Seven years ago they represented Turkey at Eurovision and narrowly missed out on giving Turkey its second victory. Now rock band maNga have teased fans with an intriguing tweet that hints at a Eurovision return.

Late last night, maNga casually tweeted “Eurovision?” and “Yine yeni yeniden”. The Turkish phrase translates as “again and again”, but was also the name of a recent song from the band. The tweet finished with a winking emoji and the metal horns symbol.

maNga’s tweet adds to the speculation that Turkey is planning a Eurovision comeback for 2018, following other comments from Turkey’s Eurovision stars.

In May, Belgian-Turkish songstress Hadise made a post to Instagram urging Turkey to return to Eurovision.

Then last month, Turkey’s only Eurovision winner Sertab Erenar cranked the rumour mill into overdrive when she claimed on an Instagram Live session that Turkey would start participating again at Eurovision 2018.

maNga stormed the stage at Eurovision 2010 with their rock song “We Could Be the Same”. The group combined the then current rock-rap sound with Turkish stylings and a supremely catchy chorus.

The rockers put on a good show and were one of the big favourites of the night. But in the end it was Germany’s Lena with her equally catchy song “Satellite” that took home the giant glass microphone.

In the seven years since Eurovision, maNga’s sound has evolved, with apparent influences from the British rock band Muse and the Armenian-American band System of a Down. But they still have their unique Turkish rock sound and are still producing catchy and dramatic rock numbers — just right for Eurovision.

If maNga were to return to Eurovision, they wouldn’t be the only second-placed act to make a comeback. Dima Bilan gave Russia its first victory in 2008 after originally placing second in 2006. However last year Maltese star Ira Losco only managed 12th place on her comeback, following her second placing in 2002.

But just to make things extra exciting, a new rumour has emerged suggesting that it’s San Marino that wants maNga for Eurovision 2018. In 2016 Turkish crooner Serhat represented the microstate with his disco track “I Didn’t Know”.

Turkey at Eurovision

Turkey made its Eurovision debut in 1975, and emerged in the 2000s as one of the power nations of Eurovision. They regularly placed in the top 10 and entered songs that have gone on to be enduring fan favourites.

The Eurasian nation struck it lucky in 2003 when Sertab Erener’s song “Everyway That I Can” won the contest in Riga. The song, which perfectly picked up on the traditional-meets-modern dance-pop trend of the early 2000s, gave Turkey its first Eurovision victory.

Turkey’s last Eurovision entry was in 2012, when Can Bonomo wooed audiences with “Love Me Back”, which placed seventh — another impressive top-ten finish.

Later in 2012, broadcaster TRT announced their withdrawal from the contest. They claimed they were unhappy with the competition rules, specifically the jury/televote system. In later years, media speculated that some of the LGBT-related content also meant that the show could not be broadcast in Turkey.

But many fans are still eager for Turkey to return to Eurovision and will be watching closely to see if 2018 will be the year.

Update: 12:31 CET

While Turkish media has been breathlessly declaring the return of Turkey and maNga to Eurovision, the band themselves clarified the situation. In a message to their fans, they explained the meaning of their earlier tweet.

The band wrote:

Hello,

Yesterday, we about heard the possibility of our country returning to Eurovision, and we wanted to share our feelings. Our message was interpreted as meaning that maNga will participate, and this made huge excitement…

We are proud and honoured to hear that.

So it seems that maNga’s earlier tweet was just an idle comment on Turkey’s potential Eurovision return. And while they are honoured that fans were excited at their possible return, it seems nothing has been confirmed (or even pencilled in).

What do you think? Should Turkey return to Eurovision in 2018? And would maNga be the ideal act to make the big comeback? Share your thoughts below!

READ MORE TURKEY EUROVISION NEWS

57 Comments
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Grete Paia
Grete Paia
6 years ago

Keep out homofob Turkey and Russia

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago

CNN Turk is reporting a come back of TRT…

RedRainbow
RedRainbow
6 years ago

I’m turkish and honestly if we ever come back and if I were Finland, I’d put on a show that includes gay kiss scene again.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
6 years ago

I said it once and say it again! Turkey, please return ! I have the feeling they might. Maybe the fact that the ESC will be staged in a Southern European state might something to do with it?… While I at it, I whish Morroco would make an apearence in Lisbon, since they are practically neighbors to Portugal.

NickC
NickC
6 years ago

All this neo-nazi chants ‘we dont want Turkey’, ‘they are muslim’, ‘they have no place in Europe…etc’, justifies Turkish criticism towards juries. One racist jury member like you in each jury is enough to kill a whole country’s chances in the competition.

Erasmus
Erasmus
6 years ago
Reply to  NickC

How is this rasicm, they are white as well… (I want Turkey back)

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  NickC

Guess Nick is turkish. People have different opinions, get over it and stop throwing the race card, it wont work.

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

I am half Turkish, half American, and I call em as I see em dear Jo. I dont need it to work

name
name
6 years ago
Reply to  Nickc

– Do you live in Turkey?
– Are you secular?

name
name
6 years ago
Reply to  name

Don’t tell me that you have your b u tt safe in US and you pretend to be Turkish patriot that fights for democracy. Go to Turkey to FIGHT!

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  name

What do you suggest? I should grab a gun and start randomly shoot people because they think different than I do?

name
name
6 years ago
Reply to  Nickc

Erdogan said killing democracy is his purpose, journalists and military are in prison.
At least you should support a ban against such regime.

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  name

Are you crazy? What makes you think I am an Erdogan supporter? How stupid you must be to think that an Erdogan supporter would hang out in a site like this? I am not supporting Erdogan here, I am arguing against stereotyping a whole nation and fighting against racism and discrimination

name
name
6 years ago
Reply to  Nickc

I never said you are Erdogan supporter, I’ve said you should support a ban against the regime, because democratic Turkish people don’t want to see him gaining international acceptance.

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  name

Do you think he cares about a Eurovision ban? It it will punish the other half of country who is aligned with western values, because they are the ones who enjoy eurovision

goprake
goprake
6 years ago

I have the feeling that Turkey isn’t returning, even if Sertab Erener and now maNga generate these rumors, I don’t see TRT willing to return. I really don’t mind to be honest, Turkey had some good songs but generally I dislike them, out of the 21st century I only liked 2004 (Athena – For Real), 2010 (maNga – We Could Be The Same) and 2012 (Can Bonomo – Love Me Back). By the way, when Turkey withdrew they complained about the change in the voting of 2013 and the Big 5, but none of these things have changed and I… Read more »

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  goprake

Do you think that an Islamist would be great interested in Eurovision? I do not live in Turkey, but I support the secular heritage of my country through democratic means, not violence.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

Gosh, please NO. I dont see what people like in Turkey, they only had like, one good song? I hope they wont come back. Soo overrated and turkish fans are annoying.

NickC
NickC
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

so are you.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  NickC

Awn you got offended. Truth hurts.Hopefully they wont come back 🙂 xx

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

I hope we come back just to annoy people like you

Ripley
Ripley
6 years ago

Turkey ruled by an authoritarian government which has banned gay prides has no place in a competition which celebrates diversity.

Crystal
Crystal
6 years ago
Reply to  Ripley

So has Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungary and Belarus. Why don’t you complain about them being in the competition?

Milkyy
Milkyy
6 years ago
Reply to  Crystal

Poland? Hungary? What??? If you want to know, there are gay prides in Poland, in Hungary probably too. And these are democratic countries, less or more but democratic, not authoritarian.

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  Ripley

And Russia has Putin, France has Le pen, The Dutch voted in mass for Wilders, Victor orban rules Hungary, and there are 10 attacks on refugees per day in Germany. The Uk left Europe, Poland moves towards authoritarian rule. And so on..n

D
D
6 years ago

Dictator Erdogan wont allow it! Now that he is turning the country in to a muslim state..

ryanMcConnell
ryanMcConnell
6 years ago

wonderful news. the best country in eurovision in 21. century

Osterreich
Osterreich
6 years ago

No, thank you!

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  Osterreich

Said Norbert Hofer.

ninasublatti
ninasublatti
6 years ago

it’s just the same again, yes…… the same news as every year! In the end they will not return and people will be disappointed

ESC84
ESC84
6 years ago

No matter what they say

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
6 years ago

The more countries/songs, the better, although Turkey’s songs have not been that exciting. “We could be the same” was just OK.

Loll
Loll
6 years ago

Please Turkey send them again!!!! Please please please!

DenizNL
DenizNL
6 years ago

But any other artist would of course be good too.

DenizNL
DenizNL
6 years ago

This is really exciting! I loved them in 2010 and I would love to have them in 2018!

Daan
Daan
6 years ago

Although, i love “We could be the same” a LOT. Like Dum Tek Tek, and the 2012 Entry, just not enough for them to get every single 12 points from Western European countries.

Daan
Daan
6 years ago

Please stay away for a while Turkey. Or at least until Turks all over the world stop diaspora voting. Eurovision is a lot more fun AND fair for people in Belgium France Netherlands Germany etc since Turkey is gone. In the 2000’s it was so frustrating to see our Dutch twelve points go to Turkey or Armenia.. It’s like the televoting here didn’t matter because they would get our points anyway.

Catherine
Catherine
6 years ago
Reply to  Daan

I think Belgium France Netherlands Germany just started to send great modern entries and not Sha-la-ly Sha-la-la and that’s a result. Not because of Turkey in or out

BJKli
BJKli
6 years ago
Reply to  Daan

How is Netherlands giving 12 to Armenia related to Turkish diaspora lol. Thats pathetic.

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  Daan

As juries are discriminating fiercely against Turkey, it cancels out. Chill.

fastfoodmusiclover
fastfoodmusiclover
6 years ago

werk if it’s true but most likely it won’t be true. i’d gag if san marino sends manga next year. all the other acts better watch out.

escphbelgium
escphbelgium
6 years ago

I don’t want Turkey back…

Nickc
Nickc
6 years ago
Reply to  escphbelgium

Such a mature and inclusive comment. Well done

escphbelgium
escphbelgium
6 years ago
Reply to  Nickc

Well… I’lf they could stop bitching about the position of the Big 5 and the jury voting and accept the fact that they can’t always get what they want (accept that Lena won and not Manga) and should move on and try again whenever they fail to qualify (not to mention diaspora voting)…

That would be great

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

I’m glad to have Turkey back even though I’m not a fan of 90% of their past entries, but please, bring a brand new artist to the contest.

KESC
KESC
6 years ago

Now you can relax, since maNga postet that the tweet was a misunderstanding. They just wanted to express their feelings about the fact that Turkey will probably return.
So they won’t be representing us. However, there are strong rumours, which say that Fatma Turgut will represent us, since she is a big friend of Sertab.
When Sertab was recently performing Everyway that I can, Fatma Turgut made a live broadcast, saying “We goo to Eurovisionnn”

CPR
CPR
6 years ago

”Eurovision? Again and again”

Guess they mean…what have you done Eurovision?…Again the best is 2nd.

Edward
Edward
6 years ago
Reply to  CPR

Yeah…that would be great timing to react. Nearly 3 months later…

Callum
Callum
6 years ago

Maybe just a tease? I don’t know; I’m not holding my breath regarding a Turkish return. Remember last year? And the year before that?

As much as I’d love Turkey to return, I always take rumours regarding them with a grain of salt. Until TRT directly submit the appropriate paperwork to participate, nothing is set in stone and there’s no use getting excited.

As for maNga returning, I’d be up for that! Turkey and Germany were both equals on the night in my opinion, both deserving victory! And, by far, maNga are my favourite Turkish entrants ever.

ESCPowerr
ESCPowerr
6 years ago

Hope the same for ANDORRA AND BOSNIA <3 <3 <3

KESC
KESC
6 years ago
Reply to  ESCPowerr

As far as I know, Andorra already confirmed that they won’t be competing next year, along with Monaco and Luxembourg.
I have hopes for Slovakia, since BHRT had some financial difficulties.

ESCPowerr
ESCPowerr
6 years ago

Yes, so happy that Turkey is back *_* *_* *_*
YUPPIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Sannon
Sannon
6 years ago
Reply to  ESCPowerr

Turkey isn’t back
It’s just a rumor

Delicious56
Delicious56
6 years ago

I think Turkey will win in 2018 🙂 Juries and Televoters will vote Manga

newboy88
newboy88
6 years ago

Thank you Robyn. This news literally made my day, can’t be happier. Next is crossing fingers for my country Slovakia’s return.

KESC
KESC
6 years ago

Now it’s really getting exciting. I don’t think maNga would sing for San Marino, especially after havig given Turkey a 2nd place.
Additionally, I do think that San Marino is qoing to withdraw next year, since it just doesn’t work with all those Ralph Siegel entries.

All the Turkish media already reports that maNga will represent us. Surely, we need a final confirmation, but to be back in the contest with maNga would be a big pleasure for me.

I have high hopes.

azaad
azaad
6 years ago

I can’t see Turkey returning to Eurovision under Erdogan’s tenure in power, to be honest. And to be honest, I don’t want more countries getting shafted by a diaspora, even if I loved maNga