Doesn't go there to lose: This is how Ikke Hipgold sees his chances in the ESC preliminary decision

Whoever represents Germany at the ESC in Liverpool in May will decide on Friday: Singer Ikke Hipgold is also up for the vote – and definitely wants to win. However, he sees himself as an “underdog” at the same time.

In the German preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) on Friday, party hit singer Ikke Hipgold “of course has the right to end up in the top third”. The singer, whose real name is Matthias Distel, told the “Rheinische Post”: “Ikke Hipgold doesn’t go anywhere to lose.” The 46-year-old competes with his “song with good lyrics”.

“It must be the goal of every musician to go to Liverpool,” the singer continued – the ESC final will take place there on May 13th. “My main incentive is to have a beer with Jurgen Klopp in some great bar where the Beatles used to play. That’s enough for me.” Klopp is Liverpool manager.

In a vote on the Tiktok online service, Ikke Hipgold was the ninth and last starter for the preliminary round. “I’m the underdog, actually undesirable,” he told the newspaper. He gets a hell of a lot of hate: “These are people who only see Ikke Hipgold. And he’s antisocial, a sexist and a racist.” These people could not distinguish between him and his fictional character. “In real life” he is “the most liberal and cosmopolitan person”.