Late last month, the six finalists were confirmed for Unser Lied für Lissabon. Now the six singer singers are working with a selection of top songwriters to compose the six competing songs for Germany’s national final. And there are some familiar names among the invited writers.

In December, Xavier Darcy, Ivy Quainoo, Ryk, Michael Schulte, Natia Todua and voXXclub were confirmed as the six competing acts for Germany’s national selection. They don’t have songs yet, but by Friday they should be well on their way to choosing their entries.

From Wednesday to Friday, a three-day songwriting camp is being held in Berlin. The aim is for the gathered creatives to write a selection of songs for each of the competing artists. Many of the singers are also experienced songwriters and will be able to join in with the writing.

Fourteen songwriters have been invited to the camp and there are some names familiar to Eurovision fans.

Axel Ehnström is a Finnish songwriter, better known in Eurovision circles as Paradise Oskar. He represented his country at Eurovision 2011 with “Da Da Dam”, but has since established himself as a successful European songwriter.

Thomas Stengaard is a Danish songwriter with a Eurovision win to his name. He was one of the co-writers behind Emmelie de Forest’s “Only Teardrops” in 2013. He has also written for a number of high-profile German acts.

Ali Zuckowski is a German songwriter and is also a Eurovision winner. He was part of the team behind Conchita Wurst’s 2014 winner “Rise Like a Phoenix”. As a songwriter and producer, he has worked with leading Geman artists.

The camp also involves songwriters from both Germany and the rest of the world. The line-up includes American songwriter Billy Austin, Swiss songwriter Ricardo “Richy” Bettiol, Canadian songwriter Martin Gallop, Dutch songwriter Loren Nine Geerts. Also at the camp will be German songwriters Alex FreundNisse IngwersenNina MüllerJaro OmarRainer Rütsch and Joe Walter, as well as electro-pop duo Poems for Jamiro, producers and songwriters Josh & Janik (Quarterhead)

After the songs have been written for each act, they will be assessed based on how well they suit each singer and the potential for staging. Then each singer will end up with what is intended to be the best song for them, which will be their entry for the national final of Unser Lied für Lissabon on 22 February.

The 2018 system is a radical departure from Germany’s national final format in 2017. Last year all five finalists performed their version of only two songs. This format was criticised by fans, who felt that neither of the songs were good choices.

What do you think? Is the songwriting camp a good idea? What sort of song would you like to hear Germany present in Lisbon? Share your thoughts below!

READ MORE GERMANY EUROVISION NEWS

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CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago

🙁 at this debate…

…Can we just send PvD and let him choose his vocalist for the song?

me
me
6 years ago

@Edwin ”They certainly had no intention of winning in 2011” I’m tired of this attitude…our country does not care about esc…we dont want to win every year…are you for real? Germany wants to win EVERY TIME, and if it’s possible esc to be every month, so Germany can have the chance to win every month. Have you saw the video of the man in charge with national selection, when he said esc is the biggest musical contest in the world and they only think about winning? Stop being defensive. Germany is addicted to winning, but I have no pity for… Read more »

me
me
6 years ago
Reply to  me

And also Ivy who lives in New York, but she doesn’t have a career there, she is still taking advantage of the naive Germans, touring in their country and hoping they will believe she is something. She is nothing. Send something in German language, and folk.

me
me
6 years ago
Reply to  me

Can’t Germans see that their NF is a collection of rejects from other countries?
Ivy from US
Natia from Georgia and Ukraine
Ryk from San Marino
Only Voxxclub is the only decent choice.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  me

I agree that the ESC should not be exclusively about winning. If it is in Germany all about winning, then frankly their broadcaster has missed the point. Your suggestion of a song denonstrating German language and tradition is a good idea in theory; it would be good if the song could be memorable and enjoyable somehow. The funny thing about Lena’s return in 2011 is that it’s one of my favourite Germany entries. Very arty. But I suppose that’s just a matter of taste in art. I suppose what the German broadcaster should be asking is: What kind of music… Read more »

me
me
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Exactly. I agree.

Nia
Nia
6 years ago
Reply to  me

Man, I don’t know about other artists, but you’re very wrong when you talk about Natia like that. Do not underestimate her! In Georgia, when she performed, the audience was on its feet, applauding her. One of the judges told her that as a producer he was looking forward to working with her. Same happened in Ukraine. The fact that she didn’t get further in those two competitions is the matter of the judges’ preference. She was eliminated not because she’s a bad singer or there were better singers than her. NO! Unfortunately, the judges selected more mainstream musicians. Natia… Read more »

GoMovies
6 years ago

The songwriting camp is a good idea!

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago

That’s a heavy duty room of songwriters, for sure. But Héctor (below) is right – they need to be working with the artists to some degree, otherwise they could end up with another “Black Smoke” or “Perfect Life” situation.

Nia
Nia
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Man, I don’t know about other artists, but you’re very wrong when you talk about Natia like that. Do not underestimate her! In Georgia, when she performed, the audience was on its feet, applauding her. One of the judges told her that as a producer he was looking forward to working with her. Same happened in Ukraine. The fact that she didn’t get further in those two competitions is the matter of the judges’ preference. She was eliminated not because she’s a bad singer or there were better singers than her. NO! Unfortunately, the judges selected more mainstream musicians. Natia… Read more »

Nia
Nia
6 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

sorry man, I was replying other comment and I accidentally posted it on your comment.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Nia

No worries, haha! 😀

Robert Heslop
Robert Heslop
6 years ago

I’m really hoping that Ivy has a good song.

I heard a song by her released 4 years ago and really liked it. If you haven’t heard her, then search “ivy quainoo – wildfires (light it up)” on YouTube ^^

NickC
NickC
6 years ago

Germany should not let Germans choose. Germans have a very unique taste in music (David Haselhoff, looking for freedom case in point). Let an international panel choose the winner.

me
me
6 years ago
Reply to  NickC

Looking for freedom is more political anthem, I don’t think is so much about music tastes.

Héctor
Héctor
6 years ago

Are the chosen artists working with these writers? I think that would work better. Otherwise, we could end up with just another “Perfect Life”. That can also happen with Spain.

PD: Robyn, you seem to be a nice person 🙂 Hope that brick wall is okay!

Pablo
Pablo
6 years ago

Greece 2004. 😀

#okaycrueljoke

M_K
M_K
6 years ago

It looks like that “camp” is taking place in a youth hostel.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  M_K

Haha! 😀

Napaw
Napaw
6 years ago

Germany always seem to put a lot of effort in choosing their contestants.

Honestly, I feel really bad, knowing that it won’t pay off in the end, anyway. Germany stands no chance in the political aspect of this contest. And jury votes made it even worse to be quite frank.

Personally, except Elaiza I really did enjoy every single one of their latest entries.

NickC
NickC
6 years ago
Reply to  Napaw

And Elaiza was the only one I enjoyed in the last 4 years!

Napaw
Napaw
6 years ago
Reply to  NickC

That is great!
And that’s part of why I LOVE Eurovision. So many different tastes and opinions.

Alex
Alex
6 years ago

I really hope the effort pays off! 🙂

Alex
Alex
6 years ago
Reply to  Alex

By the way, no post about the new hosts of Unser Lied?

kalo mira
kalo mira
6 years ago

In 2000 Germany send their male Verka Serduchka that came later, I mean Stefan Raab – Wadde hadde dudde da. Germany has lost its mojo since then.
Their only chance and salvation is voXXclub-Donnawedda.

AB
AB
6 years ago
Reply to  kalo mira

What? Even though they’ve won since then?

kalo mira
kalo mira
6 years ago
Reply to  AB

Get over Lena. Never works twice.

Napaw
Napaw
6 years ago
Reply to  kalo mira

That is EXACTLY what I’m thinking.

Germany is too keen on finding their next Lena that they might have slept on many other amazing concepts.

kalo mira
kalo mira
6 years ago
Reply to  AB

Lena might be the reason Germany has sent so many women lately.
Enough is enough. Is not working that way.
Germans are desperate to duplicate Lena, this is why they can’t get over the idea that the next win will be a woman too, this is why they have sent Lena in 2011 too. So silly.

Edwin
Edwin
6 years ago
Reply to  kalo mira

They certainly had no intention of winning in 2011. In 2012 they sent a man, in 2014 they sent a group, and in 2015 they intended on sending a man.

Apart from last year, I wouldn’t say the national finals have been particularly biased towards finding a female soloist. And they actually usually have a decent selection of songs.

I think now they’ve got a bit panicked about trying to find songs that other countries will get. But Germany had an excellent music scene, it just needs to embrace it.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
6 years ago
Reply to  Edwin

ESC is not about winning, despite being a contest. It has more cultural, political and historical significance than that.
2011 was one of my favourite Germany entries precisely because it was a truly arty song and wasn’t trying to win. 🙂