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 our latest weekly roundup with a selection of just some of the songs and music videos released recently by Eurovision stars.
New music from Eurovision artists: 2021 | Week 30
Duncan Laurence & Wrabel – “back to back”
“So proud to be a part of this incredible song. Wrabel, you’ve been such a big inspiration in my songwriting. This is a dream come true.” Dutch star Duncan Laurence has been able to tick another dream off his wish list thanks to this new collaboration with American singer Wrabel. The pair come together for “back to back”, a singer-songwriter pop track that really pops in the chorus. Eurovision 2019 champion Duncan contributes from the second verse onward. The lyrics centre around the idea of a couple that now sleep facing away from each other, and that this is a sign of the relationship fading away: “What is love, what is love, what is love? / Why do I feel like I’m never enough / That ain’t love, that ain’t love / Oh, that ain’t love / Babe, I feel so far away from you / When we’re sleeping back to back”.
Dima Bilan – “Ради побед”
The Olympics are currently ongoing in Tokyo. However, Russia was banned from participating after a doping scandal. Russian athletes who can prove they were not involved with doping are nonetheless present at the contest, but must compete under the neutral name ROC (Russian Olympic Committee). In order to show support for athletes from Russia competing in Tokyo, Dima Bilan has released the song “Ради побед” (“For the sake of victories”). Though, by wearing the Russian sports kit in the music video, rather than the ROC one, the song also acts as a slight protest of the ban. On Instagram, Dima explained more about why he wanted to release the song:
“In this difficult time, I wanted to support the national team and draw the attention of Russians to the Olympics. I know how important support, unity between people, a country is, especially when you are performing in the international arena and if your goal is victory! And I understand how hard it can be without a flag. Therefore, my involvement and motivation to create this track and video! Friends, just forward! Let’s support our athletes! Together – we are force!”
Vantage (feat. Benjamin Ingrosso) – “I Found You”
Benjamin Ingrosso has lent his voice to the new song by French-born music producer Vantage. “I Found You” is a groovy electro-dance track, and Vantage has previously described his music as “future funk”. Sweden’s Eurovision 2018 star sings about finding his place in this world now that he’s met the right person for him: “I, I was all in the distance / I was all on my own / ‘Cause I’m / Sick of running in circles / Now I’m finally home / I found you”. Ingrosso’s vocals blend in with much of the production so that the focus remains on the music.
Alfred García – “Toro de cristal”
Spain’s Eurovision 2018 singer Alfred is going in a different direction with his new single “Toro de cristal” (“Crystal Bull”). The song is an upbeat pop tune with a catchy “La la la la la” chorus. Lyrically Alfred is singing about a breakup with a singer — and fans aren’t having trouble connecting the dots there. The music video, however, goes in a totally different direction. Helmed by Spanish actor and director Eduardo Casanova, the video takes inspiration from North Korean propaganda imagery. It’s deliciously camp and dramatic and lets Alfred show off a bold new side of his creative self. (Robyn)
Blas Cantó (feat. Echosmith) – “Americana”
Oh, say can you see … Blas Cantó is thinking about stars and stripes in his latest single. The Eurovision 2021 star adds an “Americana” flair to this new indie pop song and has even brought in American band Echosmith to feature. Blas still sings in Spanish though, with Echosmith’s Sydney Sierota providing an English-language verse. They discuss how much they’re missing their loved ones after they travelled to a different location, comparing their story to a Hollywood film: “I want to dance with only you, on the moon, under the sea / This love is like an American movie / American”. The accompanying music video, despite being filmed in Spain, has an American styling to it. Sydney and Blas spend much of it singing alongside each other, though the Spanish star also cosies up with a guy he goes to the diner with.
Rosa López – “Hablemos de Amor”
“What do you know about me?”, asks Rosa López in her new single. The Spanish star sings to her lover and questions why they were not willing to put the effort into their relationship: “Let’s talk about love / You know that I win in that […] Why were you never here? / There is little left to say that you have not already said / I will continue to listen to you out of pity”. Eurovision 2002 alum López brings a slightly more urban pop sound for “Hablemos de Amor” (“Let’s talk about love”). Whilst it’s mid-tempo, there’s still enough of a beat to sway your hips along.
Stella Mwangi – “Naughty”
Stella Mwangi has grown a lot since she was telling Europe about her grandmother at Eurovision 2011. Ten years on, the Norwegian-Kenyan rapper has had many more life experiences and isn’t afraid to get a bit “Naughty”. Stella puts this side of herself into her new sassy hip hop track. The Eurovision alum raps about her man, and how he brings out her mischievous character: “I got em on leash, he my doggy doggy / He ain’t never wanna leave, je, just want a walkie / He ain’t never wanna sleep, he just wanna bone it, I own it / My cake his mouth, can’t keep off it / Naughty! How you get me so”.
Nina Sublatti – “Maybe This Day”
Nina Sublatti returns with the new single “Maybe This Day”. Georgia’s Eurovision 2015 warrior brings us a song driven by steady electro percussion beats. After a sizeable instrumental intro, Nina’s voice comes in and adds an extra layer to the entrancing track. The Georgian star sings to her current partner, but she believes that this is the day they should go their separate ways: “We’ve been there / You’ve given me the same thing lately / It’s been foolish for a minute / But baby / Somehow this burden will nearly take me […] And maybe today we’re done”.
TYLR – “Hollywood High”
TYLR, formerly known as Sammy Clay, formerly known as Sandro, formerly known as Sandro Nicholas, formerly known as Alessandro Rütten [and breathe], has gone under a long journey to find his place in the music industry. But now, Cyprus’ Eurovision 2020 candidate has released his debut single under this latest name. This new song is very different from the dance banger “Running” that he had hoped to perform on the Eurovision stage before the contest’s cancellation. Instead, “Hollywood High” delivers a pop punk sound reminiscent of bands such as 5 Seconds of Summer. If you’re going to switch things up, this is how you do it! In the lyrics, TYLR tells the story of a girl who heads to California and now wants to live her life on the USA west coast: “She ain’t gonna miss / No regular guy / All she wants to get / Is Hollywood High”.
PAENDA – “We’re Good”
Fans of PAENDA have been well fed over the past year, with the Austrian star giving us a regular stream of new releases. She continues the buffet with her latest single “We’re Good”. PAENDA builds upon her electro pop style by bringing in a more danceable beat for the chorus – something the Eurovision 2019 singer may have well developed a taste for following her recent dance music collaborations. Lyrically, the song is a break-up song; however, PAENDA notes there’s no ill feelings and that it’ll be the happiest break-up song there ever was: “‘Cause there are millions of colours at the end of the sea / And this one last sunset with you next to me / And I don’t want to feel sorry for the things that I’m not / Let’s just sit in silence / Knowing that we’re good”.
Sunstroke Project – “Cosa Nostra”
You can always rely on Sunstroke Project to bring the party spirit, and the Moldovan trio duo do so again with their new single “Cosa Nostra”. This latest song is packed full of spice from the offset, though the instrumentals are a bit more trumpet-y compared to the usual saxophone stylings of Epic Sax Guy. Vocalist Sergei Yalovitsky continues the feel-good spirit in the verses and pre-chorus, singing about how they’ll be partying through the night: “Get up, get up / Welcome the rhythm in the club / From dust to dawn / From dust to dawn we won’t stop […] Dance cosa nostra”.
Alsou & Emin – “Разные”
Two stalwarts of the Russian music scene join forces for this next track. Eurovision 2000 silver medallist Alsou sings “Разные” (“Different”) alongside Emin. An emotional love ballad, the duo discuss how their differences shouldn’t keep them from loving one another: “I don’t want to write you letters from afar / And until the morning to pick up words / And to know that we are so different”. The music video is filmed in black and white, aiming to harken back to old films. Alsou speaks more about this collaboration in the video’s description:
“We have been looking for the very song that would suit us for a very long time. And I thank our author Daria for writing this very beautiful track. Our mood clip is like an old movie, in which there are no superfluous words – music speaks instead. No matter how different you are, love still wins.”
Zayo (feat. Ben Cristovao) – “Hitlo Ma”
Ben Cristovao has made sure to enjoy his summer and taken some time to head to the fairground. He was joined by fellow Czech rapper Zayo for the music video of the song “Hitlo Ma”. Dodgems appears to be their ride of choice, in between dancing in front of the carrousel. The rap song has plenty of swagger to it, which both Ben Cristovao and Zayo bring out. Eurovision 2021 star Ben provides the second verse of the song, rapping: “She wanted to be with me, now she’s worried / She hit me back like a boomerang / She told me to go down and do it again / I’ll do it down there too”.
Stefania & Petros Iakovidis – “Sagapao Sou Fonaksa”
At the recent 2021 MAD Video Music Awards in Greece, Stefania joined forces with Petros Iakovidis for a performance of “Sagapao Sou Fonaksa” (“I shouted to you ‘I love you’”). Petros first released the song as a solo single in 2020. The pair have now uploaded their collaboration to streaming services and released it as an official single. Greece’s Eurovision 2021 star comes in for the second verse and then sings along with Petros for the rest of the song. The lyrics are about someone who blurts out those three little words when their heart bursts with love: “I shouted to you ‘I love you’ and we looked at each other / It was the reason we met / I thought that for once I was lucky / Oh, you don’t know what my poor heart has been through”.
Lindita – “Amin”
Hallelujah, we’re glorious! Lindita is singing praises in her latest single “Amin” (“Amen”). However, rather than being another gospel song with this title, Albania’s Eurovision 2017 star delivers a seductive R&B-pop track. Lindita makes sure to work every camera angle in the accompanying music video, which sees the singer chilling inside, taking a dip in the pool and frolicking in the countryside.
Max Agnas (feat. Salvador Sobral) – “Story of a boy”
Max Agnas is a jazz pianist based in Stockholm. He also plays in Salvador Sobral’s band when the Eurovision 2017 champion is touring around. Max is releasing his own album soon and asked Salvador to provide vocals for the song “Story of a boy”. The Portuguese star wrote the lyrics himself to accompany Agnas’s music. Sobral noted on social media that “it’s about a child who realises we’re not immortal after all”. The song starts off slowly before building in the middle with a piano solo, and then settling down again afterwards.
Rafał Brzozowski – “Głośniej”
Rafał Brzozowski took us for the ride of our lives at Eurovision 2021. Now the Polish star has released his follow up single, “Głośniej” (“Louder”). Moving away from the 80s-inspired sound of his Eurovision entry, this new song is a light pop offering with a cheery demeanour. Lyrically, Rafał wants to make sure that he and his loved one don’t waste their time together and keep their love growing: “Louder, louder / We have this time and a few dreams to make them come true”.
Bermudu Divstūris – “Kāposts Kasē”
Eurovision fans may know Bermudu Divstūris better as Musiqq, the duo that represented Latvia at Eurovision 2011. They’ve been performing under both names since then. While Musiqq release slower and more serious songs, Bermudu divstūris have more of a quirky hip hop style. The duo’s latest single under Bermudu Divstūris, which translates to Bermuda Triangle, is “Kāposts Kasē” (“Cabbage at the cash register”). The duo sing the verses, but the chorus is comprised of a deep voice repeating the title. In the accompanying video, Bermudu Divstūris act as handymen who manage to find time to dance in between their roles as waste collectors, window cleaners and mechanics.
Aurela Gaçe – “Çupa Nga Vlora”
Eurovision 2011 alum Aurela Gace recently dropped “Çupa nga Vlora”. It’s a passionate and fiery track with plenty of ethnic flair to it. The Albanian star sings about the flames of her heart, which are sparked by her lover: “Tell me how much you love me […] The fire of the heart, oh / Come on heart, oh, come on […] Of fire, fire, fire, fire of the heart, oh”. The music video, however, has a water theme to it. Aurela and her lover head to the sea to cool down and have a go at some jet skiing.
Monokate, Dan Alien & Blueberry – “Play/Rec”
Monokate is the solo stage name of Kateryna Pavlenko, the lead singer of Ukrainian band Go_A. She’s recently released the song “Play/Rec” alongside music producers Dan Alien and Blueberry. It’s an electronica track that feels psychedelic and trance-like. Monokate’s vocal delivery is calm but certain and almost blends in with the surrounding production. Rather than a ‘song’, it might be better described as an ‘audio experience’.
Olta Boka – “Gaia”
Olta Boka represented Albania at Eurovision 2008. More recently though, the star is now a mother to a baby girl named Gaia. On her daughter’s first birthday, Olta released a single dedicated to her. “Gaia” is a soft lullaby, in which the Eurovision alum’s delicate vocals are accompanied by acoustic guitar and bell chimes. In a message on Instagram, Olta spoke of her love for Gaia:
“For you, my heart weaves verses and my soul weaves melodies. But today on your first birthday I have no words, so I dedicated a little song to you. To have the gift forever even when you are not so small. Even when you have your little one in your arms. Even when I see you smiling from above. I love you Gaia! Your mama.”
The week before, Olta also dropped another new single. “Per ty” is another ballad, but this one brings in some more traditional instruments for the production.
Click on the links below to read our individual articles on other new songs released in the last week by Eurovision stars:
Albina – “La La Love”
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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I think everyone agrees TYLR should stop changing his name, amirite?
Toro De Cristal is so good
So many good songs on here.
Lindita music video has +220,000 views and only 33 comments?
Someone has been following Senhit’s footsteps with the fake views…
Americana is amazing, and the videos promoting making reference to Love Actually were nice.
Also Play/Rec is so cool.
My two favorite song from this list are the ones from Nina Sublatti und PAENDA. Both got really cool beats.
Emin was the worst interval act of all time.
Did Sandro again change his name? You forgot one more name. Before TYLR his name was Taylor from Heaven. It is not good to change your name so often if you want your carreer to rise.
It seems like he’s throwing everything at the wall and waiting for something to stick. I think he keeps changing his stage name because if something does take off he doesn’t want those fans to discover his previous work because he’s already moved on from that. It kinda makes sense but I’m not sure that’s the smartest decision. He keeps fragmenting his potential fanbase. As if Rihanna’s and Beyonce’s latest albums had much to do with their debut ones. Artists are not only allowed but encouraged to keep experimenting and reinventing themselves. Instead of coming off as versatile and creative… Read more »
Maybe Cyprus didn’t bring him back because he wanted to change his name too many times. Like he changed it from ‘Sandro Nicolas’ to just ‘Sandro’ during Eurovision season last year, and that’s fine. A lot of acts slightly modify their names during Eurovision season (i.e. D-moll to D mol) or take parts of it off (like Eden or Efendi), so that makes sense. but the amount of times he’s changed his name to something completely different is kinda annoying imo.
As always I really like Duncan’s and Benjamin’s songs. Paenda’s and Nina’s sound really promising but I’ll have to give them a listen on my headphones later before I make my mind.
please not sandro changing his name for the fifth time
Absolutely love TYLR’s new song, reminds a bit of Simple Plan!