19-02-2026, 06:49 AM
RADIO TELEVISION NEW ENGLIA (RTNE)
12h15 News
Broadcast Date: 29 April 5712
NEIL HARRIS (Anchor):
New Englia has chosen its next musical ambassador. Glam rock band The Derbies have won the Confederation’s inaugural MelodiThuaidh competition with their song “Not Another Story,” and will represent the country at the 44th Festival of Musical Arts in Terra, to be held in Gemun, Bianjie.
The final, staged last night before a full crowd at Dromstraw Stadium in Skee, marks New Englia’s second appearance at the global competition. Culture correspondent Mary McMurrough has more.
MARY McMURROUGH (Correspondent):
Neil, the scale of the victory was unmistakable. But it was also the culmination of a demanding national selection process that began weeks ago with 24 competing entries across two semi-finals, representing artists from across the Confederation. From those semi-finals, six finalists advanced to last night’s grand final in Skee.
From the moment The Derbies took the stage, the result seemed less a question of whether they would win than by how much. Under MelodiThuaidh’s voting system, the outcome was determined equally by a professional jury pool of 30 music and industry experts and by the national public vote. The Derbies secured 27 of the 30 jury members’ top marks, earning them 108 jury points, well ahead of their closest competitor at 74.
When the public vote was revealed, the margin widened further. The band captured 41.2 per cent of all votes cast nationwide, with particularly strong support among viewers aged 18 to 34. Their combined total of 216 points placed them decisively in first place, by the largest margin of the competition.
Speaking shortly after their victory, the band expressed both gratitude and a sense of shared ownership in the result.
[CUT — Callum Wren, Lead Singer, The Derbies]:
"We’re honestly overwhelmed. This started as something small between the four of us, and now it belongs to the whole country. We want to thank everyone who voted—for believing in us and in what this song says."
They also acknowledged the symbolic unity reflected in the nationwide support.
[CUT — Desmond Williams, Lead Guitarist, The Derbies]:
"To see people from Barrowshire, Lonmouth, Skee, Mùchta—from Kilani and Inglian communities alike—standing behind the same song means everything to us. We’ll carry that with us when we represent New Englia."
MARY McMURROUGH (Correspondent):
The band has described “Not Another Story” as an expression of personal urgency and inner confrontation—a message that observers say resonates beyond music.
Dr. Pádraig Ó Muircheartaigh, a sociologist at the University of Bridgemont who studies youth identity and globalisation, says the song reflects a generational shift already underway in New Englia.
[CUT — Dr. Pádraig Ó Muircheartaigh, Sociologist]:
"There’s a restlessness in it, but also a sense of expectation. Young New Englians are coming of age at a moment when their country is becoming economically visible—through Rossfadda, through trade, and through a diaspora workforce of nearly three million people abroad. This kind of music reflects a generation that expects to participate fully in the world, not just observe it."
He adds that glam rock, with its emphasis on individual voice and theatrical confidence, carries symbolic weight in the New Englian context.
[CUT — Dr. Ó Muircheartaigh]:
"It’s performative, unapologetic. It says: we are here, and we are ready."
MARY McMURROUGH (Correspondent):
Officials also framed the result as a milestone in New Englia’s cultural development.
[CUT — Aisling Mercer, Minister of State for Cultural Harmony and Civic Life]:
"MelodiThuaidh has shown that New Englian artists can unite audiences across the Confederation. The Derbies will represent not just our music, but our confidence as a nation entering a wider global conversation."
The win follows last year’s encouraging debut at the Festival of Musical Arts in Terra, when Angelina Kennedy’s “Lift Off” placed fifth out of ten entries.
Music industry analysts say The Derbies’ combination of classic glam influences and contemporary production may give New Englia its strongest showing yet.
For now, the band’s focus turns to Gemun, where they will compete before a global audience later this year.
NEIL HARRIS (Anchor):
Mary McMurrough reporting.
The Derbies will begin preparations in the coming weeks ahead of their international debut. For New Englia, still early in its presence on the world stage, last night’s result suggests a growing cultural voice—one increasingly heard beyond its own shores.
You’re watching RTNE.
Listen now to New Englia's entry to the 44th Festival of Musical Arts of Terra, "Not Another Story" by the Derbies!
12h15 News
Broadcast Date: 29 April 5712
NEIL HARRIS (Anchor):
New Englia has chosen its next musical ambassador. Glam rock band The Derbies have won the Confederation’s inaugural MelodiThuaidh competition with their song “Not Another Story,” and will represent the country at the 44th Festival of Musical Arts in Terra, to be held in Gemun, Bianjie.
The final, staged last night before a full crowd at Dromstraw Stadium in Skee, marks New Englia’s second appearance at the global competition. Culture correspondent Mary McMurrough has more.
MARY McMURROUGH (Correspondent):
Neil, the scale of the victory was unmistakable. But it was also the culmination of a demanding national selection process that began weeks ago with 24 competing entries across two semi-finals, representing artists from across the Confederation. From those semi-finals, six finalists advanced to last night’s grand final in Skee.
From the moment The Derbies took the stage, the result seemed less a question of whether they would win than by how much. Under MelodiThuaidh’s voting system, the outcome was determined equally by a professional jury pool of 30 music and industry experts and by the national public vote. The Derbies secured 27 of the 30 jury members’ top marks, earning them 108 jury points, well ahead of their closest competitor at 74.
When the public vote was revealed, the margin widened further. The band captured 41.2 per cent of all votes cast nationwide, with particularly strong support among viewers aged 18 to 34. Their combined total of 216 points placed them decisively in first place, by the largest margin of the competition.
Speaking shortly after their victory, the band expressed both gratitude and a sense of shared ownership in the result.
[CUT — Callum Wren, Lead Singer, The Derbies]:
"We’re honestly overwhelmed. This started as something small between the four of us, and now it belongs to the whole country. We want to thank everyone who voted—for believing in us and in what this song says."
They also acknowledged the symbolic unity reflected in the nationwide support.
[CUT — Desmond Williams, Lead Guitarist, The Derbies]:
"To see people from Barrowshire, Lonmouth, Skee, Mùchta—from Kilani and Inglian communities alike—standing behind the same song means everything to us. We’ll carry that with us when we represent New Englia."
MARY McMURROUGH (Correspondent):
The band has described “Not Another Story” as an expression of personal urgency and inner confrontation—a message that observers say resonates beyond music.
Dr. Pádraig Ó Muircheartaigh, a sociologist at the University of Bridgemont who studies youth identity and globalisation, says the song reflects a generational shift already underway in New Englia.
[CUT — Dr. Pádraig Ó Muircheartaigh, Sociologist]:
"There’s a restlessness in it, but also a sense of expectation. Young New Englians are coming of age at a moment when their country is becoming economically visible—through Rossfadda, through trade, and through a diaspora workforce of nearly three million people abroad. This kind of music reflects a generation that expects to participate fully in the world, not just observe it."
He adds that glam rock, with its emphasis on individual voice and theatrical confidence, carries symbolic weight in the New Englian context.
[CUT — Dr. Ó Muircheartaigh]:
"It’s performative, unapologetic. It says: we are here, and we are ready."
MARY McMURROUGH (Correspondent):
Officials also framed the result as a milestone in New Englia’s cultural development.
[CUT — Aisling Mercer, Minister of State for Cultural Harmony and Civic Life]:
"MelodiThuaidh has shown that New Englian artists can unite audiences across the Confederation. The Derbies will represent not just our music, but our confidence as a nation entering a wider global conversation."
The win follows last year’s encouraging debut at the Festival of Musical Arts in Terra, when Angelina Kennedy’s “Lift Off” placed fifth out of ten entries.
Music industry analysts say The Derbies’ combination of classic glam influences and contemporary production may give New Englia its strongest showing yet.
For now, the band’s focus turns to Gemun, where they will compete before a global audience later this year.
NEIL HARRIS (Anchor):
Mary McMurrough reporting.
The Derbies will begin preparations in the coming weeks ahead of their international debut. For New Englia, still early in its presence on the world stage, last night’s result suggests a growing cultural voice—one increasingly heard beyond its own shores.
You’re watching RTNE.
Listen now to New Englia's entry to the 44th Festival of Musical Arts of Terra, "Not Another Story" by the Derbies!