We’ve turned down Eurovision many times, says A1’s Ben Adams – here are the reasons we’d reunite for the show
BOYBAND A1's fans might be forgiven for thinking their brand of catchy, upbeat pop is a perfect fit for Eurovision - but singer Ben Adams has revealed they've turned down the contest down "many times".
Ironically, Ben, 41, secretly performed in disguise as one half of Norwegian entry Subwoolfer at last year's competition, finishing 10th with a bonkers EDM track called Give That Wolf a Banana.
But part of his decision to do so was due to taking the stage incognito, meaning if the novelty song flopped he'd never be associated with it publicly.
However, he needn't have worried. The song was a viral smash and duo's songs have been streamed more than 88 million times.
Its success meant this week Ben proudly went public as one half of Subwoolfer alongside Norwegian artist Gaute Ormåsen.
With firsthand experience of the show in the bag, as well as UK act Sam Ryder's stunning second placed performance raising the contest's stock on these shores after years of pitiful points tallies, Ben is finally open to giving it a go with A1.
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In an exclusive interview, he says: "Before it was like the kiss of death. They've asked A1 many times if we'd be interested in doing it and we've said 'absolutely not'.
"We would maybe consider it if we were straight into the Eurovision platform. We wouldn't do it if we had to do the preliminary rounds.
"We did do it years and years ago in Norway. We submitted a song and came second back then, and that was fine, but having already been there and been on the big show, I don't want to compete in the rounds before. There's no point in going backwards."
A1 - Paul Marazzi, Christian Ingebrigtsen, Mark Read and Ben - had huge success in the late 90s and early noughties, selling millions of records and winning a Brit for Best Breakthrough Act.
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Ben's Subwoolfer journey started as a bit of fun, with the duo making a crazy song for Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) - an annual songwriting camp to find Norway's Eurovision entry - about wolves named Jim and Keith.
Norwegian broadcaster NRK approached the duo months later and told them they wanted the track to be in the competition but couldn't find an artist to sing it.
Eventually Ben, who lives in Norway with wife Sara and daughter Skylar, and Gaute decided they would perform on the condition their identities remained secret, in case the track completely flopped.
It was far from a failure though, and the pair have been performing as Subwoolfer ever since.
Ben says: "It's the longest version of The Masked Singer there is.
"You kind of know who it is behind there, but if people give you a shred of doubt you do go 'is it?'"
"Because it was going so well all the big artists over here, they weren't confirming or denying that it was them because actually the press was quite good for them. It just grew into this monster of a project."
And there will be much more from Subwoolfer, with the aptly titled new single Worst Kept Secret out now, gigs and appearances lined up, and the duo have even signed a kids book deal with a major Norwegian agent.
