New music from Loreen, Bilal Hassani, Viki Gabor and more

The Eurovision 2020 season may have come to an unexpected end, but the music will always continue. While we may have to socially distance ourselves from others at the present time, past Eurovision artists are thankfully still producing new music for us to enjoy.

Contrary to the commonly perpetuated myth about the song contest killing careers, we’re always thrilled to report that singers and performers associated with both Eurovision itself and the various national selections are thriving.

Here is a selection of just some of the songs and music videos released in the last week or so.

New music from Eurovision artists: 2020 | Week 17

Loreen – “Atlas”

Eurovision 2012 winner Loreen has continued to develop her sound over the last eight years. The Swedish star has recently re-connected with her Moroccan Berber roots and has been teasing the new project Atlas, which will feature a number of songs inspired by this. This week, Loreen put on a mini concert, live streamed on the Elle Sverige Facebook page. For the final song of the show, she performed the title song from the upcoming project for the very first time. Slow and atmospheric to begin with, “Atlas” builds to a big climax at the end.

Måns Zelmerlöw – “On My Way”

Sweden’s latest Eurovision victory came in 2015, with Måns Zelmerlöw lifting the trophy. The singer has now released the music video for his new single “On My Way”, which comes from his eighth studio album TIME. Zelmerlöw explains at the start of the MV that the song is a letter to his younger self and includes the words that he wished someone had told him back then. The music video then includes a number of clips of Måns that span almost his entire life – from being in school, to appearing at Melodifestivalen, Eurovision 2015 and most recently Eurovision – Australia Decides 2020.

Bilal Hassani – “Fais le vide”

Bilal Hassani proved he was a king at Eurovision 2019, where he represented France with the song “Roi”. The singer has now released the new single “Fais le vide” (“Empty”). It’s a fun pop track with a funky electric guitar riff underlying it. Described as the first single from his new era, Bilal uploaded a video to his YouTube channel explaining how he worked with acclaimed French songwriter Matthieu Mendès on the song and that he finished recording the track while in confinement.

Michael Rice – “Think Of Me”

Michael Rice tried to bring the United Kingdom to BIGGER heights at Eurovision 2019, but unfortunately that wasn’t meant to be. He’s now back with the new song “Think Of Me”. Described as “pop power mixed with a cinematic creation”, the song certainly has a dark and dramatic touch to it. Lyrically, Rice sings to his loved one about how he’ll always be thinking about them, and asks if they’ll do the same: “When it gets tough / I’ll think of you / I’ll think of you / Will you think of me too?”.

Nathan Trent – “Timeline”

Nathnan Trent was running on air at Eurovision 2017, where he represented Austria. For his new song “Timeline”, the star has turned to social media and what it’s like to come across the posts of an ex-partner. Trent sings: “Saw you on my timeline / And now you’ve got me confused / If I double tap I’ll regret it / If I skip I won’t forget it / Saw you on my timeline / And now I’m back in the loop / Back in the loop with you”. Sonically, the song is a solid pop track that would fit into many a casual Spotify playlist.

Sakis Rouvas – “Η Μέσα Μου Θάλασσα”

Greece called upon the talents of superstar Sakis Rouvas to represent them at Eurovision twice – in 2004 and 2009. Now, the Greek singer has released “Η Μέσα Μου Θάλασσα” (“My Middle Sea”). A contemporary ballad, this new song lets Rouvas show off his vocals and his ability to convey emotions through music.

PAENDA and G x G – “Best of it”

Austrian singer PAENDA got teary eyed for her performance at Eurovision 2019. But, the star has put the smile back on her face for her new single “Best of it”. Sticking with the electro-style of her other recent releases, the song is produced by G x G (Gabriel Geber), who has also previously worked on a number of Nathan Trent’s post-Eurovision songs. The accompanying music video is shot from the perspective of PAENDA’s partner and features some creative ways to display the lyrics.

Soraya (feat. Bombai) – “Lo Bueno”

This week, Spain’s Eurovision 2009 star Soraya dropped her seventh studio album Luces y Sombras. The new single to correspond with the LP’s release is “Lo Bueno” (“The Good”), which features Spanish trio Bombai. A summery Latin-pop song, Soraya sings about leaving the bad things in the past and remembering to live every moment of your life to the fullest: “Sometimes we lose the smile / For being in such a hurry / We forget to live … And then we wake up / Now comes the good”.

Kállay Saunders and anatu – “Light On”

Kállay Saunders took Hungary to the top five at Eurovision 2014. The star’s new song is “Light On”. It’s a continuation from his previous single “f*** yo girl”, with the music video set one year later. Produced by anatu, the slow R’n’B song sees Saunders singing to the girl he connected with last year and wonders why her light is on: “Why you got your light on / Is there a party / Do you got somebody / Are you thinking of me”. Fans of the Hungarian singer will also be happy to see that the end of the music video teases the third part of the series, so expect another new song in the coming weeks.

Alex Sparrow – “Let’s Stay Home Tonight”

Alex Sparrow, Russia’s Eurovision 2011 act, is known for his cheeky personality and quirky music videos. So it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Sparrow’s new release pokes fun at the current cornavirus lockdown procedures. The song is driven by acoustic guitar instrumentation in the verses and features a recurring pan flute melody in the chorus. While the lyrics see Sparrow singing about spending the night at home with his loved one, the music video features the duo (and their corgi) going out to explore the abandoned streets with hazmat suits on. However, in the end it’s revealed that they were actually doing all of this through virtual reality, and so no lockdown laws were in fact broken.

Edsilia Rombley – “Lieve Mama”

Two-time (1998 and 2007) Dutch Eurovision star Edsilia Rombley was set to host the contest this year in Rotterdam. Following the cancellation of the show, she’ll now have to wait until 2021 and will feature in Europe Shine A Light instead. But, the current situation hasn’t stopped Rombley’s musical spirit. She’s released the new song “Lieve Mama” (“Dear Mum”), which as the title suggests is an ode to her mother. The Dutch singer posted a video on Instagram where she surprised her mother and performed the song for her (but 1.5 metres away as stipulated under social distancing rules).

Joci Pápai and Gabi Tóth – “Menedék”

Joci Pápai and Gabi Tóth both reached the final of A Dal 2017. In the end, it was Pápai who took the victory and represented Hungary at Eurovision 2017. However, there doesn’t appear to be any bad blood between the two singers, as they’ve now teamed up for the new song “Menedék” (“Shelter”). It’s a beautiful piano-driven ballad, with two artists’ vocals blending seamlessly together when they sing in unison during chorus.

Chingiz Mustafayev – “From Past to Present”

At Eurovision 2019, Chingiz Mustafayev sang “Truth” and brought Azerbaijan back to the top ten at the contest for the first time since 2013. The star has recently been exploring his own truth a bit more deeply and has now released “From Past to Present”. A nine-minute musical piece, Chingiz has composed the song around the words of Azeri poets Nasimi and Nusrat Kasamanli. On Instagram, the star noted that he was influenced by a number of musical cultures, including Sufism:

“If you want to get acquainted with my inner world, this work will tell you about it. … Sufism, an esoteric religious and philosophical movement, has always caught my attention. The influence of Sufi philosophy on me is also reflected in this work. You can also hear elements of many musical cultures. You can close your eyes, leave your place and travel to other worlds. It is already in the hands of your imagination, your mind.”

Miriam Christine – “Kuraġġ”

Miriam Christine represented Malta at Eurovision 1996. At the end of last year, she released her new album Dil-Mara, which consisted entirely of original Maltese-language songs. Now, Miriam has taken one of its songs, “Kuraġġ” (“Courage”), and released it as a single. An upbeat and cheerful song, the accompanying music video features aerial shots over Malta and Gozo. The Maltese singer hopes the song will give people courage while in the current circumstances, as she says in the music video’s description:

“Courage! These are days that one day shall pass. For now, there is the need for us to be patient, and find serenity with those who are close to us in our homes, and get to know and love them a bit better. Let’s learn new hobbies and skills, and use this time given to us to find that peace which we might have found difficult to bring to light.”

Dina Garipova – “Ай, былбылым”

Dina Garipova secured Russia a top five finish at Eurovision 2013. Now, the star has released the new song “Ай, былбылым” (“Moon, nightingale”). The song is a traditional Tatar folk song, with Garipova having been born and brought up in the region. The Russian star has put her own spin on the song, which will feature on her upcoming album ЭТНО (Ethno). The track is also included on the soundtrack for the new TV programme Zuleikha opens her eyes.

Viki Gabor – “Getaway”

Junior Eurovision 2019 saw Viki Gabor lift the trophy for Poland – their second win in two years. Now, the star has released her new single “Getaway”. An upbeat pop track with African drum instrumentation in the background, the song is about finding your own way out from the sorrows that you might be experiencing. The accompanying music video opens with a narration from Viki, talking about how age has never stopped her from achieving her dreams.

Dolly Style – “Boom Boom Box”

Various line-ups of girl-group Dolly Style have competed at Melodifestivalen on three occasions (2015, 2016 and 2019). The latest trio have now released the new song “Boom Boom Box”. It’s a country-pop song, which is amped-up in the music video as the girls perform in a hay barn while wearing cowboy hats. Lyrically, the girls sings about enjoying life and dancing: “One step left and one step right / Turn it all around and shake it like we don’t give a / Back in the line and we shout it out in a row HEY! / Who’s gonna really care cuz we get old”.

Captain Tom Moore, Michael Ball & The NHS Voices of Care Choir – “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

Since the COVID-19 lockdown came into force, artists from many countries have been joining together to produce charity singles to raise money for the fight against the virus. In the UK, Eurovision 1992 runner-up Michael Ball has teamed up with former British Army Officer Captain Tom Moore and The NHS Voices of Care Choir to cover “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, originally from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. The song topped the UK charts ahead of Captain Tom’s 100th birthday on 30 April. Despite his extensive career since competing at Eurovision, this is Michael Ball’s first number one single in the UK.

The Team – “?על מי את חכמה”

In Israel, a number of artists have joined forces for the song “?על מי את חכמה” (“Who are you trying to outsmart?”), which aims to get people fundraising and obtaining essential equipment to fight coronavirus. Collectively known as The Team, the artists involved include two past Israeli Eurovision stars – Harel Skaat (2010) and Duo Datz (1991) – as well as a number of people who have appeared in previous Israeli national finals – Arik Sinai (1985, 1987), Eden Meiri (2018) and Itay Levy (2019 jury member). To add to that line up, the President of Israel, Ruvi Rivlin, is also involved.

Malta All Stars – “Anġli Moħbija”

A number of Maltese stars have also come together for the song “Anġli Moħbija” (“Hidden Angels”), which is dedicated to all the hospital staff and care workers who are working tirelessly during the pandemic. The track features three Maltese Eurovision stars – Glen Vella (2011), Miriam Christine (1996) and Ludwig Galea (2004) – one Junior Eurovision entrant – Gianluca Cilia (2017) – plus a plethora of past national final stars – Janice Mangion (2017), Danica Muscat (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018), Anna Azzopardi (2011, 2012), Annabelle Vella (2007, 2008), Ruth Portelli (2010) and Kaya (2000, 2009, 2012). Additionally, Enzo Gusman also takes part, who was selected to represent Malta at Eurovision in 1974 and 1976, but the entry was later withdrawn in both years.