Eurovision wilderness, Meet the young hopefuls who want to claim back Eurovision Glory for Ireland tonight on the Late Late Show Eurosong special.

Cue the competing acts: Erica-Cody with her self love empowerment track 'Love Me Like I Do', metalhead mosher AILSHA accompanied by her Irish language track 'Go Tobann',  JyellowL and Toshín trying to bring home glory for the often overlooked rap track with their song 'Judas', Aussie-Irish singer-songwriter Isabella Kearney with 'Let Me Be The Fire', Cork's Bambie Thug with their hyper-pop tune 'Doomsday Blue' and boy band Next in Line 'Love Like Us'.

First up to great the press pack was Next in Line who believe their pop love anthem 'Love Like Us' has what it takes to take home gold.

When asked the question of how they expect a boyband to do this year after an unsuccessful boyband last year, Conor D of the group answered: "To give credit to Wild Youth, we are very different groups. They are a few years older, three of them play instruments  whereas we are much more of a conventional all singing boyband. I think we will hopefully be able to attract the Swedish and European Market with their love of pop music".

Next in Line at the Eurovision press day in RTE. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

This was shortly followed by Erica-Cody who loomed as a larger than life glamazon, instantly asserting her easy rapport. She believes that her track 'Love Me Like You Do' has what it takes saying "It's about time we went to Eurovision to take our crown back".

A self love anthem which she wrote on an Irish women in harmony writing camp, Cody says that she always felt that if she were to do Eurovision it would have to be a song that she thought she could win with: "I always said if I were to do Eurovision it would have to be the right song, the right team the right vision and we'd have to stand a chance".

Erica-Cody at the Eurovision press day in RTE. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Pink haired AILSHA believed her Irish language tune (something which we haven't done in over 50 years), has what it takes and she plans to perform a crazy set "The performance is going to deliver a teaser of what we will do if we are to get through to Malmö".

AILSHA hints at what that viewers can expect: There's going to be band members, actors, kegs, hurleys, there's going to be exploding toilets- it's going to be wild guys. we're making this a leaving cert fever dream".

AILSHA at the Eurovision press day in RTE. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Isabella Kearney, Aussie-Irish artist said that Ireland was the natural choice for her to represent at the song contest saying that: "If I were going to represent any country it would be Ireland- I've just always felt that".

Kearney's 'Let me Be The Fire' is a Eurodisco inspired track but it's not Kearney's first Eurosong that she's composed. She has written two songs for the Australian Eurosong competition: "Not a winning song!", she laughs.

Isabella Kearney at the Eurovision press day in RTE. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Bambie Thug in typical idiosyncratic Corkonian fashion says with great gusto "Yeaaaaaahh! Cork like - the rebel county' while doing rock signs with their hands" on the prospect of bringing home Eurovision glory.

The non binary artist says that their song 'Doomsday Blue' has many meanings, "It can be something romantic, when you're being over looked or treated as second best. Or in careers- the exact same kind of message. But it's also about the reality of queer life, you're usually excluded where you should be paraded."

Bambie Thug at the Eurovision press day in RTE. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Lastly, JyellowL and Toshín shared why they thought the Eurovision was ready for another rap song - a genre that historically hasn't done well at the contest: "I don't know if the world is ready for a rap song at Eurovision but I know that it's ready for a song like Judas".

"Because it's not just a rap song. It's a song that encapsulates all the elements of a great piece of music" JyellowL continues.

He says: "It has intentionally placed lyrics, it has incredible vocals, catchy melodies - incredible riffs from Toshín",  he nods to his collaborator, "and just beautifully crafted arrangements. It's a full body of work."

Israel at the Eurovision:

Although its been famously said that Eurovision and politics don't mix, that's hardly been the case in recent years with Russia's exclusion from the competition in 2022 after their invasion of Ukraine, along with RTÉ's recent flurry of emails calling on the broadcaster to boycott the 2024 competition in light of Eurovision's decision to include Israel.

The spectre of politics loomed large when each performer was asked the oh so dreaded question - "What do you think about Israel's participation in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest?".

Answers ranged from the diplomatic, such as Next in Line's 'We're just here to here to sing songs' to AILSHA's "I'm very appalled by what's going on in the Middle East at the moment, but I don't have anything more to say than that" to downright condemnation.

Bambie Thug said "I think when Russia invaded Ukraine they were removed from the competition and I think Israel should be removed. It's the same rules for everyone."

Erica-Cody echoed this sentiment:  "I don't stand behind genocide. I think it's an absolute disgrace. This is meant to be a celebration of life and music and acceptance and love".

Perhaps most disarming of all was when Erica-Cody failed to commit on whether or not she would attend Malmö in the event of her winning the Eurosong for Ireland competition, saying: "Well we will cross that bridge when we get to it but I think that knows me and knows me morally over the last couple of years knows that being an activist I would never step into something like this with an ignorant head on my shoulders."

The Late Late Eurosong Special airs Friday 25th January, 9:35pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.