Blast from the past

🇬🇧 Blast from the Past: UK 1969

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today: one of the 1969 winners, the British one. United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest The United Kingdom started participating in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957. Five times it brought them the victory. Sandie Shaw was the first one in 1967, remember “Puppet on a String”? Lulu was the 2nd one, we are talking about this victory today. In 1976, they won again, now with the group Brotherhood of Man and the song “Save your kisses for me”. Five years later, Bucks Fizz got the trophy with “Making your mind up”. The most recent one was “Love shine a light” by Katrina and the Waves in 1997. Note that no less than 16 times, the UK got the 2nd place. National Final Lulu was selected internally by the BBC to represent the United Kingdom. In order to select the song, She performed six new songs in the BBC TV Centre in London on February 22nd. Viewers had a week to vote for the songs by postcards. Are you ready for love (5,560 votes, 5th) March (38,418 votes, 2nd) Come September (11,362 votes, 3rd) I can’t go on living without you (5,087 votes, 6th) Boom bang a bang (56,476 votes, winner) Bet yer (8,306 votes, 4th) Note that “I can’t go on living without you” was written by Elton John (!!) and Bernie Taupin. One of the rejected songs was called “Try it and see“, by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was later recorded by Rita Pavone, but it rose to fame with other lyrics. As “King Herod’s Song” it was a part of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Lulu Early life and 1960s Lulu was born on November 3, 1948, in Lennoxtown, Scotland. She was raised in Glasgow. Lulu’s career began in the early 1960s with her band, The Luvvers. Her breakthrough hit, “Shout,” released in 1964 when she was just 15, remains one of her most iconic songs. In 1969, she represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Boom Bang-a-Bang,” which ended in a four-way tie for first place. Further musical career Lulu continued her musical career in the 1970s with hits like “Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby)” and “The Man with the Golden Gun,” which was the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name. In the 1980s, she saw a resurgence in her career with hits like “I Could Never Miss You (More Than I Do)” and “To Sir With Love,” which also was the title track of a movie she starred in. Lulu’s relevance and appeal remained intact in the decades that followed. In the 1990s, she collaborated with Take That on a cover of “Relight My Fire,” which became a massive hit. She continued to release albums and singles in the 2000s and 2010s, exploring various genres and showcasing her versatility as a singer. Acting and television Lulu’s foray into acting was marked by her starring role in the 1967 film “To Sir, with Love” opposite Sidney Poitier. The title track, which she sang, became a No. 1 hit in the United States. Over the years, she made appearances in various TV shows and series both as an actress and as herself. She’s been a host and guest on numerous British television programs and has made appearances in radio shows and theater productions. Personal life Lulu has been married twice, first to Bee Gees member Maurice Gibb and later to hairdresser John Frieda. She has one son with Frieda. For Dutch and Belgian visitors: the most recent Eurovision Artists Magazine contains an article about Lulu. Boom Bang A Bang “Boom Bang-a-Bang” is an upbeat, bubblegum pop song. Its chorus is infectious, featuring the repetitive onomatopoeic title, which easily catches the listener’s ear and is designed for sing-alongs. The song was written by Peter Warne and Alan Moorhouse. The song won the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, but not alone. No less than four countries gained 18 votes. The song became an international hit and reached the #1 spot in the charts in Ireland and Norway. Strangely enough not in the UK itself; the song reached the 2nd place in the UK Single Charts.Notably was also the comment in one of the British newspapers: “Of course it will become a big hit. It will be translated into Hungarian and all the dialects of Mongolia, but it remains a lousy song.”

🇨🇭 Blast from the past: Switzerland 2006

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today: singers from six different countries coming together. Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest Switzerland participates in the Eurovision Song Contest since the very first moment, in 1956. They even organized the first contest, in the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano. They also won this contest in their own country. Lys Assia gained the first prize with her song “Refrain”. Lys took part twice after this, but didn’t win again. Until she passed away in 2018, she has been a welcome guest in the contest.The second, and last, Swiss victory was in 1988. Also this singer is not quite a nobody: it’s Celine Dion. Only famous in the French speaking countries in those days, the Canadian singer won for Switzerland with her song “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi”. A year later, she was the guest of honour in the contest. She sang “Where Does My Heart Beat Now”, which became her first worldwide hit.Although the country won only twice, Switzerland has a history with many top-5 places. The most recent one was in 2021, when Gjon’s Tears became 3rd with “Tout l’Univers”, getting the highest amount of votes from the juries. National final On 22 July 2005, SRG SSR idée suisse started accepting song submissions from interested composers, with the deadline set for 14th of October 2005. By 14th of December, it was revealed that the song chosen to represent Switzerland in Athens was penned by Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger. The song’s selection process involved a jury made up of members from Switzerland’s three major broadcasters: SF DRS (Swiss-German/Romansh), TSR (Swiss-French), and TSI (Swiss-Italian). Between November 25-27 2005, auditions for the song’s performers were held at Munich’s Olympia Studios. Siegel, in collaboration with a panel from SF DRS, TSR, and RSI, picked six artists from six countries to form the group named six4one for the Eurovision competition. The chosen song, “If We All Give a Little,” was introduced to audiences on 18 March 2006 during the SF1 program, Benissimo. Six4One Six4One was formed specifically for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006. The group’s name, which can be read as “six for one,” symbolized the unity of the six individual artists coming together for a single purpose, which was to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Their members are: Andreas Lundstedt Andreas Lundstedt is a Swedish singer best known as a founding member of the pop group Alcazar. Born on May 20th, 1972, in Uppsala, Sweden, he embarked on a solo career in the 1990s, releasing several singles. Andreas gained widespread recognition with Alcazar’s disco-centric hits in the 2000s. Open about his HIV diagnosis, Andreas has been an advocate for destigmatizing the condition. His charisma and vocal prowess have secured his place in Swedish pop history. Tinka Milinović Tinka Milinović is a versatile Slovenian artist recognized for her endeavors in singing, television hosting, and acting. Born on September 18th, 1973, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, she kickstarted her career in music before branching out into television. Tinka’s presence earned her various hosting gigs, including for popular Slovenian TV shows. Beyond music and TV, Milinović also ventured into the world of opera. Claudia D’Addio Claudia D’Addio is a Swiss singer who came into the limelight as a member of the band Six4One. Prior to her Eurovision stint, she was a participant in the third series of the reality show MusicStars in Switzerland, where she garnered attention for her vocal abilities. Post-Eurovision, Claudia continued her musical pursuits, but her presence in the mainstream media has been relatively limited. She remains a figure of interest in Swiss music circles. Keith Camilleri Keith Camilleri is a Maltese singer, most prominently recognized for his participation in the group Six4One. His versatile voice allowed him to experiment with various genres, cementing his place in the Maltese music scene. Besides Eurovision, Keith has been involved in local music events and productions in Malta. His commitment to his craft has made him a respected figure in Maltese entertainment. He took part in the Maltese preselections for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2004 and 2005. Marco Matias Marco Matias is a German singer of Portuguese origin. Born in Portugal, Marco showcased a penchant for music from a young age. His melodious voice and distinct style led him to explore various musical projects, both within Portugal and beyond. His involvement with Six4One was a significant milestone in his career, allowing him to connect with a wider audience. Outside of Eurovision, Marco’s contributions to the music scene are celebrated, especially in Portuguese-speaking circles. He participated in Internationalen Festival Jovem das Comunidades Portuguesas 2000 and in Die Deutsche Stimme 2003. Liel Kolet Liel Kolet is an Israeli singer who began her musical journey at a very young age. Born on July 11th, 1989, in Karmiel, Israel, she quickly gained recognition for her captivating voice and impactful performances. At just 14, Liel shared a stage with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, singing John Lennon’s “Imagine” in a peace rally. Her dedication to promoting peace through music led to collaborations with notable figures like Scorpions’ frontman Klaus Meine. If We All Give A Little “If we all Give A Little” was a typical Ralph Siegel ballad, with lyrics written by Bernd Meinunger. The song embodies a message of unity, peace, and understanding. As the title suggests, it emphasizes the power of collective effort, suggesting that even small contributions from everyone can lead to significant positive change. The lyrics speak to a global audience, urging cooperation and mutual support. In the contest, Switzerland was automatically placed for the final, due to a successful score in 2005. The song placed 16th in the final.

🇱🇺 Blast from the past: Luxembourg 1980

photo credits: Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Netherlands We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today: two cute ladies, but unfortunately also a sad story. Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest Luxembourg has triumphed in the contest on five distinct occasions. However, the twist is that not a single winner was of Luxembourgish descent. The champions Jean-Claude Pascal (1961), France Gall (1965), Anne-Marie David (1973), and Corinne Hermes (1983) originated from France. Meanwhile, Vicky Leandros (1972), a Greek by birth, has made Germany her longtime residence. National final In 1980, Luxembourg selected their song internally. It is not exactly known how. However, there is a video in which we can see something that looks like an audition. Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger composed a song. For the French lyrics of it, they teamed up with Jean-Paul Cara and Pierre Delanoë. The twins Sophie and Magaly were chosen to sing the entry. Sophie and Magaly Sophie and Magaly, French twin sisters, formed a musical duo. They were born in Neuilly-sur-Seine at 24 august 1962. They gained significant attention when they represented Luxembourg in the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest with “Papa Pingouin”, securing the ninth position. Despite this placement, the track witnessed tremendous commercial acclaim in France, selling over a million copies. Their subsequent release, “Arlequin”, didn’t fare well, leading their German producer Ralph Siegel from Ariola to part ways with them. Another producer, Charles Talar, stepped in, but the duo’s later tracks, “Toi” and “Les nanas de Zorro”, failed to capture the audience, resulting in their disbandment. When Sophie and Magaly, still minors at the time, entered into a contract with Ralph Siegel, their parents lacked insight into the standard practices of the showbiz world. The agreement they made with Siegel ensured only a minimal percentage of the sales would go to the sisters. In April 1982, during a prime-time slot on TF1’s “Droit de réponse”, Magaly opened up about their earnings. She revealed that they each had been paid a mere 5,000 francs (equivalent to 762 € before adjusting for inflation), despite their record sales surpassing a million 45 rpm units. Further, she shared that Siegel had chosen to discontinue his professional relationship with them and was unwilling to revisit the terms of the contract, maintaining that it was already fair and binding. Years later, in 2005, French songwriter Jean-Paul Cara corroborated that Siegel’s intention was never to propel Sophie and Magaly to stardom. He had enlisted them specifically for that one song. Tragically, in the late ’80s, Magaly was diagnosed with HIV, culminating in her passing from AIDS on 2 april 1996. Sophie, grappling with severe depression, resided in southern France until her death on 27 February 2019. Papa Pingouin As said, the song was written and composed by Ralph Siegel and Bernd Meinunger along with Pierre Delanoë and Jean-Paul Cara. The song delves into the whimsical daydreams of the main character, a restless penguin who envisions himself soaring like a seagull and journeying globally, recounting several imagined destinations. By the song’s conclusion, the penguin discerns that existence “on the ice floe” isn’t as dismal as he perceived. Symbolizing his relinquished wanderlust, he “sets his suitcase ablaze.” The song reached the 9th place in the Eurovision Song Contest in Den Haag. Additionally, Sophie & Magaly produced a German rendition of the track titled “Papa Pinguin.” A 2006 animated rendition by the penguin Pigloo propelled the song back into the limelight in France, topping the SNEP Singles Chart for a trio of weeks. With its 27-week chart presence, it ranked as the fifth most popular single in France for that year. Additionally, the tune made its mark on the Swiss Singles Chart, securing the 24th spot. Its German counterpart, “Papa Pinguin”, gained traction in German-speaking regions, climbing to fourth place in Austria and securing the sixth position in both Germany and Switzerland.

🇫🇷 Blast from the past: France 1958

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. And we immediately start off with something really old. We go back to France 1958! France in the Eurovision Song Contest No less than 5 times France won the Eurovision Song Contest. Not only André Claveau (1958), the man we will talk about today, won the contest. Two years later it was Jacqueline Boyer who won with “Tom Pillibi”. Again, two years later, in 1962, Isabelle Aubret won the contest with “Un premier amour”. Frida Boccara was one of the 4 winners in 1969 with “L’oiseau et l’enfant”. And the last one was Marie Myriam in 1977. She sang “L’oiseau et l’enfant”. But note also that in 1991 Amina had as much points as the winning Carola (Sweden). However, Sweden received more times 10 points, so Carola won. Marie Myriam National selection André Claveau was selected internally by French broadcaster ORTF. On the 7th of February, 5 singers (not Claveau himself) sang one song each. However, they knew they were not going to represent France in Eurovision, as André was already chosen. The songs were: Parigi Roma, sung by Charles Dumont (but not in the link) Héléna, sung by René Denoncin (again, the link brings you to the version of another singer) Musique magique, sung by Jocelyn Jocya Dors mon amour, sung by Hubert Giraud (this is Claveau’s version, no version of Hubert Giraud could be found) Tape dans tes mains, sung by André Richin (The song could not be found online) The full results of the contest are not known, but “Héléna” seems to be the runner up after “Dors mon amour”. Jocelyn Jocya André Claveau André Claveau, was born on 17th December 1911 in Paris. In the 1930s, he started performing in small clubs in and around Paris. By the 1940s, Claveau was already a household name in France, with a string of hits making regular appearances on French radio. The pinnacle of Claveau’s career came in 1958 when he represented France in the Eurovision Song Contest. He charmed the international juries and secured France’s first victory in the competition. Claveau was very down to earth: winning the Eurovision Song Contest didn’t mean he wanted to stay among the rich and wealthy. In stead, he was happy he could by a new cow for his farm! Parallel to his singing career, Claveau also demonstrated his talent as an actor. He starred in a number of French films in the 1950s, most notably the musical comedy Pas de vacances pour Monsieur le maire in 1951. His charm and charisma translated seamlessly to the silver screen, and his acting roles only increased his popularity. However, with the arrival of rock and roll in the 1960s, Claveau’s traditional style of music fell out of favour with the younger audience. His popularity waned, and he found it increasingly difficult to compete with the new musical wave. As a result, Claveau decided to retire from public life by the end of the decade. André Claveau, photo credits: Nationaal Archief Dors Mon Amour The title “Dors mon amour” translates to “Sleep, My Love” in English. This title reflects the tender sentiment of the song, which is essentially a lullaby sung by a lover to his beloved. The lyrics, written by Pierre Delanoë, depict the singer soothing his lover to sleep, promising that in her dreams she will find a world full of happiness and love. The composition by Hubert Giraud complements the lyrics with its gentle, melodic flow, effectively capturing the song’s warm and calming essence.

Blast from the past: Belgium 1973

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today, we will have a look at 1973, when Nicole and Hugo represented Belgium with the song “Baby baby”. Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest Belgium is one of the countries that participates in the Eurovision Song Contest from the first moment on in 1956. The only Belgian victory came in 1986, with Sandra Kim and her song “J’aime la vie”. However, in recent years Loïc Nottet (2015) and Blanche (2017) reached the top-5, both with a 4th place. National Selection In 1973, the national final Liedjes voor Luxemburg was held on February 25th. The song presentation can be found on Youtube, sound only. Although five quite big names in Flanders participated, Nicole and Hugo were the big favourites, as they missed the contest in 1971. Rita Deneve, “Ga met me mee”, 0 pt., 4th Nicole and Hugo, “Jij en ik en wij”, 0 pt., 4th Ann Christy, “Bye bye”, 1 pt., 3rd Kalinka, “Nooit ga ik van je heen”, 0 pt., 4th Liliane Dorekens, “Morgen”, 0 pt., 4th Rita Deneve, “Vrede voor iedereen”, 2pt., 2nd Nicole & Hugo, “Baby, baby”, 4 pt., 1st Ann Christy, “Meeuwen”, 0 pt., 4th Kalinka, “Home sweet home”, 0 pt., 4th Liliane Dorekens, “Kiss, Kus, Kuss”, 0 pt., 4th For the Dutch speaking: a lot of information about the national final can be found in “Van Canzonissima tot Eurosong – 65 jaar Belgische preselecties voor het Eurovisie Songfestival“, written by André Vermeulen. Nicole & Hugo The duo existed of Nicole Josy (Nicole van der Palm, born October 21st 1946) and Hugo Sigal (Hugo Verbraeken, born November 10th 1947). Both had a solo career before they met in 1970. Nicole already attempted to go to Eurovision in 1968. The first success of the duo came in 1971, when they won Canzonissima, the Belgian preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Goeiemorgen, morgen“. Unfortunately, Nicole got jaundice and had to stay in bed. The duo was replaced at the contest in Dublin. In December, 1971 became their happy year after all: Nicole and Hugo married. Two years later, they won the Belgian preselection again, and now they were able to go to Eurovision. Unfortunately they came last, but no one ever forgets the purple suits the duo was wearing. In 1974, they proved their success on another contest: the World Popular Song Contest in Tokyo, where they placed 2nd. It brought them several international tours in the 1970s. In 1984, they toured throughout the world on a cruise ship. A comeback came in 2004, when Nicole and Hugo participated in the Belgian preselections again with the song “Love is all around“. Although they didn’t win, the song became a hit. It was followed by several hits in Dutch like “Ik denk aan jou“, “Verliefd“, “Pastorale” and “Schietgebed“. In 2015 the duo decided to retire. On November 4th 2022, Nicole Josy passed away. Baby, Baby The song the duo sang at Eurovision in 1973, “Baby, baby” was composed by Ignace Baert, with lyrics from Erik Marijsse. A very remarkable line in the song was one Nicole sang: “Een vrouw kan niets alleen” (A woman can’t do anything alone). The song reached the 28th place in the Belgian charts. In Eurovision, most of the countries awarded it 5/10 or less, only Monaco and Spain awarded it with 6/10 votes. Therefore, the song became 17th and last.

Blast from the past: Sweden 2002

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today, we will have a look at 2002, when Afro-Dite represented Sweden with the song “Never let it go”. Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest Sweden is one of the most succesful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest. Their first entry came in 1958. Their first victory came in 1974 (Abba with “Waterloo“). The country also won the prize in 1984 (The Herreys with “Diggi-loo diggi-ley), 1991 (Carola with “Fångad av en stormvind“), 1999 (Charlotte Nilsson with “Take me to your heaven“), 2012 (Loreen with “Euphoria“) and 2015 (Måns Zelmerlöw with “Heroes“). National selection For the first time, the Swedish national selection did not last only one evening. Four rounds and a 2nd chance round (andra chancen) ended up in a final with 10 songs. Former participants Friends, Kikki Danielsson, Elisabeth Andreasson (Bettan), Lotta Engberg and Jan Johansen were among the candidates. This is the full list of the final: Afro-Dite sings “Never let it go“, 248 pts., 1st Brandsta City Släckers sing “Kom och ta mig“, 88 pts., 5th Javiera sings “No hay nada más“, 71 pt., 6th Barbados sings “Världen utanför“, 90 pts., 4th Hanna & Lina sing “Big time party“, 43 pts., 9th Östen med Resten sing “Hon kommer med solsken“, 33 pts., 10th Friends sing “The one that you need“, 46 pts., 8th Kikki, Bettan & Lotta, “Vem é dé du vill ha“, 100 pts., 3rd Jan Johansen, “Sista andetaget“, 65 pts., 7th Méndez, “Adrenaline“, 162 pts., 2nd Afro-Dite Afro-Dite is a Swedish pop group, which originally consisted of Gladys del Pilar, Blossom Tainton Lindquist and Kayo Shekoni. Gladys Del Pilar had previously participated in Melodifestivalen in 1994, where she became 2nd with her song “Det vackraste jeg vet“. The group won the Swedish Melodifestivalen in 2002 with the song “Never Let It Go.”. They also participated in Melodifestivalen 2003 with the song “Aqua Playa” and came seventh. In 2007 they released a new album which was released as a download on their website. Just in time for Stockholm Pride 2011, Jonas Hedqvist released a new version of the single “I am What I am” together with the group Afro-Dite. The group made a comeback and participated in Melodifestivalen 2012 with the song “The Boy Can Dance“. They came 5th in the first part of the competition and were thus eliminated. In 2015, Kayo Shekoni left the group and was replaced by Jessica Folcker. Never let it go The song “Never let it go” was a swinging, uptempo song. The song was written and composed by Marcos Ubeda, who previously wrote the winning lyrics of “Take me to your heaven” in 1999. After “Never let it go” Marcos wrote numerous songs for Melodifestivalen, but never won it again.

Blast from the past: Cyprus 1984

We know a lot about Eurovision; this is knowledge we want to share with you. Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today, we have a look at 1984, when Andy Paul represented the country with the song “Anna Mari-Elena”. Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest The first Cypriot entry entered the stage in 1981. Although Cyprus never won Eurovision, there were some huge successes. Cyprus was very close to winning back in 2018, when Eleni Foureira reached the 2nd place with her “Fuego”. National selection Official lists of the 1984 Cypriot national final are never published. Whether there was a live broadcast or an internal selection is not known. However, there are live recordings of several songs going on throughout the internet. We were able to distill a list of four songs, involved in the contest: *.”Anna Mari-Elena“, sung by Andy Paul, 1st*.”Htes”, sung by Lia Vissi-Piliouri, 2nd*.”Thimame“, sung by Yiannis Dimitrou, 3rd*.”Triantafila tou mai”, sung by Jimmy Makulis, 4th Jimmy Makulis had previously represented Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, in 1961. Lia Vissi-Piliouri had to wait one more year; she was the 1985 Cypriot contestant. Yiannis Dimitrou and his song “Thimame” were supposed to represent Cyprus in 1988. The song was disqualified because it already took part in the 1984 national selection. Andy Paul Andy’s real name is Andros Pavlou. In the early 1960’s, he moved to the United Kingdom. As more Greek artists in the United Kingdom do (think about George Michael), Andros took a more English name: Andy Paul. His career as a singer started with performances in a pub, where he took part in a talent contest, he won with an Elvis imitation. It got him a contract at the pub. In 1983, Andy Paul released his first record: “Heartbreak situation”. The song was produced by the famous producers trio Stock, Aitken and Waterman. A year later he was chosen to represent Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song can be found on his 1986 album “Andy Paul”. An international disco hit followed in 1988: “Now that I’ve found you“. He also released an album, “Andy Paul”, in the same year. In 1989 a new album was made. Andy Paul is still performing. He currently sings songs from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, especially on weddings and other parties. Some material can be found on his website. Anna Mari-Elena The song “Anna Mari-Elena” was an uptempo disco song written by Paul himself. At the Eurovision Song Contest in Luxembourg the song was not a hot favourite to win the contest. Greece, very often supportive for Cyprus (if not always), did not take part. However, there was a country that gave it’s 12 to Cyprus: Yugoslavia. Denmark awarded the song with 10 points, but only Sweden, Ireland (4 points) and France (1 point) had Cyprus in their top-10. The song ended up in a 15th place.

Blast from the past: Romania 2004

We know a lot about Eurovision; this is knowledge we want to share with you. Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Back to 2004, when Sanda represented Romania with “I admit”. Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest In the Eurovision Song Contest, Romania did not do bad, but real top scores were yet to come. It was “Tell me why”, the song with which Monica Anghel and Marcel Pavel reached the 9th place, the best score so far. In 2003, Nicola became 10th. That was enough for Romania to be placed directly in the 2004 final. National selection The Romanian national selection contained two semifinals: one with 12 and one with 11 songs. On March 13, Dan Teodorescu and Nicola hosted the national final with, again, 12 songs. The contest was held in the TVR TV-Studios in Bucharest. Supermarket with “De 2 ore te astept“, 12th with 0 points Nico with “Feeling snow white“, 9th with 4 points Shake with “Music”, 11th with 1 point Andra with “Just a little love“, 2nd with 17 points Elena Cârstea with “Don’t be afraid“, 4th with 16 points Paula Seling with “Perfect“, 6th with 8 points Salamandra with “Într-o zi“, 6th with 8 points Maria Radu with “All this time“, 2nd with 17 points Sanda Ladoşi with “I admit“, 1st with 24 points Parlament with “Tot pe ea“, 5th with 9 points Alexandra Ungureanu with “Happy“, 9th with 4 points Hara with “Lovely“, 6th with 8 points Sanda Sanda Ladoși was born in Târgu Mures, Romania, on january 2nd 1970. She started making music at a very young age. It was in 1988 when she first won an award at the Mamaia festival. She won the contest again in 1994 in duet with Ștefan Iordache. Sanda released four albums in the nineties. In 1999 she took part in the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Five years later she was a participant again, but this time she won. Her Eurovision song “I admit” was included in her fifth album “Khalinin”, which was released in 2006. After this album, she decided to withdraw from showbusiness and become a mother. She has 2 children now. A few years later, Sanda Ladoși came back with shows and concerts, but also developed a new passion. She became a circus acrobat. In addition, she appeared as a guest in many plays at the “Constantin Tanase” Magazine Theater. In 2017, Sanda Ladoși became deputy director of the Metropolitan Circus in Bucharest. I admit The Eurovision Song “I admit” was an uptempo song. “I admit I fell for you so badly and I admit you make my senses wild”, Sanda sang. You can find the full lyrics of the song here. During the performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Istanbul, Sanda was joined by to singers and 3 dancers. She was wearing a black romper suit. The act was more of a dance act than a singing act. Results The voting became a big disappointment for Romania. With 10 points, awarded by the Spanish jury but furthermore only a few points from Cyprus (3), Israel (1) and Portugal (4), Romania ended up with a total of 18 points and an 18th place.

Blast from the past: Denmark 1958

We know a lot about Eurovision; this is knowledge we want to share with you. Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Back to 1958, when Denmark was represented by Raquel Rastenni with “Jeg rev et blad ud av min dagbog”. Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest Hey, wait… it was only 1958! In Hilversum, The Netherlands, the 3rd Eurovision Song Contest was about to take place. Denmark expressed the wish to participate in 1956 already, but that didn’t happen. In 1957, Birthe Wilke & Gustav Winckler represented the country, ending their performance with the famous long lasting kiss. They ended up 3rd. How on earth could a performance be more spectacular than that one? Dansk Melodi Grand Prix The national final was held on February 16th in studio 2 of Radiohuset in Copenhagen. Six songs competed in the contest that was hosted by Sejr Volmer-Sørensen: Nanina, sung by Bent Weidlich Jeg rev et blad ud av min dagbog, sung by Raquel Rastenni For altid, sung by Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler Evas lille sang, sung by Preben Uglebjerg Mit gamle hakkebræt, sung by Preben Neergaard Refræn, sung by Raquel Rastenni After the presentation of the songs, the winner, song no. 2, was announced. No other results are known. Raquel Rastenni Raquel Rastenni was born as Anna Rachel Rastén, August 21 1915, in Copenhagen. She began her career as a dancer in the Helsingør Revyen in 1936 and had her debut as a singer in 1938. She also had her radio debut in that year. In 1940, she formed her own swing trio. That same year, her first record was released. She also toured in Sweden at the time. Being Jewish, Raquel had to flee to Sweden in October 1943 with her family due to the occupation. She spent the rest of the war years here, where she continued her success. In 1945, Raquel Rastenni returned to Denmark, and in the following years she became Denmark’s leading singer. Among her successes were “Vovsen i vinduet” (1953, Danish version of the English song (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?) And Heksedansen (1960). In the 1970s, she expanded the repertoire with Jewish songs. Her best-selling record was “Hele ugen alene” (1953), which sold over 120,000 copies. She was the first Danish artist to achieve a gold record for a million. sold gramophone records. She continued to receive awards throughout her career. She represented Denmark in the 1958 Eurovision song contest. She participated twice more in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix. In 1961 she sang a duet with Grethe Sønck, “Hjemme hos os“, which ended in a shared 5th place, and as a soloist in 1964 with the song “Vi taler samme sprog”. During the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East in 1973, she sang a backing track for Israel with Yiddish and Hebrew songs; she often visited the country and in 1975 was inscribed in Jerusalem’s so-called Golden Book. In the late 1980s, she retired from public life. She passed away in Skodsborg in North Sealand four days before her 83rd birthday. Jeg rev et blad ud av min dagbog “I tore a page out of my diary, every little word I regret my dear”, that was what Raquel Rastenni sang. The full lyrics can be found here. Sven UIrik and Harry Jensen co-wrote the song. Kai Mortensen was the conductor in Hilversum. On stage, Raquel Rastenni literally did what she sang: she tore a page out of her diary. Results Three countries all had one vote for the Danish song: Sweden, France and The Netherlands. That brought Denmark to an 8th place out of 10, which was much less successfull than the year before. photo credits: Beeldengeluidwiki

Blast from the past: Bosnia and Herzegovina 2006

We know a lot about Eurovision; this is knowledge we want to share with you. Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Back to 2006, the Bosnian entry, Hari Mata Hari with “Lejla”. Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest The Bosnian participation in the Eurovision Song Contest has not been a success story so far. With a 7th place for Dino and Beatrice in 1999 and a 9th place for Deen in 2004, Bosnia and Herzegovina was not quite the country to be afraid of. Something had to change. Internal selection On February the 9th, 2006, RTBiH (Radio Televizija Bosná i Herzegovina) announced that Hari Varešanović was going to represent the country in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest in Athens. Hari was the singer of the famous Bosnian group Hari Mata Hari. The group was going to join Hari on stage in Athens. On the 5th of March, during a live television show, the song “Lejla” was presented to the audience. Hari Mata Hari Hari Varešanović grew up in Vratnik, one of Sarajevo’s oldest towns. He recorded his first song “Zašto da ne uzmem nju”. In 1979, Hari joined the group Zov. Furthermore, Varešanović sang with the group “Ambasadori“, with whom he became a professional singer. After serving his military service he recorded a solo album called “Zlatne kocije”. That was in 1984. In September 1985, Hari Varešanović, won a song contest and founded the music group “Hari Mata Hari”. That same year, they released their first album. In 1986, Pierre Zalica – “Badzo” and Zoran Kesic left the group. They were replaced by pianist Adi Mulihalilović and bass guitarist Neno Jeleč, who would eventually be replaced by Željko Zuber. Their 1986 album, “Ne bi te odbranila ni cijela Jugoslavija”, won the award for best album of the year. They took part in Jugovizija, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, in 1986. They became 5th with “U tvojoj kosi” and in 1987 they gained the 14th place With the song “Nebeska kraljica“. In 1988, Hari started filming for the production company Jugoton in Zagreb. The album “Ja te volim najviše na svijetu” has sold over 300,000 copies. The next album “Volio bih da te ne volim” sold over 500,000 copies. The break-up of Yugoslavia and the wars that followed left a mark on the group’s career. In 1991, Edo Mulahalilović left the group to start his own career. At the end of 1991, the group released another album. After that album, most of the activities stopped, due to the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In late 1994, the group released their next album, while they were refugees in Germany. This album was made by Harry and Izo only. It was only in 1997 or 1998 when the group reunited. The group consisted of (except Harry and Izo) Karlo Martinović, Miki Bodlović, Adi Mulihalilović and Emir Mehić. They returned to the music scene with an album of greatest hits, released in 1998. In 1999, Hari Varešanović was selected to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Eurovision Song Contest. However, he was disqualified due to problems with the song’s status. Hari sold the song “Starac i more” to Finland in 1997. Finnish singer Janne Hurme recorded the song in Finnish, called “Sydänveri“. Together with Hank Paldum, Hari recorded the duet “Crni snijeg” in 2001. In the same year, the album “Baš ti lijepo stoje suze” was released with a couple of hit songs. In 2002, the song “Ruzmarin” became an instant hit. Hari Mata Hari was one of the 6 finalists at the Croatian Radio Festival. Also, in 2002, Hari Mata Hari won the Davorin Award for Song of the Year with “Kao domine”. In 2003, Hari Mata Hari took part in the Croatian Radio Festival twice again. At the Festival of Split, the group competed with the song “Zakon jačega”. Later that year, the band released their next album, entitled “Zakon jacega”. In 2006, Hari Mata Hari was asked again to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2007, the group released the single “Zar je to još od nas ostalo”. In 2009, the band released the album “Sreća”. Nihat Voloder left the group and was replaced by Željko Zuber. Lejla The song “Lejla” was a love song. It was a typical Balkan ballad. No miracle, as it was composed by Željko Joksimović, who also was successfull as a singer for Serbia and Montenegro in 2004. The lyrics were written by Fahrudin Pecikoza and Dejan Ivanović. Pecikoza also wrote the 1993 Bosnian entry “Sva bol svijeta” ánd the disqualified entry “Starac i more” for Hari Mata Hari. The lyrics of the song can be found here. Results Although Finland was the clear favorite to win the contest, it was also clear that Bosnia and Herzegovina was going to do well. And the country díd! The first twelve points coming in were for Bosnia and Herzegovina. No less than nine (!!) countries gave it their ‘douze points’. With a total of 267 points, Bosnia and Herzegovina had its best score ever: a 3rd place. So far, this is still the best score.