Although we’re officially into the Eurovision 2022 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 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 36
NAVIBAND – “Однажды”
NAVIBAND have big ideas and they’re taking steps to bring them to life. In the lyrics of their new song, “Однажды” (“One Day”), vocalist Ksienija encourages others to head down a similar path and follow though with their ideas: “Don’t give your ticket back / If you want, take a step […] Wake up one day / Rainy morning / The beginning of big ideas”. Sonically, Belarus’ Eurovision 2017 duo deliver a catchy blend of indie rock and folk.
LaCrème (feat. Flo Rida) – “Wished You Never Said”
Senhit isn’t the only artist that Flo Rida will lend his skills to. San Marino’s Eurovision 2021 rapper features on “Wished You Never Said”, the new single from English DJ LaCrème. It’s a rather short feature though, with Flo Rida only appearing for around 15 seconds. The rest of the song is composed of LaCrème’s EDM beats and an uncredited female vocalist who gets the better of someone else: “Now you realise / That you wished you never said”.
Jala Brat & MC Hariel – “Maria”
Getting a sense of déjà vu? For the fourth week in a row, Jala Brat has released another three singles from his new album Futura. Friday’s offering was “Maria”, a collaboration with Brazilian rapper MC Hariel (hence the song includes some Portuguese lyrics). In the chorus, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Eurovision 2016 rapper talks to the coveted Maria: “Oh Maria, the line is thin / As you give the body straight to hell / Oh Maria, you’re not like everyone / Come on, get me out of this darkness”. The music video centres around a police officer who fanaticises about a mannequin that comes to life.
As part of this fourth set of songs, Jala dropped “Dostojevski” earlier in the week, while “OMG” arrived on Sunday. Based on the track list of Futura having 15 songs, we can expect the final set this coming week.
Stella Mwangi – Eyes off Me
Listen out for the music in the background of your favourite TV shows, films and commercials, as you might just hear one of Stella Mwangi’s new songs. The Kenyan-Norwegian rapper has released the new album Eyes off Me. There are ten tracks in the mix, including previous singles “Eyes off Me” and “Naughty”. The other songs follow on in a similar fashion, combining hip-hop with elements of pop and dance. Stella explained on Instagram that the album was created for sync, which is where an artist’s music is combined with moving images, whether it be film, TV series, adverts, video games, trailers etc. Hence, the Eurovision 2011 star has nicknamed Eyes off Me her “Hollywood album”.
Everthe8 (feat. Manizha) – “Porcelain Heart”
Manizha features on one of the tracks from Russian rapper Everthe8’s new album Extra Boy. The two artists previously collaborated earlier this year for Manizha’s single “AKKULISTA”. On “Porcelain Heart”, Manizha gets the chance to showcase a jazzy and soulful vocal style. The Eurovision 2021 star sings in English and asks her loved one to stay by her side: “I found myself crying all alone / I’ve lost my pride and there is nothing to hope / All my life I’ve been so strong / But now I’m begging, begging you please / Don’t leave me alone, please”.
Patrick Fiori & Soprano – “Si tu tombes”
Eurovision 1993 act Patrick Fiori has dropped a music video for his new single “Si tu tombes” (“If you fall”). The song comes from Fiori’s recent album Un air de famille and sees him duetting with fellow French singer Soprano. It’s a piano-driven ballad in which the pair sing of their friendship and how they’ll always be there for one another: “If you fall / I will hold your hand / One second, today or tomorrow / Know that with you I fear nothing”. The music video sees Fiori and Soprano singing by a lighthouse in the moonlight.
This new video comes at the same time as the Eurovision alum has released an extended version of his album. Un air de famille (Nouvelle édition) adds in three previously unreleased songs.
Kállay Saunders & Gabriel – “teach me”
Kállay Saunders and bestie Gabriel have come together for another new single. This time the pair have released the chilled R&B song “teach me”. Gabriel opens things up with the first verse and chorus, then Eurovision 2014 alum Kállay Saunders provides the second set. The Hungarian star sings of the mistakes he’s made in a relationship and how he wants to do better from now on: “So teach me to love you / Pull me out the darkness / Take me back home / If home is where your heart is”.
Gromee & CATALI – “Talk to Me”
Polish DJ Gromee is getting his funk on with the new single “Talk to Me”. The underlying bass guitar, particularly in the pre-chorus, helps give the track a little extra groove. Strings are subsequently brought in for a post-chorus instrumental that creates a moment of lightness. The Eurovision 2018 star has teamed up with Amsterdam-based singer CATALI for the track.
Alexandra Rotan – “Ikke Som De Andre”
Alexandra Rotan continues her stint on TV show Stjernekamp 2021, where singers perform songs in a different music genre each week. The latest episode was all about Norwegian-language music and KEiiNO-member Alexandra performed “Ikke Som De Andre” (“Not Like The Others”), originally released by Sondre Justad. The Eurovision 2019 star sadly fell into the bottom three of the night. But thankfully Alexandra wasn’t eliminated and survives to sing another week – and we also have the single release of her rendition of “Ikke Som De Andre” to listen to forevermore.
Minus One – Got It Covered
Over the past year, Minus One have been covering a number of classic songs. Now the Cypriot band have released a full album of covers. Titled Got It Covered, the LP features nine songs, including their previous covers of “My Girl (Where Did You Sleep Last Night)” and “Oh Pretty Woman”. Other songs that have been given a makeover by the Eurovision 2016 band include “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen. Regardless of the original song’s genre, Minus One make sure to give their version a bit of rock edge.
Philip Kirkorov (feat. Bedros Kirkorov, Zara & Alexsandr Panayotov) – “Лучший город Земли”
Arno Babajanyan was an Armenian and Soviet composer, who was made a People’s Artist of the USSR in 1971. This year, 2021, would have marked Babajanyan’s 100th birthday. In honour of this, Eurovision 1995 participant Philip Kirkorov has put together a cover of the composer’s hit “Лучший город Земли” (“The best city on Earth”), made famous by Muslim Magomayev. Kirkorov performs alongside his father Bedros, as well as singers Zara and Alexsandr Panayotov. After an intro, the music video sees the group singing from a boat in the heart of this esteemed city, Moscow.
Ben Cristovao (feat. HILLS 97 & Osama Verse) – “Záříme”
Ben Cristovao’s latest single is “Záříme” (“We Shine”). Whilst the Czech star delivered more of a sung vocal line at Eurovision 2021, “Záříme” sees Cristovao return to rap. He’s teamed up with HILLS 97 and Osama Verse, who both contribute a verse each (Osama’s being the only English section of the song). The music video was filmed at the O2 Arena in Prague. It starts off with Ben and HILLS 97 working behind the scenes at the arena; then we see some clips from a concert the Eurovision alum performed there.
Yulia Savicheva – “Эверест”
“I’ll never get bored / Conquering you like Everest”, sings Eurovision 2004 alum Yulia Savicheva in the first couple of lines of her new song, “Эверест” (“Everest”). The Russian star is using the highest mountain in the world as a metaphor for the love between herself and her partner, and the journey they’d be willing to make in order to return to one another: “Every look or gesture you make / Tells me there’s happiness in life / Our love is like Everest / I don’t need any other”. Musically, it’s a solid pop song with a light aura to it that progresses in a fairly standard fashion. In a social media post, Yulia commented further on her feelings about the song:
“When I sing it or just listen, imagine that lovers are running to meet each other after a long separation, they experience such strong feelings that when they meet, they laugh, cry, hug each other tightly, kiss and understand that they cannot live without each other.”
Donny Montell – 1987
Donny Montell has been treating us to a number of ’80s-inspired songs over the past year or so. This has now culminated in the release of the Lithuanian star’s new album 1987. The LP features a prelude and eight songs, including previous singles “Leisk mylėt”, “Kol Vakaras Ilgas”, “Kai Nieko Kito Nelieka Man”, “17”, “Štai ir vėl” and “Atiduočiau Už Naktį Bet Ką”. That leaves two brand new songs – “Šoku ne vienas” and “Baubas” – which naturally follow in the ’80s synth-pop theme. The year 1987 so happens to be the year that Montell was born. Although the two-time Eurovision singer probably didn’t fully comprehend the music that was released during his infant years, he still manages to capture the retro sound perfectly without it being dated or try hard.
Hovi Star – “בשנה הבאה”
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) took place this past week. Ahead of this, Hovi Star released the single “בשנה הבאה” (“New Year”). It’s a cover of the song originally recorded in 1970 by duo Ilan & Ilanit (Ilanit represent Israel at Eurovision in 1973 and 1977). The song has gone on to become a staple for young children to learn and sing in school. Hovi’s rendition is a bit more mature and takes the form of an R&B ballad. Israel’s Eurovision 2016 star sings of the hope that a new year brings: “Next year we will sit on the porch / And we will count migratory birds / Kids on vacation will play catch / Between the house and the fields / You will see, you will see / How good it will be / In the year, next year”.
Ester Peony & Scott Rill – “Dernière Danse”
Ester Peony has long said that one of her favourite songs is “Dernière Danse” by French star Indilla. And now the Eurovision 2019 singer has released her second rendition of the song, after previously collaborating with Belgian DJ-producers HIDDN and Rude Lies for a remix. This time around, Ester has teamed up with Ukrainian DJ Scott Rill. After grabbing your attention from the the very start, this new cover then proceeds with a deep house vibe.
Vlado Kalember & Srebrna Krila – “Ljubav Ima Tvoje Oči”
Yugoslavia’s Eurovision 1984 star Vlado Kalember and his band Srebrna Krila (who competed separately at Eurovision 1988) have released the new song “Ljubav Ima Tvoje Oči” (“Love Has Your Eyes”). It’s a steady Balkan ballad with a classic feel to it. In the lyrics, the Croatian singer says that he has everything he needs in life by just being with his partner: “Love has your eyes, your face and your voice / Let them take everything in the world from me / I don’t really care, I have us”.
Jan Johansen – “On the Road Again”
Many artists are itching to get back out on the road and perform for their fans at concerts following the lockdowns associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Sweden’s Jan Johansen feels this so much he’s decided to sing a song about it. The Eurovision 1995 star has done a cover of “On the Road Again”, first released by American country music singer Willie Nelson in 1980. It’s a fairly faithful rendition of the original, with Johansen utilising many of the same instruments to keep the country feel.
Mira Awad – Human
Eurovision 2009 alum Mira Awad recently released her new album Human. It features nine tracks, including previous single “Yaba – Father”. A day before the album release, Mira premiered the music video for the title track “Insan – Human”. It features an artist creating a wall painting as he slowly succumbs to illness/fatigue. Meanwhile, Awad sings of the pain that humans can bring upon each other: “Well, Eve’s womb is crying today / For her lost children / One brother betrays the other / People becoming refugees / And the voices of hatred / Fill the city squares”. In the video’s description, the Palestinian-Israeli singer discusses the event that sparked this song:
“Exactly five years ago, on September 2nd, 2015, Three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi died in an attempt to flee a warzone. A picture of his lifeless body washed to shore was on every newscast. We all saw it, we all gasped in horror. Personally, my heart broke at the sight of that tiny boy with the red T-shirt face down in the sand. That photo is still haunting me to this day, and it is the reason why I wrote this song, made this video, and dedicated the whole album HuMAN for the subject of human solidarity.”
If you’d like even more new music from Mira Awad, she has also just released the song “Adio Kerida” with Jako Hazan.
Oscar Zia – “säga inget säger allt”
Earlier this week, Oscar Zia was confirmed as the host of Melodifestivalen 2022. Now the multi-talented artist has a new single, “säga inget säger allt” (“saying nothing says it all”). The song is a deceptively breezy pop number that tackles a heavier subject — a relationship on rocky ground. It’s a catchy tune and perhaps is an indication of Oscar’s new era. While a full music video hasn’t been released yet, the song comes with a visualiser to accompany the audio, capturing all the passion and the heartbreak. (Robyn)
Click on the links below to read our individual articles about other new songs released in the last week by Eurovision stars:
Natalia Gordienko – “High Heels”
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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Love how every guest rap Flo Rida does will now be listed as new music from Eurovision artists 🙂
Nice to know Alexandra is still on the running in Stjernekamp, also nice to hear new from Minus One!
My pick from this list is clearly Alexandra Rotan. Nice to hear her doing a solo.