Denmark: Ulla Pia passes away at the age of 75

Monday, 24 August 2020

• Ulla Pia the Danish Eurovision 1966 representative has passed away at the age of 75, after suffering from a serious cancer for several months. 

  Ulla Pia was born in Copenhagen, where she started her career as a vocalist with bands and orchestras. In the mid-1960s she was singing with jazz musician Finn Ziegler, and it was suggested in 1966 that she enter a song in the Danish Eurovision selection, Dansk Melodi Grand Prix. She performed the song "Stop - mens legen er go'" ("Stop, While the Going's Good"), and to her surprise, emerged the clear winner.

  Ulla Pia's victory came as a surprise as she competed against better-known competitors (such as Dario Campeotto or Gustav Winckler)  Ulla Pia went forward to the 11th edition of the  Eurovision Song Contest, held on 5 March in Luxembourg City, where "Stop – mens legen er go'" could manage only 14th place out of 18 entries, despite an engaging performance in which Ulla Pia was joined on stage, by two dancers. This turned out to be Denmark's last Eurovision appearance for over a decade, as broadcaster DR withdrew from the competition in 1967, and would not return until 1978.

  In the years following her Eurovision appearance, Ulla Pia went on to release several popular singles in Denmark, notably "Karina" and the topical "Flower Power Tøj". She toured regularly into the 1970s, but towards the end of the decade increasing family commitments, combined with a period of ill-health, caused her to retire from show business.

  Lets remember Ulla's Eurovision performance in Luxembourg back in 1966: