Artist Profile
Artist: Lesley Roy
Date of Birth: 17 September 1986
Hometown: Balbriggan, Ireland
Selection Method: Internal Selection
Song: Maps
Composer: Philip Strand, Emelie Eriksson, Lesley Roy, Lukas Hällgren
Producer: Philip Strand, Lesley Roy, Lukas Hällgren
Eurovision Result: DNQ (16th Semi Final 1)
Lesley Roy (born 17 September 1986) is an Irish singer-songwriter from Balbriggan. Roy was signed to an independent Irish label in 2006 followed by a record deal with US label Jive Records.
In 2019 Lesley was chosen to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with a song she wrote and produced with Robert Marvin, Catt Gravitt and Tom Shapiro. The 2020 competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however Roy had a top 20 hit in Ireland reaching number 12 in the homegrown charts. Roy was subsequently chosen again to represent Ireland in the 2021 contest, with a different song, titled “Maps”.
Song Lyrics
I’m gonna let down all the armor
Let out the power that I’ve been hiding
Not afraid of the monsters, of the nightmares
That I’ve been fighting
Easy to run, harder to stay
Finding colours in the grey
Thought I was done, but I got it wrong
I fell twice, I’m twice as strong
I’ve been searching all the wrong places
I’ve been trying too many faces
Only one way to go
This is the way back home
I’ve been searching all the wrong places
I’ve been trying too many faces
Only one way to go
This is the way back home
I had to take all of the long ways
All of the wrong ways
‘Cause I couldn’t see
All the signs, all the mistakes
Pointing one way to get back to me
Easy to run, harder to stay
Finding colors in the grey
Thought I was done, but I got it wrong
I fell twice, I’m twice as strong
I’ve been searching all the wrong places
I’ve been trying too many faces
Only one way to go
This is the way back home
I’ve been searching all the wrong places
I’ve been trying too many faces
Only one way to go
This is the way back home
My soul is a map, my heart is a compass
I am the road
There’s only one way to go
This is the way back home
My soul is a map, my heart is a compass
I am the road
There’s only one way to go
This is the way back home
I’ve been searching all the wrong places
I’ve been trying too many faces
Only one way to go
This is the way back home
I’ve been searching all the wrong places
I’ve been trying too many faces (I’ve been trying)
Only one way to go
This is the way back home
Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Debut: 1965
Appearances: 53
Finals: 45
Best Result: 1st (1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996)
Top 5:
1966 – Dickie Rock – Come Back To Stay, 4th Place
1967 – Sean Dunphy, If I Could Choose, 2nd Place
1968 – Pat McGeegan – Chance of a Lifetime, 4th Place
1970 – Dana – All Kinds of Everything, 1st Place
1977 – The Swarbriggs Plus Two – It’s Nice To Be In Love Again, 3rd Place
1978 – Colm C.T Wilkinson – Born To Sing, 5th Place
1979 – Cathal Dunne – Happy Man, 5th place
1980 – Johnny Logan – What’s Another Year?, 1st Place
1981 – Sheeba – Horoscopes, 4th Place
1984 – Linda Martin – Terminal 3, 2nd Place
1986 – Luv Bug – You Can Count On Me, 4th Place
1987 – Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now, 1st Place
1990 – Liam Reilly – Somewhere In Europe, 2nd Place
1992 – Linda Martin – Why Me?, 1st Place
1993 – Niamh Kavanagh – In Your Eyes, 1st Place
1994 – Paul Harrington $ Charlie McGettigan – Rock ‘n’ Roll Kids, 1st Place
1996 – Eimear Quinn – The Voice, 1st Place
1997 – Marc Roberts – Mysterious Woman, 2nd Place
Marcel Benzençon Awards:
2011 – Artistic Award
Do you think Ireland has a Map to the number 1 position? Which Irish song is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below!
