The UK's Eurovision entry, Look Mum No Computer, has faced a wave of criticism following his performance in the second semi-final on Thursday. The musician, whose real name is Sam Battle, performed his song 'Eins, Zwei, Drei' at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, alongside dancers dressed as computers.
During the performance, Battle attempted to engage the crowd by chanting 'When I say eins, you say drei.' He wore a pink boiler suit and played a synthesiser, later ending up in a cardboard box. Despite his efforts, viewers on social media were unimpressed, with one calling it 'absolute trash' and another describing it as 'another car crash of a performance.'
However, some viewers defended the act, praising its creativity and catchiness. One wrote: 'I thought the UK Eurovision staging was brilliant. It’s not a radio friendly song, but it sticks in your head because it’s so catchy.' Battle has already qualified for Saturday's grand final as part of the 'big four' nations that contribute the most financially to Eurovision.
Battle, a YouTube star with over 85 million views, is known for his homemade musical instruments, including an organ made from Furby toys. He told the Press Association earlier that he made many of the stage props himself and that winning would be 'absolutely amazing,' but he was mainly doing it for the experience.
Other acts in the semi-final included Cyprus's Antigoni, a former Love Island contestant, and Australia's Delta Goodrem, who performed with a harpist and a gold piano. Host nation Austria's Cosmo performed with dancers wearing silver animal heads. Five countries—Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Armenia, Switzerland, and Latvia—failed to qualify for the final.
