TaP Music, the management team responsible for launching the likes of Sam Ryder and Mae Muller, has publicly declared they’ll be stepping down from their Eurovision duties.
The team had been pivotal in choosing the UK’s representatives for the past two years, but the coming Eurovision 2024 will see them taking a bow.
The industry big-hitters, who also helped launch the careers of Lana Del Rey and Ellie Goulding, teamed up with the BBC to pick out the British talents for the Eurovision stage.
Under their watchful eye, Ryder nearly nabbed the crown last year, coming a close second to Ukraine with his galactic tune ‘Space Man’. His efforts marked a turning point for the UK’s fortune in the contest, sparking a new wave of interest.
TaP’s follow-up choice, Mae Muller, might not have fared as well (landing second-to-last with ‘I Wrote A Song’), but there’s no doubting the seismic impact the management company has had on the Eurovision landscape.
Reflecting on the past glories, TaP Music expressed their pride and well-wishes via Twitter on Tuesday (1 August): “We’re so proud of Sam and Mae for representing the UK so wonderfully and are enjoying watching their careers flourish as a result. It’s been brilliant working with the BBC for the last two years, but for now, we think it is time to pass the baton back. We wish the BBC the best of luck with ongoing success and continuing to build the excitement and audience [for Eurovision] in the UK.”
TaP & Eurovision ❤️🇪🇺🇬🇧@bbceurovision @Eurovision pic.twitter.com/hdmUSxP7RL
— TaP Music (@tapmusic) August 1, 2023
Originally, TaP’s Eurovision magic was supposed to be a one-off, helping select Ryder for the 2022 entry. But Ryder’s meteoric success led to an extended partnership that culminated in bringing the follow-up edition to Liverpool.
READ MORE: What’s next for Sam Ryder – the UK’s (second-placed) winner?
The 2023 competition saw Sweden’s Loreen win. This marked her second victory in the contest, and the next year’s edition will take place in Malmo in May. Last month, speaking to NME, Loreen laid bare her connection to nature in her artistry: “I just knew that I wanted to create a staging that looked like nature… Because if you look at my performance, it’s abstract, but it’s like a translation of nature.”
The question now lingers over the BBC’s next move. Will they revert to their original internal selection process for 2024 or find another talent agency with TaP’s Midas touch? Only time will tell. What’s for sure, though, is that the Eurovision spectacle continues to evolve, with or without the game-changing influence of TaP.
