Real life of Eurovision UK runner-up Sam Ryder – TikTok fame, unknown band and vegan business

Sam Ryder returns to Eurovision in Liverpool tonight (Saturday May 13), but instead of competing, he will be performing. The runner-up, who was pipped to the post by Ukraine at last year’s song contest, has had a whirlwind 12 months.

The 33-year-old becoming the highest-scoring UK Eurovision entrant, earning 466 points in Italy last year. He made history, giving the UK its best result since 1998 and its first top three act since 2002.

Since then, he’s played sold-out shows, the Queen’s jubilee and released a chart-topping album. Here is a look at what Sam’s been up to since his Eurovision success – and a reflection on how it all began.

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Last year was massive for the Essex lad. Just before Christmas, he bagged the number one spot with his album There’s Nothing But Space, Man! He fought off tough competition from US singer SZA’s long-awaited second studio album SOS, which placed at number two.

Sam also performed at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace and appeared at the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert at Wembley Stadium, singing a rendition of Queen’s Somebody To Love with Brian May, Roger Taylor and Foo Fighters.

Sam Ryder will return to Eurovision tonight (Image: AP)

This year saw him become the first ever Eurovision act to be nominated for Best New Artist at the Brit Awards. He also performed alongside French DJ David Guetta at the awards’ live show. Sam also ventured out on a string of sold-out shows, including a date at Manchester Academy.

Initially, Sam shot to fame on social media app TikTok, where he posted covers of popular songs during the first lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. But Sam began singing when he was a child and was inspired to pursue a career in music after he saw Canadian rock band Sum 41 live in concert, MTV reports.

On TikTok, he caught the attention of musicians including Elton John, Alicia Keys, Justin Bieber and Sia and, by the end of 2020, he had become the most-followed UK artist on the platform. After that, he signed a record deal with Parlophone and manager David May and, in 2021, he released his debut EP ‘The Sun’s Gonna Rise’ which has since received more than 100 million streams and was followed by a sold-out tour.

Sam has said he’s a big fan of Eurovision and has memories of watching the competition with his family while growing up in Essex. He revealed that he was inspired to learn to play the guitar after Finnish rock band Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006.

Despite only releasing his debut EP in 2021, Sam has actually been in the music industry for much longer. He first made his debut in the industry as a singer and guitarist in 2009 and even co-founded the band ‘The Morning After, releasing two studio albums together.

Sam Ryder at this year’s Brit Awards (Image: PA)

In 2010, following his time with the band, he toured as a guitarist for Canadian Band ‘Blessed by a Broken Heart’ and, in 2012, he was announced as the band’s new lead vocalist. After their split in 2013, Sam began working as a frontman for an American rock band called ‘Close Your Eyes’ and released one album with them titled ‘Line in the Sand’ before leaving in 2014.

He then began to pursue a career as a solo artist and, in 2016, he travelled to Nashville, Tennessee to record an album with producer Brian Wilson, who had worked with British rapper Stormzy on his album ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’, but Sam’s album was never released.

Following the album that was never released Sam, who is a vegan, opened up a vegan cafe in Hawaii for a time. When he made the decision to close it, he spent some time performing at weddings and clubs.

Aside from writing, performing and touring – both solo and with bands – Sam Ryder’s other hobbies include surfing the English coast, driving around race tracks in sports cars and skating. Sam wrote ‘Space Man’ during the pandemic, before it was chosen to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022.

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