New music this week: Songs from Joker Out, Marco Mengoni, Blanka and more

Although we’re officially into the Eurovision 2024 season, it will still be some time before we hear any national final and Eurovision songs. 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 the songs and music videos released recently by Eurovision stars.

New music from Eurovision artists: 2023 | Week 38

Joker Out – “Sunny Side of London”

“No one cares about your money / Or the colour of your face / Happiness and love / Are the only goals we chase / So welcome to the sunny side of London”. Joker Out have always wanted to create a safe space for their fans at concerts so they can just enjoy the music and be themselves. This is a theme the Slovenian band have now captured within their latest single. “Sunny Side of London” is a fun slice of indie rock, jampacked with riveting guitars that fans will no doubt enjoy at future concerts. The description of the music video gives more detail about the song’s message:

“‘Sunny Side of London’ is a metaphor for a Joker Out concert. The concert venue is a place where the band and the fans can feel at peace and at home, a place that accepts everyone no matter the precise geographical location. London was decided as the location on the band’s first UK tour, where the singer songwriter’s first morning view through the window of the tour bus was the Westminster’s Palace covered in the golden sun. Conversely, the music video is also mostly taken from the bands sold out UK tour of the past summer and shows the incredible relationship they have with their fans.”

Duncan Laurence – Skyboy

After a slight delay, Duncan Laurence’s sophomore album Skyboy is finally here. The Eurovision 2019 champion has recorded 11 songs for the LP, which includes previous singles “Electric Life”, “Skyboy” and “I Want It All”. The first half of the record is the ‘liveliest’ section, with some rousing glam-pop offerings. The second half then settles into more of a ballad theme, where the Dutch star delivers an emotional string of tracks that pull on hearts.

Douwe Bob – “Electric Life”

There’s been a lot of focus on Duncan Laurence this week, as it was also his episode of Beste Zangers 2023. The other acts in this year’s show all performed covers of Duncan’s tracks. This included Eurovision 2016 star Douwe Bob, who took on one of the songs from Duncan’s new album. Douwe added a new twist to “Electric Life”, infusing extra guitars and trumpets into the accompaniment.

Marco Mengoni feat. Franco126 – “Un’Altra Storia”

Marco Mengoni’s latest album, Materia, has gone 5x platinum in Italy. But that doesn’t mean the two-time Eurovision star is going to rest on his laurels, and he’s come straight back with the new single “Un’Altra Storia” (“Another Story”). Marco has teamed up with Franco126 to form a duet for the steady ballad. The pair sing: “Even now that you’re there alone / What do you have for smiling? / I swear it, I’m not joking / Do you remember when I told you, ‘I’ve only had you’?  / When it kills us, time flies by / We both know it, it’s another story”.

Alexander Rybak – “Kid”

“This song makes me feel silly and childish, and I hope you feel the same!” Ever since he jumped onto the scene by winning Eurovision 2009, Alexander Rybak has always had a “Kid”-like charm to his personality. And now the Norwegian violinist is confirming he doesn’t plan on letting go of this anytime soon. This new single features a fiddle melody during the intro and post-chorus in between Rybak’s lines: “But I don’t wanna grow up / S*** is perfect the way it is / Don’t wanna be like everyone else / So I’ll stay forever a kid!”.

Mikolas Josef – “Never Get Over You”

Mikolas Josef is stripping things back for his latest single. “Never Get Over You” is a raw ballad led primarily by acoustic guitar and the Czech singer’s gritty vocals. The Eurovision 2018 star sings of the heartache he’s been going through since his relationship ended. Mikolas doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to move on from this person: “You’ll always be my missing piece / The only one I’ll ever need / I’m wishin words were enough / To say this the way that I mean / I hate to admit but it’s true / I’ll never get over you”.

Blanka – “Rodeo”

Blanka has had enough of riding the “Rodeo” that her current relationship has turned into. The Polish star has decided it’s time to shake off this person and spend a bit of time letting loose: “I’m moving until the sun goes down / Oh, it’s getting hot and heavy now / I’m gonna have a real good time / Tonight, I’m fallin’ off your rodeo”. The catchy pop track perfectly captures this feeling of freedom and will certainly get others dancing along with Blanka. Though, don’t expect the Eurovision 2023 star to do any rodeo riding herself in the video — her attempt to get close to a horse doesn’t quite go to plan.

Roxen – “Infinit”

To “Infinit” and beyond. Eurovision 2021 star Roxen is showing just how far their love stretches. The Romanian singer can only think of one way to tell their lover just how much they mean to them: “And no words were invented / Or maybe I didn’t find them / To say what I hide inside me / I want you to infinity”. Musically, this new track is a steady ballad with a whistle motif mixed in between the guitars.

KALUSH & Skryabin – “То є Львів”

KALUSH is teaming up with legends of the Ukrainian music industry for a new upcoming EP. The first cut from the record is a new version of Skryabin’s “То є Львів” (“That is Lviv”). It’s a song that compares the history of Lviv to the life of a kind-hearted and sage man: “That is Lviv, my city, not made of simple dough / Moulded by years, friends and enemies / That is Lviv, an old, wise, gray-haired uncle / Everyone will have a piece to remember”. The production has been updated and KALUSH now takes the lead for the second verse. Writing on Instagram, the Eurovision 2022 winner notes:

“I wanted to give a new breath to Skryabin’s song ‘То є Львів’ so that not only everyone would remember it, but also so that it would be heard by both the older generation and the new one.”

Wild Youth – “All Again For You”

“This one is for our fans who never stopped supporting us. You guys asked for this song and [now] it’s yours”. Since Eurovision 2023, Wild Youth have been touring across a number of cities and countries where they’ve been performing “All Again For You”. Now the Irish band have shared it with us all. It takes a softer approach compared to their song for Liverpool, with a sadness in the lyrics that discuss the agony of a breakup: “I drink too much tryna find my way / While I cover up the tattoo of your name / Yeah, even the heartache and pain / I’d do it all again for you”.

Lindita – “Ain’t Ya Average”

There’s nothing “average” about Lindita Halimi. Albania’s Eurovision 2017 singer is serving up a self-affirming hip-hop track. Lindita knows she’s prime material (“They say ‘would I date myself?’ / Yeah, I would”) and she is going to make any potential suitors work for her attention because she only deserves the best: “Ain’t ya average chick / Best believe I put in the work / Best believe I know my worth / Better give me what I deserve”.

Natasha St-Pier – “Oh Happy Day”

There’s a smile stretching right across Natasha St-Pier’s face and it’s turning into an “Oh Happy Day” for her. France’s Eurovision 2001 star has recorded a cover of the classic gospel song, first sung by the Edwin Hawkins Singers in 1967. Natasha brings a joyful spirit to the song, accompanied by backing singers and a small band.

Kállay Saunders & anatu – “pain”

Hungary’s Kállay Saunders is suffering emotionally with everything happening around him. The Eurovision 2014 star is struggling with what people are saying and the pressure to live up to expectations: “Hate to see my mama crying / Cos she see how hard I’m trying / I wanna make her proud / I’m in pain / I’m tainted / Tired of things that they saying”. Saunders has collaborated with anatu for the deep R&B song, and they’re both joined by a backing choir to create a fuller sound in the final chorus.

zalagasper – “morski psi”

zalagasper are starting a new era of their music. It comes with a brand new duo dynamic because it’s Gašper who leads the vocals for “morski psi” (“sharks”), with Zala adding harmonies into the chorus. Slovenia’s Eurovision 2019 pair compare their emotions to the jungles and seas of the tropics: “A constellation is scattered in my heart, the sun is on my face / Motivation floats in the sea, I float on it / Sharks around my mind, where are the impressions? / What seemed important yesterday is now just a memory”. 

Luka – “Need You In The Light”

“Need You In The Light” is a very personal track for Luka. The Belgian singer’s grandmother is one of the many people who sadly suffer with dementia. To promote World Alzheimer’s Day on 21 September, Luka shared this new song along with a music video that features clips of the Eurovision 2020 entrant and her grandmother. It’s a very touching ballad with beautiful orchestral accompaniment. Luka layers her gentle voice over the top to complete the emotional track: “It hurts to know you feel insane and see you slowly fade away / It feels like I’m waiting for the day that you don’t even know my name / Don’t know what to say, you tend to slip away, missing conversations that we used to have / Hope you know that you don’t need to be ashamed”.

JJ – “Let’s Think With Our Hearts / Peace song”

Bulgarian singer JJ is hoping to spread some goodness throughout the world with his latest single. The Eurovision 2018 alum, and former EQUINOX member, has created a peace song entitled “Let’s Think With Our Hearts”. JJ discusses how we’re all blessed to live in the world we do. But we need to stop the disunity seeping through all elements of our lives: “People divide into black and white / People are dying in wars / And we live in the darkness of evil / Our minds are under control / But they can’t control our hearts / Let’s think with our hearts my friends / And overcome hatred with love”.

LPS – “Insomnia”

After a slight line-up change — electric guitarist Mark Semeja left the group and has been replaced by Martin Mutec — Slovenia’s LPS are now here with a brand new single. “Insomnia” is a lively pop-rock offering with extra layers added courtesy of synths amongst the guitars and drums. There’s a lot of growth from their Eurovision 2022 entry. Vocalist Filip sings about being unable to sleep because the song he’s trying to write is plaguing his mind: “Because when the lights go out and the door closes, I lay down, close my eyes and should be asleep / But it keeps me up, I can’t get the word out of my head, it haunts me like this song and it’s always with me insomnia / Insomnia is always with me”.

Vanna – “Navika”

Eurovision 2001 alumna Vanna has shared the new single “Navika” (“Habit”). Starting off slowly, the song then builds through the first chorus and retains a stronger beat for the remainder. The music video features an interpretive dance story about a man and woman, which accompanies the Croatian singer’s lyrics: “Because it’s just a habit / Just the habit of closing my eyes / And I dream of a man / Which should have come a long time ago / Oh, but I should have followed the path / That leads out of that darkness”.

Anna Rossinelli – Mother

Around 18 months after initially starting to write the songs for their sixth album, Swiss group Anna Rossinelli have now released the LP into the world. Mother features 12 songs — six of which have been shared as singles earlier this year — and they all stem from real-life experiences that lead singer Anna has gone through. In a note on social media, the Eurovision 2011 participant went into more detail:

“In the twelve songs I write about personal issues from my life: one is dedicated to my single mother, in another I process the relationship with my father who left us so early, and again others deal with my youth, aging and broken relationships. I’m curious to see if you might be able to identify with this song or the other and have had similar experiences as I did.”

MC Flair feat. Joanna Dragneva – “Вечно лято”

We may now be in autumn, but MC Flair and Joanna Dragneva aren’t ready to leave the last season behind them. Instead, they plan on living an “Вечно лято” (“Eternal summer”). Joanna was the vocalist for Deep Zone Project at Eurovision 2008 and provides the chorus here. MC Flair takes over for the verses, serving up some 1990s/2000s rap bars.

AMOS FLEUR – “Hydrogen”

“Hydrogen” was the first song Carlotta Truman (Germany, Eurovision 2019) and Simon Leander wrote together — the tune that founded their partnership as AMOS FLEUR. A dark and electro-infused alternative offering, the song has plenty of bite running through its pulsing beats that grips you from start to finish. Lyrically, Carlotta is struggling to leave a destructive relationship: “I know I will never let go even though / I want you out of my mind / You make me feel like I / Lose control of my hydrogen”. The duo discussed the song’s meaning further on Instagram:

“The song is about the irrational addiction for a toxic person – the addiction for the pain they give you over and over again, and you just can’t let go because of that high.”

Ilanit & Adam – “ללמוד שוב לעוף”

Ilanit and Adam’s new duet almost didn’t happen. Adam is currently battling cancer and so it was unclear whether the Israeli singer would be well enough to partake. But his passion to continue with music prevailed and he was able to head into the studio to add his vocals with two-time Eurovision star Ilanit. The result is the flowing ballad “ללמוד שוב לעוף” (“Learn to fly again”), all about hope and the ability of our souls to be renewed and take flight once again: “This is the time to photograph the soul on a transparent background / Grow forgiveness like a wing, learn to fly again / A time of kindness to find in the maze of mirrors also compassion / And to see that there is human light even in darkness”.

PAENDA – “get tough”

“1. You got to get tough, love / 2. Build yourself up, up / 3. No one does the work for you, be sure that you do / 4. Put yourself first / 5. Quench your thirst”. These are the new rules PAENDA is living by, with Austria’s Eurovision 2019 act making sure to strive forward. Her electro-dance-pop track is a great option for others to add to a motivation playlist as well. Writing on Instagram about the single, PAENDA noted why she wanted to give herself this reminder:

“Sometimes you need to be told not to back down, not to give up on yourself and to hold on to your dreams and beliefs. And since I don’t always have my mother around to tell me that, I wrote this song. For me and for everyone, whenever we need to be reminded.”

Tim Schou – “Guilty”

The second single from Tim Schou’s upcoming EP is “Guilty”. It’s a solid pop offering that adds an emotional touch through both the string accompaniment and the lyrics. Denmark’s Eurovision 2011 representative sings about the end of a relationship and how he has regrets about the ultimate breakup being his doing: “And now I’m onto the next one / I hope you find that someone / Who can love you just the way you deserve to / Forever, I feel guilty / ‘Cause I don’t love you like the way that you love me”. Tim took the inspiration for the song from real-life circumstances, explaining how he felt after his divorce:

“When my marriage ended, I felt guilty for letting go and not loving her enough. Even though the decision was mutual, I still struggled with guilt and felt it was not good enough. Despite everything, I wanted the song to sound uplifting and offer some hope in the music, even though the lyrics were sad. With the massive string arrangement and thick poppy synths, I hear hope and see light ahead, as I do when, for example, I listen to Coldplay or Jon Bellion, and I hope that can be heard in this song.”

Ilinca & Gadjo Dilo – “Gas Gas” and “Kibori”

If you think this roundup has been lacking some gypsy jazz music, then worry no more. Romania’s Eurovision 2017 representative Ilinca is here to provide some alongside her group Gadjo Dilo. They’ve dropped the fun songs “Gas Gas” and “Kibori”.

The former is a cover of Bosnian singer Goran Bregović’s original track. Sung in Romani, Ilinca sings about a “sexy rhythm” that the lower classes will always dance to (whereas the rich are “A bit fat for dancing / They look a bit dead). The yodelling star wants to continue grooving even after she’s passed away: “Even Good Lord is happy when the poor have fun / Make sure you bury me standing when I die / So I can continue dancing when I have a chance”.

“Kibori” was first performed by Mahala Rai Banda. Translating to “Daughter-In-Law”, the song sees someone telling their parents about the new person who will be joining the family (and also requesting some financial aid): “Look, mother, that’s your daughter-in-law / Daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law / She will bring you a lot of happiness / Oh God, happiness / Oh father, what shall I do? / I am dying for her”.

Kate Gulbrandsen & Oral Bee – “Fant Min Groove”

Kate Gulbrandsen represented Norway at Eurovision 1987, and she holds on to a slight 80’s style in her latest single “Fant Min Groove” (“Found My Groove”). It’s a collaboration with rapper Oral Bee, who provides the verses, then Kate joins for the chorus. Much like Kate, many listeners will find their groove by the end of the catchy track.

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.