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 34
MARO – can you see me?
can you see me?, asks MARO in the title of her new album. Certainly, the whole of Europe and Australia saw the Portuguese singer when they voted her into the top ten at Eurovision 2022. And now we most definitely hear MARO loud and clear through the 14 songs featured on the new LP. This includes recent singles “am i not enough for now?”, “it keeps on raining”, “we’ve been loving in silence” and “like we’re wired”. The other ten songs continue MARO’s chilled and atmospheric musical style – a great LP to put on and just get lost in the soundscape.
Tina Karol – “Гімн України”
To mark Ukraine’s independence day on 24 August, Tina Karol released a recording of “Гімн України”, the country’s national anthem. Not only can you listen to the song, you can also watch Karol perform right in your own home (or wherever you happen to be). The Eurovision 2006 star created an augmented reality performance that can be viewed via an online portal. Karol hopes it will allow the Ukrainian anthem to be heard far and wide:
“Thanks to AR technologies, the anthem of Ukraine will sound where the Ukrainians themselves and the friends of our country will be chosen. May the music and words of our Anthem, which symbolise the resilience and indomitability of Ukraine, be multiplied worldwide through your publications on social networks.”
Jamala & Freel – “Коли закінчаться війни”
“When the wars will end / When the guns fall silent / We will all go outside / And we will sing together”. Jamala has also released a song in honour of Ukraine this week. Collaborating with rapper Freel, the pair look towards a future “Коли закінчаться війни” (“When the wars will end”). Eurovision 2016 champion Jamala delivers the chorus of the track while Freel contributes the verses. Commenting about the hope the song discusses, Jamala noted:
“One day we will wake up to the voice of our relatives and their words: ‘We won, the war is over’. I know it will happen. This war will end in our favour because we are fighting for our own. For your home.”
Ulrikke – “Young”
At 27 years old, Ulrikke definitely still counts as “Young”. But as she progresses through life with her partner Oskar, the Norwegian singer believes they’ll always remain that way in their hearts: “We will stay young / Yeah, we’ll stay young / So here’s to the memories / Holding the ones we love”. The Eurovision 2020 entrant packages this up into a pop ballad with rousing bell chimes in the chorus.
Luka – “Kill For You”
Luka is risking a life behind bars just so she can be with the love of her life. Belgium’s Eurovision 2020 singer isn’t afraid to cut people down in order to achieve her goal: “Nothing that I wouldn’t do / Don’t think I’m taken / Seriously just tell me who / Tell me who I need to kill for you”. To match the tone of the lyrics, Luka serves up a dark pop offering through the music. It’s a contemporary combo that continues Luka’s great solo work since being dropped from Hooverphonic.
Ilse DeLange – “Willing”
Even when she stumbles, Ilse DeLange is “Willing” to get back up again and continue the quest for her dreams. The Dutch star’s new song is an upbeat and uplifting track in which Ilse notes her desire to keep pushing forward: “I was willing, willing, willing / So willing to try again / I was giving it, giving what I had to give / Cause I’d already decided / Not to let it slip away”. In a long post on Instagram, the Eurovision 2014 silver medallist explained why this song was a key moment in her musical journey:
“The last couple of years I wrote so many songs, but because of stuff we all had to deal with, I was a little lost in what was what and who was I? I had not been away from live music this long since I started out. Not being able to be who you are does something to the core of you […] and then, that one day in Berlin […] we hit that spark and lit that fire again! I really can’t explain it any different than that. It clicked again in all aspects of why music is my life. It brought back the joy and the belief in my own songs just as much as I soak that up in other artists’ songs that inspire me, the reason I make music. This is why WILLING exists, it is a song for myself and for people that thrive on believing in something good and to keep an open heart. No matter what life throws at you, if you fall, you get up and try again.”
Ben Dolic – “Breakaway”
“I don’t mind if you don’t wanna stay / Watching you cry / Is making me hate myself / Tell me if you wanna breakaway”. Ben Dolic is admitting that he’s not the easiest to love in his new single “Breakaway”. A pop-rock track with an upbeat chorus, Germany’s Eurovision 2020 entrant gives his partner the option of walking away if they want to. Ben discussed the meaning of the song more in a post on Instagram:
“i wrote breakaway about realising that after a few toxic relationships, i was now the problem and hard to love. it’s about not understanding why someone wants to be with you when you have so much to work on and about letting your partner know that you’ll understand if they don’t want to wait for you to get your shit together.”
Samira Said – “Korbag”
Samira Said has released “Korbag” this week. Morocco’s Eurovision 1980 entrant gives us a rhapsody song composed of various distinct segments that flow from one to another. But running throughout the entire track is a theme of longing that Samira has for her loved one: “He’s the one who won / Longing grows every hour / It’s very difficult, folks / I’m in love with it, it’s really not a rumour”.
Byealex és a Slepp – “1év”
A lot can happen in “1év” (“1 year”). Many of us will have highs and lows as we rotate around the sun. Hungary’s Byealex és a Slepp have made this the theme of their new single. Lead vocalist, and Eurovision 2013 star, Byealex is just going to take the days as they come: “1 year always passes / Let’s find out where everything is going / Sometimes the sky is black / It’s hard for me then / I think so / But then the sun warms up”. Musically, the song is a mid-tempo offering driven by piano chords and drum machine beats.
Yirrmal (feat. Dami Im) – “Promised Land”
Dami Im has leant her vocals to “Promised Land”, the new single from Indigenous Australian singer Yirrmal. Singing over a mix of guitar, saxophone and cymbal hits, the pair discuss the journey people take to the afterlife: “I am sailing on away / From all I know / Leaving behind everybody I love / It’s time for me to go”.
Dami has also recently shared another collaboration. The Eurovision 2016 star sang alongside a number of Australian artists as a tribute to Eurovision 1974 alumna Olivia Newton-John, who passed away earlier this month. The group covered Olivia’s hit “I Honestly Love You”, which featured on the same album as her Eurovision entry “Long Live Love”.
Johnny Manuel – “Again”
Johnny Manuel is back “Again” with a brand new single. The Eurovision 2018 singer and former Equinox member brings us a mid-tempo R&B-pop track that runs in a fairly linear fashion throughout its duration. Manuel sings, “I know that you can feel me right back / And there’s no other feeling like that, yeah / Feel me right back / And we just keep on movin’ like that, yeah / I’m fallin’ deep, I’m fallin’ deep again”.
Safura – “Anyone but Me”
Despite not quite clinching the Eurovision trophy in 2010, Safura doesn’t want to be “Anyone but Me”. With her new song, the Azeri singer delivers an upbeat dance-pop number all about self-importance: “We can do exactly what we wanna do / Never stop just keep on singing / Wouldn’t wanna be / Anyone but me”. Safura also taps into her inner qween for the bridge, repeatedly exclaiming “Slay slay slay slay”.
Sarit Hadad – “אוהבת אותך”
Eurovision 2002 alumna Sarit Hadad has revealed her 24th studio album will be released next week. Before then, we get the new single “אוהבת אותך” (“Love you”). Starting off as a soft piano ballad, the song builds with the addition of guitar and other instrumentation. As you might be able to ascertain from the title, the Israeli singer shares the emotions contained within her heart: “In everything I lack, you have completed me / In the days of scratches you only understood me / When I was confused / And it took me a while to say / That I love / I love you”.
Kikki Danielsson – “Låt aldrig skuggorna slå rot”
“Låt aldrig skuggorna slå rot” (“Never let the shadows take root”) is the new song by Sweden’s Kikki Danielsson. The two-time Eurovision star delivers a steady country track that could have easily of been crafted in the USA. Despite the black and white cover photo for the single, Kikki tells us to never let the darkness prevail in our lives.
Engelbert Humperdinck – “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything”
First released by Barry White in 1974, Engelbert Humperdinck has now recorded his own rendition of “You’re The First, The Last, My Everything”. The UK’s Eurovision 2012 representative takes the disco-soul classic and adds a country twist to it. The lyrics remain the same, though, with Engelbert singing about the uniqueness of his lover: “I know, I know, I know there’s only one like you / That there’s no way, they could have made two / Girl you’re my reality, but I’m lost in a dream / You’re the first, you’re the last, my everything”.
Dian Solo & Dolores Estrada – “La Rumba”
Deep Zone Project’s Dian Solo is hoping to bring “La Rumba” (“The Party)”. To do this, the Eurovision 2008 DJ has brought on board singer Dolores Estrada. The song doesn’t feature typical Cuban rumba music but it still gets the party spirit going.
Birthe Kjær – “Sommerfestival”
Birthe Kjær is participating in the new TV show Min Sang Til Danmark (My Song For Denmark). The programme sees 15 artists travel to different areas of the country to find inspiration for a new song that speaks of what Denmark is all about. The Eurovision 1989 star ultimately created “Sommerfestival” (“Summer Festival”). A retro pop track, Birthe sings of Denmark’s summer spirit: “Denmark – we’re going here together / Summer festival – we’re at it again / Denmark – we sing along to your song / In short – you’re as lovely as the day is long”.
Björgvin Halldórsson & Stefanía Svavarsdóttir – “Allt sem ég vil”
Björgvin Halldórsson took to the Eurovision stage in 1995 as Iceland’s representative (and his daughter Svala would later compete in 2017). He’s now teamed up with Stefanía Svavarsdóttir, who participated in Söngvakeppnin 2022. Their new song is “Allt sem ég vil” (“Everything that I want”). It’s a steady love duet that’s embellished with a Latin rhythm.
Aram Mp3 & Forsh – “Requiem”
Aram Mp3 has collaborated with fellow Armenian singer Forsh for the new single “Requiem”. A classic ballad, the pair are accompanied by strings and piano, which add drama to the final third of the song. On social media, Eurovision 2014 alum Aram Mp3 commented about the message of the song:
“It was an incredible honour to work with the great musician Forsh. ‘Requiem’ was born with our imagination and philosophy. Each of us has the answer in our souls – what would we do ‘if today were yesterday?'”
Jeronimas Milius – “Tavęs”
Jeronimas Milius represented Lithuania at Eurovision 2008. Despite serving rock-opera in Belgrade, his latest single is more on the pop side of the scale. The lyrics of “Tavęs” (“You”) see Milius searching for his ex-partner: “Losing himself / Loneliness in the city / I’m looking for / You”. The Lithuanian singer takes this search to the forest and the beach for the accompanying music video.
Click on the links below to read about other songs released in the past week by Eurovision stars:
Brooke – “Heartbreaker”
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.
If we go by YouTube views, Samira Said has more views than all the other songs in this list combined and not even a music video. Europe definitely misjudged what would become her enduring popularity over the next 5 decades and counting.
Why stomp down others careers to ensure one getting more highlighted?