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 37

Jamala and Pianoboy – “Эндорфины”

September usually sees the start of the post-summer slump, where people wonder where the time went and wish the season could last a bit longer. And that’s exactly what Eurovision 2016 champion Jamala has taken inspiration from for her new single “Эндорфины”. “Everyone misses summer”, the Ukrainian star notes on Instagram, “What if you try to keep the summer warm? And live with this note until the next one? Here is an absolutely bright and naive song about endorphins! Endorphins to smile to fall in love and give you some lightness that we all miss so much”. A light and carefree jazz song, Jamala collaborates on the track with Ukrainian band Pianoboy, lead by vocalist Dmytro Shurov.

Netta and Sarit Hadad – “בלב אחד סלאם עליכום”

Two Eurovision worlds collide in this next track. Eurovision 2018 champion Netta and Israel’s Eurovision 2002 star Sarit Hadad have collaborated on the song “בלב אחד סלאם עליכום” (“In one heart (Salem Aleichem)”). But the Eurovision connections don’t stop there, as the single is a cover of the song originally performed by Hedva Amrani in Israel’s national final for Eurovision 1978. It’s part of a new project, צו השעה (Order of the hour), which aims to promote Israeli artists. The two stars take the song and fully rework it into a contemporary bop, as Hadad notes: “We took an old and beloved song that you all know and we dressed it a little differently. Feel free to dance.”

Cleo and B.R.O – “Znikam”

Ahead of the release of her new album superNOVA on 18 September, Cleo has dropped the latest song from the LP, “Znikam” (“Disappear”). Poland’s Eurovision 2014 singer collaborates with B.R.O on this new track, which is promoted as “an emotional and sincere inner dialogue between a man and a woman moments after parting”. It’s got the dark-dance-pop vibe that the albums’s previous singles also encapsulate, with an added rap verse courtesy of B.R.O.

Guy Sebastian – “If He Won’t”

On 16 October, Guy Sebastian will release his ninth studio album T.R.U.T.H.. While we wait for it to arrive, the Eurovision 2015 star has dropped the latest song from the album, “If He Won’t”. It’s a contemporary pop-R’n’B ballad that lets Sebastian showcase his vocal delivery as the song weaves through its peaks and valleys. Lyrically, Australia’s first Eurovision entrant tells the person he’s in love with that he’ll be able to take care of them better than the man they’re currently with: “It’s his loss if he can’t see it still / I knew it from the very first time I saw you / That you should be loved / So if he won’t then I will”.

Lena Katina – “Cry Baby”

Russia’s Lena Katina believes “our autumn should be warmed with good music”, and she hopes to do so with her new single “Cry Baby”. It’s a bilingual track, with the chorus in English and the verses in Russian. The Eurovision 2003 contestant and former t.A.T.u member discusses how, much like aeroplanes, love needs to be built out of sturdy materials: “Cry baby, cry / So love is blind / A paper aeroplane can’t fly”. Sonically, the song is a slow burner and steadily flows along with a mixture of violin and percussion instrumentation.

Chingiz Mustafayev – “Can-Can”

Azeri star Chingiz Mustafayev has long been inspired to release music that centres around strong percussion beats with some additional acoustic-guitar melodies. The Eurovision 2019 star’s latest song “Can-Can” (“Jan-Jan”) does just that, giving the track a slightly traditional feel to it. The lyrics of the song see Mustafayev singing about a woman who left him for another man: “Is there no one to cover your wound? No one to revolve around you? / Jan-Jan / No one to put up with you or to take care of you? / Jan Jan”. The music video sees the Azerbaijani singer cross paths with this woman once again, as he’s been hired to take photos of the couple.

Timebelle and Alejandro Reyes – “Rapido”

Swiss-band Timebelle haven always had somewhat of an international flair, with vocalist Miruna Mănescu and multi-instrumentalist Emanuel Daniel Andriescu both hail from Romania. And now, the Eurovision 2017 alumni have broadened their horizons once again and released the Spanish-language Latin-pop single “Rapido”. They’ve teamed up with Swiss-Chilean singer Alejandro Reyes, who himself placed second in Switzerland’s 2018 national final Die Entscheidungsshow. In a press release, Andriescu commented: “We discovered that latin-pop and Timebelle are the perfect match. Our goal is to create music that gives joy and latin pop already includes this feeling in its rhythm.” The music video was filmed at the Belvedere Hotel in Spiez and features a man getting double crossed by a woman he meets at the establishment.

Elena Temnikova (feat. KAREENA) – “Фаталити”

Russia’s Elena Temnikova continues her regular release of new singles with the song “Фаталити” (“Fatality”). The former Serebro member and Eurovision 2007 star teams up with singer KAREENA for this track. Temnikova notes that the two-minute long song was created for use on TikTok – the user will just have to decide whether they want to use the minute that includes Temnikova’s verse or KAREENA’s verse. Lyrically, the two stars sing about moving on from a relationship: “I will forget you, I promise I will forget you / I will not remember, I will remove you from everywhere”.

Patrick Fiori – “Ma solitude”

Twenty-seven years after competing at Eurovision 1993, Patrick Fiori will release his eleventh studio album on 2 October. The latest single from the LP is “Ma solitude”. It’s a stripped-back ballad, with the French singer’s voice solely accompanied by an acoustic guitar. The lyrics see Fiori discussing his inner emotions: “So much silence in me / And you take too much space my solitude / Like an army of uncertainties / Like a volcano that doesn’t want to freeze to death”.

Vaidas Baumila (feat. Mark Les) – “Mergaitė”

Vaidas Baumila has teamed up with music producer Mark Les for the new single “Mergaitė” (“Girl”). It’s a mid-tempo pop track that nicely builds in the chorus thanks to the inclusion of a danceable electric-guitar riff and percussion beat. Lyrically, Lithuania’s Eurovision 2015 star paints the picture of a girl sitting on the roof of an apartment block thinking about the end of her relationship: “I say: girl, what do you do on a gloomy night? / What beautiful eyes do not delight? / Answer: says sometimes people find happiness mirty / Because it happens – love ends”.

AISEL – “Sevgi Qefesi”

AISEL continues her musical journey with the new single “Sevgi Qefesi” (“Cage of Love”). Like much of her post-Eurovision discography, it’s a track that mixes elements of jazz with traditional Azerbaijani instrumentation. There’s a spiritual nature to the song, particularly the final 1:15 minutes, which comprises of an instrumental section followed by some chant-like vocals. In the lyrics, AISEL sings about the despair she feels after driving her loved one away: “I have tears in my eyes, I wish you could see / My heart is a stone, I wish I could love … Why are you in such a hurry? / The cage of love I fell into”.

Michael Rice and Cyborgs – “Beggin”

After originally being performed by American group The Four Seasons, “Beggin” was popularised again by Eurovision 2010 interval act Madcon. And now the United Kingdom’s Michael Rice has decided to put his own mark on the track. Collaborating with music producers Cyborgs, the Eurovision 2019 star turns the song into a contemporary dance hit. It gives us a chance to hear Rice’s voice in a different genre to the pop and soul songs that he usually releases.

Svala – “Sjálfbjarga”

Svala has predominately released English-language tracks throughout her career. But now, Iceland’s Eurovision 2017 star is gearing up for the release of her first Icelandic-language EP. The first single from the project is “Sjálfbjarga” (“Self-sufficient”). It’s a soft pop-ballad, with Svala’s vocals laid over a subtle mixture of piano and digital-percussion instrumentation. The Icelandic singer says that the track is “about being mentally self-sufficient when you go through hard times”.

DoReDos – “Про Любовь”

Moldovan trio DoReDos charmed Europe at Eurovision 2018 with their quirky performance and folk-pop song “My Lucky Day”. And now, after a few more contemporary Russian-pop singles, the group have returned to the genre that fans fell in love with them for. “Про Любовь” (“About Love”) is upbeat, full of trumpets and even has a key change – a song that’s destined to lighten the mood of any situation. In the accompanying music video, we see the trio on a road trip as they enjoy a bright summer’s day. The band note in the video’s description: “We really want this song to evoke the most pleasant emotions in our listeners…In this song, as in all our works, we put all our love and positive emotions.”

Natalia Podolskaya – “Плачь”

Earlier this year, Natalia Podolskaya released her new album Плачь (Cry). The latest song to get the music video treatment is the title single. In the video, the Belarusian-born star, who represented Russia at Eurovision 2005, plays a woman who believes that her partner is not reciprocating her love. Thus, after shaving off her hair, Podolskaya decides to take revenge by tying her lover up, throwing him in her trunk and leaving him in the forest. Musically, the song is a catchy Russian-pop song that matches the tone of the rest of the album.

Ieva Zasimauskaitė and Džimba – “Mano Lietuva”

Ieva Zasimauskaitė sang “When We’re Old” at Eurovision 2018, but for her latest song the Lithuanian star is looking towards the other end of the age scale. She’s teamed up with children’s musical group Džimba on “Mano Lietuva” (“My Lithuania”). A sweet piano-driven ballad, they sing an ode to their homeland: “First steps / First love / And all the songs sung by my mother / And the odour of bread / And the silo trail / It is all – My Lithuania”. The music video features Zasimauskaitė and the kids of Džimba out and about in the Lithuanian countryside before they finish by heading into the city.

Musiqq – “Garīgais arī”

Latvian duo Musiqq continue their musical career with the latest song “Garīgais arī” (“Spiritual too”). The track mixes a repetitive underlying drum beat with a synth-pop sound. In the accompanying music video we see the Eurovision 2011 singers running along a path through the park. The video has a rather autumnal feel to it owing to the red colouring of the leaves that are seen on either side of the duo.

Margaret and Kizo – “Roadster”

Margaret has solidified herself as a star in the Polish music industry over recent years. The Krajowe Eliminacje and Melodifestivalen alum’s latest single is “Roadster”. Another Polish-language hip-hop offering, this track also features a rap verse from Kizo. Not ready to let summer go, the music video sees Margaret and her friends hanging out at an outdoor pool before they head out on an evening drive around the city.

MARUV – “Sad Song”

At Vidbir 2019, MARUV claimed victory with her “Siren Song”. However, after disagreements with Ukraine’s broadcaster meant she didn’t make it to Eurovision that year, the situation turned into more of a “Sad Song”. Thankfully, MARUV’s “Sad Song” doesn’t lament in negative energy and still has an electronic-dance beat to get you bopping along. In the lyrics, the Ukrainian singer questions why her lover has brought another woman into their lives: “How long is she staying in our home? / How long shall I lay here on my own? / Ding dong something tells me – not too long / Sad song – till she’s gone”. The music video features MARUV and this other woman facing off against each other, and it includes the usual intoxicating visuals that fans have come to love the star for.

Pinguini Tattici Nucleari – “La storia infinita”

Pinguini Tattici Nucleari finished third at this year’s Sanremo Music Festival. Now, the Italian band have released the new single “La storia infinita” (“The never-ending story”). Sonically, it’s a solid indie-rock song with a chorus that’s designed to create an uplifting atmosphere. “This song is about the most beautiful summer ever”, the band note on Instagram, “That summer when you were 10, or 15, or 30, depending on who you are, that summer that for some may not have arrived yet, and for others it has just ended. That summer when you feel like you are riding the lucky dragon and you see the tiny world from above”.

NuAngels – “Разорвал”

NuAngels twice competed in Ukraine’s Eurovision national final – in 2014 and 2016. The duo’s latest song is “Разорвал” (“Ripped”). It’s a dark-pop track with underlying electronic instrumentation. Lyrically, Slava and Viktoriya sing to their mother about their recent breakup: “Mum, I’m not crying, for sure / He tore my heart to shreds / It just covers harder at night / And it’s very difficult to resist”.

Sheppard – “Catalina”

Eurovision – Australia Decides 2019 bronze medallists Sheppard have been extremely busy in 2020, releasing a new single every month. August’s new release was “Catalina”. While most of the Australian group’s songs are vocally lead by George, this latest offering sees sister Amy take the spotlight. A predominantly laid-back pop-rock song, things are turned up tenfold in the final chorus with plenty of additional guitar and drum instrumentation thrown into the mix.

Alen Chicco (feat. Vanda, Aura and Umiko) – “Lithuanian Queen”

Alen Chicco presented a more androgynous look when competing in Lithuania’s 2019 and 2020 national finals. But, for his latest song the star is fully letting out his inner queen. Featuring vocals from fellow drag queens Vanda, Aura and Umiko, “Lithuanian Queen” is a pop-dance track that would be right at home on the main stage of Lithuania’s Drag Race as each vocalist gets the chance to show off what they’re made of. Commenting in the audio video’s description, Chicco says about the song:

“My seventh single is the first drag song in Lithuania featuring the best Lithuanian drag queens! We came to save you from boredom and homophobia and our mission is to unleash your inner Lithuanian queen!”

Click on the links below to read our individual articles on other new songs released this week by past Eurovision artists:

WURST and Lou Asril – “Lovemachine”

Saara Aalto and Baga Chipz – “When The Sun Goes Down”

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.

Read more new music reviews here

Follow our new music playlist on Spotify

7 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Ashton
Ashton
3 years ago

maruv’s songs and aesthetics are honestly everything. pity she can’t and, even if she could, 99% wouldn’t, come back for Ukraine.

Rashad Guliyev
Rashad Guliyev
3 years ago

Lol, who translated these? Chingiz’s song in the post: “Didn’t he wrap the wound and turn it on its head? / Oh my sweetheart / Didn’t he pull the trigger and take the woman? / Oh my sweetheart / ”. Corrected translation: “Is there no one to cover your wound? No one to revolve around you? Jan-Jan. No one to put up with you or to take care of you? Jan Jan.” Jan is a very multifunctional word in Azeri, while it could mean “sweetheart”, Jan-Jan can also be used to pity someone. Here in this song it’s more of… Read more »

Rashad
Rashad
3 years ago

No worries. Thanks for featuring these artists on wiwi and your efforts to translate from a foreign language are highly appreciated. I’ll always be glad to help.

Esc addict
Esc addict
3 years ago

I love ukrainian music and Maruv coming back to her origins this is what I needed, I love her clip this is purely Maruv’s aesthetics and universe, I love the verses however I find the chorus lacking of power or something else not a big fan, but I still love Maruv, my favorite song from her is and stay Black water but I love of course her iconic and unforgettable Siren song.

Last edited 3 years ago by Esc addict
Aelz
Aelz
3 years ago

Lena Katina is a true artist, love her and Cry Baby <3

ZMG
ZMG
3 years ago

You missed a new release from Pasha Parfeni (with Nicoleta Nuca) – Lasa-ma
https://youtu.be/82ZdKVY8LJ8