The two 19-year-old stars are best known to their fans for their team-up with 90s hip-hop legend Vanilla Ice in their debut single 'Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)' and their Irish TV reality show 'OMG Jedward', which reveals what it's like to live on 'Planet Jedward', a far-off world which astronomers reportedly have yet to discover.
The twins were clearly excited as they rehearsed in the Esprit Arena in preparation for the Contest: "We're totally ready for this, we wanna make it amazing and bring it to the next level!" Like their run-on group name, the two have a breathlessly bantering style of conversation, constantly interrupting and completing each other's sentences. It can be hard getting a word in edgewise, even for them: “There are two of us,” they point out, “and we both try to fight to answer the question.”
Is there an astrological secret to their incredible energy? John delivers a ready answer: “Our star sign is Libra, but we get a lot of energy from running cross-country several times a week. We just eat loads of fruit and drink lots of water. So much that I need to go number one now. But I'm OK now, yeah, I'm OK!” To relax, the twins go on the Internet, scout out the competion, Twitter with their fans, and shoot their own spontaneous YouTube videos.
The twins declare that their Michael Jackson-style costumes are important for their act: “We've got amazing outfits. Me and John have done loads of performances and we know we've got to make everyone in the audience feel like were giving them energy!”
Jedward certainly stand out in a crowd with their screaming dress and straight-up quiff hair-dos, which the twins claim are insured for €1 million. The real challenge is telling them apart. For the incurably cross-eyed, John offers a helpful tip: “I have a scar on my nose from playing hurling. We smile differently. John has a scar on his upper lip from falling off a bike. He also has fuller lips than I do.”
If their European fan base has as much staying power as their quiffs, expect the Jedward twins to do very well in the competition.
