Foreign songwriters – that is, composers or producers creating entries for countries other than their own – have an increasingly important presence at the Eurovision Song Contest.

At the 2001 contest, not one single entry was written with the involvement of foreign songwriters. This year, however, twenty-two songs were written with help from abroad, depleting the figure of 100% home-grown entries to just 46%. This is a 10% decrease from 2019, when 56% of entries (twenty-four songs) were produced exclusively on home soil.

This is a growing trend because broadcasters are more frequently resorting to established international songwriters to produce their entries, and many countries are promoting songwriting camps, where creatives from Europe and beyond come together to conjure up potential Eurovision entries. This year we saw songwriting camps held in countries such as the UK, Netherlands and Bulgaria.

The topic has become even more relevant following the recent Eurodrama. The widely-respected songwriter, Borislav Milanov, who has written several top-placing, fan favourite songs, expressed his disappointment with the EBU’s decision not to allow Eurovision 2020 songs to compete at Eurovision 2021. This triggered former Czech Republic Head of Delegation Jan Bors to share his dismay at songwriters representing multiple countries and producing “just-for-Eurovision” songs.

We will discuss his statement later, but first, we’re going to take a look at which countries have opted for a non-native composition at Eurovision 2020 and, after discussing the pros and cons around the topic of foreign songwriters, we’ll ask you to tell us whether you think “That’s How You Write A Song” or if that’s “When the Music Dies”.

The statistics

Locally composed

For the first time ever in Eurovision history, locally produced songs do not represent the majority of entries at Eurovision, with 19 entries (46%) being written and produced exclusively on home soil. The countries that kept it local are: Australia, Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Italy, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Although most of these countries are consistent in giving us locally produced entries, Lithuania and the Netherlands both reverted to national productions after international collabs in 2019. The biggest revelations, however, come from the United Kingdom and Russia.

From 2009 to 2019, the UK only sent an entry made exclusively by Brits on three occasions. Russia, on the other hand, had not sent a song without foreign songwriters since 2012. For Russia, especially, this new approach proved highly successful, with Little Big’s “Uno” achieving the most YouTube views of any 2021 entry.

little big | Tumblr

Local and foreign cooperation

The second most popular category was a partnership between local and foreign songwriters, representing 14 entries (34%). Countries that opted for this were: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Romania, North Macedonia, Poland, Spain and Switzerland.

Here we find usual international co-operators Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, Poland, Spain and Switzerland. This is also the second consecutive year that Estonia and Greece — who were previously committed to domestically-written entries — have opted for overseas assistance. Additionally, 2020 marks the third consecutive year that the Danish entry has been at least partially produced with Swedish involvement.

blas canto | Tumblr

Foreign composed

And finally, 8 entries (15%) were created entirely outside of their borders. These countries are Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, France, Germany, Malta, Moldova and San Marino.

Some of these countries have been known, at least in recent years, to opt for an external production. However, for countries such as Albania, Armenia and France, outsourcing their entries was a new tactic for 2020.

Армения на Евровидении 2020 - Athena Manoukian (Страница 68 ...

Foreign artists

In addition, six countries are being represented by artists that, in fact, hail from other nations.

With no prior connection to their respective countries are San Marino’s Italian-Eritrean disco diva Senhit, and Cyprus’ Greek-American powerhouse Sandro. For both countries this is their third year in a row being represented by an artist from outside their borders. Additionally, Germany’s Benjamin Dolić is a born and bred Slovenian, although he achieved recognition in Germany recognition after competing in their edition of The Voice in 2018.

Meanwhile, Armenia’s Athena Manoukian is Greek (of Armenian descent), Greece’s Stefania is Dutch (of Greek descent), and Netherlands’ Jeangu Macrooy is from Suriname (but moved to the Netherlands in 2014). Anyone else feel in need of an extra strong long island ice tea?

Jeangu macrooy GIFs - Get the best GIF on GIPHY

Returning songwriters

This year’s songwriter line-up features countless veterans. Both Bulgarian-Austrian Borislav Milanov (Bulgaria, Malta, Germany 2020) and Greek Dimitris Kontopoulos with his Stockholm-based creative partner Sharon Vaughn (Greece, Moldova, Estonia 2020) top the contribution chart, penning three Eurovision 2020 songs each. This takes Milanov’s total up to 10 Eurovision entries in just four years, whilst Kontopoulos has now penned a no less than 13.

We also see four different entries penned by Eurovision-winning songwriters. After victory just two years prior with “Toy”, Israel’s Doron Medalie returns for his fourth Israeli Eurovision entry in six years. Previously crowned “Heroes” in 2015, Swedish songstress Linnea Deb (Denmark 2020) competes at Eurovision also for the fourth time. Fellow Swede and songwriter of his nation’s 2012 “Euphoria”, Thomas G:son (France 2020), also makes a comeback this year, marking his thirteenth Eurovision entry. British Iain James also co-writes the UK’s Eurovision 2020 entry, after contributing to Azerbaijan’s 2011 win with “Running Scared”.

North Macedonia’s Darko Dimitrov and Lazar Cvetkovski (North Macedonia, Albania 2020) have now penned 8 and 5 Eurovision entries, respectively. Australian Anthony Egizii & David Musumeci – better known as DNA songs –once again compose Australia’s 2020 entry, as they did in 2016, 2017 and 2018. After writing three songs in the 2019 contest, British-Canadian Laurell Barker has contributed just to Poland’s entry in 2020. The Russian-Bulgarian king of pop Philipp Kirkorov also co-writes Moldova’s 2020 entry, his eighth composition at the contest.

But how does all this relate to the recent eurodrama between the former Czech Head of delegation and Eurovision songwriter Boris Milanov?

Eurodrama

Jan Bors’ Statement

Obviously, discovering that your song will no longer be performed at Eurovision is devastating. In the eyes of former Czech Head of Delegation, Jan Bors, the decision to disallow Eurovision 2020 songs to compete at Eurovision 2021 is, however, regrettably the right one. He explains that it should not be seen as such a loss, arguing that if a song “is already alive and if it’s great, it will work even without Eurovision”. This contest-centric attitude from songwriters, he argues, has led to a “lack of originality, generic music and just-for-Eurovision made songs”.

He therefore recommends a more organic way of conjuring up Eurovision entries, urging broadcasters to “motivate musicians to compose, to be authentic to produce something which will go into the Eurovision as well as anywhere else and represent the countries music industries each year”. He cites the big problem being that “most of broadcasters don’t invest time into their own markets”. The big question is, why are countries choosing international compositions over representing their own music industries at Eurovision? Does Spain worry that juries would vote down a Latin bop? Does Bulgaria worry that a chalga number wouldn’t connect with western audiences?

Given Bors’ previous views, it comes as no surprise that he is also against songwriters representing multiple countries at the contest. He claims that some “write universal songs literally for everyone,” asking “is it good for the contest? Is it necessary for the contest?”

mikolas josef | Tumblr

Sensible claims?

Well, ironically, four of the past five Czech Eurovision entries have used the involvement of foreign songwriters. However, it is true that the artists feeling least disappointed at the banning of Eurovision 2020 entries at Eurovision 2021, are likely to be those who have already scored the biggest commercial successes in their respective countries. Arguably topping this list are the entries of Russia, Italy, Serbia, Sweden, Lithuania and Iceland.

All of these songs are written without the help of foreign songwriters. Moreover, all of these songs, bar Sweden’s, are written with input by the artists themselves. Therefore, it would seem that a more organic approach to Eurovision songwriting correlates with cherished songs and domestic success. But does it correlate with success at Eurovision?

At the point that Eurovision was cancelled, six of the top ten favourites to win the contest were written with foreign involvement – and given 54% of entries were written with foreign involvement, this statistic is of little relevance. In terms of songwriters representing multiple countries, Milanov finds all of his three penned entries within the top ten. Kostopoulos, on the other hand, finds his entries lingering at #18, #32 and #38.

Responses

Some argue that countries cooperating with one another is the spirit of Eurovision, and that the broadcasters may have to look overseas if their domestic songwriting talent isn’t up to scratch. On the other hand, some regard musical outsourcing as inauthentic, as well as accusing renowned international songwriters of using their high budgets to hijack national national selections in the form of jury bribery and televote buying. This year, the Estonian and Moldovan selections had no shortage of such allegations. As is often the case, there was no hard evidence to support these claims.

The debate on foreign songwriters’ ever-growing presence at Eurovision is divisive and never-ending. In our article on foreign composers at the 2019 contest, we discussed their presence in relation to musical diversity, song quality and genericness. In our poll, 51% of readers stated that they believed there are too many foreign-composed songs at Eurovision. Meanwhile, 37% thought it to be irrelevant, and 12% considered them beneficial.

One year later, we want to know whether your opinion has changed on the matter in the poll below.

Poll: Are there too many foreign composed songs at Eurovision?

[crowdsignal poll=10527442]

What do you think? Are you #TeamMilanov or #TeamBors? Are you grateful for experienced songwriters at Eurovision? Would you like to see countries better represent their domestic music scenes? Let us know in the comments below!

66 Comments
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Leenchen
Leenchen
3 years ago

Ben Doli? was in the Voice of Germany and lives in Berlin. Germany didn’t “borrow” him.

Piment
Piment
3 years ago

This international song business is destroying Eurovision. No wonder the quality this year is so low. Almost all the song sound the same. There should be limiting rules like: you can submit only one song per year.

James
James
3 years ago
Reply to  Piment

Microstates have long been exceptions to the rule although I wouldn’t count Cyprus and Malta as being part of that club as they have sent songs with local input in most of their years of participation until these past few years.

Cammy Singh-Clare
3 years ago
Reply to  Piment

Eurovision has better quality & more commercially relevant songs than ever over the past decade, in large part thanks to international songwriting teams & composers like Linnea Deb or Boris Milanov. Certainly I found it hard to enjoy the joke that 2000s Eurovision had become.

Piment
Piment
3 years ago

I beg to differ. The ones that have more commercial success and cross over are the ones that are authentic acts.

someone
someone
3 years ago
Reply to  Piment

I second that rule!

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
3 years ago

This is a great article. This issue needs discussion. Foreign composers and artists existed many many years ago, especially for smaller countries such as Luxembourg, Monoco or Switzerland. To a certain extent it’s acceptable. But what is happening today is just too much and flattens the quality.

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago
Reply to  L’oiseau

But Luxembourg and Monaco sung in national language, That´s a big difference.

Nils
Nils
3 years ago

The idea that songs must be written by local songwriters might be romantic. but if it were to be introduced as an official rule, microstates such as San Marino would basically be banned from participating or at least stripped of any winning chances. So in the end it shouldn’t matter whether songs are written by national or foreign songwriters. Nevertheless composers should only be allowed to enter no more than one song in one national preselection per year to reduce the ever-increasing number of Eurovision-only entries sold by the meter.

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

Proud to be at team Bors. Thank you for this statement !

Fresh Prince
Fresh Prince
3 years ago

This article is hawwwwwt and so is Borislav Milanov

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
3 years ago

To appease the haters, maybe EBU should do another spinoff— Eurovision Producer Contest or something.

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

In this manner we don´t need the national flags anymore…

Joana
Joana
3 years ago

I don’t think that the problem is that a certain amount of songs are written by foreign songwriters, the problem is by the same songwriters every damn year (Milanov, G:son, Kirkorov) — and the fact that many of them are from the same country. But well, that explaines why Milanov was pissed that they couldn’t reuse the songs, I didn’t know that he was also responsible for Bulgaria (which was #1 in the odds)! Lmao Also, why is Diodato in the cover collage? Didn’t he even write his song himself? That’s kind of misleading because of the title of the… Read more »

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago

There’s no rule against what’s happening so any complaint about it isn’t much more than personal preference or opinion. I think it is sad that certain countries don’t have enough confidence and pride in their own songwriters and artists to have them represent them at Eurovision. If they think getting a top ten (or bottom five in about 50% of the cases) finish with some generic, Andreas Johansson-Anderz Wrethov-Laurell Barker borefest is doing something for them…then that’s their (bad) decision to make.

escvegi
escvegi
3 years ago

The contest is about music and not how they got produced…

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago
Reply to  escvegi

No I´m disagree

Greig Watts
Greig Watts
3 years ago

Once upon a time, two czech writers came to the Uk and asked me for help to organise a camp in Czech. This camp produced the song, Friend of A Friend, mixed nationalities on there, but born of an idea of some Czechs who wanted a home grown camp. They didnt mind reaching out for help outside of their borders and lots of Nationalities attended. Everyone’s goal was to write a great song for Czech, Eurovision is supposed to be a competition that unites us, everyone on the camp was united, and a strong song and strong result came out.… Read more »

Greig Watts
Greig Watts
3 years ago
Reply to  Greig Watts

Ive actually just had a chat with Jan, we are friends and have worked together by the way. He tells me that the artists weren’t writing specifically for Eurovision, so maybe I’m mistaken here, but I was asked to help organise a camp with Eurovision in mind and I sent writers with that goal. Interesting to have two percepetions of the same story, so discussion can be good. Basically we’re all aiming for the same goal which is improving Eurovision, and writng great songs, so wherever they come from, all good, Stay well everyone!!

Cammy Singh-Clare
3 years ago
Reply to  Greig Watts

Eurovision has better quality & more relevant songs than ever over the past decade, in large part thanks to international songwriting teams & composers like yourself or Boris Milanov. Don’t worry about this narrow minded criticism. Certainly I found it hard to enjoy the joke that 2000s Eurovision had become.

Tigg
Tigg
3 years ago

Hey, You missed out the fact that the United Kingdom song was also co-written by a Eurovision winning song writer – Iain James who co-wrote “Running Scared” for Ell & Nikki

Arilena Ara fangirl
Arilena Ara fangirl
3 years ago

How is the Dutch song locally written if Jeangu isn’t Dutch, but Surinaman?

James
James
3 years ago

He’s a resident of the Netherlands.

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

Jeangu is living in the Netherlands and part of the dutch music scene. Otherwise he doesn´t need a “international” producer, his songs all are penned by himself.

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

Germany and very especially France are a big shame on this list….

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

Armenia created completely outside ? Athena is originally greek with armenian roots….

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago

My answer is clear: Yes, there are too many. Bors has absolutely right with his opinion. This is going to destroy the spirit of Eurovision.

Deban Aderemi Lover Honey
Deban Aderemi Lover Honey
3 years ago

For more amazing Wiwibloggs-videos,
maybe you could tell us your top 3/5/10 w.e. from every Country from the last decade. So you have round about 43 videos. Greetings from me

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago

In 2020, isn’t it a bit off putting to talk about “foreign” people? Most of Europe is now multi-cultural, I find it a little distasteful to be honest.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

It’s the Eurovision Song Contest (2020 or not), some acknowledgment of nationality is still necessary. “Foreign” isn’t a completely negative term as of yet!

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

I find it a paradox that many of the same people complain about nationalistic voting but then also complain about too many foreigners being involved in a country’s process.

So which one is it? Is nationalism a good thing or not?

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

Thanks Tibor, as always, so eloquently articulated. If I think about my own country, I struggle to actually decipher what the “local” scene is. The UK and International scenes seems very similar to me. Is that because the UK has been so successful over the past 60 years that it’s scene has become the International scene? Or is it because the UK is a very multi-cultural place that it accepts diversity of styles and approaches into its own scene? I think this is perhaps a power and powerlessness thing. In the UK, perhaps we are used to the fact that… Read more »

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

Interesting perspective. I can only really talk to my experience with the BBC. It is a national broadcaster so it does have funds available to it to champion new music, and it does try to do that. However, it would never send a new, “local” artist to Eurovision (and there’s a strong chance the new artist wouldn’t go anyway). This is because Eurovision is very much seen as a fun, entertainment show in the UK. We don’t take it seriously as a means to develop new artists. Perhaps this is why I really don’t see a problem in getting your… Read more »

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

I agree, entertainment is a very individualistic phenomenon. However, as Eurovision is catering for 200m people, it has to play to the middle ground, the “popular”. That’s not to say it has to be plastic, I think the general public can see through something which is obviously fake. Eurovision is perhaps too large not to play to the centrist audience. And “local” music (particularly the music of the young) is often by definition new, fresh, fighting against the Centre, so is there an argument to say Eurovision is the wrong place for it anyway?

Nudiecrudi
Nudiecrudi
3 years ago

Before writing the facts just get informed
FAI RUMORE is 100% Italian. Both the authors are Italian. Not imported, but born Italian.
Antonio Diodato born in Taranto
Edwyn Roberts born in Cremona.

leopard
leopard
3 years ago

Well, Azerbaijan at least use ethno sound.

San Marino is disaster and I can’t understand them… you speak the most beautiful language in the world and you keep sending trash song in english. Well, at least translate it to Italian, it will sound 5x better.

Adrian
Adrian
3 years ago
Reply to  leopard

Well the last time San Marino sent Italian was Valentina 2013, and Europe criminally underrated it. And she qualified a year after with a generic song in English. So you can’t blame them for that.

Alex
Alex
3 years ago

They were brought to the songwriting camp in Romania

Anita
Anita
3 years ago

I agree – how can this be put into a practicable rule for Eurovision?
A first easy step might be that the composer of the song needs to be an inhabitant of the country?

Anita
Anita
3 years ago
Reply to  Anita

It’s nice to plea 😉 Germany where I live didn’t recognize our plea, unfortunately.

Erasmus
Erasmus
3 years ago

So here is my opinion; as long as the country isn’t Italy, Sweden, UK, Spain, France, Germany, Ukraine or Australia (maybe Romania as well) – I don’t mind the country using foreign songwriters, since their music industry either doesn’t even exist (San Marino) or is a small one(Cyprus, Malta, Balkan nations, Baltic nations, Caucasus nations). But tbh I kind of don’t care as long as the song is good, my favourite composers that usually compose for esc are: Borislav (or rather all of Symphonix) for sure I basically like all of his songs, Jimmy Janson and the Debs (all have… Read more »

Erasmus
Erasmus
3 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

They both have a lot of singers, but songwriters and producers doubt so. Especially Malta. Yeah Azerbaijan could use some local talent, but there isn’t much there, not saying they are not talented, they just don’t have the infrastructure needed

Marc
Marc
3 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

I don’t agree.
All countries have industry. Small or big.. they can do it. Iceland is the biggest prove.
Malta’s best results at Esc or Jesc have Maltese songwriters.
Baltics’ and Balkans’ best results also have locals musics behind.

Erasmus
Erasmus
3 years ago
Reply to  Marc

Well but that was a long time ago when ethnic songs actually did well + Malta’s best results comes from when less countries were participating. And I’m not saying they should always only pick foreign song writers, but sometimes it’s harder for a smaller country do to something good as for a bigger country (with bigger I mean strong music industry)

Marc
Marc
3 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

It depends on the approach. UK have the biggest market and we know..
Germany and France buying..
Then, you see small countries trusting to local and delivering. Iceland or Lithuania this year.
Malta’s case.. they’ve relying on Swedish team or Symphomix and it hasn’t been working that well. In 2005, they were 2nd with something 100% Maltese.
And for small industries, having this platform matters and broadcasters just need to care and try to help

Eurovisionfan12
Eurovisionfan12
3 years ago
Reply to  Marc

Well I mean when Malta sends Swedish-penned songs (e.g. 2012 and 2016) they usually do well, same goes to international teams (e.g. 2019). But when we look at local Maltese-penned songs, they don’t do as well as the aforementioned songs (e.g. the times when Malta kept non-qualifying). Ok 2005 may be an exception, but they really went downhill when they had local productions so this might have made them rely more on foreigners.

Hell, Malta weren’t even willing to send a Maltese song (*cough*Kewkba*cough*) so I don’t really see them sending songs written by 100% local songwriters anytime soon.

Marc
Marc
3 years ago

Malta should try local or at least another formula.
Going Swedish or Symphonix is not really working other than for some jurors.
Chameleon or Walk On Water didn’t even get any points from Swedish televote in Semifinals.. I mean.
They need to change something

Mr X
Mr X
3 years ago
Reply to  Marc

The only one exception is San Marino but in this case it already could be enough to send an entry in Italian.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

No way should you be including the Balkan nations in with the other countries that we should be ok with when it comes to employing foreign songwriters. If somebody is watching Eurovision and wishing away Balkan songwriters, then what on Earth are they doing watching Eurovision in the first place?

Anita
Anita
3 years ago

Let’s have from now on for every Eurovision two lists, one that shows the country of the composer so we realize how many countries/composers run against themselves.

Mita
Mita
3 years ago

Kontopoulos has composed 13 eurovision songs not 12 .

Kirby
Kirby
3 years ago

Azerbaijan 0% national identity, just canned generic music.

Mariko
Mariko
3 years ago

Wait, I thought Hooverphonic made their song on their own… So they didn’t even do that?

Skiwalko
Skiwalko
3 years ago
Reply to  Mariko

Nope, “Release Me” was co-written by Luca Chiaravalli, Italian producer, who worked on some of their previous songs, including “Romantic” and “Amalfi”. He’s also known for writing/producing many Sanremo entries, like “Occidentali’s Karma”, “Cosa ti aspetti da me” and “Un giorno mi dirai”.

James
James
3 years ago

I’m of the opinion that songs should be representative of their respective countries and the music industries that they represent. A Eurovision entry should be the best of what a country can offer in an international music competition like ESC. To so willingly rely on foreigners who have zero connection to those countries (as residents, citizens, et al) to pen and produce their entries, with little to no local involvement at all (such is the case for Cyprus since 2018) makes for a very homogeneous and, sadly, boring contest.

EurovisionBenny_AUT
EurovisionBenny_AUT
3 years ago

Thank you so much for this article! If I were able to change one single thing about the contest, I would implement a rule which says that at least one composer, songwriter and producer have to be from country the song represents. After all, it still is a competition for songwriters and composers, and therefore, it doesn’t make sense to me for countries going with writers from abroad only. Also, I wanted to mention that Italy’s entry was made completely on home soil – Edwyn Roberts is actually from Lombardy. And the Romanian song is not penned by Romanians only… Read more »

Dima
Dima
3 years ago

“A rule which says that at least one composer, songwriter and producer have to be from country the song represents.” It would be great because if the country doesn’t a large music scene this could help develop it. As local talent with can learn from foreign talent with experience.

Larry
Larry
3 years ago

Since it is a composer’s competition, the countries should be represented by (at least one) composer from the country which gathers the points..

leopard
leopard
3 years ago

With bunch of generic, soulless pop song in English language, you can’t even guess which country they’re representing.

They miss the whole point of Eurovision.

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

I think the song should be done mainly in the country they represent. It’s more native and fair.

Nils
Nils
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

More fair, yes. Yet I’m afraid Sweden would win all the time, given the fact that they simply have the best music industry outside of the UK (where the talented people stay away from Eurovision).

And I guess we all know how audiences and especially our Eurovision bubble here at wiwibloggs would react to that, don’t we? 😉

Idksmth
Idksmth
3 years ago

As long as they write good songs, what’s the point?