Essex teen among trio bidding for Junior Eurovision glory

Three British teenagers are bidding to become the first UK entrants to bring home Junior Eurovision glory.

Maisie, 13, from Essex, Hayla, 12, from Liverpool and 12-year-old Yazmin from Newcastle, are the trio STAND UNIQU3.

They will perform a specially-written song, Back to Life, at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in France.

Maisie told BBC News: "It is such an honour for me because I had never heard of Eurovision before this. Never, ever, ever."

"Then I did some research and found Sam Ryder [the UK's 2022 entry to the main Eurovision competition]," she said.

"To be a part of that group and represent my country, honestly there's no word to describe it - I feel so honoured."

The girls are hoping to recreate some of the buzz generated in May when Liverpool hosted the main song contest on behalf of the 2022 winning nation, Ukraine.

Hayla revealed a past Eurovision connection, as her grandfather was a backing dancer for the 1987 UK entrant, Rikki.

It's the first time a group has represented the UK in the Junior Eurovision event.

Since STAND UNIQU3 was announced as the entry last month, the girls have released the song as a single and performed on the BBC's Children in Need night, Strictly's It Takes Two and Blue Peter - where they met one of their idols, former Spice Girl Geri Horner.

Maisie's mother, Leigh-Anne, said: "it's unbelievable that she's the age she is and that she's been given the opportunity to do this.

"It's madness to see your own child up on stage like that."

The first Junior Eurovision Song Contest took place in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2003.

Freya Skye represented the United Kingdom in 2022 with the song Lose My Head, winning the public vote and coming fifth overall.

This year's competition is being held in Nice, France after Lissandro won with his song 'Oh Maman!'

There are 16 acts, all aged between nine and 14, and each one will be scored by a mix of public and jury votes.

However, unlike the adult competition, it is possible for countries to vote for their own act.

Maisie said: "I don't want people to feel like they just have to vote for the UK.

"Like, you can vote for other people but if they can... please vote for STAND UNIQU3!"

Her mother said she would vote for Maisie, Hayla and Yazmin "as many times as I possibly can".

No decision has been made yet as to whether the group will continue beyond Junior Eurovision, but Maisie said it was something she would love to do.

The contest will be broadcast live on BBC Two, CBBC and BBC iPlayer at 15:00 GMT on Sunday 26 November.

STAND UNIQU3 will be the fifth act to perform.

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