Today is International Women’s Day, so what better time to celebrate the achievements of one woman who has scored a Eurovision first. Songwriter Laurell Barker has three songs competing at Eurovision 2019, representing the UK, Germany and Switzerland, making her the first female songwriter to achieve this. But which song is your favourite?
Canadian songwriter Laurell is relatively new to the world of Eurovision, and recently told us that she had never even heard of Eurovision until a couple of years ago. But in that short time, she’s made quite an impact.
Laurell first appeared in the 2017 national final season, co-writing “I Wish I Loved You More” for Holly Brewer in the UK’s national final Eurovision: You Decide.
Laurell came back even stronger in the 2018 national season, penning fan favourites “All the Feels” for Renaida in Melodifestivalen and “Legends” for Asanda in Eurovision: You Decide — both of which she performed live at the Wiwi Jam in Lisbon.
Laurell also had a big success last year, when “Stones” — co-written with ZiBBZ — won the Swiss national final and went on to represent Switzerland at Eurovision 2018.
This year, Laurell is back with three songs, co-written with other talented songwriters. And in doing so, she joins small but celebrated group of songwriters to have three songs competing in one year. Recently songwriters Boris Milanov and Joacim Persson had three songs in Eurovision 2017, but Laurell is the first woman to achieve this.
But which of Laurell Barker’s three songs is your favourite? Take a listen and vote in our poll. As always, you can vote for as many songs as you like but you can only vote once — so make it count.
United Kingdom: Michael Rice – “Bigger Than Us”
Laurell’s first Eurovision 2019 entry was “Bigger than Us”, co-written with Anna-Klara Folin, John Lundvik and Jonas Thander. Michael Rice’s version of the song won the UK’s Eurovision: You Decide and earned the ticket to Tel Aviv. Another of the songwriters is Swedish singer John Lundvik, who is a frontrunner to win Melodifestivalen with another of his compositions.
Germany: S!sters – “Sister”
The next success for Laurell was at Germany’s Unser Lied für Israel with her song “Sister”, co-written with Marine Kaltenbacher, Tom Oehler and Thomas Stengaard. The ode to strong female friendships is performed by the duo S!sters, who won both the international jury and televote in the national final. Laurell told wiwibloggs that she had no idea that song would prove to be so popular. “I was completely in shock. I just had no idea how the song was going to translate.”
Switzerland: Luca Hänni – “She Got Me”
Laurell’s most recent song is the internally selected “She Got Me”, which Luca Hänni will perform for Switzerland. The track was co-written by Laurell, Luca and Mac Frazer, Jon Hällgren and Lukas Hällgren. Laurell explained the song as being about a woman who “doesn’t care what people think of her. She is just dancing the way she wants to dance. So much so that it gets [Luca] dirty dancing, it gets everyone dirty dancing and having fun.”
Which Eurovision 2019 song by Laurell Barker is your favourite?
[crowdsignal poll=10258817]Which Laurell Barker song is your favourite? And which delegation should she sit with in the Eurovision green room? Have your say below!
I voted for all the three
This is sooooooo clear………SWITZERLAND
Well this isn’t close. 🙂
On a side note, whenever I hear “Bigger Than Us” I can hear John Lundvik’s influence on the song rather than Laurell Barker’s. Just me?
trash trash and trash
All the Feels and Legends were much better than these 3
she is the queen of generic? H&M level song writer
Legends will always be a bop! she should have given it to Kerrie-Anne!
Anyway, Suisse is a great summer song, Sisters is nice to listen to but there is no chemistry and Bigger than us is nice radio song but nothign special.
Well, we still (as for 16:30 CET) don’t know Azeri, Armenian, Maltese, Israeli and Russian songwirters, so…
Wi know israelian. It is O’had Shraga’i.
Sister. The rest is rubbish
I can’t say I’m a fan of any of them, but I think “Sister” is the best written one. If I could, I would cast a vote for “Stones”, her best Eurovision effort so far. Ironically, probably the only one who won’t be seen in a final.
Switzerland and its not even close
Yup. Sister is a dishonorable mention here… shades of “Mother” from a few years ago, and both songs show that good songwriters make mistakes. The Swiss song is great. The UK song lacks lyrical depth but it gives Michael room to shine.
None of the entries written by her are particularly interesting. In fact, I find ‘Bigger Than Us’ and ‘Sister’ very poor. ‘She Got Me’ isn’t that much better, but it at least has something interesting.
I don’t know how the same person can write the female-empowering ‘Sister’ and the female-dehumanizing ‘She Got Me’. I don’t like Sister personally, but while She Got Me is catchy the lyrics are so, so objectifying. Makes me sick.
Easy one. Switzerland BY FAR.
Isn’t writing songs for multiple countries in the same year banned?
The UK song is like admitting their weakness facing the EU amidst the disastrous Brexit negotiations: « It’s bigger than us » (after « I will never give up on you » and « Storms don’t last forever »).
I’ve said this before, Britain could have sent a song in complete gibberish and some people would still stay it’s about Brexit.
I have the habit of seeing references to current events in a lot of ESC songs (not just Britain’s ;)). Like when Greece sang “One last breath” at the peak of the debr crisis, or Armenia sang “Don’t deny” on the 100th anniversary of the genocide. Nothing Britain-specific, it’s just my own little game. 🙂
I may be alone on this boat but Sister is a really cute and well written song. So my vote went to this one.
I’m really a bit peeved at Laurell for taking up so many spots with her mediocre songs… although it’s ofc not her fault that the British and the Germans voted for her…
She saved the best for Switzerland imo…
With the UK and Germany, don’t blame her but the voters. They wanted her songs the most.
Same for me. None of them.
None seriously.
whew she’s like, the new thomas g:son ! switzerland > germany >>>>>> uk
None.
Switzerland has the best song out of these 3, Germany the weakest.
Laurell will need a moving seat in the greenroom!
Switzerland is my fav
Will be a bitter moment for the UK when they realize that two of their songwriters have better songs at Eurovision.
These songs are really bland, all of them. But hey, maybe Im just spoiled with the creativity we get these last ESC editions.
Stones was a masterpiece, these not sosiis much..
I love her since last year! I’m glad that she equalize record with Boris Milanov( 3 entry in same year)
My favorite out of these three is the UK thus far. All three songs have some merits.
Is she the composer or the lyricist? While the UK and Switzerland have more interesting compositions, Germany perhaps has the most layered lyrical content.
I agree with the first part of your statement Colin! UK is indeed the best. The other two is pretty average for me.
I have Switzerland on replay replay replay yeah
I would also vote for Legends and All the Feels if they were on the list
omg All The Feels a BOP <3
Quantity doesn’t mean quality, but songs are quite good.
I only like Switzerland but only for the ethnic sound. I don’t think she’s in charge of that part though.
Stones.
Don’t really like any of them. Actually think that “Hold Me Down” that she co-wrote in Norway was her best offering this year.
1. Switzerland
2. Germany
3. United Kingdom
Is that even a question? Swiss all the way!!!
Uh, why do we need this poll?
Why do we need any poll? It’s fun.