Mae Muller: 'I was thrown to the lions during my Eurovision performance'

• The Eurovision Song Contest might seem like the happiest song contest on earth, however one former contestant thinks otherwise.
• Former UK entrant Mae Muller is taking the competition to task over a lack of support for contestant’s mental health.
• She also revealed on social media that she felt as if she was being thrown to the lions during her live performance at the 2023 contest.

While much of Europe eagerly anticipates the Eurovision Song Contest final this evening, one former contestant is speaking out about the competition's impact on mental health.

Mae Muller, the UK's 2023 entry with her Top 40 hit, I Wrote A Song, has been candid on social media about her Eurovision experience, criticizing the contest for what she felt was being 'thrown to the lions' during her live performance.

“Sorry, but they put me up there to sing a song which is meant to be sung with heavy auto-tune (just the vibe of the song) with no proper background vocals,” she explained, adding: “I was nervous as hell, which didn’t help, but like they fed me to the lions.”

The 27-year-old singer, who earned 24 points when the UK hosted the 2023 competition on behalf of Ukraine, accused Eurovision organizers of not doing enough to protect performers' mental health.

“More needs to be done to protect the artists’ mental health,” she stated, “because it’s not actually normal what they go through. The pressure is just too much, it’s a shame cos I love performing and I love music but the fans were the only thing that made it enjoyable.”

When questioned about performing a song live that required autotune, Muller replied, “I agree with you,” acknowledging that she bore some responsibility for the issue.

Muller has been vocal about her experiences with the contest since shortly after it concluded. Two weeks after the event, she admitted the song was 'trash' and feared it would be the end of her music career.

However, she is set to release new music soon, which she has informed fans will be a 'palette cleanser' compared to her earlier work.

What are your thoughts on the Eurovision Song Contest and do you think that one bad performance could spell the end of a promising music career? Let us know your thoughts on Mae Muller’s comments by leaving a comment down below yourself.