Hi °C | Lo °C A LONDON-based R&B singer with Irish roots could represent Ireland at next year's Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden.
Singer AJ Lewis, who has already performed in Thriller and Jerry Springer: The Opera in Dublin, has applied to be part of the selection process for the competition.
AJ and his producer/ songwriter, Christian Erhardt, are hoping for the best.
"We created two songs to submit for Ireland. They had pretty good feedback.
"I talked to some of the mentors of Eurovision Ireland and [they] gave pretty good feedback about it," said Christian, who has already written jingles for Irish radio ads, including one for KCR Taxis and Ballsbridge Taxis.
Speaking about AJ, whose grandfather is from Wexford, he said: "He is a pop singer over in the UK. He's part-Irish though.
"We were sitting together and we said, why don't we give it a shot at the Eurovision. I think we have a shot at it."
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"I don't think it will hamper him that he's not Irish.
"It's more about the voice and he really does have a nice voice.
"He has played in Dublin before, so if people are interested in music they know AJ from the musical.
"He's 25pc Irish, as he says. I don't think that would be the decision-maker," Christian said.
The songs they submitted were Life is Magic and Reach.
"We are in touch with several of the mentors like Mairead, Shay and Niall," Christian added.
comurphy@herald.ie
