New music this week: Songs from Amanda Tenfjord, Citi Zeni, Lena and more

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 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 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 25

Tina Karol, MÉLOVIN, ALEKSEEV, Zlata Ognevich and more – “Ми з України”

Ukrainian-language TV channel TRC Ukraina has brought together a multitude of Ukraine’s biggest stars for the patriotic anthem “Ми з України” (“We are from Ukraine”). Eurovision alum featured in the song include Tina Karol, MÉLOVIN, ALEKSEEV and Zlata Ognevich. Meanwhile, Vidbir contestants KAZKA, Julia Sanina (of The Hardkiss) and Sergey Babkin, as well as Eurovision 2017 host Volodymyr Ostapchuk, are also all involved.

The song discusses the unity of all Ukrainian people in face of the adversity they are currently up against and expresses support for their fight for freedom: “We are from Ukraine! A big heart, real forever! / We are from Ukraine! We can’t be defeated – the bars are broken! / We are from Ukraine! Our roads to victory! / We are from Ukraine! The only destiny is a free country!”

Amanda Tenfjord – “All in”

Amanda Tenfjord has shaken off her sorrows and is now ready to jump into love. Greece’s Eurovision 2022 star shows us she can go upbeat by delivering a catchy track with Scandi production that makes it reminiscent of artists such as Sigrid. Amanda sings about trusting her gut instinct and giving 100% to a relationship: “Don’t care about the others down the road / They got nothing on us / I’m all in on you and I’m all in us”.

MARO – “like we’re wired”

MARO believes she’s found the person for her. In her new single, Portugal’s Eurovision 2022 star says they are the individual who always brightens up her day: “You are the one / No cloudy days when therе’s sun / Oh, you are the one / And I’ll nеver wanna do you no wrong”. Musically, “like we’re wired” is an atmospheric track that pairs MARO’s breathy vocals with a dreamy soundscape.

Citi Zēni – “Lieka Štuka”

In order to pay for all their salads, Citi Zēni are hoping for a “Lieka Štuka” (“Spare Thousand”). The Latvian band have switched things up a bit for their new single, with saxophonist Dagnis Roziņš dropping his instrument and instead taking over the lead vocal. There’s more light and shade compared to their Eurovision 2022 entry but the fun spirit and funky rhythms still return for the chorus: “If I had a spare thousand euros / Then I would know how to spend it”. The song discusses the value of money in people’s lives, as singer Jānis Pētersons mentions in the music video’s description:

“In response to rising fuel prices, record high gas costs and massive inflation, it seems that a more accurate moment for a song about value for money is unthinkable. ‘Lieka Štuka’ as a concept is something unattainable, but it is worth striving for and dreaming about. I’ve never met a person who says he has too much money. Everyone has a desire that additional funds would help to bring closer to reality.”

Donny Montell – “Bėgam”

Donny Montell continues to take inspiration from the 1980s for his latest music. The influence is clear from the very start of the Lithuanian singer’s new single “Bėgam” (“Let’s Run”). Opening with an electric guitar solo, the song then continues with a consistent drum beat that quickly gets the listener tapping along. The two-time Eurovision star heads to the beach for the accompanying music video, running along the seafront whilst rocking some retro styling.

Lena – “Looking for Love”

“Hi, do you feel like you’ve messed up / Like life has been too much?”, sings Lena in the opening lines of her new single “Looking for Love”. The German star connects personally with the listener through the lyrics, questioning our thoughts and feelings. Lena later encourages us to speak with others about these feelings, rather than bottling them up on our own: “Hi, if you need some kind of help you can’t find inside yourself / Reach out to someone else / We, we don’t need to be apart”. This is all encompassed within a solid pop offering and the Eurovision 2010 champion’s words are amplified in the chorus with a backing choir.

Michael Rice – “Gotta Go Dancing”

Eurovision 2019 star Michael Rice is in the mood for a bit of dancing. The British singer is part of Mastercard’s new album Priceless, which features emerging artists from across the globe. Michael’s contribution, “Gotta Go Dancing”, is an upbeat and funky track with a brass-fuelled chorus. We get to see some of Michael’s moves in the accompanying music video as he sings about feeling the rhythm: “We gotta go dancing / We got to keep up this party / We gotta go dancing / Move our bodies all night long”.

Amaya – “Got Me”

Michael Rice isn’t the only Eurovision alum to feature on Priceless. Slovenia’s 2011 act Amaya also has her own track on the album. Amaya’s song takes the BPM down a notch, with the singer delivering a smooth, mid-tempo R&B track. Lyrically, Amaya is letting her walls down for the first time and allowing love in: “Never thought we’d end up here / No one’s ever been so near / But baby you got me”.

Edurne & NIA – “Te Quedaste Solo”

Eurovision 2015 star Edurne has brought fellow Spanish singer NIA on board for the new song “Te Quedaste Solo” (“You Stayed Alone”). The duo serve up a mid-tempo pop track in which they decide it’s time to live the life of a singleton once again: “I prefer to be alone / Because in truth when I was with you I was already alone / I was already alone / You understood it alone”. And what do Edurne and NIA plan on doing with their new-found freedom? Partying at the roller disco!

Connect-R, Sonny Flame & Baroc – “Bachata”

Bachata is a dance style and genre of music that originated in the Dominican Republic. It’s getting a slight Romanian twist thanks to Sonny Flame, Baroc and Eurovision 2006 act Connect-R. Whilst “Bachata” doesn’t necessarily have the traditional Caribbean feel to it, the trio still deliver a catchy track with room to partner up and dance along.

Miki Núñez feat. Mariona Escoda – “Llums De Mitjanit”

Over recent weeks, Eurovision 2019 star Miki Núñez has been hosting the TV singing competition Eufòria. Broadcast on TV3, it aimed to find the best new signer in Catalonia. The eventual winner was Mariona Escoda, and as the victor she was given the opportunity to feature on Miki’s new single. “Llums De Mitjanit” (“Midnight Lights”) is a cheery track driven by acoustic guitar, giving it a slight folksy feel at times.

Demy, Thomas Sykes & Arpad – “Eyes Talk”

Sometimes no words need to be spoken and the “Eyes Talk” instead – that moment when you catch the gaze of someone and lock eyes with one another. This is the theme of Demy’s new deep house single, produced by Arpad. Greece’s Eurovision 2017 act sings alongside Thomas Sykes: “When our eyes talk / When the night comes / Oh we’ll just have to face it / When our eyes talk / And we get lost / Oh we’ll give into fate”.

MENT feat. Alicja – “Movin’ On”

Poland’s Eurovision 2020 entrant Alicja has teamed up with music producer MENT for the new single “Movin’ On”. The pair deliver an R&B offering that’s driven by drum machine beats. In the lyrics, Alicja tells her partner that she’s over their relationship and it’s time for them to go their separate ways: “I’m so fed up with your endless lies / Keep on movin’ on / Finally I’m feelin’ okay / Finally I’m livin’ my way”.

Rosa López – “Esa Belleza”

“In this video clip, I want to go one step further in my fight for self-love.” Rosa López is using flowers as a symbol of the inner beauty we all have. The video for her new single, “Esa Belleza” (“That Beauty”), makes use of red flowers in particular and is also the first time the Spanish singer is accompanied by her mother in any of her music videos. The Eurovision 2002 alumna sings, “The beauty of the body that passed / It’s not the beauty I seek […] I prefer that other beauty / That adorns your heart inside”. Rosa discussed the message of the song further on Instagram:

“Prejudices or social impositions, make you acquire some ideals of how things should be seen, seeing yourself, causes dissatisfaction with yourself and with others. Reality is pure and beautiful, it is beauty. We as a society tend to distort it, we put a filter that clouds what really matters, that beauty that adorns you inside your heart.”

Rita Guerra – “Como O Vento”

Eurovision 2003 star Rita Guerra has released “Como O Vento” (“Like The Wind”). A steady ballad, the Portuguese singer is primarily accompanied by guitar and drums before a choir arrives for the final moments. Rita explained the meaning of the song on social media:

“It marks the next step in a destructive relationship. That’s when we put ourselves first again and return to our essence, in the best of companies.”

Birgit, The Swingers & Mikk Saar – “Pärlipüüdja”

If you’re hoping for a swinging summer then Eesti Laul alum The Swingers have you covered. Together with regular collaborators Mikk Saar and Eurovision 2013 singer Birgit, they’ve released “Pärlipüüdja” (“Pear catchers”). The Estonian artists add their own spin to the classic hit, which was originally released by Karavan in 1996 and talks about enjoying time in the ocean: “I dive into the sea in the hot sun / I glide inside the waves, I rest in salt water / I could be a pearl catcher / Once I see a real pearl”.

Lucía Pérez & Eva Iglesias – “Sementeira”

Lucía Pérez is sowing some musical seeds with the new song “Sementeira” (“Sowing”). Spain’s Eurovision 2011 act collaborates with Eva Iglesias for the single, which is a cover of the song first released by Fuxan os Ventos in 1977. Sung in Galician, the cheery folk song discusses preparing the land for new seedlings: “If it’s a matter of sowing, I will do it / Right after clearing the fields / As long as among the people, there are left / A child, an old man and a song”.

Tasman Keith feat. Jessica Mauboy – “HEAVEN WITH U”

Jessica Mauboy has leant her vocals to the new song by fellow Australian artist Tasman Keith. The Eurovision 2018 star doesn’t appear too much in “HEAVEN WITH U”, primarily delivering the bridge and then showcasing her vocal runs in the final chorus. Meanwhile, Tasman sings about a person who he’s found solace in: “They say there ain’t / No place quite like / Now and I know / That I found heaven with you”.

Goran Karan – “Ne Da Mi Pisma”

Goran Karan’s new single is “Ne Da Mi Pisma” (“No To My Letters”). Opening with a harmonica, the song develops into a melodic Balkan ballad with Croatia’s Eurovision 2000 representative accompanied by percussion and strings.

CoreLeoni – “Deep In My Soul”

CoreLeoni is a group founded by Leo Leoni (guitarist of Swiss rock band Gotthard) that aims to pay homage to classic hard rock. For their third album, handily titled III, they’ve brought onboard Albania’s Eurovision 2018 star Eugent Bushpepa to be the new vocalist. The LP was released in May, but most recently CoreLeoni have shared a music video for the latest single “Deep In My Soul”. It’s a classic rock ballad that lets Eugent showcase his vocal strength whilst accompanied by an organ and choir: “Times of sorrow, made me strong, to live another day / Time is gone you’re running, I hear you cry in the morning / I see you turn and walk the other way”.

If you went back and listened to CoreLeoni’s first two albums then you’d hear a different singer, but still a recognisable voice. The group’s original vocalist was Ronnie Romero – member of Bulgaria’s Eurovision 2022 act Intelligent Music Project.

Goldskeye feat. Tim Schou – “Go Hard”

Eurovision 2011 alum Tim Schou has joined together with some of his friends in Los Angeles for “Go Hard”. The Danish singer adds his vocals to the song about making the most of every day and not letting fear hold you back: “Go hard, go hard / ‘Cause this is the time of my life […] Step up to the plate / You decide you’re fate / Brush those fears away / It’s your destiny”. For the music video, Tim heads on a road trip with his friends and enjoys the sea, sun and sand.

Ben Cristovao – “TEN VIBE”

To celebrate his birthday on 8 June, Ben Cristovao released the music video for his new single “TEN VIBE”. The Czech Republic’s Eurovision 2021 star rocks red-coloured braids for the video as he performs alongside a number of women and dancers. Musically, Cristovao once again blends European production with African rhythms courtesy of his Angolan heritage.

Emel – “Gdje Je”

Emel represented Montenegro at Eurovision 2019 as part of the vocal group Dmol. He recently released the song “Gdje Je” (“Where is”). Driven by acoustic guitar to begin, strings are added into the chorus to create a rich Balkan sound. In the lyrics, Emel sings to his former lover and wonders where their love has gone: “Do you know that I love you as before / That I’m at your gate at night?
[…] Aman, aman, where is? / Where is? Where is? / Love, where is it?”. In the Balkans, “aman” is used as a phrase when asking for mercy, help or forgiveness.

Click on the links below to read about more songs released in the past week by Eurovision stars:

LITTLE BIG – “Generation Cancellation”

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.