‘It’s been crazy’: Hartlepool star Michael Rice is loving his Eurovision experience and European tour

Eurovision contestant Michael Rice is performing around Europe.

The young singer from Hartlepool is currently on a European tour where he is performing his Eurovision song ‘Bigger Than Us’.

He was selected to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel, in May, after winning Eurovision: You Decide.

And now with every day that goes by Michael said he is one step closer to his dream of international stardom.

“It’s going absolutely amazingly,” the 21-year-old said.

“I have just started a promotional tour across Europe and it has been really exciting.

“I have been to Israel, Croatia and I was off to Amsterdam this weekend. “So I’m going all over - it’s been crazy.”

Eurovision contestant Michael Rice is loving every minute of his experience.

With 13 different countries performing, Michael said contestants are travelling to each country where they will perform and meet the contestant from that country.He continued: “Everyone is really nice and have been really friendly - we even have our own WhatsApp group going!

“Each country we go to we get to do a show and do a big press thing before hand with a red carpet.

“I have been performing my Eurovision song on the tour and in Croatia I performed on live TV.”

Michael will also be enjoying more stints on TV, as he says he is due to appears on Lorraine with Lorraine Kelly and the Graham Norton Show.

Eurovision contestant Michael Rice back home in Hartlepool.

He is also gearing up to debut his new single ‘Church’ at the London Eurovision Party held at Cafe de Paris in London on Sunday, April 14.

He added: “It has all been so exciting and the tour has really helped to get my confidence up.

“The support from the other countries has been amazing, I have been absolutely taken aback by it all.

“Eurovision has been a massive opportunity and it is so surreal to think that I am representing my country in Europe.

“I am just trying to take it all in.”

He continued: “It has been one big build up and I feel closer to my dream.”

Michael hit the headlines in March last year, when he won the BBC’s Saturday night talent show Altogether Now, and admitted he had been convinced lightning would not strike twice.

During show Eurovision: You Decide, which aired earlier this year, he was amazed when presenter Mel Giedroyc confirmed he had seen off rivals Kerrie-Anne, performing Sweet Lies, and Jordan Clarke singing Freaks, to got through to the Eurovision final in Tel Aviv in May.