When the 2023 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest airs in May, audiences around the world will be treated to 26 high production value performances of original pop songs. Excitingly, in the past, there have been plenty of fantastic Jewish contestants like trans icon Dana International and Ethiopian Israeli Eden Alene. Plus, Israel (whose Israeli Broadcast Association is part of the European Broadcast Union, hence their eligibility to compete, despite not being a European country) has won the competition four times: in 1978, 1979, 1998 and, most recently, in 2018 with Netta‘s song “Toy.”
This year is no different.
Jewish pop star Noa Kirel, best known to international audiences for responding to Kanye West’s antisemitism with a Jewish pride-filled red carpet look, will be representing Israel. Check out her entry “Unicorn”:
But she’s not the only Jewish contestant! Just last week the United Kingdom announced that 25-year-old Jewish singer Mae Muller would be their entry into the competition. Woohoo!
Here are 18 things to know about Mae Muller.
1. Mae Muller was born on August 26, 1996 in London to a Jewish family.
2. Mae is actually her middle name! Her first name is Holly.
3. Her grandfather fled Nazi Germany by himself when he was just 12 years old, and ended up in the UK.
4. She has a twin brother named Sam.
5. She’s been writing songs since she was 8 years old!
“I’d stand on the coffee table and sing songs and force everyone to have a look at me. I was always just that annoying kid,” Mae said.
6. At 9 years old she starred in the music for Mika’s song “Grace Kelly.” She’s the little girl in the green dress”
7. She attended Fine Arts College in Belsize Park alongside Brooklyn Beckham.
8. She released her first song “Close” on SoundCloud. Then, after uploading videos of her singing to Instagram, she was discovered!
9. Her musical influences are Gwen Stefani, Lily Allen and Florence + The Machine.
10. She released her first album “Chapter 1” in 2019.
11. She has toured with Little Mix!
https://www.instagram.com/p/B48GSahhLGO/
12. Mae has said that she’s “very proud of her Jewish roots.”
If you didn’t see it on insta ✌🏼 pic.twitter.com/k4H3kr0mty
— Mae Muller (@maemuller_) July 25, 2020
13. She loves the song “Juicy” by fellow Jewish artist Doja Cat.
Mae said in 2021, “I have been listening to that song for two years, you know those songs that every time you play them it slaps – I will be in the mirror like I am the sexiest woman in the world! *laughs* That is one of my power bangers!”
14. Mae first received mainstream recognition for the single “Better Days,” a collaboration with Swedish music collective Neiked and rapper Polo G.
15. Watch her perform it on “The Tonight Show”!
16. She’s released three EPs, titled “After Hours” (2018), “Frankly” (2018) and “No One Else, Not Even You” (2020).
17. Mae has said that it was “very difficult” keeping it a secret that she was going to be the UK entry for Eurovision 2023.
18. Check out Mae’s Eurovision song, aptly titled, “I Wrote a Song“:
Go Mae!
