The Eurovision 2022 season is slowly beginning to heat up. Over the course of the next few months, we will all fall in and out of love with scores of new national final and Eurovision entries. But that doesn’t mean we forget about the artists from past contests.
Contrary to the commonly perpetuated myth about the song contest killing careers, we’re always thrilled to report that singers associated with Eurovision 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: 2022 | Week 1
Amaia – “Yamaguchi”
Amaia has the pretty song “Yamaguchi”, where she takes a nostalgic wander through Yamaguchi Park in her hometown Pamplona. The park honours Pamplona’s Japanese sister city and reminds Amaia of moments of love and heartbreak in her life. It’s a sweet and simple song that captures Amaia’s pure and expressive vocals. (Robyn)
Dima Bilan & Natalia Vlasova – “Она любила музыку”
Dima Bilan has recently re-kindled a friendship with fellow Russian singer Natalia Vlasova. The pair have come together for the new duet “Она любила музыку” (“She loved music”). It’s a relatively straightforward ballad that aims to pull on the listener’s emotions as it slowly builds through its duration. The accompanying music video gives the single a wintry feel, with Eurovision 2008 champion Dima singing with Natalia under falling snow.
TIX – “Sov Godt”
TIX is currently participating in the 12th season of Hver gang vi møtes (Every time we meet) – the Norwegian television show where a group of artists come together and perform renditions of each other’s songs. The Eurovision 2021 star took centre stage for the first episode of the series, premiered on New Year’s Day, with the other acts performing his songs. For the second episode, TIX was finally able to share one of his performances. He sang “Sov Godt” (“Sleep well”), which was originally released by Maj Britt Andersen.
Lordi – Humanimals (Lordiversity)
Humanimals is Lordi’s third album from their Lordiversity series. The LP features a religious-themed intro followed by ten songs – these include pre-release single “Borderline” and a track from their 2020 Killection album, “Like a Bee to the Honey”. For Humanimals, Finland’s Eurovision 2007 champions were influenced by the 1980’s hits of Bon Jovi.
That’s not it from Lordi this week as the band have also released “Day Off of the Devil”. This track is from Skelectric Dinosaur, which will be digitally released in full on 15 February.
Michael Schulte – “Remember Me”
“I’ve been thinkin’ about / When I’m no longer around / Will you remember me? / ‘Cause it was seventeen years ago / That my father left this world / And memories start to fade”. Michael Schulte is wanting to make sure he leaves an impression on his loved ones so that they take his memory with them through their lives. “Remember Me” sees Germany’s Eurovision 2018 representative accompanied by piano to begin with before gradually adding in more dynamic percussion beats. The accompanying music video features family photos interspersed with clips of Michael playing the piano.
Papa (feat. Kállay Saunders & anatu & Gabriel) – “narcissus”
Eurovision 2014 star Kállay Saunders is hiding behind a memoji in the music video for his new single. The Hungarian singer has collaborated with Papa, anatu and Gabriel for “narcissus”. Kállay Saunders takes the lead of the second verse.
Connect-R – “Contagios”
Connect-R is hoping that his new single will be so “Contagios” (“Contagious”) that you’ll be playing it on repeat. In fact, Moldova’s Eurovision 2006 rapper proudly proclaims “I’m contagious, more than corona”. There’s a fair amount of swagger here, though the hook is perhaps not as infectious as it could be and the song does loose steam a bit in the final minute.
Lenny Kuhr – “In Mijn Boek”
Lenny Kuhr’s new single is “In Mijn Boek” (“In My Book”). The Eurovision 1969 winner keeps things simple to begin with, singing alongside her acoustic guitar. But the song continues to build with the addition of strings and then a fuller orchestral sound to bring things to a more rousing conclusion.
Sertab Erener – İyiliğe Ninniler
In November 2021, Sertab Erener released the EP İyiliğe Ninniler – a collection of children’s lullabies. Turkey’s Eurovision 2003 winner has now extended it to a full album. There are six new tracks on this LP. Whilst Sertab collaborated with Eurovision 2012 star Can Bonomo and his wife Öykü Karayel on the some of the original songs, these six new ones are all solo offerings.
Flo Rida – “Wait”
Flo Rida sees in the new year with “Wait”, his first single since the remix of “Adrenalina”. The song is built around a sample of the Marvelettes’ 1960s classic pop song “Please Mr Postman”. It’s short at little over two minutes, but Flo Rida seems to be tapping into current trends for viral TikTok hits that mash-up pop classics. The lyrics even tap into current memes, with Flo saying that his boo should “Tell me without telling me you[‘re] freaky”. (Robyn)
Jala Brat & Devito & Buba Corelli – “Roze”
Jala Brat’s latest single is “Roze” (“Rosé”). Bosnia’s Eurovision 2016 star teams up with Devito and Buba Corelli for the song, which blends their rap style with a danceable beat. The three artists rap about a woman they spend the night drinking with: “And I just drink wine, baby, rosé / Where are you now when I need a new dose? / To lift me up to the floor to bring me down / I wouldn’t, I love how she drives me”.
Iveta Mukuchyan – “Shalakho”
Iveta Mukuchyan is jumping fully into her Armenian heritage for her latest single. The Eurovision 2016 star has released her rendition of the folk song “Shalakho”. Filled to the brim with traditional instrumentation and rhythms, the song transports the listener to Armenia and puts them in the heart of its rich culture.
Chingiz Mustafayev – “Yenə mənəm”
Chingiz Mustafayev is returning to the pop genre for his latest single. “Yenə mənəm” still very much has traditional Azeri influences running through it and they come together to form a mid-tempo ethno-pop track. Azerbaijan’s Eurovision 2019 star sings to his ex-partner, saying that he believes they will one day come looking for the love they once shared.
Robin Bengtsson & Victoria Voss – “Oh My God”
Whilst Robin Bengtsson is saving one particular song for Melodifestivalen 2022, that isn’t stopping him from releasing all his other ones ahead of this. Sweden’s Eurovision 2017 star has recently dropped “Oh My God”, which is an indie-pop duet alongside Victoria Voss. In the lyrics, the pair discuss their feelings for one another and how they keep misunderstanding the other’s intention: “Oh my god / You make me make the same mistakes all over again / Oh my god / You let me into thinking we were more than just friends”.
TYLR – “Love Somebody”
The artist formerly known as Sandro Nicolas has the latest release from his new era as TYLR. “Love Somebody” embraces the current pop-punk revival, with guitars galore and layers of vocal harmonies. In the song, TYLR sings of a love-at-first-sight experience, with a beguiling young woman grabbing his attention from a distance. He’s hopeful, singing “I don’t know your name but I surely will tonight”. (Robyn)
Omar Rudberg – “Mi casa su casa”
The ex-FO&O singer — and star of the hit Netflix series Young Royals — has dropped a spicy new single ahead of his Melodifestivalen 2022 appearance. The Venezuelan-born Omar gets in touch with his Latino roots, delivering a seductive song that has a new take on the age-old question, “your place or mine?”. And there’s also room for Omar to confidently assert, “They be looking at us sideways / They be thinking we ain’t right, yeah / But baby it’s our life”. (Robyn)
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.
Amaia simply godly; Omar is sus~ ^^
The review on Connect-R song is really poor. Just cause you don’t like the song, you don’t have to be so rude. Maybe you should check your musical taste or knowledge. Unbelievable how rude your reviews can be, simply you don’t get the song. Why can’t Wiwibloggs fans write the reviews then?
Thank you very much for bringing out the New Music listings every week! I always check them out.
Lordi going all 1980s is so weird, not bad though! Great songs for someone who enjoys lighter rock with a bit of a pop sound.