Olly Alexander on Eurovision, acting and activism

Olly Alexander is about to be everywhere. The singer and actor, best known as the voice of Years and Years and his role in ITV’s It’s A Sin, is set to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest this May. “I’m eating, drinking and living Eurovision right now. [Any time I get] between is with my cats and my boyfriend,” he tells us over Zoom, in between intense rehearsals.

While Britain’s performance at the singing competition has been mixed, fans have high hopes for Olly. The multi-hyphenate first rose to fame as the lead singer of pop band Years & Years (which has since turned into a solo project), while he also earned a BAFTA nomination and critical acclaim for his performance as Ritchie Tozer in the Channel 4 drama series It’s a Sin, which depicted the lives of gay men during the HIV and AIDS crisis.

Now, Olly will take the stage in Malmö, Sweden for the singing contest with dance track, ‘Dizzy.’ He has also collaborated with Absolut Vodka for their Born To Mix series, which aims to recognise the power of mixing communities and celebrating diversity. Olly spoke to Cosmopolitan UK about preparing for Eurovision, returning to acting and his passion for activism.

MTV EMAs 2021 – Studio

What is life looking like for you right now, in the lead up to Eurovision?

It’s a bit of a whirlwind, but it’s also so exciting. I keep waking up and thinking “wow, I can’t believe I’m doing Eurovision.” It’s been really fun to have this wild, joyful event on the horizon and I’m basically just in full Eurovision mode – I’m eating, drinking and living Eurovision and just trying to get time in between with my cats and my boyfriend.

When did conversations about Eurovision begin for you and what were your initial thoughts?

I’ve loved Eurovision since I was a kid and I started thinking about taking part a few years ago, but it just wasn’t the right song or the right time. Then, last year, I was working with producer Danny L Harle and we both love Eurovision so much, so submitted some of our songs. It wasn’t until November that it was all confirmed.

MTV EMAs 2021 – Studio

You’ve just released a snippet of your Eurovision song, ‘Dizzy’. Tell us more about the track.

Any good pop song should take you on a journey. A Eurovision song, especially, should have drama and I hope people feel taken on this thrilling ride. As you can tell from the title, the song is about the overwhelming feeling you get when you’re with someone. It’s upbeat, you can dance to it, and it’s just wild.

How are you feeling about representing the UK at Eurovision?

I’m doing it because I just really want to take part and be able to look back when I’m in my 60s and say ‘wow, I was involved in this incredible legacy.’ I just want to put on the best performance that I can. I do feel the pressure, but mostly, I’m excited because it’s such an amazing opportunity and it feels very special to be a part of.

Have you had any advice from previous contestants and if so, what have they said?

I’ve had some really lovely messages of support from Sam Ryder and Mae Muller. They both did so well. Obviously, Sam smashed it during the competition so it’s been nice.

Who do you think is the biggest competition?

I’ve been keeping an eye on the other contestants and I have to say that Ukraine, the Netherlands and France are all really good. I saw the Norwegian entry, too, which is brilliant and I think it’s going to be a really fab contest. I can’t wait, it’s going to be so exciting to see it unfold in the arena.

Tell us more about your collaboration with Absolut.

I’ve collaborated with Absolut in the past on The Absolut Choir which saw me and some great activists perform my song, ‘Shine’. This time, they asked me to help platform some amazing changemakers so we worked with Lady Phyll, who is one of my favourite people in the world and the founder of UK Black Pride. Then, Trina Nicole, the founder of Curve Catwalk, and ShayShay, co-founder of Bitten Peach, which is a queer, south Asian cabaret night.

It’s felt good to be a part of and it’s been great to spend time with these people, have some meaningful conversations and platform the message behind it which is that each of us play a part in making change, big or small.

a group of people posing for a photo

Why is championing diversity so important to you?

For me, I get so much strength and courage from the queer community who have always inspired me. We can only achieve positive change by working together, that’s what bridges communities and brings us closer.

Movements are built by small steps of people working together and now, more than ever, we need that. Being able to go into a physical space, have actual conversations and meet people can get lost in the online world, but it’s so valuable so I’m really happy to encourage more of that.

What causes are you most passionate about advocating for right now?

I’m learning all the time about the different needs for different communities. Each of us live in our own reality, but for me, I’ve always tried to champion queer communities and spaces. Lots of those spaces have been lost and whether you’re gay, straight, bisexual, lesbian, trans, we face a lot of attack in our current times and the only way through that is solidarity.

Equality means equality for everyone. Whether it’s civil rights, climate change, ableism, racial injustice, sexism, we need to have a holistic approach to engage with our own communities and others, as well. It’s good to start small, like just being nice in your day-to-day interactions, and it can turn into a big mosaic.

MTV EMAs 2021 – Studio

It’s a Sin was a monumental moment. Do you have any plans to return to acting?

I would love to, but I have no plans at the moment. It’s A Sin was such a special project and was so amazing to be involved with. Whatever happens next, it’s going to be tough to compare but I’m excited to see what it will be. I’d love to, at some point, have magical powers and I’m a big sci-fi fan so anything like that would be cool to do.

What are your plans to celebrate post-Eurovision?

I will probably hole myself up and just hide away with my partner and cats. I plan to watch movies, play video games and order lots of food.

Get involved with Absolut’s Born to Mix campaign here.