this week, they mentioned their Eurovision performance would be creatively directed by Ace Bourman, who has worked with Dua Lipa, Blackpink, and Sabrina Carpenter.
Despite being signed to London’s independent label “Other Songs,” the trio considers the strength of their unity their “secret weapon.”
“The entire process is truly collaborative for us, eliminating any fears of being just a small fish in a massive pond,” Holly remarked.
Interview Insights and Fan Expectations
Check out our full interview with Remember Monday below, where they discussed their inspiration from Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” receiving positive feedback from Taylor Swift and Shania Twain, aiming for a top-five finish in Basel, and their desire to be at the forefront of the exciting Eurovision performances.
NME: Hello, Remember Monday! You were officially asked to represent Great Britain back in December but were told to keep it a secret until March. How did you manage that?
Holly: “Well, I wasn’t very good at it. I was probably part of the leak.”
Charlotte: “Yes, Holly was the leak!”
Despite this, the leak was only about your selection—no one knew what song you would bring to Basel. It’s clear that ‘What the hell has just happened?’ is the country sound many fans were anticipating.
Loren: “Yes. There were so many comments online saying, ‘I’m not sure how a country song will fare at Eurovision.’ We just had to stay silent and let the excitement build.”
Charlotte: “In a way, those assumptions helped us because we were so excited and proud of the song that we couldn’t wait for people to hear it.”
‘What the hell has just happened?’ is one of about 15 songs you wrote specifically for Eurovision. What musical influences guided your songwriting?
Holly: “We had a long list of completely random inspirations: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ Chappell Roan, ‘Shivers’…”
Loren: “We really did throw everything at the wall, which reflects our process when writing this song.”
Charlotte: “We aimed to ensure that the song felt distinctly Remember Monday while being powerful and captivating enough to stand out against other countries. We really wanted to showcase our musical theater background—finally! So yes, it all turned out to be wonderfully chaotic.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9NOEPVAOSQ
What makes ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ such a pivotal reference point?
Holly: “It’s a quintessentially British classic, and we’ve always felt a connection with their harmonies, especially as we took inspiration from their boldness. It’s a song that isn’t afraid to push boundaries and embrace the unusual, which aligns perfectly with the Eurovision stage. We saw it as a fantastic opportunity to experiment with key changes and tempo shifts.”
Charlotte: “When we covered ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ in 2021, Brian May even shared a post about it on his Instagram!”
Loren: “And Shania Twain also reached out to us when we covered one of her songs.”
Holly: “And Taylor Swift liked one of our videos—I’ll never forget that day.”
Charlotte: “That was the video where I looked really tired—obviously!”
Do you have a specific goal in mind for Basel regarding your placement in the competition?
Charlotte: “We hope to place on the favorable side of the leaderboard.”
Loren: “We made a pact with our whole team—30 people were on board—that if we finish in the top five, everyone will get a ‘Wthjh?’ tattoo.”
Charlotte: “But we also get a tattoo if we end up with zero points—that’s part of the deal too.”
Holly: “I see our manager shaking his head, but he can’t escape this! You organized this, Chris!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-estnpxvio
Who do you consider your main competition?
Loren: “I’m a big fan of JJ, who represents Austria with ‘Wasted Love.’”
Charlotte: “Since I first heard it, I’ve been obsessed with the Norwegian song ‘Lights’ by Kyla Alessandro. I’m going to be in the audience cheering for him when he performs, and I really want us to sing it too!”
What do you think about Molly from Malta? She has already received a lot of buzz, especially after having to remove the word ‘C…’ from her song due to its similarity to a certain English curse word.
Holly: “Oh, we’ll definitely be in the front row for her performance—that song is really our jam.”
Charlotte: “I believe Eurovision is a platform where you can truly push boundaries and have fun with concepts like that. It’s just so refreshing.”
Loren: “Absolutely. That’s one of the reasons we are thrilled to be part of it. Eurovision allows for artistic expressions that you simply can’t achieve elsewhere.”
“What the hell has just happened?” Remember Monday’s new single is out now. The Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday, May 17.
https://www.nme.com/news/music/remember-monday-interview-eurovision-what-the-hell-just-happened-queen-taylor-swift-3852051?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=remember-monday-interview-eurovision-what-the-hell-just-happened-queen-taylor-swift
