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Simon Duke

Who is Rina Sawayama? UK Eurovision role being tipped for Hold The Girl singer

The announcement on who will represent the UK at Eurovision this year is expected at some point this week and one of the contenders is said to be Rina Sawayama.

After Sam Ryder did so well in Turin last year, hopes are high that the UK will have a good showing on home turf, as Liverpool hosts the event on behalf of Ukraine, after it was ruled by the European Broadcasting Union that the war torn country couldn't stage it, due to the on going conflict.

Many of the countries competing in Eurovision have announced who their entries will be, but as yet, there has been no word on who will be flying the flag for the UK. Speculation has been rife as to who it might be, with Rina being mooted as a possible UK Eurovision act, along with Birdy, Freya Ridings, Mimi Webb and Mae Muller.

READ MORE: UK Eurovision entry 'contenders' split opinion as theories ramp up before big announcement

With Eurovision tickets going on sale on Tuesday, it looks likely the big reveal will come in the coming days, with plenty of fans backing it to be Rina who does the honours.

Who is Rina Sawayama?

Rina is a Japanese–British singer-songwriter and model. She is 32 and moved to London with her parents at the age of five.

In 2017 Rina released her self titled debut EP, but it was with 2020 follow up Sawayama that she made some serious waves in the industry, thanks to its tracks like XS and Love Me 4 Me.

Her fanbase has grown even more over the past few months thanks to the release of her new album Hold the Girl, featuring a collection of powerful pop songs like it’s title track, as well as Catch Me in the Air and Hurricanes.

Rina Sawayama performs onstage at the Gobi Tent during the 2022 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 16, (Getty Images for Coachella)

Rina has recently embarked on a huge tour of the US , after appearing at Coachella in 2022 and is set to make her acting debut in John Wick: Chapter 4.

Speculation that it will be Rina who represents the UK at Eurovision, was heightened by Alesha Dixon, after the confirmed Eurovision host appeared on BBC's Saturday Kitchen wearing the same jump suit worn by Rina's dancers on a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show.

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