Germany‘s national final preparations continue, with the six finalists taking part in week-long songwriting workshop in Berlin. Now broadcaster ARD has revealed the experienced songwriters who are also at the workshop — and there are some names that will be familiar to Eurovision fans.
For one week, 24 songwriters have teamed up with the recently named finalists Aly Ryan, BB Thomaz, Linus Bruhn, Gregor Hägele, lilly among clouds and Makeda. Their task is to craft the songs that will compete in Unser Lied für Israel in February.
Songwriter and workshop coordinator Lars Ingwersen has put together a crack team of experienced songwriters from Germany and abroad. It has been reported that broadcaster NDR is focused on recruiting young and new songwriters, but the list still includes several names that the Eurovision fans will recognise. The workshop includes such familiar names as:
- Thomas Stengaard: The Danish songwriter who not only penned the Michael Schulte’s, “You Let Me Walk Alone”, but also the Eurovision 2013 winner by Emmelie De Forest, “Only Teardrops”. He also composed the Unser Lied runner-up from 2018, Xavier Darcy’s “Jonah”.
- Tim Schou: The ex-frontman of Denmark’s 2011 Eurovision act A Friend in London, who achieved fifth place in Düsseldorf.
- Axel Ehnstrom: Also known as Paradise Oskar, he represented Finland at Eurovision 2011 with “Da Da Dam”, and co-wrote Xavier Darcy’s “Jonah” in the last German selection.
- Laila Samuelsen: Better known as Laila Samuels, she took part in Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix 2016, where she achieved fourth place with the fan favourite “Afterglow”.
- Nisse Ingwersen and Nina Müller, both who also co-composed “You Let Me Walk Alone” last year.
The workshop will also the German songwriter Steven Bashir, who has previously worked with Felix Jaehn; New Yorker Kristine Bogan, who has written for the Disney Channel, and Los Angeles songwriter Michael Ochs who has written for Josh Groban and Helene Fischer.
Other German songwriters include Ricardo Bettiol, Marcus Brosch, Lukas Droese, David Jürgens, Michelle Leonard, Dennis Neuer, Tom Olbrich andTim Uhlenbrock.
And bringing an international perspective to the workshop are Kevin Jones (Zimbabwe/London), Richard Judge, Oliver Som, Duncan Townsend (United Kingdom), Tamara Olorga (Austria), Jonas Shandel (Canada) and Andrew Tyler (United States).
The songwriters have been busy at work with the six finalists, coming up with potential songs for Unser Lied für Israel. The finalists can also work on songs on their own, and songs written outside the workshop will also be considered.
In consultation with the broadcaster, each artist will select one song which they will compete with at the national final next year.
What do you think? Do you see any names who can pen a Eurovision winner? What sort of songs would you like to hear in Unser Lied? Share your thoughts below!
Laila is amazing! Her style is really cool, and she Also wrote the song heal for mo in mgp 2014. I am hyped!
So they’re looking at recreating exactly what they did last year…. Fair enough they did really well last year, but lightning doesnt strike twice…
Are you guys covering junior Eurovision at all? Haven’t seen anything here 🙁
We need to start a petition or something to make them interested in JESC again! Or make France or Poland win this year in JESC