Olly Alexander review, Dizzy: Singer’s Eurovision 2024 song is a dance bop that does the job

In theory, Olly Alexander is the perfect Eurovision artist. Rising to fame as the frontman of pop-electronic dance band Years & Years (now a solo project), the 33-year-old thrives in the sphere of glitter-drenched, Eighties and Nineties-influenced bangers. He’s also captivating to watch live: expressive, emotional, and frequently surrounded by beautiful dancers.

It’s no surprise, then, that his 2024 Eurovision entry “Dizzy” is a dance anthem that takes its cues from the Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, and Bronski Beat – whisked up with the ripe diet of Nineties cheese-pop that Alexander grew up on. The track was written by Alexander and electronic producer Danny L Harle, whose most recent credits include Caroline Polachek’s critically adored 2023 album, Desire, I Want to Turn into You, and Dua Lipa’s athletic comeback singles “Houdini” and “Training Season”.

“Dizzy” is considerably more muted than Mae Muller’s slick Latin-inflected 2023 entry, “I Wrote a Song”, and it lacks the sort of big, rousing chorus Sam Ryder pulled off the year before with “Space Man” – a song that brought the UK closer to victory than it had been in years.

That said, “Dizzy” does have its merits, not least the dancefloor rhythms that pulsate like flashing disco lights beneath Alexander’s feet, and the tubular bells that recall Steps’ memorable cover of “Tragedy” by the Bee Gees.

Alexander and Harle have conjured up a simple chorus that should be catchy enough to linger in the minds of Eurovision voters: “Make me dizzy for your kisses/ Will you take my hand and spin me/ Take me back to the beginning again.” The resounding effect is one of romance, hedonism, and euphoria. All essential ingredients for any self-respecting Eurovision hit.

The question is: how will it stand up against this year’s batch of contenders? Each year, the competition grows more and more fierce: Eurovision fans are already comparing “Dizzy” to the storming club banger from Austria’s Kaleen, “We Will Rave”, a rallying cry for Cascada fans the world over.

Can “Dizzy” match the giddy highs of “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, the ferocious metal-tinged stomper from Croatia’s entry, Baby Lasagne? Or the frenzied insanity that is “No Rules!” by Finnish duo Windows95Man?

Alexander has enough experience performing live (including at arenas, something previous entries have notably lacked) that he’s bound to put on a dazzling visual spectacle. Maybe “Dizzy” is enough to get the judges’ heads spinning.