SHE'S the raspy-voiced Welsh singer behind the multi-platinum-selling Eighties power ballad Total Eclipse Of The Heart, who has fans in France, Belgium and Germany.

Surely that should give Bonnie Tyler a fighting chance of winning this year's Eurovision Song Contest being held in Malmo, Sweden.

But the singer is worried about one rather unfortunate problem: her song, Believe In Me, may be too credible to win.

"It has been said to me, 'You're not going to win this Bonnie, your song is too good!' Which is crazy, huh?" says 61-year-old Tyler, laughing.

The singer, who had her first hit with Lost In France in 1976, was approached by the BBC after a radio producer heard Believe In Me and thought it would be a perfect contender for Eurovision.

"Firstly it was like, 'Wow, Eurovision!' I'd been asked 30 years ago and I couldn't do it because I was so busy with Total Eclipse Of The Heart which was number one and the album was number one," recalls Tyler.

"I just thought about it for a minute and thought, 'This is a great opportunity to represent the UK'."

Despite the high hopes for the song, Tyler is aware of the stiff competition she faces from other entrants, citing Russia, Denmark, Germany and Holland's entries as her current favourites.

Then there's the whole drama surrounding alleged tactical voting and the UK's seemingly impossible task of picking up any points now.

Last year resulted in a stinging second-from-last place for veteran crooner Engelbert Humperdinck's Love Will Set You Free – thought by many as the song that might tempt voters.

On this matter, Tyler is pragmatic: "You know with Eurovision, you can't guarantee it's all about the song."

Decked out in her regular rock queen uniform of tight jeans and slinky black top framed by her mane of blonde hair, Tyler fist-pumps the air and adds: "I'm going to give it my very best shot. I think we've got a good chance of getting a good score... I hope."

Dramatic performances and garish costumes may be popular with Eurovision voters but Tyler, who says she's going "Bonnie Tyler" in style, has something else up her sleeve.

"About 120 million people watch Eurovision and I have a lot of friends in Europe," says the singer who, together with Kareen Antonn, went to the top of the French, Polish and Belgian charts in 2003 with Si Demain/Turn Around, the dual language version of Total Eclipse Of The Heart.

"Maybe that's why the BBC asked me because maybe they thought there's a good chance. We have got a good song but you never know what can happen in Eurovision. It'll be a great experience, I'm sure about that."

The Welsh songstress, real name Gaynor Hopkins, is a bundle of laughs and reveals she is pouring her boundless energy into finding inventive ways to encourage fans to vote for the UK.

"If you are British and you can't vote for me, ask your Facebook friends from foreign countries to support our country because they can't vote for their own, you see?" she says, giggling.

"Germany can't vote for Germany so hopefully they're going to vote for me because I'm always over there, it's like my second home."

HER actual homes these days are in the pretty Mumbles in south Wales and on the sunny Algarve coast in Portugal.

Raised in Neath, Tyler celebrates 40 years of marriage to former Olympic judo athlete Robert Sullivan this year.

"I'm representing the country and the funny thing is that I'm married to a sportsman who represented Great Britain too," says Tyler, who often punctuates her sentences with bursts of song.

"He did it for the British judo team in the Olympic Games in 1972 and I'm singing in the Eurovision Song Contest! I only wish my parents were still alive to see it because they loved Eurovision and would be so proud," she says.

On all other counts this bubbly singer, whose other well-known hits include It's A Heartache and Holding Out For A Hero, is excited about her trip to Sweden.

"I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't win," she says. "I hope to God I get a good score – you know, my saving grace!"

And with a trademark throaty chuckle, Tyler sets off to do battle in Sweden with the UK's hopes in her hands.

l The Eurovision Song Contest is on BBC One on Saturday