Songs by Eurovision artists in 2019: Our top tracks (30 to 21)

Incredibly, 2019 is almost up. And that means one thing — the return of our annual Top Tracks countdown!

As usual, the team from wiwibloggs voted for their favourite 2019 releases and recordings by and featuring Eurovision stars. Songs which competed at Eurovision or national finals were excluded (they’ve been analysed to death in our jury reviews), as were artists who have yet to compete on the Eurovision stage.

After considering well over 100 songs, we finally settled on our top 50. And now we’re ready to share it with y’all. We’ll publish ten tracks daily between now and New Year’s Day.

What song will enter our Hall of Fame?

Let the countdown continue!

Songs by Eurovision artists in 2019: Our top tracks (30 to 21)

30. Céline Dion “Flying On My Own”

What we said: One of the most successful artists to have ever graced the Eurovision stage, Céline Dion is still going strong. “Flying On My Own” is the lead single from her twenty-seventh studio album Courage, which is set for release in November. The Eurovision 1988 champion premiered the track during her Las Vegas residency earlier in the year. While many may know Céline for her emotional power ballads, this track is a lot more upbeat and centres around a synth-driven dance beat. (Jonathan)

Previous top tracks: “Loved Me Back To Life” (#16 in 2013)

29. Aram MP3 “Alabalanica”

What we said: The Eurovision 2014 star brings us a mid-tempo electro-funk piece with elements of traditional instrumentation sprinkled in for good measure. It’s exactly the sort of thing that Aram MP3 does best. The music video is shot completely inside, but makes full use of on-screen LED graphics to brighten it up. The “Not Alone” singer gets his groove on with a group of backing dancers and has a party in an abandoned warehouse. From break-dancing to voguing, there’s everything going on. Although, that Donald Duck mask may give us a few nightmares later tonight… (Jonathan)

28. Eleni Foureira & Claydee “Loquita”

What we said: Just like the rest of the world, Greece has jumped on the Latin bandwagon with great enthusiasm. Eleni Foureira, always ahead of the curve, has even started singing in Spanish. Enter “Loquita”, her collaboration with superstar Claydee. The music video takes us away to a hot night in a shabby-chic South American bar. Eleni shows off her gorgeous body while Claydee raps “tu eres mi loquita” (roughly translating to “you are my ‘crazy girl’”) and pops a few Mentos. But we know who’s really in charge here – nobody puts Eleni in a corner, and she sure dances her way out of it. Lyrically, the track is a little repetitive, but that’s what makes it entrancing. (Alice)

Previous top tracks: “Triumph” (#48 in 2019), “Tómame” (#3 in 2018), “Caramela” (#22 in 2018)

27. Krista Siegfrids “Let It Burn”

What we said: The song sets the tone with the confronting opening line, “Leave me out with the trash, I’m no good for you”. Krista sings about a breakup and going their separate ways to both be able to heal. The story is deep and personal, echoed through the melancholy melody. Lyrically, the song is meticulous yet raw. Krista reveals that they “don’t share the same dreams” anymore and asks for her lover to “let me go” and “let it be”. It’s not all negative emotions — she knows that “you love me at my worst, you’re proud of my best, I would do it all again, I have no regrets”. It hurts but our queen is thankful for the memories. (Antranig)

Previous top tracks: “1995” (#12 in 2017), “Be Real” (#18 in 2016), “On & Off” (#5 in 2015), “Better On My Own” (#20 in 2015), “Cinderella” (#29 in 2014), “Can You See Me?” (#7 in 2013), “Amen!” (#23 in 2013)

26. Emma “Io Sono Bella”

What we said: It encompasses everything we love about the Italian singer. The song has a strong pop-rock beat throughout, which is driven by staccato electric guitar riffs right from the start. Emma’s rough and distinct vocals accompany this instrumentation perfectly, and her attitude and personality really shine through. The accompanying music video sees Emma strutting her stuff in various guises – a leather jacket, 80’s inspired sportswear, and half-naked on a floor of rose petals. (Jonathan)

Previous top tracks: “Io Di Te Non Ho Paura” (#17 in 2016), “Il paradiso non esiste” (#21 in 2016), “Arriverà L’Amore” (#16 in 2015), “Occhi Profondi” (#46 in 2015), “Resta Ancora Un Po” (#40 in 2014)

25. Marco Mengoni “Duemila volte”

What we said: A strong, emotional ballad, the track begins slowly with repeated piano chords accompanying Mengoni’s fragile vocals. A drumbeat slowly builds up from the second verse onward, before the song reaches its peak in the third chorus. The track takes the listener on a journey, with Mengoni’s emotions resonating through every word, regardless of whether you speak Italian or not.

Previous top tracks: “Voglio” (#8 in 2018), “Hola (I Say)” (#11 in 2018), “Onde” (#7 in 2017), “Ti ho voluto bene veramente” (#24 in 2015), “Io ti aspetto” (#30 in 2015), “Guerriero” (#41 in 2014), “Pronto a correre” (#10 in 2013), “Non Passerai” (#25 in 2013)

24. Kobi Marimi “Yalla Bye”

What we said: It marks a surprising and drastic change of style — from the traditional power ballad to an upbeat Mizrahi bop. Our hips don’t lie: We love it! The design of the cover art features different versions of the Middle Eastern “hamsa” amulet. That hint of a strong Middle Eastern flavour becomes evident from the very first note. Oozing mystery and an intoxicating near Eastern sound, Kobi leads us through tantalising verses filled with regional instrumentation. As your head bobs and your toes tap, Kobi’s deep voice takes us higher. (Ari)

23. Lena “Don’t Lie To Me”

What we said: The track is another uptempo cut. As with the previous release “Thank You”, Lena once again tackles a personal issue. But this time she focuses on a relationship — and from the very first verse. As she sings: “you tried to open up but you were scared to lose what we had”. Sounds like things are getting toxic. The video comes with a totally different concept. Several scenes show conversations on her phone, creating a complex toss-up for you to decipher. Truth, fear, lies…this is a rollercoaster of emotions! (Florian)

Previous top tracks: “Thank You” (#5 in 2018), “Lost In You” (#20 in 2017), “If I Wasn’t Your Daughter” (#24 in 2017), “Beat To My Melody” (#9 in 2016),  “Traffic Lights” (#1 in 2015), “Wild & Free” (#14 in 2015)

22. Ira Losco feat. Michela “Cannonball”

What we said: An inspirational anthem filled with empowering lines. The track kicks off with a guitar intro before Ira Losco sings the first verse. The Maltese star sings about a relationship that’s going up and down by the day. From meeting on Monday to a breakup on Wednesday, there’s all the feels in this one. Michela takes over for the second verse. She describes the feeling of being lovesick and no longer being able to handle the circumstances. Ultimately, she needs that person “out of [her] veins”. (Florian)

Previous top tracks (Ira): “Shouldn’t Have To Bother” (#17 in 2014)

21. Sergey Lazarev “Ya Ne Boyus”

What we said: There’s an androgynous feel to the video, with men and women dressed in colourful suits joining the two-time Eurovision participant. In this sense, the video is rather reminiscent of Dua Lipa’s “IDGAF” music video. The track is the title song of Sergey’s summer EP. Sonically, it’s an electronic track with a pulsing beat running throughout the three minutes. The lyrics see the “Scream” singer discussing a forbidden love. The star is falling in love with an individual, but those around him think he should not pursue this path. Nevertheless, Sergey is not put off from following his heart. (Jonathan)

Previous top tracks: “P’yanym, chem obmanutym” (#47 in 2018), “Prosti Menya” with Dima Bilan (#11 in 2017), “Lucky Stranger” (#21 in 2017), “Idealniy Mir” (#14 in 2016)

Our Top Tracks of 2019 ranking is determined by independent votes from a panel of wiwibloggers. They are William, Robyn, Jonathan, Antranig, Pablo, Cinan, Florian, Ari, Mario, Tom and Padraig.

What songs do you think should feature on the list? Are you surprised by our choices so far? Let us know in the comments.

Follow our top 50 countdown so far.