Although September sees the start of a new Eurovision season, it will still be some time before we hear any national final and Eurovision songs. 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 36
Hadise – “Küçük Bir Yol”
While some fans may predominantly know Hadise for her upbeat pop songs, the Turkish star has repeatedly shown she’s happy to slow things down from time to time. This is also the case for her new single “Küçük Bir Yol” (“A Small Road”). The first track from Hadise’s upcoming EP, “Küçük Bir Yol” is a broody R’n’B song that’s fuelled by emotion. The Eurovision 2009 participant sings about how one cannot live without love, and it’s the love of her partner that drives her journey through life: “I’m on a small road at the very beginning / I’m always at zero by myself / Your mountains are my roads”. The accompanying music video, which has amassed nearly five million views in under three days, features various clips of Hadise and her lover, either together or apart.
Amir – “Toi”
French star Amir recently announced that his third studio album Ressources is scheduled to be released on 16 October. In the meantime, the Eurovision 2016 alum has now dropped the second song from the project. “Toi” (“You”) is a slow guitar-driven ballad that builds through its 3:37 minutes due to the addition of some extra electronic production. They lyrics of the song see Amir tell his loved one that he wants to spend the rest of this life with them: “You don’t blame me if I question you / Before God and all mankind / Do you want to be the one? / I don’t have a ring box, just a promise / That I want your hand until the end”.
Ben Cristovao – “Návyková” (with Tome Prince) / “HAWAII” (with Pil C)
Ben Cristovao (otherwise known as Benny Cristo) has been in large demand this year despite the cancellation of Eurovision 2020. In addition to releasing a couple of his own songs, the Czech artist has also featured on a number of other tracks. This week, Cristovao has added another two songs to his growing list of collaborations.
Firstly is “Návyková” (“Addictive”) by Czech music producer Tome Prince. A dance song with an electro chorus, it’s a catchy track that quickly succeeds in getting your foot tapping along to the beat. Providing all the vocals for the song, Cristovao sings about how he and his lover are just living for the moment: “No, no, we don’t, we don’t have anything else, we don’t / No we have nothing, nothing but now and here”. The music video is sponsored by O2 and sees the two Czech artists participating in a drag race before heading to the club to dance the night away.
Cristovao’s other recent feature is for “HAWAII”, the new song by Slovak rapper Pil C. A completely different tone to “Návyková”, this track is a mid-tempo hip-hop offering and helps showcases Cristovao’s versatility as an artist. The Eurovision 2020 star provides vocals for the chorus in between Pil C’s verses.
Lyrically, the artists rap about a relationship that’s fallen apart: “I made a lot of mistakes / You were my sun, you left and pulled back the blinds / I’m falling into darkness / The image of you fades before my eyes / From day to day, we have no hope / I go down, I go deep I go alone / What was, what is to happen, will happen”.
Alyosha – “Птаха”
A few weeks ago, Ukraine’s Alyosha gave birth to her third child, Maria. And now, in the midst of caring for her daughter, the Eurovision 2010 act has released the new song “Птаха” (“Bird”). A dynamic ballad, the chorus has a rock edge to it owing to the strong drum beats. This new song is set to appear on the soundtrack of the new TV series Сага (Saga), which follows a fictional Ukrainian family throughout 100 years of history from 1915-2014. Speaking about the relationship between the programme’s storyline and the song’s lyrics, Alyosha notes:
“The content of the series Сага resonates quite well with the meaning that I put in the track. The song accompanies the story line of the series in terms of emotions, depth and understanding in unison. Remember, our lives depend on every thought, every word, every action. And they have their consequences.”
Bilal Hassani – “Tom”
As Bilal Hasssani grows as a person, so does his musical style. The French singer continues to move towards a grittier pop sound with his latest single “Tom”. The song is still danceable, but the consistent underlying drum beat also adds a sense of urgency. This all builds to a thrilling guitar solo at the end. Lyrically, France’s Eurovision 2019 star sings about a boy named Tom who has hidden himself from the world. But, Hassani wants to reach out to him: “I would like to open my arms to you, cry out to you: “It will be fine” / I think back to that little boy whose name no one knew”.
Kate Miller-Heidke – “A Quiet Voice”
As Kate Miller-Heidke builds towards the release of her new studio album Child In Reverse on 30 October, the Australian singer has now released the third cut from the LP. “A Quiet Voice” is a gentle acoustic-guitar-driven indie-pop song, with the Eurovision 2019 alum singing about tuning out the excess noise and instead listening to her inner voice. Miller-Heidke explained further in a post on Instagram:
“One of the defining and growing features of adult life (for me anyway) is a constant battle to avoid being distracted and over-stimulated. Even – especially – in lockdown. My anxiety feels like having too many tabs open. Too many loud inputs that drown out the small, inner voice that’s always there, always waiting (and a lot wiser than I am). That voice can tell the difference between what’s nourishing and necessary, and what is noise. When I carve out some stillness and silence, I can connect with the voice and find balance. But in no time I can revert to scoffing mental junk food, yet at the same time yearning for that nourishment again. ‘A Quiet Voice’ is about that yearning.”
Ryan O’Shaughnessy – “Permanent”
The creative process of songwriting can start from a variety of places. Sometimes this can be moments of happiness, but it may also be moments of sadness. Ryan O’Shaughnessy’s latest single “Permanent” comes following the death of his friend and fellow Irish singer-songwriter Philip Dunne last year. The Eurovision 2018 star notes that “The song is a reflection on getting the news my friend had passed away and the realisation of how permanent that really is”. Sonically, “Permanent” is a mellow percussion-driven track, with O’Shaughnessy’s vocals laid over a subtle piano melody and series of staccato beats.
JJ – “Fly”
Sadly, EQUINOX never continued releasing music together despite their original intentions. But now, JJ, one fifth of Bulgaria’s Eurovision 2018 act, has dropped the new solo single “Fly”. It’s a dance-pop song that steadily bops along for its duration. The music video features JJ and Bulgarian model Aleksandra Bogdanska-Petkanova as they follow each other around Sofia. In a press statement, JJ explained more about the inspiration behind the song:
“This is one of the moments when inspiration swirls into energy and so “Fly” appears. I chose the title “Fly”, relying on the need for each of us to break away from the problems, the loss of faith and hope caused by the situation in which we all found ourselves. We were very depressed and disillusioned and I wanted to show that anyone can fly and not think about anything. That’s why in “Fly” the text takes us high, close to the stars.”
Sevak – “Не улетай”
Armenia’s Sevak is known for delivering impassioned vocals on his songs, but that doesn’t always equate to ballads. On his latest single “Не улетай” (“Don’t fly away”), the Eurovision 2018 alum mixes his voice with more mid-tempo R’n’B beats. Mixing things up further, Sevak also includes a rap verse. The track comes accompanied with a black and white music video. It centres around the troubled love story of a couple, interspersed with clips of Sevak singing.
Lior Narkis and SHUKY – “ברוך ה’ אני נושם”
Although 2020 may not be a year that people will want to remember, many still have things to be thankful for at this time. Eurovision 2003 star Lior Narkis is counting his blessings and delving into his faith for his latest single “ברוך ה’ אני נושם” (“Thank God I breathe”). The Israeli singer has teamed up with SHUKY for the upbeat track, with the pair thanking God for their lives: “Thank God I’m breathing / And you too will say thank you / For life and family and everything he has given you / Thank God”. Narkis notes on Instagram that the song was actually written four years ago, but they decided to wait for the most suitable time to release it: “we felt it was the best time to strengthen the people of Israel in such a complex period and make hearts happy”.
Lucie Jones – “Moon River (Live at the Adelphi)”
The various lockdowns associated with COVID-19 have unfortunately put a stop to many live theatre performances. But back in February, Lucie Jones was able to perform her first West End solo concert at the Adelphi Theatre. The show was recorded and will soon be released as a live album. To give us a taster of what to expect, the Eurovision 2017 star has released the first track from the LP. A cover of Audrey Hepburn’s “Moon River”, Jones is accompanied by harp and cello for this rendition.
Vidas Bareikis and Monika Linkytė – “Varnos ir Kikiliai”
In between releasing two of her own new singles recently, Monika Linkytė has also found the time to collaborate with fellow Lithuanian singer and Eurovizijos dainų konkurso nacionalinė atranka 2017/2018 contestant Vidas Bareikis. “Varnos ir Kikiliai” (“Crows and Fins”) originally comes from Bareikis’ 2019 album Ežero Dugne / Ant Bangos, but has now been given its own lyric video. The track is a happy, summery affair and the chorus has a cool Caribbean feel to it thanks to the addition of some steel drums.
Mira Awad (feat. Guy Mintus) – “Moment Out of Time”
“If there’s anything that I learned from the last few months, it’s that nothing is to be taken for granted and that I should live and love like there is no tomorrow”, Mira Awad noted upon the release of her new single “Moment Out of Time”. The Arab-Israeli singer and Eurovision 2009 alum sings about appreciating the brief moments of happiness we may have during our lives. Awad is joined by pianist Guy Mintus on the song, which is set to feature on her upcoming double album HuMAN/WoMAN. The accompanying music video was filmed in the lobby of the Ichilov medical centre in Tel Aviv, with Mintus using the public piano while Awad performs the song.
Geta Burlacu – “Босая”
Moldava’s Eurovision 2008 representative Geta Burlacu was set to compete in the country’s Finala națională 2020 national final, but unfortunately had to withdraw for personal reasons. However, we’re glad to report that the star hasn’t removed herself from music completely and recently released the new single “Босая” (“Barefoot”). After a slow intro, the track grows into a mid-tempo folk song. There’s plenty of accompanying fiddle instrumentation, which speeds up rapidly in the last 30 seconds.
Viki Gabor – Getaway (Into My Imagination)
As details of Junior Eurovision 2020 trickle through, the contest’s reigning champion Viki Gabor has released her debut album. A 12-track LP, Getaway (Into My Imagination) includes her Junior Eurovision 2019 winning-entry “Superhero”, as well as previous singles “Ramię W Ramię”, “Getaway”, “Still Standing” and “Forever And A Night”.
Most recently ahead of the album’s launch, the Polish singer released the single “Not Gonna Get It”. An upbeat synth-pop-dance track, it has elements of a retro-80s sound but still lets Gabor be a contemporary 2020 teenager. The accompanying music video was shot on a motor-racing track. Though at the age of 13, the only wheeled contraption that Gabor and her dancers were allowed to race were roller skates.
Annalisa – “Tsunami”
Four-time Sanremo participant Annalisa is set to release her new studio album Nuda in two weeks. In anticipation of this, the Italian star has dropped the latest song from the LP, “Tsunami”. It’s a contemporary track with a recurring percussion beat that helps give it some edge. Talking about the song, Annalisa notes: “A diary page that becomes a song, a reflection on myself and on never setting limits, not even in small things!” The Italian singer performed the song live for the first time on Saturday at the Seat Music Awards, which was held outside in the Verona Arena (the location Diodato sang from for Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light).
Max Barskih and Dzharo – “Lonely”
After a brief side-step into the English language, Max Barskih returns to Russian for his latest release – apart from the title word. “Lonely” sees the runner-up of Ukraine’s 2012 national final deliver another solid pop offering. Teaming up with Dzharo for the song, Barskih notes in the audio video’s description that he always felt “Lonely” needed an extra voice:
“This song was born easily, but from the very beginning it became clear that it needed a second character. With his verse, Dzharo added a special vibe to the musical material, viscosity and going beyond my usual rhythm. LONELY is our final chord to the outgoing summer, which is ideal for your fond memories.”
Molly Sandén (feat. Newkid) – “Jag mår bra nu”
After taking some time to record songs under her Icelandic alter ego My Marianne, Molly Sandén is now back to releasing tracks under her usual name. The Junior Eurovision and Melodifestivalen alum has teamed up with Swedish–Filipino rapper Newkid for the new song “Jag mår bra nu” (“I’m fine now”). A contemporary pop-R’n’B track, Sandén sings about cutting someone out of her life. This person seemingly wasn’t there to help when the Swedish star was at her lowest, but they later showed up when Sandén began reaching new heights: “Have been trying to get hold of you for a while now / I saw no trace of you when it was tough / Because you’re just calling me on the way up / I’m fine now”.
Markus Riva – “Tavos Vārdos”
Perennial Supernova contestant Markus Riva is travelling back in time for his latest song “Tavos Vārdos” (“In Your Words”). Like many artists at the moment, the Latvian singer has taken inspiration from the 1980s for the audio and visual elements of the single. It’s an upbeat pop track, though the rapped bridge provides a brief change in pace. The music video is edited using an 80s-style filter, with Riva and Latvian personal stylist Kristīne Čakari shown out and about in nature.
Gabrielius Vagelis – “Penkeri”
A fan-favourite in Lithuania’s Pabandom iš naujo! 2020 national final, Gabrielius Vagelis made a shock exit in the semi-finals. Nevertheless, that hasn’t deterred the star from continuing to write new music, with his new EP set to be released this autumn. The first single from the upcoming release is “Penkeri”, which continues the synth-pop sound that fans fell in love with Vagelis’ national final entry “Tave čia randu” for. The music video sees the Lithuanian singer and his loved one spending time with each other around the house and generally enjoying each other’s company.
Electric Fields – “From Little Things Big Things Grow”
Electric Fields are known for creating music that mixes synth-pop with their aboriginal roots. And now, the Eurovision – Australia Decides 2019 runners-up have been able to work their magic on the new song “From Little Things Big Things Grow”. The single was originally recorded in the early 1990s by Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Kev Carmody and Australian singer Paul Kelly. It’s a protest song based on the story of the Gurindji strike (Wave Hill walk-off), which was lead by Vincent Lingiari as part of the movement for Indigenous people’s land rights in Australia.
The track features on the new album Cannot Buy My Soul: The Songs of Kev Carmody (2020 Edition). Eurovision 2019 star Kate Miller-Heidke also appears on the album, covering Carmody’s “Blood Red Rose”.
Click on the links below to read our individual articles on other new songs released this week by past Eurovision artists:
Verka Serduchka – Sexy
Maraaya – “Obujam Nove Čevlje”
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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