New music this week (part 1): Songs from Sanja Vucic, LOBODA, Samra and more

The Eurovision 2023 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 many 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 48 part 1

With so many songs to cover this week, we’ve split this roundup into two bitesize halves. You can find part two by clicking here.

Note: We’ll be featuring the new festive-themed songs from Alexandra Rotan, THE ROOP and others in a series of separate articles during the run-up to Christmas.

Sanja Vučić & Nucci – “Djerdan”

“And I would put Djerdan around your neck / Sorrow in my eye, while you are going, I don’t watch […] When you get back to me, Mila, joy will flow”. A “Djerdan” is a necklace used as part of a national costume. Sanja Vučić has used it as the focus of her new single, which sees the two-time Eurovision star teaming up with rapper Nucci. The Serbian pair bring us a driving R&B-pop track that blends contemporary and traditional Balkan sounds.

Arilena Ara – “Dashuria Ime”

Arilena Ara puts her emotions front and centre of her new single and music video. “Dashuria Ime” (“My Love”) is a captivating orchestral ballad that Albania’s Eurovision 2020 entrant performs through the expression of her face and eyes. Lyrically, Arilena wonders where her loved one is, as she feels worthless without them: “My love, I don’t know where you are / At times in the wind, at times in the clouds / I feel you in my heart, you feel me / Crazy I am, crazy you are”.

Vaidas Baumila – Apžavai

After releasing a number of singles throughout 2022, Vaidas Baumila is rounding things off with a full studio album. There are nine songs on the LP, including pre-released tracks “Kunigunda”, “Tavo veidas”, “Apžavai” and “Žaižaruoja”. Lithuania’s Eurovision 2015 star worked with the same songwriting team for all nine of the songs, which helps Apžavai feel like a well-rounded project. Baumila took inspiration from 90’s Lithuanian pop rock for the record.

LOBODA – “ГОРОДА”

The people of Ukraine have had to flee to new “ГОРОДА” (“CITIES”) around the world due to Russia’s invasion. But through her new single, LOBODA wants them to know there will soon be a day when they can be near each other once again: “I would give everything in the moment / To be near / Very soon we will turn these pages / Soon in a pure sky / Birds will sing”. The Eurovision 2009 star reassured her fellow Ukrainians on social media that, despite the distance that has grown between them, love will always connect their hearts:

“I think we all feel that deep loneliness today and the desire to close our eyes and wake up and be there where there is no pain, no sorrow, no hate, just joy, laughter and love. We are scattered around the world, carried by a wild wave of life’s unpredictableness. We are scared. But even in the darkest sky, the sun rises and even in the loneliest heart, there is a place for love. Distances in love are conditional.”

Watch the music video here.

Patricia Kaas & L’Héritage Goldman – “Confidentiel”

The last time we had new music from Patricia Kaas was in 2016. But the six-year drought has finally come to an end. The French chanteuse has taken part in a tribute album for Jean-Jacques Goldman, one of France’s highest grossing singers. Kaas performs a cover of “Confidentiel”. The Eurovision 2009 star delivers an atmospheric version of the song with the constant humming of a backing choir.

Eurovision 1988 winner Céline Dion also appears on the album. The LP includes a previously unpublished version of “La mémoire d’Abraham”, which has been put together from old voice recordings. The song, composed by Goldman, was first released as part of the Canadian star’s 13th studio album D’eux.

Samra – “Qısqanma Məni”

As an artist in the spotlight, Samra naturally has many eyes on her. But despite the attention she receives, Azerbaijan’s Eurovision 2016 singer wants to reassure her partner that she’s still solely committed to them: “My attention is only on you / Know that I can’t let go of my art / Whatever anyone says to you, it’s wrong / Don’t be jealous of me”. Samra delivers this message through the R&B track “Qısqanma Məni” (“Jealous of Me”)

ALYOSHA – “Мене створив”

ALYOSHA wrote “Мене створив” (“I created”) several years ago, but the Ukrainian singer ended up continually postponing the release due to pregnancy, quarantine and war. However, the song is now finally seeing the light of day. It sees the Eurovision 2010 participant talking to God, questioning some of the bad things that have happened in the world. She eventually believes that such wrongdoings occur in order to change aspects of our own soul and that the answer is always inside of us. ALYOSHA explains further in the lyrics video’s description:

“When something bad happens, we cannot realise that it can be the same manifestation of [the creator’s] love, when we need to cause changes in us in this way in the soul […] I often ask the question to myself: who am I, why, why? Why are we still not aware of how to love truly, sincere, spiritually? We may not like something in life, but we produce all this. So, the question to whom? You can find the answer in yourself. Search and find!”

Sébastien Tellier & Metronomy – “J’en ai assez vu”

Metronomy are an English electronic music band. Earlier this year, they dropped the new album Small World. They’ve now released a special edition of the LP where the songs are reinterpreted by other artists. Eurovision 2008 star Sébastien Tellier is one of those to get involved and appears on a new version of “I have seen enough”. There’s not much difference in the music, but the lyrics are now in French with the new title “J’en ai assez vu”. 

Engelbert Humperdinck – “Starting All Over Again”

Engelbert Humperdinck’s latest cover is “Starting All Over Again”. The song was first released by American soul duo Mel & Tim in 1972. For his rendition, the UK’s Eurovision 2012 representative ditches the spoken word intro and dives straight into the song. He sings about beginning a relationship from the start in order to rekindle the friendship he and this person first had: “Starting all over again is gonna be rough, so rough / But we’re gonna make it / Starting all over my friend is gonna be tough, on us / But we gotta face it”.

Manu – Sunrise

The sun is rising on Manu’s debut album. Slovenia’s Eurovision 2016 singer has brought together 13 songs for the LP, including previous singles “All That Matters” and “Forever Flow”. There’s a mixture of influences incorporated into the album — a number of country-inspired tracks, but also a touch of alternative rock, summery pop, as well as Slovenian folk.

Sinplus – Waiting for the Dawn

Sinplus are finishing off the year with the new EP Waiting for the Dawn. Fans will already recognise three of the songs, as it includes pre-release singles “Dark Horse Running”, “Wildflower” and “Waiting for the Dawn”. The final two tracks continue the alternative rock and post punk theme. “Not Afraid” is a spirited track, while “Need to Believe” has more of an emotional kick to it.

Wig Wam – “Out Of The Dark”

The nights might be rather long across Europe at the moment, but Wig Wam are escaping “Out Of The Dark”. Norway’s Eurovision 2005 group deliver a glam rock track with guitar riffs and drums aplenty. In the lyrics, vocalist Glam discusses how he’s finally escaping from a doomed relationship. He notes that the other person was sucking his life force away like a vampire, but now he’s finally regaining his freedom: “Out of the dark tonight / My straight jacket is off / My freedom is won / Out of the dark tonight / Leaving behind everything / But the sun”.

Sunstroke Project – “Yummy Mommy”

At Eurovision 2017, Sunstroke Project sang “Hey Mamma” in order to appease a mother’s conscience that they would treat her daughter respectfully. But now the Moldovan band seem to have moved on from the daughter and are going after the “Yummy Mommy” instead: “Damn yo’ my yummy mommy / You got me runnin’ / Butterflies in my tummy / Got me spending all the money on you”. Sunstroke Project bring a funky track that’s naturally filled with plenty of saxophone instrumentals so Epic Sax Guy can do what he does best.

Rambo Amadeus – “Pod Rotacijom”

Rambo Amadeus’ new single is “Pod Rotacijom”. Get used to those two words, as you’ll be hearing them a lot during the song’s four and a half minutes. Montenegro’s Eurovision 2012 star takes turns with an uncredited vocalist to say each line of the song. For Amadeus, this involves repeating “Vozim pod rotacijom” (“I drive under rotation”) every two seconds. By the end, your mind will certainly be spinning under rotation.

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.