Katrina and the Waves star dishes her advice for Mae Muller ahead of the Eurovision finale

Eurovision legend Katrina Leskanich has given her advice to this year’s British hopeful Mae Muller as she prepares for Saturday night’s grand final.

The 63-year-old singer stormed to victory in 1997 with her band Katrina and the Waves and their song Love Shine A Light.

And now, 26 years after her epic victory, Katrina gives her guidance to Mae as she takes the stage in Liverpool, advising her to simply ‘Kick some a** and have fuck a good time!’

In an exclusive conversation with MailOnline, Katrina encouraged the 25-year-old to have fun and let her loose during the match, as people will notice the nerves, saying, “I’m serious, what else is more important?

‘Cause the audience will see if you’re really nervous or if you stumble or if you have a dry mouth.

Go girl! 26 years after her epic win, Katrina hands Mae her lead as she takes the stage in Liverpool.

“Have a few drinks backstage and go out and have a blast because that’s your three minutes!”

“That’s your three minutes, you might as well make the best of it – you might win!”

Meanwhile, the Walking On Sunshine hitmaker went on to praise the I Wrote A Song singer, noting that she likes Mae’s “outspoken” rather than just “cutesy cutesy.”

She shared, “I love Mae. I think she’s a cool girl. She is outspoken, I love her song, I love that she wrote from a personal experience.

“It’s a vendetta, it’s a revenge song, but that’s fun. Many women can relate to that. Shaft your a**, I prefer that rather that cute cute.

“Those days are over and let’s go women, let’s go for it. Let’s step forward!’

The Eurovision Song Contest was last held in the UK in 1998, with Birmingham hosting the event following Katrina and the Waves’ victory the previous year.

And the American hitmaker admitted she never thought she’d see the game back in the UK in her lifetime after countless years of disappointment.

Success: The singer, 63, stormed to victory in 1997 with her band Katrina and the Waves (pictured) and their song Love Shine A Light

Sweet words; Meanwhile, the Walking On Sunshine hitmaker praised the I Wrote A Song singer, noting that she likes Mae’s “outspoken” rather than just “cutesy cutesy.”

Big fan: “I love Mae. I think she’s a cool girl. She’s candid, I love her song, I love that she wrote from a personal experience’

She told MailOnline: ‘I’ve given up thinking the UK would ever win again because we’ve picked some absolutely awful acts.

‘But since Sam [Ryder, who came runner-up in 2022], we are back on track. They use a very good company. They use TAP music.

‘Why did it take so long? And who was choosing? I have so much stick for saying “who chooses these songs?” Come on, come out and make yourself known!

And they were absolutely schtum. They wouldn’t say anything about it.

Honest: The American hitmaker admitted she never thought she’d see the game back in the UK in her lifetime after countless years of disappointment

Turnaround: ‘I’ve given up thinking the UK would ever win again because we’ve picked some absolutely awful acts. ‘But since Sam [Ryder, who came runner-up in 2022]we’re back on track’

“You took the vote away from the general public and then some little dweeb sitting in an office is like ‘uhhh yeah I’ll pick that one or whatever.’ It was so wrong for so long.’

Katrina went on to give her verdict on whether attitudes towards the Eurovision Song Contest have changed since Sam’s near victory, explaining: ‘Since Sam, the UK’s attitude towards Eurovision has changed 100%, and thank goodness.

‘Because it brings joy, everyone smiles and has fun. The great thing about it is that it has a back catalog, it’s kind of like a really really famous person who has hundreds of hits.

“Someone like me who did it in 1997 can come back and it still feels fresh.”

Back in the UK, she added: ‘Every experience is completely new.

‘Every time it’s like singing it for the first time, only it’s easy, so you never have to try to prove anything. If you write a good enough song.’

In the grand finale, Muller finally takes the stage. After months of preparation, the 25-year-old singer from North London will finally perform her song I Wrote A Song for the international voting audience.

Muller hopes to continue the success of Sam Ryder, last year’s British entry, who finished second behind Kalush Orchestra.

But the British entrant will have to beat the odds if she hopes to take the win.

She is currently 10th favorite to win at odds of 40/1. Sweden is favourite, followed by Finland and Ukraine.

Muller said she was also touched to see “as many Ukrainian flags in the streets as British ones.”

“This is what Eurovision is about, it’s about people supporting each other,” she added.

Twenty-six acts will perform, as well as performances by the UK’s previous Eurovision winner, Katrina Leskanich from Katrina And The Waves.