Eurovision is all about coming together. And Germany is encouraging just that by sending two artists who just met in January. Laura Kästel and Carlotta Truman make up S!sters. They might not be real sisters but their bond worked from day one and they’re now representing their nation with the song “Sister“.
After a tense national final back in February, they beat out fan favourite Aly Ryan and Makeda. The song reached the top ten of the German iTunes charts and currently sits in 24th position with the bookmakers.
“Sister” was written by Thomas Stengaard, Tom Oehler, Marine Kaltenbacher and Laurell Barker. Laurell has three songs in this year’s Eurovision, having also written entries for the United Kingdom and Switzerland. She’s the first female songwriter known to have achieved that.
“Sister” — S!sters (Germany Eurovision 2019)
“Sister” is a mid-tempo track which encourages women to stop the drama and get along. But the song title is not to be misunderstood! This isn’t about literal sisters — aka blood relations — but about women and people in general. As the opening lines make clear, it stems from the conflicts that emerge between women and the tendency for some ladies to shove their sisters down.
As one of the early verses goes: “I’m tired, tired of competing, I tried to hold you under, but honey, you kept breathing.”
Laurel explained the meaning behind the song to us in Berlin shortly after the national final.
“When I wrote this song, I was feeling something….it struck a chord with other people in the same way it did with me.”
“It’s at large about women who, aren’t necessarily related, but who may feel intimidated or just thrown down by each other. It’s about making space for each other in the workplace and in life and in society. There’s room for all of us to be strong and powerful if that’s what we want to be.”
“I think anyone that’s marginalised is in a difficult position because there is so little room for us. This is not just about being a white, male with privilege. It’s really about rather than fighting for those spots, encouraging each other to fight for those places and make more space instead.”
And that’s precisely what happens in the pre-chorus — a recognition that we’re stronger together than apart.
“I see flames in your eyes, damn, they burn so bright, oh, you gotta know I’m with ya…”
Sister lyrics — S!sters
I’m tired, tired of always losing
I tried to stop your fire
Turns out that I couldn’t
I’m tired, tired of competing
I tried to hold you under
But honey, you kept breathing
When you said you wanted the world
I said you couldn’t too
You were walking right beside me
But I left no room for you
Calling you my enemy, but my enemy’s right here
It was my mistake to try and break
That power that I feared
I see flames in your eyes
Damn, they burn so bright
Oh, you gotta know I’m with ya
Now, shine like city lights
Torches in the sky
Don’t you try to hide it
Sister
I’m sorry, sorry for the drama
I tried to steal your thunder
Turns out I don’t wanna
When you said you wanted the world
I said you couldn’t too
You were walking right beside me
But I left no room for you
Calling you my enemy, but my enemy’s right here
It was my mistake to try and break
Your power that I feared
I see flames in your eyes
Damn, they burn so bright
Don’t you try to hide it
Sister, sister, sister
Don’t you try to hide it
Sister, sister, sister
Don’t you try to hide it
I see flames in your eyes
Damn, they burn so bright
Oh, you gotta know I’m with ya
Now, shine like city lights
Torches in the sky
Don’t you try to hide it
Don’t you try to hide it
Sister
the whole thing is so messy ^^
This is so last place in the final.
Boring.
Best from Spain.
I’ve been thinking about the narrative issue Colin mentioned. It’s true that the song seems to be part of a larger thing (a play or a movie), but for me it works by itself. When the song is about leaving a toxic relationship, we don’t demand to know what happened, we just buy the pain and sorrow. So why not in this case? It’s a midtable entry for me, an enjoyable one.
I agree, Sabrina. The song needs to stand on it’s own and Sister *could* easily pull that off. The two women need to work on creating an impression they have had a difficult history. Even without us witnessing it, they need to show it there and then. It’s a nice song with a good build-up, but the performance needs to reflect that sentiment. They need to control their voice synchronization a bit better not to come off as screaming at each other.
Valuable creative direction notes for Germany there, you should get paid for that. 🙂
I personally don’t think it’s hard to imagine that two young women have a rivalry and yet a lot in common as “sisters” – that story is just everyday life. And it is why people relate to it.
I’m with Polegend on this one, it is simple melodrama. Pure melodrama, with no frills. Trying to explain it all would just end its immediate connection with half the audience, so it would be better to keep the staging unchanged, IMO.
I liked their sync in the national final. But I agree with Colin that it can give the impression they’re shooting at each other. I would love to see more close ups on them so maybe they could sell all the feelings inside this song. But I don’t know if they can act, so possibly it’s not the way to go with it.
Thanks for responding, Sabrina and Purple Mask. I might be completely wrong with this one, but for the performance, I’d change a lot for ESC. I just couldn’t fully connect with it. Later, I listened to the studio version and found it rather nice and relatable. I agree, this is a very universal theme and I find the topic very interesting. So, what would I do? 1. Costumes – Dress them a bit differently from each other. Either the same color, but different style, or same style, but different color. 2. No rotating quadrant. It takes too much of their… Read more »
Also, I’d market it a bit differently. Instead of saying how this is about connecting all women, how about saying it’s a song which celebrates connection between any two people who love each other, but had rough times because of petty and competitive stuff they did. Everyone has someone they are close to and whom they’ve hurt at some point. The song is about “sisters”, but “brothers” or “siblings” of different gender could also relate.
Thanks Colin. I like all of your suggestions – all truly creative. 🙂 It’s going to be exciting to see how the final performance turns out.
They and their song don’t deserve all the hate.
They should have picked two different singers to sing this.
I love this and I really don’t think it will finish too close to the bottom. The televoters may not appreciate it that much (depends on the running order) but I think the juries will. It has a great message and I for my part loved the staging and their performance. Yes, it was dark and they were shouting occasionally, but that perfectly fits the song’s meaning. It’s about women trying to overcome their antagonistic relationship and their competitive rivalry, just like real sisters or sibling in general for that matter, who often clash but then find back to their… Read more »
Last place is waiting them
rarely find a song that I can’t stand but this one is it. Looks like they are about to attack each other. Its quite juvenile and ott movements from the blonde girl especially. The only part of this like is the background instrumental. It’s the bottom song for me.
this song is SO overdramatic i love it
Sorry, too shouty and too opportunistic for me. I think this is headed to last place.
this ain’t the article bout israel
You may be right, but Germany will give them a run for their money.
I don’t love it but I don’t get the hate either? It’s a nice song, and I think the juries will appreciate it. Televoters I’m not sure though. I doubt it’ll come bottom 3 however.
they won the NF because they delivered on the night big time, and was most appealing for the german public to vote for
Underrated, and technically perfect.
A gift to Eurovision.
You are in the wrong article dude
No, I am not. There is no need to be rude.
you need chill
I love the *potential* this song has. I really like Disney-esque musical quality in it. It sounds like a ballad from the third act of some dramatic film. But I do believe it *has* to have a narrative to work. The messy performance and “all women” theme they are trying to do isn’t working for me. It should be more polished and given the right context.
Thanks Colin. I agree about the movie soundtrack comparison. Three minutes of staging doesn’t really give them enough time to form a full narrative. It will have to stand as it is. I thought that the minimalist staging in Germany worked very well for what it is, and personally I wouldn’t change a thing. But it will be interesting to see what they change for ESC.
NOTHIN needs to be changed. let them scream at each other on a rotating platform for all years to come. this is quality drama y’all
Even if its not only for related Sisters, the whole concept, of putting two „random“ girls together to sing this song, it just doesnt feel real at all.
that’s the point of the song, it’s two independent women empowering each other. ‘s!sters’ issa metaphor for intellectuals smh
why are you using rapper’s slang in your comments, lmao
idk ariana grande taught me english
I really do love you, but don’t say something wrong about Queen Ari 😉
i luhhh her, got all her cds, even saw her live
Sure, Jan
#GirlLove
Deserves much more love