Taya & Salena – Austria 2023


Last year in Turin they became a fan favourite with their EDM-banger “Halo”. Now, Austria is going down a new path. For the first time ever, two women will represent the nation at the contest. Teya & Salena will sing for Austria at Eurovision 2023.

On Tuesday 31 January, broadcaster ORF officially presented Teya & Salena as the Austrian act for Eurovision in Liverpool. The two girls first met at the Austrian talentshow Starmania 21. 

Teya & Salena will represent Austria with a self-composed song which they wrote in a Czech songwriting camp. Their song will be revealed on 8 March. 

 

Austria Eurovision 2023: Who are Teya & Salena?


Salena hails from Styria. She first bid to represent Austria in 2018 with “Behind the Waterfall”, but lost out to Cesár Sampson who represented the nation in Lisbon. Teya, who lives in Vienna, tried to represent Austria and later Serbia in 2020. Her song “Sudnji Dan” came 10th at Beovizija 2020.

The two girls have been rumoured to sing in Liverpool for a few days now. Eberhard Forcher, ORF’s very Eurovision scout, teased a “very feminine act” for Liverpool:

“…we have a […] contribution at the start, which also sounds DIFFERENT. In his way. We have never been in THAT form. So everything is going to be very, very exciting IRL. And I can already tell you one thing here: our act for Liverpool will be female this time. And how! …”

Teya expressed her excitement at her selection. She said: “Already as a child, I wanted to go to the Eurovision Song Contest because it embodied the idea that even big dreams can come true, no matter who you are and where you come from. I can hardly wait to get on that stage! Only then the seven-year-old me will believe that all this is real.”

Salena said: “My biggest childhood dream is just becoming true. Back then I watched Conchita on stage and told my parents that this is exactly what I want – an enormous stage and people who feel the same way about music as I do. From there on, I worked even harder on myself and my singing. For me, the ESC stands for diversity and is a place for people with visions and dreams like the ones us two have. The moment we both stand on the stage, sing the first lines and realise that an audience of millions is watching is probably the moment I am most looking forward to – it’s when the dream becomes reality.”

Austria’s Eurovision 2023 entry released on 8 March

Whilst fans expected a drag queen or even a girlband, it’s actually a female duo with an up-tempo song. The entry will be revealed on International Woman’s Day, 8 March. But what at first sounds like a female empowerment song from Austria, is said to be something else.

ORF’s program director, Stefanie Groiss-Horowitz, who was part of the selection commitee, explained: “[the song is a] happy dialogue between two friends which doesn’t fit in any musical box but still is enjoyable and catchy”.

Austrian fans helped choose the track and judged a reduced number of submissions before deciding on Teya & Salena as the most viable option.

Rumour has it Teya & Salena will sing “Edgar (Allan Poe)” in Liverpool. A leaked low quality audio snippet suggests the pair will sing an EDM-come-comedy concoction. 

What do you think about Teya & Salena? Which kind of song do you want see on stage representing Austria this year? Let us know in the comments below.

47 Comments
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Chupacabra
Chupacabra
1 year ago

Watched and listened to Salena several times live. She can sing, she knows to deliver. Even in weired circumstances. Glad, she is one part of the duo. Can’t wait March 8th, when their entry will B released. Been told, it will b a…. let’s keep it secret;-)

Mario
Mario
1 year ago

I listened to the song and it really is a crazy song consisting of many different parts. you actually cant describe it. but it will be a fan favourite for sure, not a top 10 material in my eyes though. the leaked snippet does not give the right impression. and no…. it is not a song about edgar allen poe.

Marijana
Marijana
1 year ago

How can you actually believe they were pulling of that poe song? Just listen to sudnji dan by Teya and you will see, that she is actually a great singer and serves quality music instead of trash – Salena might be too. They are such beautiful ladies.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago

They chose to reveal their date on March 8, which is international women’s day, so you think their song would be something about female empowerment something but if it’s about Edgar Allen Poe, then it doesn’t seem like a strategic release date, maybe just coincidental.

Mario
Mario
1 year ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

I think it refers to the act consisting of two women, but not to the song.

Anne
Anne
1 year ago

WHY? If this POE song is tue, then the failure is 100%
Who did pick this thing, reallyy??
Semi final 1 will be amazing and…Semi Final 2 will be so awful

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
1 year ago
Reply to  Anne

Being messy isn’t the same as failing. There’s been some iconic messes at ESC, which are cherished to date

lex
lex
1 year ago

felicia lu was right there, austria

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago

They are apparently the first female duo to represent Austria, not that really makes much of a difference

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
1 year ago

I just when through the whole article and it sounds like the most random (as in weird) entry we’ll ever get to hear at ESC

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
1 year ago
Reply to  Benito Camelo

* went, autocorrect went crazy today

Escfan
1 year ago

If the twitter leak is true, I dunno why tf Austrian Fans would’ve decided to pick that song.Here to hoping its not the song.

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
1 year ago
Reply to  Escfan

I just read the article and wondered the same, it’s just so… weird .-.

Zach
Zach
1 year ago

i sincerely hope that leak on twitter isnt true

Forrest
Forrest
1 year ago

So twitter seems to have leaked a bit of it and unfortunately it is quite dreadful. It’s about Edgar Allan Poe.

Jake
Jake
1 year ago

POE…POE…POE…POE…POE…POE…I was gonna marry him….

NDN
NDN
1 year ago
Reply to  Jake

Then I contacted those spell caster scammers on FB and they bought him back to me……

Ritoli
Ritoli
1 year ago

I heard the snippet for the song and it’s sure a troll attempt, there’s no way it’s Austria’s song, I refuse to believe this.

Kalla
Kalla
1 year ago
Reply to  Ritoli

Where do you it?

Escfan
1 year ago
Reply to  Kalla

someone posted a link to the snippet in the comments here

Jamie
Jamie
1 year ago
Reply to  Ritoli

It is though. It’s all over their PR.

Denis
Denis
1 year ago

All I think of is Sisters…
But I do wish them well, as I do with every country!

Mbappe
Mbappe
1 year ago

An EDM-come-comedy concoction which they wrote in a Czech songwriting camp? Brace yourselves…

Bebero
Bebero
1 year ago

Teya had amazing song for Serbian selection 2020 called SUDNJI DAN under name Thea Devy..

Colin
Colin
1 year ago

Congrats, Teya and Salena! Is there any chance they’ll sing in German? That would be a welcome novelty. In any case, I’m glad for them. I know that Teya (Thea) was so close twice before. Good for her.

Sara
Sara
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

They already confirmed that the song will be in english

Dawid
Dawid
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

not singing in english would actually help them out

Dani
Dani
1 year ago

If the leaked snippet on Twitter is real… let’s just say we have at least 36 other songs to enjoy.

Jghtl
1 year ago
Reply to  Dani

Is it bad?

Colin
Colin
1 year ago
Reply to  Dani

Link?

Dani
Dani
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

It’s at the end of the article but there you go: https://twitter.com/crystalballesc/status/1618260855581478915?s=46&t=6OQneyniV1p4zYD6gvQHug “Enjoy”

Colin
Colin
1 year ago
Reply to  Dani

Thanks for the link, but this surely isn’t their real entry, right? It doesn’t fit with the ”really feminine” description given. But this song, whatever it is, from this snippet, indeed sounds really bad.

Dani
Dani
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

Given that both singers changed their Instagram named to “whothehellis(insert singer’s name)” + Edgar Allan Poe’s shirts… we’re heading for a car crash.

Colin
Colin
1 year ago
Reply to  Dani

If they’re not trolling us, this will be *a choice*.Perhaps ”an iconic” mess on stage like some of the 2000s dance entries?

Dani
Dani
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

I don’t have high expectations for this entry but who knows what it will be like on stage? I could see that kind of iconic mess staging working really well though

Jamie
Jamie
1 year ago
Reply to  Colin

Sadly, it is. It is Austria’s real entry.

I’m dying.

Sol Stevia
Sol Stevia
1 year ago
Reply to  Jamie

Is it actually?!?!? OMFG LMAO!

Sol Stevia
Sol Stevia
1 year ago
Reply to  Jamie

Are 50000% sure?

Benito Camelo
Benito Camelo
1 year ago
Reply to  Dani

I just checked it out and thought “khè berga”

Dawid
Dawid
1 year ago

Sisters 2.0?

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago

I don’t know what their song will actually be, but they do know Edgar Allan Poe is an American writer, right? I hope they’re not mistaking him as an English writer.

Leo
Leo
1 year ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

But there is some relevance of him to Liverpool as he was name checked in the final real line of I Am The Walrus by The Beatles. We already have Slovenia having an alternative band called Joker out.

Karl
Karl
1 year ago
  • Mom, can we get Selena?
  • No, we have Selena at home.

Selena at home:
Salena

sam
sam
1 year ago

poe poe poe poe edgar allan poe
also the crystal ball said “better keep an eye out for…” SALENA

West
West
1 year ago
Reply to  sam

I really hoped Crystal Ball would be wrong with this being Austria’s song.

Leo
Leo
1 year ago

If the rumours are true, than, 2 years after this neighbourly duo had songs called Amen, they’ll both have a reference to I Am The Walrus, my fave Beatles song (in the case of Slovenia, having an act called Joker!Out to do with “don’t you think the joker laughs at you”. Edgar Allen Poe is namechecked a few lines later)

EDGAR ALLEN POE
EDGAR ALLEN POE
1 year ago

POE POE POE POE POE EDGAR ALLEN EDGAR ALLEN POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE POE