Global management and music publishing company TaP Music has announced it will be parting ways with the BBC following a two-year collaboration helping to select Eurovision talent.
In a statement, TaP Music said that it was “so proud” of 2022 and 2023 UK entrants Sam Ryder and Mae Muller but added that it was “time to pass the baton back”.
The BBC partnership produced Ryder’s song Space Man, which vaulted the singer to second place in 2022 – equalling the best position that a UK act had achieved since Katrina And The Waves won in 1997.
TaP Music also helped to select Muller, who placed second to last (25th) in this year’s competition, which was held in Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena.
TaP & Eurovision ❤️🇪🇺🇬🇧@bbceurovision @Eurovision pic.twitter.com/hdmUSxP7RL
— TaP Music (@tapmusic) August 1, 2023
A statement from TaP Music read: “It’s been brilliant working with the BBC this last two years, but for now, we think it is time to pass the baton back.”
It added: “We are thrilled that Eurovision in the UK has a bigger and wider audience than ever before and to have been part of the UK hosting it in Liverpool with Ukraine this year was an incredible moment for us, showing the unifying power and importance of popular culture.
“We’re so proud of Sam and Mae for representing the UK so wonderfully and are enjoying watching their careers flourish as a result.
“We wish the BBC the best of luck with ongoing success and continuing to build the excitement and audience in the UK.
“We believe Eurovision is one of the greatest live music shows on the planet and hope that many more artists, new or established, will see the huge opportunity it brings, and we know there is room for even more growth of the format, both in the UK and beyond.”
TaP Music manages artists including: French singer-songwriter Christine And The Queens; American pop artist Caroline Polachek; English vocalist Ellie Goulding; and Video Games singer Lana Del Rey.
A spokesperson for BBC and BBC Studios said: “TaP Music, BBC Studios and the BBC shared a vision of wanting to showcase and celebrate British musical talent on the global stage at Eurovision with a joint desire to find songs that stood out from the crowd and would become chart hits and also discover artists that truly embraced the values of the Eurovision Song Contest.
“We are delighted that by working together for the last two years, we were able to achieve those goals.
“We would like to express our gratitude to Ben Mawson and Ed Millett plus the whole team at TaP for all of their expertise in helping us not only do this but to also collectively deliver a huge amount of positivity and excitement with regards to Eurovision in the UK.”
The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 will be held in Sweden after the country’s 2023 entrant Loreen won the competition with the song Tattoo.
The contest will be held on the 50th anniversary of the country’s first triumph: Abba’s 1974 victory with Waterloo.