Norwegian singer EMMY has said that she hopes to make Ireland proud at the Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland in May.
The 24-year-old singer-songwriter has been reflecting on her big win at the Late Late Show Eurosong contest last night with her track 'Laika Party'.
As EMMY spoke to RTÉ News in her hotel this afternoon, it was clear that the news that would be representing Ireland at the international song contest was just sinking in.
"I'm just so honoured and you guys are like the king of Eurovision with the most victories" EMMY said, quickly adding that "we don't have to talk about Sweden right now!"
In 2021 she sought to represent her home country of Norway at the Eurovision Song contest, performing a song called 'Witch Woods', making it to the final of Norway's song selection contest.
"It was amazing to have that experience" EMMY said, but added that she felt "much closer" to the song this time around, when competing in last night's Eurosong competition.
"You know the song was very different and I didn't write (Witch Woods) but on this one I was a part of the song-writing team too."
The song is a tribute to the Soviet space dog Lakia, who died orbiting the earth in 1957, after becoming the first living thing to do so.
EMMY co-wrote and performed it with her brother Erlend Guttulsrud Kristiansen.
"I'm a sucker for original concepts in songs, I always try to write about things that I haven't been written before," Mr Guttulsrud Kristiansen told RTÉ News.
"EMMY sent me the idea and I immediately fall in love with it, I can see the staging and everything" he said, adding that some of his drawings were then used in designing the backdrop for last night's performance.
"I really like the concept of making a happy sad song," he said.
EMMY and Mr Guttulsrud Kristiansen have long collaborated on songs together, and both separately competed in Melodi Grand Prix Junior, one of the biggest music competitions for children in Norway.
Now Mr Guttulsrud Kristiansen describes their impending performance together at the Eurovision song contest "a childhood dream come true."
Before this week neither had been in Ireland before.
The Irish connection to this song is acclaimed singer-songwriter Larissa Tormey, who has lived in Killbeggen in Co Westmeath for almost 25 years, and who also co-wrote the song.
Just last month the self-proclaimed "midlands girl" released her song 'Kilbeggan Heart', which may seem like a far cry from 'Laika Party', but the story of the little dog sent to space in the 1950s is also very close to her heart as she was born in Bashkortostan, formerly in the Soviet Union.
"I was growing up with this story...that was our history, we learned it at school and Laika was a hero for kids," Ms Tormey said.
However, she was also sure that this story and EMMY's performance "would definitely resonate with Irish public".
So, it proved with the 'Laika Party' topping the public poll last night.
"For me as an Irish person who wasn't born in Ireland, confirmation of that is precious, it means so much, so much," she said.
"[The song] is very universal, the combination of a very hooky melody, a very genuine girl who is just down to earth... and this amazing story (about Laika) which is a real story, not made up, I think Irish people are so sensitive, they just got it," Ms Tormey said.
'Laika Party' is an undeniably international collaboration, but that is not unusual at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Another memorable one led to Norway's victory at the 1995 Eurovision in Dublin with Nocturne performed by Norwegian/Irish duo Secret Garden.
"Yeah, the Irish violinist in Secret Garden, Fionnuala Sherry, that was so cool actually, thank you guys for helping us win that year," EMMY said.
It's clear the Irish public is hoping that EMMY will now return the favour.
'Laika Party' came first in the public vote, first in the National Jury Vote and second in the International Jury vote during last night's Late Late Show Eurosong Special.
"I'm so thankful that people have perceived it they way they have, I'm so grateful and it wouldn't feel the same if the public votes didn't give us the points that we got, so I'm so grateful that people liked it," EMMY said.
"l really hope that I will make you proud."
