Gjon’s Tears was one of the favourites to win Eurovision last year prior to its cancellation. But rather than getting bitter about the lost opportunity, Switzerland‘s star decided to get better. The proof comes it “Tout l’univers” (The Whole Universe) — his Eurovision 2021 song that is as stirring as its music video is beautiful.
“I am so happy that I will finally be able to take part in Eurovision this year and that I can spread a positive message with my song ‘Tout l’univers’,” he says in the official statement from Swiss broadcaster SRF.
“It was important for us to keep hope in this particularly difficult time: We must not give up and we must stay strong. With love, friendship, strength and courage, we can rebuild our future. I am convinced that in this exceptional situation it is possible to rediscover and reinvent ourselves.”
It will be the first French-language Swiss entry to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest for 11 years.
Gjon’s Tears releases “Tout l’univers” — Switzerland’s Eurovision 2021 song
When it comes to Gjon’s Tears and his music, there’s no need for reinvention. “Tout l’univers” retains the classic sophistication we’ve come to know and love, but it pushes the boundaries with production and instrumentation. The song combines Gjon’s distinct voice with choir, piano and strings, all set to modern beats. The universe may be infinite, but there’s only one soundscape like this. It starts quietly, with Gjon’s instantly recognisable voice guiding proceedings as it builds and swells — all the while making full use of his vocal range and those high notes. This is a masterclass in creating an atmosphere and maintaining it.
The music video enhances the magic of the song and suggests the scale and ambition of the Swiss team. It opens with Gjon on the road, the result of a car accident that’s left him near death and his vehicle on fire. He seems to have an out-of-body experience where he contemplates life and where time rushes forward and backwards. We go on a visual journey through mountains and forest and even outer space, prompting thoughts about life and death, and how beauty and tranquility can lead to horror and despair. Taken together it has an existential vibe that prompts repeated viewing.
Gjon’s Tears wrote his Eurovision entry with songwriters Wouter Hardy, Nina Sampermans and Xavier Michel as part of a song-writing camp. He’ll get to perform it live for all the world during the second semi-final on Thursday 20 May 2021.
In the official press release, SRF re-counted precisely how the song was chosen.
“Gjon’s Tears produced and recorded a number of different songs for Eurovision 2021, working together with a variety of songwriters and producers. Like last year, the songs were then tested by a 100-member viewers’ panel and an expert jury.”
“The viewers’ panel was designed to simulate the phone-in voting process used by the 40 countries in the competition as accurately as possible. Its members were selected in a multi-stage selection procedure using online questionnaires.”
“The song that won the most points from the two juries was declared the winner, and a final version has now been produced for the competition.”
Are you loving Gjon’s Tears entry for Eurovision 2021? Do you hope they keep the stunning visuals from the music video? Let us know in the comments box down below.
Photo courtesy of SRF David Tomaszewski and Bertrand Marin
Our chat with Gjon’s Tears at last year’s song reveal.
Sound is good, video very intriguing,I wonder only , how his performance live would sound?
wow. 55 negative responses! Congrats. That’s quite some record.
wow … this has ‘winner’ written all over it. just the right mix of ingredients for everyone to find something he/she likes.
Great song, but prefered last year though. For me this loses a little bit of the feeling of Répondez-moi
One word: Fantastique!!!!
I can’t recall a year when my two favorites were in French (1988 maybe and no it was not Celine Dion also for Switzerland…).
Cannot remember a Song Contest for a long time where someone outclassed his co-competitors by such a margin as Gijon’s Tears does this year. Should he win this would be evidence that the Song Contest also rewards quality and real artists. — His song is creative, original, intelligent, musically excellent. And his voice is just beyond belief – he comes from a different planet.
This is a masterpiece. Gjon was my favorite to win last year and I didn’t want to be too biased about his song this year, but this song is by far and away my favorite entry this year and maybe even my favorite Eurovision entry of all time. It creates an atmosphere, and the French language heightens that even more. It’s also extremely current-sounding with the electronic beats mixed in among the strings and the choir. And of course his voice is also gorgeous…This is only going to get better with staging, and I think that Switzerland has a very… Read more »
This gives me strong top 20 vibes! It can really finish that high. Congratulations Switzerland. Not a winner at all though
It will be way higher than top 20. This will be top 5 for sure and for me its a potential winner.
I’d rather he won with the last year’s song. This is very good, too – but the previous one seemed more personal, this one seems “written to win”. Anyway, best of luck!
This is absolutely gorgeous… Switzerland you’re definitely a contender… wow
This song is right now amazing, but on stage it will get alive. I don`t see any other song right now that could get a better result than this.
I can see about 42 better songs, even Belarus. (I dont know how many participants there are)
But big respect to Gijon.
I think we have the winner on our hands
One word: WINNER! One of the millions feeling it give me: Thank you so much, Gjon! Get our 12 points & our hearts! I can’t stop listening to this MASTERPIECE <3 since it came out. And I'm not even exaggerating… I was so nervous because Répondez-moi was such a high quality song to equall but then our Amazingly Talented True Artist Gjon's Tears gives us something even better! I didn't even thought that was possible!! This is so soulful & touching, still so powerful & so original! I love the instrumental Build up! And HIS VOICE IS REALLY WOW FILLING… Read more »
And maybe Lithuania, Bulgaria
I think my favorite to win is probably Greece
I hear a top 5 at least ! He stands out from the others for sure.
Don’t fight the odds! This is the winner!
Ok if Switzerland win can be have celine dion as the interval act in 2022. Please and thank you
We can dream 🙂
Zurich? Lausanne? Basel? Bern? Geneva? 2022 😀
Revisit Lausanne , very suitable arena there
What a masterpiece and my winner!!!
The song isn’t amazing but the voice is spectacular
My top 5:
1. Suisse (2020 and 2021)
2. Italia
3. France
4. Bulgary
5. Lietuva
Let’s see what Iceland and Malta will bring to the table!!
Maybe will change everything…
Yep, Arcade knock-off with all those falsettos…neeeext
I strangely loved this even though is not my type of song. I still feel that is missing something but I believe is a strong contender for the top.
I think that the song is just outstanding. I am so glad that it isn’t a mainstream pop song, but rather a great masterpiece. Also, I’ve seen that the betting odds favor this song, so I wonder if anyone knows how do those things work. There are some songs that haven’t been released yet, but are still placed on higher positions than the ones which we’ve already heard.
Betting odds consider several facts for placing the countries, like if the singer can sing live, the staging director, previous results of the country, bloc voting, the semifinal a song is in…
I mean, that’s why San Marino was so low before the song, because it’s a country that doesn’t do well, and that’s why Russia was high, because of neighbours that could vote for russia. Also sweden, they do well so a new good entry is being expected, so that’s why they’re high
This is so good. I prefer the 2020 song but this is a very good song and his voice is out of this world.
I noticed that one of the writers also wrote Arcade, interesting! I don’t think that a similar style of song will win this year, people will go for an uptempo i think.
Interesting to see 2 French ballads in the top 5 of betting odds. Juries will be divided.
When will it be up on Spotify?
Duncan arcade effect. God recycled arcade cheat, cheap, pathetic, can’t they create idea they think they can convince eurovision it’s their original idea, how this people are not ashamed to go in front of million with cheap copy, sorry but it’s true
This is far better than arcade also they’re not similar at all. You’re high
Exactly. This is art!
Lol, the two songs are literally produced by the same guy. And the similarities are quite obvious. That is not to say that one is trying to copy the other, they’re both just good songs.
I just LIVE for these commentators that always come to compare and put all indie pop/slow tempo/artsy songs on the same box, but NEVER do the same when it comes to the so-called “bops” and “bangers” they love to lip sync to in front of the mirror (which also happen to be the majority of all entries, every effing year). Oh, the irony…
Alaska, you are stating facts. Period.
The video wasn’t cheap. Do you know how much it costs to close off a mountain road for six hours?
This is crazy good! I think I’ve found my #1 in Gjon (again!). Really cheering for him in Rotterdam; bonne chance!
First song this year to give me a little tingle up the spine. Well done, Switzerland!
I love it, his voice is exquisite and it has all the delicate qualities of his song last year, but with a bigger chorus that builds as the song goes on. Very happy with this, fabulous
This song took me on a real journey….I started over thinking it was self indulgent and whiney, by the end I totally loved it! It builds so beautifully, his voice is incredible and the music video excellent.
All along I thought this year has been odd, lots of good songs but nothing that said ‘winner’ to me……this screams ‘WINNER’
Well done Switzerland
It seems relevant to mention in the article that Wouter Hardy, who produced this and co-wrote it, also produced and co-wrote Arcade… quite a significant fact. I’d love for him to win again, it would make him some kind of new Johnny Logan, although with less name recognition. Once again this is a stunning production, quality-wise far above most of the other contestants. He’s just a great producer, and Gjon’s Tears is a great singer.
Once again massive disappointment at the hoards of people going “this sounds just like Répondez Moi but again” or “This is too similar to Arcade to win” like why are you people’s only form of critique and/or flattery comparing one piece to another?
Same people who probably kept calling all of VICTORIA’s songs the same.
Shocker, songs can be from the same artist in the same genre without being the same or even sounding the same. Slowly starting songs with male falsetto’s aren’t always the same. Please broaden your musical knowledge, people.
And more to the point, they don’t even sound similar in the first place.
Arcade is my favorite Eurovision entry ever. Aside from the falsetto and Wouter Hardy, nothing is comparable whatsoever. Both Arcade and Tout l’Univers are unique in their own way and both are masterpieces in my opinion.
My opinion will be unpopular but I do not feel the song at all. Last year’s entry gave me goosebumps, emotions. It seemed to be from the bottom of the heart, as for me. This year does not give me the same. Feels like this song was aimed as a winning material, so they tried to look more winning, and oriented on Arcade, less authentic and special, like last year’s entry. I don’t even have interest in listening to it again. To be honest, I am disappointed because I had huge expectations, as Swiss entry was one of my favorites… Read more »
Amazing!!!! Well done!!! All the best and good luck!!!
So now people believe this will win because it’s like Arcade.. That seem to be a factor when it comes to the odds? And the video adds som extra emotions on top of that… Oh well.
Finally a song that feels like an actual winner !
BEST song so far. Has to win .
Switzerland #1 in odds! The odds say this will win!
Where is Switzerland ranked #1 in odds?
I see it’s climbing but currently at #5
https://www.oddschecker.com/tv/eurovision/winner
France are the favorites now, with San Marino in ninth(!). The UK also appear to have leapt up the board. But holy crap, are people still putting money on Armenia? How could anyone be finishing lower in the odds than a country that isn’t even competing?
Hah, Armenia still having higher odds of winning than Ukraine is just insulting at this point
Click on your own link and it says Switzerland #1
It does now — but when I posted the link it had France and Italy at the top.
Sorry, don’t like it even a bit 🙁 Sounds too similar to Arcade which I also disliked back in the day. Although I’m happy for people who enjoy this. It feels good to have your favorite artist to return with another decent song.
Ooh-Lah-Lah i like iT
Are you guys sure you’re not getting “winner vibes” just because this sounds so similar to Arcade, an actual winner?
I’m not hating, just asking.
It’s really good but similar to his previous entry, It would have been fun with a new sound. But no it is THAT good! A winner? Maybe, but Arcade is the latest winner and rarely do two similar styles of song win in a row. But top 5 no doubt.
I like ladt yeats song better but tjis is ok.
I really want a first time winner for Eurovision, but Switzerland has brought the goods for a possible victory too. This is a top 3 song for me. I would be disappointed if it landed lower than that. It’s been a long time since Switzerland last won the contest (1988 with Switzerland), and considering that Switzerland has been struggling for years at Eurovision, this would be a worthy victory. Luca hanni may have started the Swiss Revival with his fourth position placing in 2019, but Gjon’s Tears may have the potential to win it. It was one of my possible… Read more »
A first time winner would be cool, but a country that hasn’t won in many time winning it would be also nice. It seems we’ll get one of these scenarios. And unless a new “Arcade” pops out, it also seems we’ll have a difficult to predict race, which is also interesting.
The song is GORGEOUS, definitely TOP3 material for me.
When I heard the song, I thought it was just ok and that I liked Repondez-moi a bit more, although I wasn’t crazy about that one, either. In my opinion, it doesn’t even come close to Voilà. I’m confused. I’ll give it a few more listens, maybe I’m missing something.
I also connected more to Repondez-Moi than this one . But it does create a moment and unlike Voila which is alienating to some (like me) this one is less likely to alienate anyone. Hence , I’d not be “disappointed” with this winning but I would be if Voila won .
It’s the opposite for me. I’d be very disappointed if this won. 😀 Imo, Voilà doesn’t need one moment, the whole song is progressing, building up amazingly, each part of the song has a moment for itself. But it’s ok. I was almost the only one in the fandom who adored Amar Pelos Dois and said it’s going to win. So Voilà is actually a huge improvement. 😀 I’ll take it.
Lol T.K my friend you have issues with the France’s entry each years so why it would change ;), to be fair it’s ok, after all every esc winning song doesn’t need to please to everyone, if it appeals enough and manage to win, we have to accept, be happy for the winner even if you don’t like the song, that’s the esc spirit and not to be so “disappointed”.
I really like this song, but I also think it was written specifically for the contest. It wants to make me feel excited and mesmerized, but I feel absolutely nothing. Maybe that’s the problem. I just don’t see it as a winner of Eurovision 2021. Comparing the two songs in French to each other, it seems to me that the song of France is more real.
However, I hope that Switzerland will take its best place in this year’s show!
The first time I heard it I fel the exact same. Maybe it’s because some parts are a bit a like as the previous song. But on the second listen I grasped the melody better and loved it.
Of course people will not even know about last year’s on the night.
Even though Bookmakers usually don’t say anything about the actual results, I want to mention that Switzerland is #1 in the odds at the moment. Deserved, it is clearly one of the best this year.
Wonder if leak of Iceland’s song had any difference in first place change