Eurovision 2023: Life after nul points for Jemini

Pop music's biggest party could have been a night of Eurovision ecstasy but it ended in tears for the singers of Cry Baby when they became the first UK act to receive null points.

Twenty years ago it was hoped Liverpudlian duo Jemini would join five other UK winners of the Eurovision Song Contest - Sandie Shaw, Lulu, Brotherhood of Man, Bucks Fizz and Katrina and The Waves.

Ukraine made its Eurovision debut that year and, in a nice twist, Gemini's home city is hosting the contest on behalf of 2022's winners, who cannot do so due to the ongoing war with Russia.

Not only has Liverpool embraced Eurovision with gusto, it is also celebrating the pop pairing who made unwelcome Eurovision history.

As Jemini's Chris Cromby explained: "It's not quite closure but we've come full circle."

In the aftermath of the 2003 vote, one critic lamented: "The United Kingdom, second only to the US in the proliferation of musical output, could not even manage to pull in a few points in a glorified talent show - won by Sertab Erener of Turkey and watched at its peak by 10 million people in Britain."

So how did all go so badly wrong in Riga 20 years ago?

The song's first verse was a harbinger of doom as vocalist Gemma Abbey sang woefully off key and struggled to regain musical equilibrium with Cromby.

"In rehearsal I felt the sound wasn't right, I couldn't hear the backing track properly and I started to get worried," recalled Abbey.

"Only after the night did we find out we were the only act that didn't have in-ear monitors.

"I couldn't pitch into the track."

She added: "Martin Isherwood [who wrote the song] couldn't be there on the night and I know if he was there the problem would have been sorted."

The event should have been a dream come true for Isherwood, who is now Head of Music at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA).

It all began as he watched Katrina and The Waves winning the 1997 contest.

"I was watching Love Shine a Light and told my girlfriend 'I could write a Eurovision song' and she said 'why don't you,'" he recalled.

His first attempt made the last 24 of the BBC's Song For Europe, the next made the last 12 and finally Cry Baby was shortlisted for the viewers' vote.

Isherwood saw the vibrant but raw Jemini, who were in their 20s, as naturals to sing his composition.

"We weren't expected to win as we were up against one written by Simon May who had written the EastEnders theme and Every Loser Wins [the Nick Berry hit from the TV show]," said Isherwood.

Yet he had a prophetic warning for the show's producers.

"I said 'make sure they can hear their voices' - they have good voices but they need to be able to hear themselves," he said.

The streetwise scouters' upbeat and irrepressible stage presence might have salvaged points but their fate was settled more than 3,000 miles (5,100 km) away from the Latvian capital.

UK support for the US-led invasion of Iraq from then Prime Minister Tony Blair struck a discordant note across much of Europe.

Observers including BBC Eurovision host Sir Terry Wogan and anti-war Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn blamed the conflict for the zero points.

Sir Terry's parting words at the end of his broadcast stated: "We realise how little we know about Europe and how little Europe likes the United Kingdom."

While Mr Corbyn told GMTV: "It could be that the song was just truly awful and deserved it, but I think there's actually probably a deeper story here."

Jonathan Tonge, Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool, outlined the issues of Eurovision: "There have been academic papers on Eurovision voting which note that political voting always takes place.

"It was clear there was political voting in 2003, but in my opinion the song was pretty lousy compared to previous entries.

"Even if we hadn't been the pariahs of Europe and taking part in a questionable war, I doubt if we would have won."

Twenty years on, Isherwood stands by the song and its singers: "They were great kids - before the contest there were getting a great reaction but we were left to face the backlash when we lost."

Post-contest the song developed a life of its own in nightclubs.

"I wrote a song I thought would suit a Eurovision market that you could dance to and was a pure pop song," said Isherwood.

But redemption for Jemini began earlier this year when Liverpool was chosen to host the contest.

Abbey said at the time: "I'm made up - its great for the city.

"This is massive - I know I have experienced it as a contestant."

Jemini have been embraced as part of Liverpool's Eurovision build-up with several gigs and personal appearances in the city and they even have a new single penned by Isherwood.

From performances at LIPA to the mother of all parties on a Mersey ferry, their 2003 participation has become a badge of pride for the city.

"The nostalgia has been lovely and people have been so supportive," said Abbey.

Cromby said: "Other acts have received nul points but I don't think they got it as bad as we got it - there was some really unkind things written about us.

"Now it's about celebrating, it's about the nostalgia and it's about enjoying the moment.

"We've had so much support over the years and to come back and do these gigs has been special."

Cromby added: "People have even wanted us to sign copies of Cry Baby CDs.

"It's been absolutely phenomenal - the city is just alive.

"People have really celebrated the 20th anniversary of the song everyone has been really kind and welcomed us we're on cloud nine."

He added: "The song still sounds great it's a banger - we have gone through the stigma which has gone."

And his advice to Mae Muller this year's UK entrant: "Make sure all your equipment works on stage - just enjoy it, you've got the whole country behind you."