Public Image Ltd. (PiL) are now officially confirmed to compete in the hopes of representing Ireland at the 67th annual Eurovision Song Contest. The competition will take place from 9:30pm GMT (4:30p ET/1:30p PT) on Friday, February 3, 2023 on Ireland’s The Late Late Show (which will be live streamed here).
PiL will be competing with the song “Hawaii”; the most personal piece of songwriting and accompanying artwork that John Lydon has shared to date. A love letter to John’s wife of nearly 5 decades, Nora, who is living with Alzheimer’s, “Hawaii” is a pensive, personal-yet-universal love song that is guaranteed to resonate with many, and sees John reflecting on the couple’s lifetime well spent, and in particular, one of their happiest moments together in Hawaii.
The powerfully emotional ballad is as close as John will ever come to bearing his soul and he is dedicating it “to everyone going through tough times on the journey of life, with the person they care for the most.”
Celebrating their 40-year anniversary in 2018, Public Image Ltd. haven’t been going quite as long as John and Nora, however, the band is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential bands of all time.
PiL’s music and vision has earned them 5 UK Top 20 singles and 5 UK Top 20 albums. With a shifting line-up and unique sound – fusing rock, dance, folk, pop and dub – Lydon guided the band from their debut album “First Issue” in 1978 through to 1992’s “That What Is Not,” before a 17-year hiatus.
Lydon reformed PiL in 2009, touring extensively worldwide and releasing two critically acclaimed albums, “This is PiL” in 2012 followed by their 10th studio album “What The World Needs Now…” in 2015, which peaked at number 29 in the official UK album charts. The latter album was self-funded by PiL and released on their own label ‘PiL Official’ via Cargo UK Distribution.
John Lydon, Lu Edmonds (multi-instrumentalist, Guitars) Bruce Smith (Percussion, drums), and Scott Firth (Bass, multi-instrumentalist), continue as PiL. They are the longest stable line-up in the band’s history and continue to challenge and thrive.
“Hawaii” is available on all digital platforms as of today (here), and will also be released on limited edition 7” vinyl a little later on in the year.
PiL will be releasing a new album this year, and we’ll keep you apprised as soon as an official announcement is made.
