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Punk Icon John Lydon Loses Vote to Represent Ireland in Eurovision

JOHNNY ROTTEN TAKES THE STAGE

John Lydon competed to represent Ireland in Eurovision on Friday—though he lost the vote, his song sought to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, which his wife suffers from.

John Lydon singing into a microphone.
Shell Smith/Wikimedia Commons

Punk legend and Sex Pistols’ frontman John Lydon put in a stunning bid Friday to represent Ireland in Eurovision, the iconic international song contest. While he ultimately lost to the band Wild Youth—who will now move on to the finals in May—Johnny Rotten shocked fans when he took to the stage to sing “Hawaii”, a song he wrote to honor his wife, Nora, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. He explained to audiences he hoped to win the bid to spread awareness for the neurological disease on the international stage. Deadline called Lydon one of the most “unexpected names” to ever compete for a spot in Eurovision.

Read it at Deadline

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