Ireland's Eurovision star Brooke Scullion proclaims 'Girl power is back!'

The gorgeous 23-year-old Derry girl from Ballaghy has chosen four sexy female backing dancers to help her perform a sizzling version of her track 'That's Rich'.

"It's not about 'no boys allowed', it's just all about independence and because I'm a woman, we have got women dancers," she tells the Sunday World, when asked was she not tempted to have a bit of 'guy candy' on stage with her.

"It's all being about being secure within yourself. They are stunning and they just add so much to the performance, they elevate and give it depth and gives it something really fun to look at.

"I really think my outfit really resembles a superhero and you want to be a superhero of your own story, you don't settle that is anything less than you deserve. So, fight for yourself, fight for what you want, don't let anybody belittle you, don't let anybody tell you should or shouldn't do or wear or say."

Brooke, who hails from Bellaghy is Co. Derry, is also excited that people in the North will be able to vote for Ireland's entry as UK viewers are eligible to vote in the second semi-final on Thursday, in which she is slotted in for.

"People in the North can vote in this semi- final, which is really important," she confirms.

"The UK can vote in my semi-final on May 12, which means the North of Ireland is eligible to vote, which is amazing, and I really hope that people get behind it.

"This is so different to anything that Ireland has ever produced, not even in the last few years, and I'm really excited about it."

She is hopeful she will make the final itself next Saturday and will give it her best shot.

"I'm not confident of making the final, nothing is certain," she admits. "I'm confident that I will present a good performance.

"I am confident that I will not let myself down or the country down."

Brooke came third on The Voice UK two years ago, when her coach was 'All about the base' singer Meghan Trainor. But her life was put on hold because of Covid.

"I'm so humbled on the stage, I haven't been singing for two years," she stresses.

"I had to get a job in an estate agents. I had to get a job after The Voice, because I had no line of work, I had no music of my own, I had a repertoire, I had no way of making music outside of Ireland.

"I'm grateful with everything that I have, because this is unbelievable. I have music that is ready to go that will come out two weeks after the Eurovision, that's better than 'That's Rich', because 'That's Rich' is the first song I wrote. I've two songs I heard back yesterday, which I cried [listening to]. I'm going to hang on to everything I have."

Brooke is dismissive of the bookies not giving her much of a chance.

"A lot of things I don't really look at. They didn't say I was going to win the Eurosong and look at me now," she points out.

"Anything changes on a dime. My life was changed on a dime. I don't care, I don't mind. They can say what they want."

Brooke will have a big contingent from Co. Derry flying out to cheer her on in Turin.

"There are 30 people coming over. One sets of twins who are very young and won't have a clue. They won't have any notion that they're going to Eurovision, they're only kids," she laughs.

Brooke was an extra in the second series of Derry Girls and has one speaking role during the famous scene where pupils are challenged to come up with similarities and differences between Catholics and Protestants.

"I had the one line: 'Protestants love cleaning'," she smiles. "Jamie Lee O'Donnell (Michelle Mallon) follows me on Instagram and I follow her back."

Asked if there's any romance or anyone special in her life, she coyly replies: "My niece, my cat. They're my special things. You have no idea how much he means to me.

"He's due a vaccination, so I need to call the vet. He makes me a better person. He's definitely made me!"

You can catch Ireland and Brooke's semi-final appearance on Thursday at 8pm on RTÉ2/BBC3.