The Eurovision 2021 season is now in full swing and no doubt fans will have the songs from this year’s contest on repeat until we crown a winner in May. But that doesn’t mean we forget about the artists from past contests – they’re still brining us a lot of new music 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: 2021 | Week 17
Fyr Og Flamme – “Kæreste”
Denmark’s Eurovision 2021 act are continuing their retro 80’s synth-pop sound with their new single. “Kæreste” literally translates as “Dearest One”, but it is used in Danish as a non-gender specific word for boyfriend/girlfriend. Fyr Og Flamme sing about their disappointment that the person they have feelings for only considers them as a friend: “My world broke down when you said ‘I was your very, very best friend'”. Instead, the Danish duo want to take things to the next level: “For friends, I have enough of them / But my heart gets a shock from you / And every time we are together, there is nothing I would rather / If you could be now / My dearest one, my dearest one right now”.
Sergey Lazarev – “Ароматом”
While music is primarily an audio experience, Sergey Lazarev is also incorporating the sense of smell into the feeling of his latest single. “Ароматом” (“Aroma”) sees the two-time Eurovision bronze medallist discussing how the scent of his lover is ingrained on his brain: “Perfume with a pleasant aroma / I will never confuse your scent / Perfume with a pleasant aroma / In my mind”. The song itself has a catchy disco-inspired beat that the Russian star brings a smouldering passion to through his vocal delivery.
Philipp Kirkorov & MARUV – “Komilfo”
Russia’s Eurovision 1995 act Philipp Kirkorov celebrated his 54th birthday by releasing the new single “Komilfo”. For the song, he teamed up with MARUV (who should have been Ukraine’s Eurovision 2019 representative, but couldn’t agree a contract with the nation’s broadcaster). “Komilfo” is a Russian adverb that stems from the French phrase “comme il faut”, which translates to “as it should be” in English. Kirkorov and MARUV use the term to warn someone that the love they think is there between themselves and someone else is in fact not real: “It’s not comme il faut with him, oh oh / This is not love / And I just wanna tell you / But…”. The music video is described as a “Psychological fashion thriller about female revenge” and sees MARUV as a nurse who’s taking care of Kirkorov in a psychiatric hospital.
Sirusho – “Body On Body”
Sirusho is mixing English and Armenian lyrics for her new single “Body On Body”. The Eurovision 2008 star questions her lover and wonders why they weren’t there for her during her darkest hour: “Where were you, when I needed you the most / Where were you, when the ending seemed so close / Body on body, body / Mind in mind, mind / Guess we needed, needed / Much more time, time”. Musically, the song might be described as an ethno-R&B track. The accompanying music video features Sirusho on a rooftop with views of the city all around her.
WURST – “Malebu”
WURST is bringing us an early flavour of summer with his new single “Malebu”. The catchy pop song is full of charm and quickly creates a bright and uplifting atmosphere. Lyrically, the Eurovision 2014 champion reminisces about the times he’s spent with his lover in sunny climates: “A summer night in Malebu / Feels like falling out of time / I feel love, only love for you / Under the cotton candy sky”. While the Austrian singer couldn’t get out to the actual Malibu for the music video, WURST instead transforms a studio into the Californian beach.
Elena Temnikova – “В м9се”
The first pre-release from Elena Temnikova’s upcoming album is “В м9се”. It’s a dark electro song with a pulsating beat. In the lyrics, Russia’s Eurovision 2007 star and former Serebro member sings about how her partner heals and strengthens her: “When everything is already in flesh / And we’re not on balance / You are like a plaster on a wound / Don’t leave me here”.
Connect-R – Inapoi La Zero
Connect-R has kept fans happy with plenty of new music releases over the last year or so. Now, the rapper has brought them all together for the new album Inapoi La Zero (Back To Zero), including “Am Sosul Ala”, “De Vorba Cu Mine” and “Cantareti De Karaoke”. There is also a brand new song featured on the nine-track LP – “Culoare” (“Colour”). Moldova’s Eurovision 2006 star premiered a vertical music video for this new slow R&B single just ahead of the album release.
Noa – Afterallogy
In honour of International Jazz Day, Israeli singer Noa released her new jazz album Afterallogy. There are 12 songs on the LP, including previous singles “My Funny Valentine” and “Oh, Lord”. The Eurovision alum describes it as “A collection of standard tunes and some originals, arranged and performed sparingly, intimately and lovingly”. Noa is accompanied by guitar player Gil Dor for all 12 of the tracks. At the same time as the album release, the Eurovision 2009 star also dropped a music video for the LP’s new single “Anything Goes” – originally from the 1930’s musical of the same name.
Julia Samoylova – “Белая Лилия”
Julia Samoylova got caught up in a political spat between Russia and Ukraine in 2017 after the latter host of the contest banned Julia from entering the country. However, the Russian star is proving that the culture of both countries can be brought together through music. Julia’s new single “Белая Лилия” (“White Lilly”) mixes Russian and Ukrainian lyrics – the Eurovision 2018 singer calls it a “lyric fractal”. A mid-tempo trip-hop song, the lyrics see Julia comforting a lost soul: “I will take away your sorrow / Far over the seas / Your soul is quietly asleep / White Lily”. Going into more detail about the use of two languages and the meaning of the song, Julia commented:
“When the version in Russian was created, I let my family and friends listen to my work. Many colleagues from Ukraine noted the melodies strongly echoing Ukrainian folk motives. The idea of creating lyrics began to mature. I tried to achieve such an effect in which the lines of the Russian language would smoothly flow into Ukrainian and vice versa. […] For me, this song is about the path of the spirit. She is imbued with a light feeling of love and an aching longing for an almost forgotten feeling of herself. This is akin to the state with which a mother rocks the cradle of her child, protecting him and guiding him towards the light.”
Linda Martin – “It’s Getting Better”
Eurovision 1992 champion has released the new single “It’s Getting Better”. The Irish star sings about how the relationship with her partner is growing stronger day on day: “‘Cos it’s getting better / Growing stronger / Warm and wilder / Getting better every day”. Sonically, the production here is definitely dated and in some ways a bit cheesy. But for fans that have followed Linda since the start of her career, there’s probably a bit of nostalgia for her 80s/90s discography.
Shiri Maimon – “Tipa”
“In my new project I tried to lower myself from all possible barriers, to be more relaxed and just be me”, says Shiri Maimon. The Israeli singer is trying to push her normal boundaries with the new single “Tipa”. Maimon delivers a more contemporary pop diva performance in contrast to the rousing ballads that we fans might normally expect from her. The accompanying music video sees the Eurovision 2005 star showcasing her sexy and seductive side with some well-rehearsed group choreography. Lyrically, Maimon warns her suitor that she’s a woman (not a girl) and being in a relationship with her requires a strong character: “I’m not just a girl / More of a girl of yesteryear / And you’re all playing them / And it takes me down a bit”.
Ira Losco & Matthew James – “Tbissem”
Ira Losco has released the vast majority of her music in English. However, the two-time Eurovision star has transitioned over to her native Maltese language for her latest single. Ira has collaborated with Matthew James for “Tbissem” (“Smile”). The song has been commissioned by the Maltese government in order to inspire hope in the nation and help people remain positive during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Explaining the message further, Ira noted:
“The song is about allowing ourselves to smile, even if it temporarily allows us to push aside the fears, sorrows, pain and worries which have somewhat taken centre stage during this pandemic. I always say ‘let MUSIC take centre stage’. It is the soundtrack to our lives. Of course music is subjective and everyone has different taste. But this is our take on this very strange time we are living in. We hope you like it!”
Sarah McTernan – “Close My Eyes”
Ireland’s Sarah McTernan has released “Close My Eyes”. A dance-pop song, it’s not necessarily a full-on banger but it’s definitely still catchy enough to bop along to. Lyrically, the Eurovision 2019 star sings to a person who was special to her but is sadly no longer around: “When I close my eyes / I think of you / I think of all we’ve been through / In my dreams I see your smile and your embrace / But now you’re gone”. In the music video, Sarah serves face to the camera in three different locations – the hallway, the bathtub and the shadows.
Tomás Adrião (feat. Elisa) – “Infinito”
Elisa is asking some big questions as part of her latest song “Infinito” (“Infinite”). Portugal’s Eurovision 2020 act has collaborated with Tomás Adrião for the single. The pair ponder the cycle of life and how people are formed of the atoms of previous organisms: “But if everything goes and everything comes / Who am I and who is who? / Is everything infinite?”. Sonically, it’s an atmospheric ballad that blends Elisa’s soft vocals with those of Tomás and the percussion-driven instrumentation.
Mira Awad & Paulo Vilares – “Sorriso (Smile)”
Palestinian-Israeli singer Mira Awad brought cultures together when she represented Israel at Eurovision 2009 with Noa. And now the star is fusing even more cultures into her music by singing in Portuguese for her latest single “Sorriso (Smile)”. Mira has collaborated with Paulo Vilares for the song, which is a steady acoustic-guitar-driven ballad. The lyrics discuss how, as soon as they separate from their loved one, they wish to be back in their embrace once again: “Another day thinking that all I want is to get closer / Closer, so I can love you / If I knew it would be like this / I’d never let the smile leave my face”.
Zlata Ognevich – “Я Твоя Єдина”
Zlata Ognevich is on the hunt for love. The Eurovision 2013 bronze medallist recently announced that this autumn she’ll be appearing on Холостячку, the Ukrainian version of The Bachelor/Bachelorette, in the hope of finding her true love. Before that, Zlata released the new single “Я Твоя Єдина” (“I Am Your Only One”), which she hopes will become the soundtrack to her upcoming wedding. A bright pop song, the Ukrainian star sings to the man that will be her one and only: “And I’m your only one / You are my best in the world / I sing and fly, believe, believe in it / That I’m your only one”. Zlata goes into more detail about her dreams in the audio video’s description:
“It has become a good tradition for me that the stories in the songs I sing come true. That’s why I wrote a new single, which I invite my future fiancé and my expected wedding. […] I dream that under this song the girls will meet the most romantic and important day in their lives. “Я Твоя Єдина” is a manifesto of all brides! I want this single to accompany beautiful love stories.”
This weekend also marks Easter in the orthodox church. In order to celebrate, Zlata joined forces with eleven other Ukrainian and international singers to record a rendition of the hymn “Христос Воскрес” (“Christ Is Risen”).
The project was led by Ukraine’s Eurovision 2003 star Oleksandr Ponomariov.
Srbuk – “Depi Luys”
Srbuk’s latest song is “Depi Luys” (“To the light”). An R&B ballad, the Armenian star showcases different sides to her artistry. Srbuk mixes singing, rapping and long prolonged notes to create a song with dynamism to it. Lyrically, the Eurovision 2019 star hopes that where there is silence, love can prevail: “Let’s look at the silent sky … The gap must be filled with hope, faith and love / Inject power to those struggling to live”.
Amaury Vassili & Coralie Ouatmani – “Vivo per lei”
French pop-opera singer Amaury Vassili returns with his new album later this month. The Eurovision 2011 star has recently released the first single from the LP. “Vivo per lei” (“I live for her”) sees Vassili singing alongside Coralie Ouatmani. The pair showcase their vocals while accompanied by a rich orchestral sound. In the music video, Vassili and Outmani begin by the side of a pool before they then take their voices out into the natural landscapes around them.
Gunvor – “Dance in Switzerland”
Gunvor represented Switzerland at Eurovision 1998. And while she didn’t quite manage to bring the contest back to her home country, she’s still encouraging people to come and visit: “Put on your dancing shoes / It will be crazy, wild and cool / We want to welcome you to dance / We want to welcome you to dance in Switzerland”. It’s an upbeat track with instrumentation that in some way feels more tribal than natively Swiss. Gunvor joins three dancers at various locations for the accompanying music video, which also features shots of well-known tourist attractions in Switzerland.
Big Daddy Karsten – “Stepz”
Big Daddy Karsten encouraged his lover to smile at Melodi Grand Prix 2021. Now the Norwegian rapper is listing the “Stepz” someone would need to take in order to win him over: “Step one, by me a drink / Step two, buy me another / Life’s too boring to go through it sober / Let’s have fun with it before it is over”. The song is a certified bop and has a club-ready dance beat running through it. Big Daddy Karsten says he wants to have fun and this song definitely lends itself to the party atmosphere.
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
Um, the Linda Martin song is a remake of a Mama Cass (Elliott) song from 1969: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Getting_Better
I’ll say it for you Richard “What was Linda Thinking?”
I don’t dislike the woman but outside her ESC success she’s not exactly had a glittering career in the music industry since her days in Chips 40+ years ago (if you can call driving around Ireland in a van singing mainly cover versions in dance halls glamorous).
I’m Irish and other than ESC 2019 I’ve never heard of Sarah McTernan. I really don’t know how someone with zero talent manages to get ahead in the music industry but then she’s only one of many. On a non music related point, she looks dreadful, like a bad drag act, WTF is going on with her lips?! Unfortunately this is what passes for attractive is some quarters these days.
On a positive note, Julia Samoylova’s song is really really pretty. Definitely done dirty during Eurovision
If only the song would be any good, but it isn’t, very lame…
That new music video from Maruv and Kirkorov is totally awful and inappropriate. People with mental disorders shouldn’t be subject of fun, they are humans like everyone else and the society should show them support instead of stigmatizing them.
I’m absolutely not surprised. I’m from Ukraine and I had a real-life contact with Maruv. She thinks she’s a centre of Universe and whole Earth spins around her. Phillip has the same character, so , I guess, both star””ckers are having fun together. It’s their level.
you are both so evil 🙂
Is it a criticism or a compliment?
i came on here to see positivity about my sweet maruv and i see this… shame shame shame because she is a groundbreaking performer and IS the center of the universe. she is an inspiration to so many women so get off her back shes just trying to succeed in russia
If Sarah McTernan had sent ‘Close My Eyes’ to ESC she would’ve done very well!
This is what Phillip imagines his VIP nursing home to be in 40 years