From X Factor to Eurovision via G-A-Y, Rent and Les Mis. But can Lucie Jones make it more than a couple of points (pronounced ‘pwun’) in Kiev with this year’s Eurovision entry Never Give Up On You?
Hi Lucie, are you all geared up for your G-A-Y gig this Saturday?
I’m getting excited, actually. I was just having a little think about what I’m going to sing.
You should probably do the Eurovision song…
That would probably be a good start, wouldn’t it? Bearing in mind that’s why they booked me this time. So yeah, I’ll definitely be doing Never Give Up On You – you know, the ’song of the summer 2017’ – but then I’ve got a couple of other tracks that I’ve still got to decide on. I’ve played there a couple of times already and it’s always amazing, so I’m really excited.
You must have played it after you got voted out of The X Factor…
Yeah and I did a New Year’s Eve as well. It’s always a good crowd in there. They’re always well up for it, always having the greatest night of their lives and always really supportive: they don’t really care what you sing as long as they can get up and dance to it and cheer at the end. It’s amazing, such a warm audience.
They can’t really dance along to Never Give Up On You though, can they? It’s a bit of a power ballad…
No, but they can have a little sing and a little cry maybe. And it’s been remixed by Seventh Heaven, so there is a really cool dance track. It lends itself perfectly to being a big dance track. It’s been getting a lot of love in Europe in the big pop clubs.
On a scale of one to ten, how much are you shitting yourself?
Hahaha, 38 actually. I’m trying to be more excited than nervous. I do occasionally wake up sweating in the middle of the night, thinking, ‘Oh, Jesus, what am I doing?’ But it’s such a positive experience. Every Eurovisiony thing I’ve done so far has been unbelievably great so hopefully I’m going to have the best time. Every time I see Scott Mills he says, ‘You are going to have the best two weeks of your life and come back needing a holiday.’
Did you say yes straight away or did you need persuading?
I was apprehensive to have the initial meeting, but I went in to listen to the songs and the minute I heard mine I had no reservations at all, it was beautiful.
Are you a Eurovision fan?
Yeah, I used to have sleepovers when I was a kid and as I got a bit older, I went to parties with drinking games and fancy dress. It’s all about fun and music and happiness.
Did you realise it was like the gay World Cup?
Oh, yeah, absolutely. I’ve been working in the theatre in the West End for the last eight years and there’s a huge gay community in Soho where I work and I’m very aware it’s a gay crowd that loves the Eurovision. And I’m a big fan of a gay crowd!
You’re going to see a big gay crowd in Eurovision. How many people watch it?
Last year it was 204million people, which is amazing. But after X Factor we did a sell-out arena tour and I’ve gone into theatre so that’s given me a huge boost.
You were knocked out of The X Factor by Jedward, weren’t you? That must be your eternal shame.
Is it eternal shame or is it a TV show? I’m not eternally shamed by it, but thanks for that [laughs].
You’re in Rent, right now, aren’t you?
Touring at the moment but going off to Kiev next week for final rehearsals and some of the producers of Rent are coming over to see me. Rent is amazing. It’s a phenomenal show and my character is absolutely nuts.
Does that come naturally to you, the nuttiness?
When I went for the audition, the director was making me do such crazy things, I felt like such a dick, but he was pushing to see if I could go off the scale. And she’s a lesbian, which I’m not, so that’s fun to play.
Be honest, we’ve not done well at Eurovision for a long time, will you mind if you come third from bottom?
Listen, I’m going to do my song as well as I possibly can and I’m hearing that everyone likes my song and you never know what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens. It could be me, a guy dancing with a gorilla or someone yodelling. I’m going to smile my way through the whole thing.
Entry is £3 with a wristband from G-A-Y Bar.
G-A-Y is at Heaven, Under the Arches, off Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NG.
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