Animals of San Marino: Piqued Jacks can smell victory

07 May 2023 at 15:09 CEST

Piqued Jacks from San Marino in the Eurovision 2023 studio Corinne Cumming / EBU

Piqued Jacks are chasing their Eurovision 2023 dream and are all set to represent San Marino in Liverpool with their song ‘Like An Animal.’

Piqued Jacks rehearsing Like An Animal for San Marino at the Second Rehearsal of the Second Semi-Final at Liverpool Arena
Chloe Hashemi / EBU

Before the Eurovision stage, came Una Voce Per San Marino, which the country’s 2021 participant Senhit co-hosted. After a huge round of auditions, semi-finals that had 106 acts, and a second-chance round, the final 21 songs performed. The Italian band Piqued Jacks came out on top. Now, they’re getting ready to bring the party (Aphrodite) to the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.

This Italian rock band come from a small Tuscan village, but they aren’t intimidated by the world’s biggest music contest. Piqued Jacks turned the Eurovision stage into a red-hued dance floor at their first rehearsal on Tuesday 2 May, dressed smartly in black and looking pretty slick all-round. The chaps delivered on the charm front, without compromising on giving us a show with their rock anthem.

230502_Sarah Louise Bennett_EBU_1354.jpg — Piqued Jacks rehearsing Like An Animal for San Marino at the First Rehearsal of the Second Semi-Final at Liverpool Arena Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

Piqued Jacks played their cards right in their first rehearsal, with the official Eurovision Live Blog noting: "There's a lot of big venue experience at Eurovision this year, and San Marino's Piqued Jacks look very much at home right now. The LED wall is a sea of red and black graphics, and it's clear they're not leaving until they've left their heart and soul on that stage. Lead singer E-King has huge presence and charisma - the whole performance is gritty and raw in the best possible way."

The Like An Animal musicians have a lot of beloved pets between them, and asking about it will likely end up with a photo slideshow. There’s been another significant creature in their lives too - when they recorded their album Synchronizer, the studio was co-owned by an extremely chill cat called Annibale, who hung around the whole time. Annibale must have smelt success.

The Piqued Jacks playlist is everything you’d expect from a pop-rock band. The Killers, Pink Floyd, and Biffy Clyro all make an appearance, and indicate where the band get some of their inspiration from. They also love the synth-pop song Time Is Now by Korean band TRISS, after they shared the stage in Toronto.

You can learn more about Piqued Jacks from San Marino right here.