John Lydon's Public Image Ltd. Competing to Represent Ireland in Eurovision Song Contest

unnamed 2 — Public Image Ltd. is aiming to represent Ireland in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with their new song, “Hawaii.”
(Photo courtesy of Prime PR Group)

Another competitor has stepped into the arena of artists looking to represent Ireland in the 67^th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd., also known as PiL, announcing they will enter the national competition.

PiL will perform the previously unheard song “Hawaii” during Ireland’s “The Late Late Show” on Feb. 3 with the hopes of finishing first to represent Ireland at Eurovision. The popular European songwriting competition will be held at Liverpool Arena from May 9-13 in the city where the Beatles were born and raised.

The work from Lydon, formerly the lead singer of the Sex Pistols with the stage name Johnny Rotten, is considered to be his most personal piece yet. The song is dedicated to his wife of nearly five decades Nora, who is living with Alzheimer’s, and everyone going through hardships with loved ones.

The band released artwork for the emotional ballad, which Lydon composed reflecting on the time he and his wife spent together, particularly one moment in Hawaii.

“It is dedicated to everyone going through tough times on the journey of life, with the person they care about the most,” Lydon said in a statement. “It’s also a message of hope that ultimately love conquers all.”

PiL — comprised of Lydon, Lu Edmonds, Bruce Smith and Scott Firth — are considered pioneers of the post-punk movement, fusing rock, dance and pop in their 1978 debut album First Issue. The band followed that up the following year with Metal Box, a revered album that Rolling Stone ranked No. 461 in the publication’s 500 Greatest Albums List published in 2012. The band went on hiatus in 1992 before returning for a tour in 2009. The band also returned to the studio and released This is PiL in 2012 and What the World Needs Now in 2015.

The band recently performed a sold-out show in the United Kingdom at the venue Chalk located in Brighton. PiL sold 826 tickets and grossed $31,243 on June 14, according to Pollstar box office records.

The new track is now available on all digital platforms with a limited edition vinyl to be released later this year, and the band is also expected to drop a new album later this year. The Irish competition will be live-streamed and take place on Feb. 3, beginning at 1:30 p.m. PST.