2011

Dino Merlin

About Quick Facts NameEdin Dervišhalidović Born12 September 1962 Nationality🇧🇦 Bosnian National SelectionInternal selection 2011Vaš šlager sezone 1999 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf1999 Jerusalem SongLove In Rewind (2011)Putnici (with Beatrice, 1999) Biography Dino Merlin, born Edin Dervišhalidović on September 12, 1962, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, is a renowned Bosnian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He grew up in the historic Alifakovac neighborhood of Sarajevo. Despite his mother’s initial reluctance, Dino pursued a career in music, forming his first band, Merlin, with childhood friends. Merlin’s early life was marked by his parents’ divorce when he was seven, leading him to be raised by his mother. His musical journey began with a gift of a guitar from his mother at the age of 12. By 14, he was writing his own songs, heavily influenced by Yugoslavian musicians like Bijelo Dugme and Zdravko Čolić. In university, he formed the band Merlin, which started his musical journey in earnest. Merlin’s early career was not without struggles. He had to work in a metal factory to support his family while trying to make a mark in the music industry. His perseverance paid off when he released his first album with his band in 1985. The band Merlin went on to record five studio albums, gaining significant popularity. During the Bosnian War, Merlin faced personal loss with several members of his band Merlin, including their long-time manager, being killed in attacks. This period marked a challenging phase in his life, leading to a brief contemplation of abandoning music. However, Merlin’s resilience and passion for music prevailed. In 1991, Merlin embarked on a solo career, releasing several successful albums such as “Moja bogda sna” (1993), “Fotografija” (1995), and the highly acclaimed “Sredinom” (2000). This album, in particular, became a massive hit, selling around 2,000,000 copies in the former Yugoslav republics. Merlin’s solo career also saw him perform at large venues, including a record-breaking concert at the Koševo Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo. Merlin’s music style is predominantly pop, incorporating elements of rock, folk, jazz, and classical music. His lyrics often explore themes like love, loss, nostalgia, and social issues. He has collaborated with various artists, including Haris Džinović and Goran Bregović, and has won numerous awards, such as the Zlatni melos, MTV Europe Music Awards, and Porin awards. Notably, Merlin represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest on several occasions. He wrote and performed “Sva bol svijeta” in 1993 and collaborated with French singer Béatrice in 1999 for the song “Putnici.” His contributions to music and culture have made him one of the most influential figures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the year 2000, Dino Merlin’s career continued to flourish, solidifying his status as one of the most prominent figures in the music scene of the Balkans. His album “Sredinom,” released in 2000, was a monumental success, becoming the top-selling album in Bosnia and Herzegovina and across the former Yugoslav republics. The album’s remarkable sales, estimated around 2,000,000 copies, set a new benchmark in the region. Merlin’s “Sredinom” tour comprised over 200 concerts, including a historic, record-breaking performance at the Koševo Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo, attracting an audience of approximately 80,000 people. In the subsequent years, Merlin continued to release successful albums, including “Burek” in 2004, “Ispočetka” in 2008, “Hotel Nacional” in 2014 and “Mi” in 2021. He was also deeply involved in the cultural and national identity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Merlin was invited by the Bosnian state government to write its first-ever national anthem, “Jedna si jedina,” which served as the state’s anthem until the late 1990s. His Eurovision participation continued, representing Bosnia and Herzegovina again in 2011 with the song “Love in Rewind.” In 2021, Merlin released the single “Jedan dan jedna noć”. followed in 2022 by “Krive karte” and “Kako da ti kažem”. In November 2023, his song “Skoro će zima” came out. Entries Love In Rewind Country🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Year2011 LanguageEnglish LyricsDino Dervišhalidović MusicDino Dervišhalidović BackingsMaya SarAida MušanovićEdvin HadžićNermin PuškarMahir BeatHouse Results Semi Points: 109Position: 5Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 125Position: 6Running order: 2 https://youtu.be/1VCS-qa1RGs?si=FBzGadMTDfxGNLZJ Putnici (& Beatrice) Country🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Year2012 Language🇬🇧 English LyricsDino Dervišhalidović MusicDino Dervišhalidović BackingsVesna Andrée-ZaimovićSelma Muhedinović?? Results Points: 86Position: 7Running order: 22 https://youtu.be/RRxgcossuOs?si=hKA-jipYhE8QZlkb

Paradise Oskar

About Quick Facts NameAxel Ehnström Born23 October 1990 Nationality🇫🇮 Finnish National SelectionEuroviisut 2011 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf SongDa Da Dam (2011) Biography Axel Ehnström, born on October 23, 1990, in Kirkkonummi, Finland, is a Finnish songwriter and musician recognized for his contributions to the music industry both as a performer and a songwriter. He gained international recognition as Paradise Oskar, representing Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with his song “Da Da Dam,” which placed 21st in the finals and won the Marcel Bezençon Press Award. Ehnström’s career is marked by his work with several notable artists and his involvement in gold and platinum-certified albums. He has collaborated with artists like Phoebe Ryan, Lost Frequencies, Isac Elliot, Anna Abreu, Christopher, Alle Farben, RAF Camorra, Dennis Kruissen, Madeline Juno, and Kasmir. Since joining Elements Music as a songwriter in 2013, he has achieved significant milestones, including co-writing Sofi De La Torre’s song “Vermillion,” recognized by Billboard as one of the best songs of 2014. His most notable works include featuring on Lost Frequencies’ single “All Or Nothing,” co-writing Deepend’s “Woke up in Bangkok,” and the co-writing of Alle Farben’s hit song “Bad Ideas.” Ehnström’s songwriting prowess was highlighted in both the 2016 and 2017 Finnish music industry reports by Music Finland, where he was recognized for having more international songwriting cuts than any other Finnish songwriter. In 2018, he was awarded the music export award of the year by the Finnish Music Publishers association for his contributions to the German music market. In 2022, Axel collaborated with Jyra for a song called “City Lights”. In October 2023 he teamed up with Mingue on the song “Fucking Lonely”. Ehnström’s personal life reflects his Swedish-speaking minority heritage in Finland, and he resides in Evitskog, Kirkkonummi. He adopted his stage name from Astrid Lindgren’s children’s book “Rasmus and the Vagabond,” where Paradise Oskar is a vagabond who plays the accordion, a name symbolizing his storytelling approach in music. His debut album, “Sunday Songs,” was released via Warner Music Finland on May 2, 2011. Entries Da Da Dam Country🇫🇮 Finland Year2011 LanguageEnglish LyricsAxel Ehnström MusicAxel Ehnström Backings– Results Semi Points: 103Position: 3Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: 57Position: 21Running order: 1 https://youtu.be/rQ98uBQxbBo?si=PKnoTE2PS_45h7An