CeCe Sammy hasn’t looked at the history of the ‘X Factor’ rejects who are competing in this weekend’s ‘Eurovision: You Decide’ show.
The 39-year-old vocal coach – who will be judging on the programme, which chooses the act who will represent the UK in the annual ‘Eurovision Song Contest’, alongside singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and choreographer Bruno Tonioli – doesn’t care that competitors Daniel Johnson, Lucie Jones, Selena Mastroianni, Holly Brewer, Olivia Garcia and Nate Simpson have previous experience on a singing show.
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I haven’t looked too much (at the contestants) I never like to choose someone because of their history. To me it’s about how they perform on the night, so it’s not something I’ve looked at so I don’t know who’s who, it’s about the voices. I think the beauty of all of it is, we look for different things. As a vocal coach, I’m looking at how they’re singing and if they’re telling me a story. If they’re doing that then yes I want them to represent the UK, I want them to win, and we have to!"
And the coach – who was previously a backing singer to Diana Ross – urged the public to forget about the past UK ‘Eurovision’ representatives, who have failed to win the show for the UK since 1997 with ‘Kathrina & The Waves’ as she believes the new panel will find a winner.
She explained: "I want to let everyone know out there, they may have doubts and are disappointed with past performances but forget about that and understand that all of us working people in the industry are very passionate about this and that’s why we have joined forces. We will make sure we will have winners."
‘Eurovision: You Decide’ will be live on BBC Two at 7:30pm on January 27.
Eurovision judge CeCe Sammy: I haven’t looked at the contestants’ history
