Summer is always the quiet period for Eurovision fans as we wait for national finals to start once again. Thankfully, the music will always continue and a number of past Eurovision artists are still producing new songs 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 27 Part 1
Milan Stankovic X Jala Brat & Buba Corelli – “Pablo”
One is a popstar who sang for Serbia at Eurovision 2010. The other is an ultra-successful rapper who was part of Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Eurovision 2016 act. And now, Milan Stankovic and Jala Brat have joined forces along with Buba Corelli for “Pablo”.
TAYANNA – “Жіноча cила”
TAYANNA came painfully close to winning Ukraine’s Vidbir in both 2017 and 2018. And on both occasions, she brought very different offerings to the stage. And she’s shaking things up again with “Жіноча cила” — the title track from her new EP. On the song, which translates as “Female Power”, TAYANNA says: “When I listen to her, she helps me find new strength and spread my wings. That is why I sincerely believe that it will serve as a cure for despair, motivation and lift your spirits”!.
Lee Ryan – “Swayed”
He’s one-fourth of Blue, the 2000s boyband that represented the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2011. But Lee Ryan is a hitmaker in his own right, with four top 40 solo singles to his name. Lee’s newest track is “Swayed”. Don’t be fooled by the song’s slow pace, as this is an autobiographical track that warns the listener of the singer’s penchant for bad behaviour — “And you know I get swayed / And you lead me astray / End up breaking the promises I made / You know I get swayed”.
Janice (feat. Oscar Zia) – “Älska mig”
Oscar Zia appeared at Melfest on three occasions between 2013 and 2016 . But while he hasn’t returned to the contest recently, he’s continued to turn out brilliant pop tunes. “Älska mig” (Love Me) is a slow duet with fellow Swede Janice. All proceeds from the song go towards Afripedia, a platform that aims to change the narrative within the global creative community by highlighting talent of African descent.
Monique – “Viskas per tave”
Hot on the heels of “L.A.”, Lithuania’s 2020 national final runner up has dropped the breezy “Viskas per tave” (All Through You). “Everything through you is so simple and easy. And indeed, let this be the summer. Let such love accompany the memories of this summer”, writes Monique on Instagram.
Vebi – “Nemám záujem”
Daniela and Veronika Nízlová represented Slovakia at Eurovision 2011 as TWiiNS. Now, after several years working together, the sisters are branching out into solo projects. Veronika recently dropped her second single under the moniker Vebi. It’s called “Nemám záujem”. She released “Zakázaná” earlier in the year.
John De Sohn & LIAMOO “Got Damn! (W.O.M.A.N)”
He’s a two-time Melodifestivalen star, but LIAMOO’s biggest hit is by far and away “Forever Young” — his 2018 collab with John De Sohn. The track has over 60 million Spotify streams, so it’s not surprising that the pair are attempting to capture the magic a second time with “Got Damn! (W.O.M.A.N)”. This poppier effort comes complete with a cheeky wolf-whistle hook.
Bella Santiago – “Dulce Prisionero”
She was one of the standouts in Romania’s 2019 national final. And Bella Santiago shows little sign of cooling down. Her new single “Dulce Prisionero” is dripping in summer vibes. The Spanglish lyrics tell of each lover’s experience once Cupid’s arrow strikes.
Gaitana (feat. The Maneken) – “Хто Вона”
Who is she? That’s the English translation of “Хто Вона”. Because, of course, there’s no need to ask who the singer is. She’s Ukraine’s 2012 “Be My Guest” singer Gaitana. “Хто Вона” is the latest single from the songstress and is a collaboration with the producer The Maneken.
Nevena – “Ljubav u Bojama”
Two-time Eurovision act Nevena (2013 and 2019) is seeing ‘love in colours’ for her new single “Ljubav u Bojama”. The Serbian star’s new release is a retro offering that draws on music from the 80s. Yet, it’s not dated, but stands on its own as a catchy contemporary offering. Lyrically, Nevena sings about her love for another person, but is getting impatient for them to reciprocate the feelings: “Come on admit it to me / That you play the game / And you’re my style / And I’m really crazy you’re not mine”. (Jonathan)
Damir Kedžo – “Nedodirljiva”
After battling the wild winds in his Eurovision 2020 entry, Damir Kedžo is now getting in the summer spirit with his new single “Nedodirljiva” (“Untouchable”). The Croatian star told story.hr that “this song carries within it everything I love: rhythm, happiness, love. It drives me and makes me smile every time I sing and listen to it”. The accompanying music video sees Kedžo falling for a woman he sees around town. He later meets her again…as her dentist. (Jonathan)
NAVIBAND – “ІНШЫМІ”
Thanks to Eurovision 2020’s cancellation, NAVIBAND remain the only act to take the Belarusian language to the song contest stage. And while they still sing in their native tongue, the duo’s sound has shifted since 2017 and “Story Of My Life”. “ІНШЫМІ” (Others) is an appropriate song for the times we live in. In several posts, NAVIBAND write “We wake up others”.
Stig Rästa – “Telefon”
Eurovision fans know him best for his English-language hits like “Goodbye To Yesterday” and “Home”. But for his latest release, the Vienna 2015 star Stig Rästa is singing in Estonian. “Telefon” is more upbeat than his previous Eesti Laul solo efforts and seems to be somewhat of an experiment for Rästa. Writing on Facebook, he asks fans for their opinion on his new sound, requesting their thoughts on the vocals and lyrics.
Marko Škugor – “Ako Grijeh Je”
He was one of the tenors in Croatia’s Eurovision 2013 group Klapa S Mora. Since then, Marko Škugor has continued as a popular solo artist. His latest single is “Ako Grijeh Je”. It’s far removed from his song contest effort, harking to a folkier, more country tradition. “If the sin is the greatest to love you, let me never be forgiven”, go the lyrics.
Karen Harding x Digital Farm Animals “Undo My Heart”
Excluding 2009 dropout Rita Ora, Karen Harding is arguably the most successful artist to emerge from a UK national selection since the turn of the millennium. A decade after her 2010 national final stint and six years on from her all-conquering top ten hit “Say Something”, Karen has teamed up with Digital Farm Animals for another dance number — “Undo My Heart”. “I knew this song was going to be a single as soon as I wrote it with the amazing [Tim Powell]! [The team] absolutely smashed out the production and I’m so proud of how it sounds! I love it and I hope you love is just as much”, she writes on Instagram.
William Stridh – “Dårar”
He was the Melodifestivalen newcomer who came painfully close to reaching Andra Chansen in 2020. Alas, the quirks of the Melfest scoring system meant William Stridh remained in his semi-final despite securing more votes than both Frida Öhrn and Ellen Benediktson & Simon Peyron. His latest single “Dårar” (Fools) comes from the same DNA pool as “Molnljus” — as well as sharing a similar sound, they both have the same team of writers, William himself, Markus Lidén and Christian Holmström.
Jaagup Tuisk – “miinusprojekt”
He was a hot favourite to win Estonia’s Eesti Laul 2020 with his heartfelt “sad-boi” number “Beautiful Lie”. For his follow-up release, Jaagup Tuisk is offering up something completely different in the form of “miinusprojekt” — an electronic Estonian-language number with an urban flair. EER explains that the lyrics were written by Tuisk himself, telling a story about communication and wrong decisions. The video features the talking car Kitt, from David Hasselhoff’s 1980’s TV show Knight Rider.
Leonora – “Turquoise”
Over a year since representing Denmark at Eurovision 2019, Leonora has now released her second single. Titled “Turquoise”, it’s a smooth indie song with elements of jazz. The track helps show off more of Leonora’s artistic style beyond her Eurovision entry. Sticking with the one language this time (English), the Danish performer tells her partner not to slow down and to live a full life: “In the middle of it / I think I saw you / Running up the stars to the moon … Don’t stop now / We’re not over and out, I’m sure”. (Jonathan)
Whigfield – “Suga”
She competed in Denmark’s Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2018 as Sannie. But for her first new release since then, she’s reverted to her better-known stage name — Whigfield. But “Suga” is far from a throwback to the cheesy pop beats of her mega-hit “Saturday Night”. This is a more contemporary beast, pulsating with house rhythms.
Seemone – “Coeur De Pierre”
She was a favourite to win France’s Destination Eurovision 2019, narrowly losing to Bilal Hassani. And ever since Seemone has continued to enchant with her smokey chansons. “Coeur Du Pierre” is the second cut from her upcoming album.
Which of these new songs is your favourite? Have we missed out on any? Do you have any artists you want to shout out to? Let us know in the comments.
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holy s*it Milan looks so different
Bella Santiago’s song, really catchy! Also, she’s Filipino according to her bio.
I swear Nevena Bozovic is my style crush. She’s killing it every time
I’m glad to find out that Seemone will release an album. In the months following her participation on Destination Eurovision I kept trying over and over to find new music coming from her.
Also, I like this side of Leonora much more than the one she showed in Eurovision.
You did not add Lithuania to the countries list 🙂