They’ve got one of Europe’s biggest music scenes. And despite some unfortunate finishes at Eurovision, Germany’s Eurovision stars don’t give up.
In fact, several German contestants have recently released new music. This includes Michael Schulte, Jamie-Lee, Ann Sophie, Eurovision winners Lena and Nicole, as well as national final stars lilly among clouds and Natia Todua. Here’s a roundup of all the new music these artists have gifted us.
Michael Schulte — Highs & Lows
He landed one of the biggest summer hits of the year in Germany with “Back to the Start”, which nodded up nearly 30 million streams on Spotify. Now, Michael Schulte has dropped his new album Highs & Lows. The LP reflects on his recent life-changing marriage, in addition to the birth of his first son. From uptempo tracks like “All I Need” to the emotional ballads “The Love You Left Behind” or new single “Let It Go”, there’s lots of versatility to find on this new project.
Jamie-Lee — “Flying”
Following her Eurovision 2016 entry “Ghost”, this new track is Jamie-Lee’s first new single in more than three years. And “Flying” is a complete departure from her previous sound. The track includes elements of rap and is sonically very different from her 2016 album Berlin. The change of sound is also reflected in the visuals of the music video. Although there’s still plenty of bright colours and outfits, as a result of Jamie-Lee’s love for the J-Pop and K-Pop scenes, the overall feel is still a lot darker and more urban.
Ann Sophie — “Tornado”
Similarly to Jamie-Lee, Ann Sophie’s new single “Tornado” also sees her take on a new sound. It’s clearly inspired from the Eurovision 2015 contestant’s songwriting days both in Germany and abroad. The track starts off slow, but nicely builds into a mid-tempo chorus. “Tornado” is definitely not going to be a club filler, but it’s a comeback track that makes us look forward to what Ann Sophie will bring on the upcoming EP Void, which is set to be released later this month.
Lena & Nico Santos — “Better (Acoustic version)”
Becoming her highest charting single since 2015’s “Wild & Free”, Lena’s collaboration with Nico Santos, “Better”, has been a massive success for the German Eurovision 2010 winner. The song gave her another chart hit, peaking at number 15. Celebrating this success, the two singers recently released a heartfelt acoustic version. Accompanied only by piano, this new version lets the vocals of the two singers take centre stage. Lena is also set to begin touring with her More Love Tour in May 2020.
Nicole — “50 ist das neue 25”
Eurovision 1982 winner Nicole is celebrating her life in the new single “50 ist das neue 25” (“50 is the new 25”), which comes from the new album of the same name. The track stays true to her traditional sound, but also draws upon some more modern pop influences. Overall, it’s a project that shows why Nicole is still a relevant figure within the German schlager scene, and will surely continue to be so for many years to come.
lilly among clouds — Green Flash
Her track “Surprise” came third at this year’s German national final. And a few months later, lilly among clouds released her second studio album. Green Flash takes on different facets, from “Look At The Earth”, which is her take on the current environmental debate, to the uptempo and infectious “Love U 4ever”. Moreover, she’s been able to come up with a very cohesive record that brings together retro pop, soul and electronic influences — the reason many fans fell in love with “Surprise” upon first listen.
Natia Todua — “Georgia”
Former The Voice of Germany winner Natia Todua has dropped her first new single since her 2018 national selection entry “My Own Way”. Titled “Georgia”, the track is naturally a homage to her home country, where she is also now a judge on Georgian Idol. In the song, the singer expresses her love for the nation. Sonically, it also features several traditional Georgian instruments that help create an authentic sound. Natia’s voice comes more into focus with this new track, with her vocal delivery perhaps more suited to this type of song. And towards the end, there’s a spoken verse in Georgian to round out the experience.
What do you make of these new releases from Germany’s Eurovision alumni? What songs are you enjoying the most? Sound off in the comments below!
Love seeing Jamie-Lee and Ann Sophie making new material. I miss the two of them.
ExcUsE Me, bUt WHeRe iS aLy RyAn?
we need to ignore aly ryan from now on
She is in San Marino