Born in Newport, Wales, on August 4, 1987, Jon Lilygreen is a folk-pop solo artist, songwriter, and former Eurovision participant. He attended Crosskeys College and, following his graduation, performed shows at venues across Newport, often accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. After establishing a local reputation, Jon Lilygreen made his international debut in 2010, when he represented Cyprus at the Eurovision Song Contest as frontman of the short-lived band The Islanders. The group's submission, "Life Looks Better in Spring," qualified Cyprus for the Eurovision finals for the first time in half a decade. Although the song ultimately went gold in Germany, it ended the competition in twenty-first place. One year later, Lilygreen formed the songwriting duo Lilygreen & Maguire with fellow composer Jon Maguire. Active for three years, the pair released an album, Have a Good Time All the Time, and an EP, Roll On, in 2013. Following their split in 2014, Jon Maguire went on to compose the international best-selling single "You Are the Reason" for Calum Scott, while Jon Lilygreen launched a solo career with 2017's "Pictures of You." Another pair of solo singles, "I Miss You" and the holiday song "I Can't Believe It's Christmas Time," both followed in 2020, with "I Do I Will" appearing in 2021.
