Bambie Thug

Irish singer Johnny Logan, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland in 1980 and 1987, stated in the Sunday World of his belief that the song "could win the Eurovision", praising the song's uniqueness and the staging visuals.

Despite responding to heavy criticism, Robinson also stated that they felt that Ireland "[got] behind me so much".

Bambie Ray Robinson (born 6 March 1993), known by their stage name Bambie Thug, is an Irish singer-songwriter.

They are known to mix numerous genres in their music, coining their own term, "ouija-pop", out of disdain for being put into one genre.

Robinson's music has been inspired by various subjects, including breakups, witchcraft, and drug addiction.

Robinson is set to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 after winning the Irish national final Eurosong 2024 with "Doomsday Blue".

Following their victory in Eurosong 2024, both the song and Robinson have gained widespread media coverage, especially within local Irish media, drawing praise and criticism from various Irish personalities and groups.

Robinson was born in Macroom, County Cork, on 6 March 1993, to a Swedish father and a mother from Cork, and have three sisters.

They were also raised in Macroom.

Attending St Mary's Secondary School, Charleville, they were a member of the school's choir club, helping win the school the All-Ireland Schools Choir competition.

Initially training to become a ballet performer, they later attended Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, planning for university to study dance.

They then moved to London to attend the Urdang Academy after Urdang gave Robinson a partial scholarship.

However, Robinson broke their arm during their time in college, switching to study musical theatre.

After graduating from Urdang, Robinson spent two years teaching themself how to write and sing pop songs.

Robinson initially signed with an unnamed talent agency; however, they left because Robinson claims the agency wanted them to head into Bubblegum pop.

Robinson was first credited in music in 2020 as a featured artist on the Fike and Fabich song "Mean", which was released on 26 June 2020.

Robinson released their debut single, "Birthday", on 5 March 2021.

The song, which was written while Robinson was addicted to drugs and its uncensored music video being released on pornography sites, was described by The Line of Best Fit writer Robert Davidson as a "stoic-but-smashed stream of consciousness... with their coaxing voice documenting the events around them like a debaucherous diary. They float through brawls, consume copious drugs, and wait impatiently for their tardy dealer".

Robinson later released three more singles that year, including "Psilocyber", a song about a "psychedelic" computer virus, "P.M.P.", a song that promotes sexual positivity and Robinson's love of "pussy power", and "High Romancy".

By 2022, Rockflesh writer Stewart Lucas described Robinson's music as "gritty and direct and seem to either be about sex and drugs or drugs and sex".

Robinson started dating an unknown partner by the Christmas season of 2021.

However, after a relationship that Robinson described as "really toxic", the relationship ended in 2022, leading to a broken sense of "trust and sense of self" for Robinson.

Robinson later released "Merry Christmas Baby" on 9 December 2022, stating in Kerrang!, "It's funny how people change like seasons, last Christmas I swore I had found the one. Love really has a way of colouring red flags white."

In April 2023, Robinson released their first single of that year, "Egregore".

The song, named after an occult term, is stated to be about Robinson's desire to break self-destructive habits as an independent artist.

Robinson announced their third EP, Cathexis, on 11 August 2023, with the EP officially releasing on 13 October.

Along with the announcement, they released two singles, "Careless" and "Last Summer (I Know What You Did)".

In an interview with DIY Magazine, they stated that the EP, influenced by their love on musical theatre, focuses on them "being creatures and characters... [however,] sometimes characters are a bit of an armour. When I'm not in an amazing mental space, they're things I can pull on, but they're all still facets of me."

On 11 January 2024, Robinson was officially announced to compete in Eurosong 2024, Ireland's national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, with their song "Doomsday Blue".

According to an interview given out by the Irish Sun, Robinson entered to "curse out" memories of them being raped in May 2023, around three weeks before a gig at Robinson's debut performance at a festival.

At the national final, Robinson won both the national jury voting and the televote, earning the right to represent Ireland.

Denise O'Donoghue of the Irish Examiner noted the performer's popularity on social media and in the Late Late Show studio, where the audience called for voters to "send the witch".

After their victory in Eurosong 2024, Robinson drew media attention, especially from local Irish media.

The song, along with Robinson personally, have been criticized by Irish far-right personalities in the wake of Robinson's victory.

Hermann Kelly, the president of the far-right Irish Freedom Party, tweeted scathing comments about Robinson, stating, "Bambie Thug must be the biggest turkey since Dustin the Turkey. Seems celebrating satanism and ‘non-binary’ Woke nonsense is the fashion of the Irish Establishment".

By 6 February, over 2,000 people signed a petition to disqualify Robinson from their victory, with the petition being based on "[Robinson] making a mockery of [Irish] national culture".

In response to criticism, Robinson released a press statement on 29 January, stating, "If you don't want to be part of the Haus Of Thug you are not obligated to come on this journey with me... don't waste your life hung up [on] hate... [and] don't be mad because I haven't forgotten the art of play, fun and creation and you have".

In an appearance on The Late Late Show in February 2024, Robinson said they wished "love and light" to those who had reacted negatively to the song, mentioning that one person had started a petition to remove them from the competition.

The song itself also gained praise for its uniqueness compared to past Irish songs sent to the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Irish Times writer Ed Power gave a positive review, stating, "Their sugar-and-spice mix of pop and industrial metal will undoubtedly land with a splash in Malmö."