Jedward pin new Eurovision hopes on Westlife's songwriter

 

POP duo Jedward have enlisted the help of a top Westlife songwriter for their new Eurovision bid.

Swede Nick Jarl has written tracks for the last four albums by the million- selling Irish boyband and now he has contributed a new song 'Waterline' for the twins.

However, it will be his first time in Eurovision if the Lucan twins make it to the competition this year.

To do so they must beat songs from five rivals on a 'Late Late Show' Eurosong special scheduled for February 24.

But Jedward's mentor Linda Martin said she had great hopes for 'Waterline', which gets its first play on Derek Mooney's RTE Radio 1 show on Thursday.

"Waterline is a fantastic European pop song. Nick uses the word waterline as a metaphor for falling in love, and this will be his first time in Eurovision, if we make it," said Ms Martin.

"Nothing is a given. Jedward and I know that we are up against five good songs from five great singers. It's a five-horse race," she told the Irish Independent.

There was controversy last year when Jedward's entry 'Lipstick' was leaked on to the internet.

However, this year RTE has announced that none of the five songs will be announced until their first airplay on RTE Radio this week.

The other mentors and acts include TV producer Bill Hughes, who mentors former Irish entrant Donna McCaul.

Also in the mix are musician and producer Greg French with singer Andrew Mann; former B*witched member Edele Barrett with Maria McCool; and agent Julian Benson with singing duo Una Gibney and David Shannon.

As in 2011 the winner will be selected by a public tele-vote and a series of regional juries.

The act chosen as Ireland's Eurovision entry for 2012 will once again have to compete in a semi-final on either May 22 or May 24, in the hope of making the grand final on May 26 in Azerbaijan.