Wish list: Six acts that we would love to see back in Germany’s Eurovision 2022 selection

The news has been out for a couple of weeks now: Germany will return to a national final to select its entry for the Eurovision 2022. This means that the two years of decisions behind closed doors is at an end and the public will have a say once again.

Details like the title of the show and date are yet to be announced, but the race is on: any interested artist had to get their application in by 30 November last.

Throughout the years, Germany’s national final has showcased the diverse talent in the country’s music scene. The show, usually called Unser Lied for *insert host city/country here*, has seen various rule changes, voting formats and numbers of participants.

In celebration of the comeback of the national final, we present six artists that should consider a comeback to the show. While none of them won, they all left a memorable mark.

Note: These picks are based on the author’s personal opinion. We don’t have any insider knowledge about who did or did not apply for the German selection.

Our wish list for Germany’s Eurovision 2022 selection

1. LaBrassBanda (2013)

The victory of Cascada in 2013, one of the most successful German music exports, was almost shockingly stopped by this Bavarian band. Founded in 2007, LaBrassBanda mix together traditional brass instruments with modern sounds. Fun lyrics all sung in a strong Bavarian dialect are the cherry on top.

What may seem lika a successful formula only limited to south Germany, prooved to be a serious threat for the competitors in the national final. In the radio vote, all nine stations awarded them 12 points, even the northern areas around Hamburg. Together with second place in the televote, things seemed promising but the tenth jury place destroyed all their hopes. However, with the comeback of the radio vote in 2022, LaBrassBanda could do it once again. They have been busy recently, publishing multiple albums, the latest in April 2021 called Yoga Symphony No. 1.

2. Lilly Among Clouds (2019)

The last German final in 2019 saw the victory of S!sters with Lilly Among Clouds finishing third. That year’s show was supposed to only have six acts, but S!sters were later added as a seventh act. Lilly Among Clouds was the only act to come close to winning duo in the televote with a difference of roughly 10,000 votes between the two. With her unique style in music and a great visual presentation of her song, she is remembered by many fans to this day. There has not been much news about her recently, so this could be the perfect opportunity for Lilly to come back into the spotlight. Especially since the German broadcaster emphasises a “total package” of artist and song, which would suit a singer-songwriter like her.

3. Laing (2015)

If you are looking for a creative, off the beaten track style of performance with clever puns you definitely need to check out Laing. The Berlin-based group describe their unique style as electric lady sound. They rose to fame in 2012, when their cover of a 1960’s song was used in nationwide advertisements. At the 2015 national final, they undoubtedly had the most memorable staging, giving a Peloton class to “Zeig Deine Muskeln” and playing with lights in “Wechselt Die Beleuchtung”. Since then, they had some line-up changes and released their latest album in 2018. The band confirmed reports that the broadcaster has asked them to return before, so another invite would not be surprising. Furthermore, they performed at the countdown to the Eurovision 2019 on Hamburg’s Reeperbahn. It is safe to say that they did not lose their very own visual style, just watch their music video for “Camera”. 

4. Ivy Quainoo (2018)

Throughout the years of Unser Lied, many artists had a connection to The Voice. It was therefore only a matter of time until the very first winner of the German edition would compete on the show. Ivy Quainoo won The Voice in 2012 — Michael Schulte competed in the same season. She went on to compete in the national final in 2018. Fourth place was probably not the position she wanted to finish in, but the winner – again Michael Schulte – was unchallengeable, receiving the highest points from the jury, the Eurovision panel and the televote. The talent of Ivy Quainoo is beyond question but the song failed to transmit that quality in the competition. She was part of the German Eurovision jury in 2021.

5. Santiano (2014)

Arguably the biggest name on this list, Santiano would be a contrasting option to LaBrassBanda. Originated in the most northern part of Germany, Santiano focuses on mostly German sung sea shanties and folk songs that make you feel as you were with them on a ship steering through the grim oceans. They are among the most successful artists lately, with all their six albums charting at number one in Germany, the latest back in the autumn. Knowing how to jump on a trend, they released a very own featured edition of the viral “Wellerman” song together with Nathan Evans. So they must be aware of the success of Måneskin following Eurovision. And their participation in 2014 indicates at least a certain degree of interest. The group’s wave of success may exactly be what Germany needs after yet another disappointing result at Eurovision.   

6. Alexa Feser (2015)

Alexa Feser was one of four acts to qualify for the second round in the 2015 national final, eventually sharing third place with Laing. Her entry “Glück” remains her most successful entry in the German charts to this day, but a lot of projects kept her busy since. Compared to her entry in 2015, her style has shifted towards a more Spotify-friendly tone, with featured tracks by well-known rappers. “Air Max” is her most recent single released in October. A return could be pretty handy for her as her new album Liebe 404 drops in February. A subsequent tour will see her perform all around Germany in April with no scheduled concerts for May. 

Which act would you like to see returning to the show? Which artists should make their debut this year? Tell us in the comments below.