[Source: BBC]

Every true Eurovision fan knows the song contest is much more than one Saturday night in May.

There’s the anticipation of a host city announcement, the national final season when acts are chosen, and the bit we’re at now – the pre-party stage.

Across Europe, over the next month, participants will perform at fan-organised events in preparation for the competition in Liverpool.

This weekend, thousands attended the first pre-party of 2023 in Barcelona.

“This is the best thing ever,” this year’s UK entrant Mae Muller explains as she meets some of her fellow competitors for the first time. “I get to go and see all these amazing places and people.”

For Muller, it’s not just an opportunity to take selfies and join WhatsApp group chats. It’s also the first live performance of her entry I Wrote A Song, which she admits beforehand she’s nervous about, but says “the excitement outweighs the nerves”.

The bookies’ odds can change during this build-up period as fans react to live vocals and choreography, and the artists see who their biggest competition is – but not every act takes part in these side events.

For Muller, it’s not just an opportunity to take selfies and join WhatsApp group chats. It’s also the first live performance of her entry I Wrote A Song, which she admits beforehand she’s nervous about, but says “the excitement outweighs the nerves”.

The bookies’ odds can change during this build-up period as fans react to live vocals and choreography, and the artists see who their biggest competition is – but not every act takes part in these side events.