How Olly Alexander ended up with 'nil points' at Eurovision and career impact (2024)

UK’s Eurovision Song Contest 2024 entry Olly Alexander received zero points in the public vote after his performance of Dizzy.

The disappointing score left the 33-year-old in 18th place out of 25 finalists despite a respectable 48 points from the Jury, after a tense night in Malmo.

Still, the Years & Years singer took it on the chin, smiling as the venue in Sweden booed at the outcome.

Olly gave an admirable performance with some brilliant staging – including the singer turning upside-down in a box surrounded by dancers – and the crowd was well and truly behind him, but it wasn’t without challenges.

There were struggles in the days leading up to the Grand Final, with Olly’s semi-final marred by a wardrobe malfunction – his mic pack fell off his outfit and was dangling by its wire.

In a clip from the performance, Olly could be seen quickly grabbing the mic pack in his left hand as he continued singing, as soon as he realised that it had fallen off. Despite putting it behind him and describing it as just what happens on live TV, this could have knocked his confidence.

When it came to the big night, viewers complained of sound issues during the ambitious routine.

Some fans felt that Olly’s voice was quieter than it should have been, with some even remarking it was ‘muffled’.

Amongst those complaining was Kate Hull, who wrote: ‘What’s wrong with the sound on #ollyalexander performance? Or is it just my telly? Sounded quiet.’

‘Why does Olly Alexander sound so muffled? Vocals don’t seem balanced to backing,’ asked Julia Tobias.

‘Go on Ollie Alexander #Eurovision2024 Don’t why the sound guys buried the vocal though,’ remarked Living In A Box.

Howard Griffiths responded: ‘We too thought UK entry Olly Alexander had sound issues, not sounding like radio play, raw, not his fault but output transmission. Other countries sound mass produced & so good as if not live. Did Olly have sound technical problem?’

However, others were critical of Olly’s ability to sing live, rather than the technical aspects, and questioned where he can go next from here.

‘Olly Alexander really can’t sing live. Weakest vocals of all entries tonight……by far,’ said Darren Lacey.

‘Ouch. Wonder if Olly Alexander has considered a different career that doesn’t involve singing in a key,’ said The Rain King.

Olly also had plenty of supporters who praised the star for representing the UK with a bold performance and called him their winner. They added he deserved better than the dreaded nil points. If only the people voting around Europe had the same opinion!

Despite the blow, Olly kept his head held high and still celebrated the marking after giving it his all on the stage.

Prior to the competition, he had made peace with whichever position he finished in.

‘It doesn’t matter where you place. If you come last it’s kind of iconic, nil points,’ he laughed.

Despite this positive outlook, Olly said he was on the brink of a ‘breakdown’ over calls to withdraw, which could have overshadowed the event for him.

Leading up to the competition there has been intensepressure to quit over Israel’s involvementduring the ongoing attacks on Gaza.

‘I was holed up in a room trying not to have a breakdown,’ he toldThe Times, through tears, earlier this month.

‘Normally, you get on stage and turn it on, but I felt really unable to do that.

‘It was tough… I just could not get it together and then I felt ashamed of myself and embarrassed.’

Alongside, the other big five – which also includes Italy, Germany, France and Spain – Olly decided not to speak to the press on the day before the contest.

An email sent from the organisers of the show on Friday read: ‘Please note that the big five and Sweden media conference originally scheduled for 18.30 (5.30pm BST) has been cancelled because all artists want to focus on rehearsals.’

During the BBC One special titled Eurovision 2024: Graham [Norton] meets Olly in March, he admitted that signing himself up for the contest was always going to be a ‘risky’ move.

‘I think it’s risky but that’s also why it’s exciting. It’s literally a competition where everybody is there to pull every little detail apart and judge you against all the other performances,’ stated Olly.

‘It’s not something you would necessarily face as an artist. I think that’s really fun. I quite like that element of risk.’

Olly previously revealed that taking part in the competition was an opportunity to promote upcoming new music. Dizzy is the first song off a new album which he plans to release soon.

‘People love the songs they see at Eurovision. They do really well. They’ve been embraced by a younger audience,’ he told the Daily Star.

Whether the risk has paid off for his future is yet to be seen, but hopefully, Olly still has the same attitude to the contest following the disappointing public score.

Switzerland’s Nemo won Eurovision 2024 with their song The Code, pipping Croatia’s Baby Lasagna to the post.

They received 12 points from the likes of Austria, Norway, Denmark, and Spain, to name just a few.

This comes after a truly eventful Eurovision final, withjurors pulling out and refusing to announce points, entrants making powerful statements during rehearsals, and performers missing flag parades.

Meanwhile, thousands of protestors gathered outside the arena, demanding the removal of Israel from the contest in light of the state’s bombardment of Gaza.

Millions boycotted Eurovision in solidarity with Palestine and expressed disdain for its organisers – this was especially obvious when Martin Österdahl was introduced and an almighty boo bellowed from the crowds.

Österdahl, a Swedish TV producer and author, is the contest’s Executive Supervisor, and therefore the face of the European Broadcasting Union(EBU).

Elsewhere, of the jurors Austria’s made the boldest statement of the evening when announcing the country’s points.

Radio presenter and actor Philipp Hansa began: ‘To be honest, I thought, for this, it’s gonna be difficult to find only positive words, but the reality is that it is just great to see a lot of beautiful souls in here.

‘Especially in times where heartlessness seems to have prevailed, but it won’t.

‘Thank you for reminding us that, together, behind the idea of music it’s that we are meant to all be treated equally.’

His speech was met with cheers from the packed arena.

Meanwhile, UK commentator Graham noted hearing boos when Israel’s entry Eden Golan took to the stage to perform Hurricane – a song which was forcibly reworked from its original title October Rain, seemingly referring to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

This comes as the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 35,000 people – most of whom are civilians – since Israel launched military operations in response to Hamas’s October 7 attack, which killed more than 1,000 in Israel.

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