2016

ManuElla

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameManuella Brečko Born31 January 1989 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenia National SelectionEMA 2016Misija Evrovizija 2011 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongBlue and Red (2016) Biography Manuella Brečko, also known as Manu (previously ManuElla), is a Slovenian singer and songwriter born on January 31, 1989, in Celje. She represented Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with her song “Blue and Red.” Her musical journey began at the age of 6 when she started playing the piano accordion. By the age of 9, she had picked up the bass guitar and began learning solo singing. At 12, she joined a music group and performed with them for 6 years. She showcased her talent on the second season of “Bitka talentov” (Battle of Talents) at 16. She also made a notable appearance in “Misija Evrovizija” (Mission Eurovision) in 2011, where she reached the semifinals while competing to represent Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku. After completing her studies at the Secondary School of Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, and Media in Celje, she graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Ljubljana in 2012 with a degree in production from a recording studio. In the same year, she collaborated with StereoTipi on the duet “Raztrgaj me nežno” (Tear Me Gently). Her debut solo song, “Il futuro,” was released in January 2013. The track was a collaboration with Kevin Koradin from the group Tide and Dutch producer Clifford Goilo, with lyrics penned by Manuella herself. That year, she also participated in the Slovenian popevka competition, securing the 5th position with “Zadnji ples” (Last Dance). In 2015, Manuella was invited as the sole Slovenian artist to the RetrOpatijski Festival, a retrospective celebration of the Opatija Festival, where she performed the song “Vozi me vlak v daljave” (Take Me on a Train to the Distance). On February 27, 2016, Manuella emerged as the winner of the Slovenian national selection, EMA, with her song “Blue and Red,” co-created with Marjan Hvala and featuring lyrics by Leon Oblak. Although she achieved the 14th place in the second semifinal of Eurovision 2016, her performance garnered attention. Later that year, she and Hvala relocated to Stockholm, Sweden. However, her subsequent attempt to return to Eurovision with the song “Glas” (The Sound) did not qualify for the final. In August 2019, Manuella married Hvala and changed her name to Emanuela Hvala. The couple decided to move back to Slovenia. In March 2020, she unveiled her first release under the new artistic moniker Manu, titled “Only Love.” Then, in December 2022, her debut album, “Sunrise,” was introduced to the world. Entries Blue and Red Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsLeon Oblak MusicManuella BrečkoMarjan Hvala BackingsMitja BobičMarjan HvalaLea SirkKarin Zemljič Results Semi Points: 57Position: 14Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/ulI3F1T82is

Kaliopi

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameKaliopi Bukleska Born28 December 1966 Nationality🇲🇰 North Macedonian National SelectionInternal selection 2016Internal selection 2012Skopje Fest 20009Nacionalen Evrosong 2006Skopje Fest 2002Skopje Fest 1998Skopje Fest 1996Jugovizija 1987 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm2012 Baku1996 audio preselection Song2016 Dona2012 Crno i Belo1996 Samo Ti Biography Kaliopi Bukle (born as Kaliopi Bukleska) is a well-known and prominent Macedonian and Aromanian artist, a vocal performer, composer, and lyricist. In her homeland, she is often referred to as the Pop Diva or the Queen of Macedonian pop music. Kaliopi was born on December 28, 1966, in Ohrid, and spent her childhood in Kichevo. She will be remembered for her victory in one of the early editions of the children’s music festival Zlatno Slavejche (Golden Nightingale) in 1976, with the song “Mojata učitelka” (My Teacher). Afterwards, Kaliopi continued her path to fame by participating in the choir of Zapro Zaprov Razvigorche, with which she took part in numerous tours in Czechoslovakia, Slovenia, and Austria from 1978 to 1980. She studied solo singing for four years. In 1984, Kaliopi won third place in the Yugoslav competition in solo singing, where she performed as the youngest classical music vocalist.She began her serious music career in the band Kaliopi, together with her former husband, songwriter Romeo Grill. The band recorded their first two songs, “Tomi” and “Nemoj da me budiš,” for Macedonian Radio. Initially, the group focused on performing at various festivals to successfully promote themselves in the wide Yugoslav music market. Their first successful Yugoslav hit, “Leo,” was composed by the renowned Macedonian composer Grigor Koprov. With this song, Kaliopi won the award for the best interpretation at the Opatija Festival in 1985, as recognized by accredited Yugoslav journalists. That same year, the group won first place at the Video Spot Festival with the song “Leto e avantura” (Summer is an Adventure). They also represented Yugoslavia at the International Mediterranean Festival in Tunisia, where they won second place. The following year, the band released their first album titled “Kaliopi.” They also participated in the prestigious Split Festival with the song “Da more zna,” winning the award for the best debut performer at the festival. The song itself became one of the most listened to. In 1986, the group once again won the first prize at the Video Spot Festival with the song “Ostani vo mene” (Stay in Me). Their second album, “Rodjeni” (Born), was released in 1987. The album contained nine previously unreleased songs, including the Yugoslav mega-hit “Bato (Rodzeni). Other notable hits from the time of the band Kaliopi include “Kofer ljubavi” (Suitcase of Love), “Ostani u meni” (Stay in Me), “Nebo mi sja” (The Sky Shines for Me), and “Bolero Lora.” Following the album’s promotion, they performed extensively throughout the former Yugoslavia and embarked on a major concert tour in the Soviet Union. This period of Kaliopi’s career was marked by numerous awards, including the “Young Fighter” award (1986), the award for the most popular TV personality by “Večer” (1986), the award for the best performer by “Nova Makedonija” (1986), the award for the best pop singer in the SFRY and Macedonia by “Ekran” (1986), and others. After successful promotion at numerous festivals, the band announced that they would no longer participate in national festivals. The only exception was the Yugoslav Eurovision selection in 1987, where they performed the song “Emanuel” and finished in 10th place. During their peak of popularity, Kaliopi and her former husband and band founder, Romeo Grill, moved to Switzerland, resulting in the disbandment of the group. They took a 10-year hiatus and ceased their active music career. However, their previously recorded audio and video materials continued to be present in the electronic media in North Macedonia. Kaliopi made a triumphant return to the Macedonian music scene in 1996. Her performance at the Skopje Festival with the song “Samo ti” (Only You), for which she won the Grand Prix, marked the beginning of a major comeback for the music industry. That year, Kaliopi was selected as the winner of the festival that determined the Macedonian representative for the Eurovision Song Contest. However, her song did not survive the audio preselection that was held in 1996. In 1997, Kaliopi won the Grand Prix at the Eurofest, a festival for pop melodies, with the song “Ne plači” (Don’t Cry). The following year, she participated again in the Macedonian selection for Eurovision with the song “Ne zaboravaj” (Don’t Forget) and finished in 9th place. In December 1998, Kaliopi released her first solo album (and third overall) titled “Obi Me” (Color Me). This album managed to gain a diverse fan base for Kaliopi since it offered new and authentic songs that resonated with the audience. The song “Obi Me” became a huge hit, ranking high on all the music charts. Other notable hits from the album include “Daj da pijam” (Let Me Drink), “Ne plači” (Don’t Cry), “Čergi” (Dances), and “Azija” (Asia). During this period, Kaliopi crowned her success with several awards, including Buba Mara for the best female singer in 1999 and 2000, as well as 12 Veličestveni awards for the best female singer and best album (“Obi Me”) in 1999 and 2000. In January 2000, Kaliopi started her promotional tour and released the new single “Daj da pijam” along with a music video. That same year, she founded her own production company, Kaliopi Music Production, which exclusively focuses on projects related to her work. In the remaining months of 2000, she embarked on a summer tour and began preparing for her second solo album. At the beginning of 2001, Kaliopi officially released her second album in collaboration with producer, arranger, and composer Darko Dimitrov. The album was titled “Ako denot mi e noќ” (If My Day Is Night) and contained 10 compositions with Kaliopi’s lyrics and music, as well as a bonus track – a reinterpretation of the old Macedonian folk song “Snošti minav pokraj vazi” (Last Night I Passed by the Vase). This album was a great success for Kaliopi. It

Nicky Byrne

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameNicholas Byrne jr. Born09 October 1978 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongSunlight (2016) Biography Nicky Byrne is an Irish singer, songwriter, radio- and television presenter. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1978. Byrne began his football career playing for Home Farm and St. Kevins Boys in North Dublin. He turned professional and joined Leeds United as a goalkeeper in 1995, playing for their FA Youth Cup winning team in 1997. After two years at Leeds, he played for Scarborough in a reserve game and had a trial game with Cambridge United before returning to Dublin to join Shelbourne. He later played for Cobh Ramblers and St. Francis F.C. in Ireland’s League of Ireland. On May 14, 2009, Byrne was a substitute for a Liverpool Legends XI team in a Hillsborough Memorial match. He represented the Republic of Ireland at various youth levels and is a fan of Celtic FC. In 2011, he played in a Celtic Legends XI match against a Manchester United Legends team. Byrne also participated in and won Soccer Aid 2014, scoring a goal in the match. In terms of music, Byrne joined the Irish boyband Westlife in 1998 along with Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden. With Westlife, he achieved numerous chart successes and sold over 55 million records worldwide. He also co-wrote many of the band’s songs. In 2016, he represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Sunlight.” Westlife reunited in 2018 and embarked on a tour in 2019 to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They also released new music, including the single “Hello My Love” from their album “Spectrum.” On television, Byrne has hosted and appeared on various shows. He hosted an edition of CD:UK in 2003 and the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in 2003. He has made multiple appearances on Children in Need and Comic Relief. Byrne narrated stage shows and hosted the Cheerios ChildLine Concert multiple times. He presented the Celebrity Sunday radio program on RTÉ 2fm in 2010 and hosted the reality TV show Football’s Next Star in 2012. Byrne co-hosted the TV talent show The Hit. He also hosted radio shows and a National Lottery game show. Since 2017, he has been hosting the Irish version of “Dancing with the Stars.” In 2020, he hosted RTÉ Does Comic Relief, and in 2021, he was announced as the host of the singing competition Last Singer Standing. Entries Sunlight Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsNicky ByrneWayne HectorRonan Hardiman MusicNicky ByrneWayne HectorRonan Hardiman BackingsJanet GroganJennifer HealingJay BolandIan WhitePaul Kenny Results Semi Points: 46Position: 15Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/ezJsUMD-y-I

IVAN

© EBU/Yhomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameAlexander Ivanov Born29 October 1994 Nationality🇧🇾 Belarusian National SelectionBelarusian National Final 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongHelp You Fly (2016) Biography Alexander Viktorovich Ivanov, also known by his stage name IVAN, is a Belarusian singer. He was born on October 29, 1994, in Homel, Belarus. At the age of eight, he began studying guitar at a music school. When he was fifteen, he formed a rock band called Brown Velvet where he served as the vocalist and guitarist. He initially enrolled in a linguistic institute but dropped out after two years. In 2009, Ivanov auditioned for the Mass Medium Fest and subsequently moved to St. Petersburg with his band Ivanov. They recorded several songs and he also played the lead role in the musical Romeo and Juliet. In 2013, Ivanov participated in the Russian TV show Bitva Chorov and achieved second place with the St. Petersburg choir conducted by Viktor Drobysh. To avoid confusion with another artist named Alexander Ivanov, he adopted the stage name IVAN, which also symbolizes the Slavic hero Ivan. Ivanov won the Pyat’ zvyozd contest in Yalta in 2014, granting him the opportunity to participate in the Intervision Song Contest 2015, which ultimately did not take place. In 2015, he competed on the Russian TV show Glavnaya stsenа (X-Factor) and secured second place. Following the show, he was mentored by Viktor Drobysh, who became his producer. Their collaboration resulted in Ivanov’s first song, “Krest i ladon’.” In 2016, Ivanov represented Belarus at the Eurovision Song Contest. Despite initially planning to include live wolves in his performance and appearing naked, these ideas were rejected by the contest organizers. He modified his performance, featuring holographic wolves instead. He did not advance to the final. In the years following Eurovision, Ivanov participated in various concerts, including Viktor Drobysh’s anniversary events, and released new songs with his band IVAN. In 2023, he appeared as a contestant on the TV show Mask as the character Caterpillar. Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ivanov was included in Ukraine’s sanctions list on January 7, 2023. This resulted in asset freezing, suspension of economic and financial obligations, termination of cultural exchanges and cooperation, and the revocation of Ukrainian state awards. Entries Help You Fly Country🇧🇾 Belarus Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsAlexander IvanovTimofei LeontievMary Susan Applegate MusicVictor Drobysh BackingsJimmy ClaesonHerman GardarfveAnna IsbäckMelanie My RosasKsenia Pavroz Results Semi Points: 84Position: 12Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/pM07r57QqGg

Rykka

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameChristina Maria Rieder Born13 March 1986 Nationality🇨🇦 Canadian National SelectionDie Entscheidungsshow 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongThe Last Of Our Kind (2016) Biography Rykka, originally named Christina Maria Rieder, was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. At the age of 15, they began taking guitar lessons and started performing at local community festivals. While attending Vancouver Community College for a two-year program, Christina also studied voice under Paula Kremer and frequently played music on the streets of Granville Island in Vancouver. In 2009, they relocated to Toronto to record their third independent album called “Straight Line” under the stage name “Christina Maria.” This album was produced with the assistance of Canadian producers David Baxter, Russel Broom, and Ryan Guldemond from Mother Mother. The album “Straight Line” was released in Switzerland by Little Jig Records in 2010. Rykka stayed in Switzerland and Germany, performing at various venues and even appearing on the popular German television channel “Sat.1 Frühstücksfernsehen,” which has an average viewership of 1 million people. They were also nominated for the Demotape Clinic at M4Music in Switzerland. In 2012, Rykka released their album “Kodiak,” which marked a significant shift in their musical career as they formally changed their stage name from Christina Maria to Rykka. The record was produced by Ryan Guldemond of Mother Mother, engineered by Shawn Penner, mixed by Warne Livesey, and mastered by Andy VanDette. It was released in Switzerland by Little Jig Records. Their fourth studio album, also titled “Kodiak,” was released in Canada in 2013 under Vissen Record, following its release in Switzerland the previous year. In the same year, Rykka won $100,000 in BC’s Peak Performance Project. Rykka had the opportunity to perform at BC’s well-known Squamish Valley Music Festival in 2014, opening for We Are the City, who were also winners of the Peak Performance Project. In 2016, they represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “The Last of Our Kind,” which they co-wrote with Jeff Dawson, Mike James, and Warne Livesey. Unfortunately, they placed last in the second semifinal of Eurovision 2016. The follow up of the Eurovision song was “Bad Boy”, which came out on 8 July 2016. On 4 November, their album “Beatitudes” was released. It was followed by a tour through both Canada and Switzerland. In January 2017 a video for the song “Runnin’ away” was released. In November another one, “Youth is wasted” was released. Rykka also participated in several songwriting sessions. Since 2018 Rykka formed a duo, Goldschatz, together with Timothy Jaromir. Their first single “Thick as theives” was released on 28 September of that year. Rykka performed with Goldschatz mainly in Switzerland. After the COVID19 lockdowns, Rykka released a new song on 26 March 2021: “Dreams/Death”. In November of the same year they released a follow up, “Louder”. In the same month, Goldschatz released a Christmas EP. It was also the year that they came out as bisexual and non binary, using the pronouns they and them. Rykka launched a project, where she announced being an astronaut artist going to Mars. The project was called Olympus Mons and contained videos, put online in September 2022. Entries The Last Of Our Kind Country🇨🇭 Switzerland Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsChristina Maria RiederMike JamesJeff DawsonWarne Livesey MusicChristina Maria RiederMike JamesJeff DawsonWarne Livesey BackingsBrandy ButlerTanja DanknerNyssina Swerissen Results Semi Points: 28Position: 18Running order: 3 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/96ENe3EYBE0

Greta Salóme

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameGreta Salóme Stefánsdóttir Born11 November 1986 Nationality🇮🇸 Icelandic National SelectionSöngvakeppnin 2016Söngvakeppnin 2012 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm2012 Baku SongHear Them Calling (2016)Never Forget (with Jónsi, 2012) Biography Greta Salóme (born in 1986, in Mosfellsbær in the west of Iceland) is an Icelandic pop singer, composer, songwriter, and violinist. Currently, she plays the second violin in the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra in Reykjavík. Starting at the age of four, Greta began her journey as a violinist and has since performed numerous classical concerts. In 2012 and 2013, Greta achieved success in the Icelandic preselection competition, Söngvakeppnin, for the Eurovision Song Contest. She won alongside singer Jónsi with their duet “Mundu eftir mér,” a song she wrote. Although they reached the final, they secured 20th place. Greta released her debut album, “In the Silence,” in November 2012, featuring ten new tracks. Between 2014 and 2015, Greta worked as a singer on Disney Cruise Line ships. In 2015, she released an Icelandic-language single titled “Í dag.” In 2016, Greta participated in Söngvakeppnin for the second time. She qualified for the final with her song “Raddirnar” and won with the English version, “Hear Them Calling.” She represented Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm but did not advance to the final, finishing in 14th place during the semifinals. In 2017, Greta announced a joint concert with Alexander Rybak. She also performed at the Icelandic preselection, Söngvakeppnin 2017, for the Eurovision Song Contest, where she introduced a new single called “My Blues.” In 2018, Greta wrote a song titled “Crazy” for the British preselection of the Eurovision Song Contest, which was performed by Raya but not selected to represent the United Kingdom. Additionally, she composed and wrote the title song, “Wildfire,” for the Icelandic animated film Ploey: You Never Fly Alone. Greta is also set to participated in an Icelandic production of The Phantom of the Opera. Greta released her single, “Mess it up,” on February 1, 2019. This was followed by the release of “Án þín,” her rendition of an old song, on June 8, 2020. Another notable release came in July 2021 with the debut of the song “Svartur hrafn.” Entries Hear Them Calling Country🇮🇸 Iceland Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsGreta Salóme Stefánsdóttir MusicGreta Salóme Stefánsdóttir BackingsPétur Örn GuðmundssonGísli MagnaHafsteinn ÞórólfssonKristján GíslasonLilja Björk Runólfsdóttir Results Semi Points: 51Position: 14Running order: 16 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/6osxLLPLUDk Never forget (with Jónsi) Country🇮🇸 Iceland Year2012 LanguageEnglish LyricsGreta Salóme Stefánsdóttir MusicGreta Salóme Stefánsdóttir BackingsPétur Örn GuðmundssonAlma Rut KristinsdóttirGuðrun Árný KarlsdóttirGísli Magna Results Semi Points: 75Position: 8Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: 46Position: 20Running order: 7 https://youtu.be/zRqmHRbJvTo

Highway

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersPetar TošićMarko PešićLuka VojdovićBojan Jovović Founded2015 Nationality🇲🇪 Montenegrin National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongThe Real Thing (2016) Biography Highway is a Montenegrin band. They were founded in 2013 by Petar Tošić, Marko Pešić and Luka Vojdović. They enjoyed listening to pop, rock, blues and jazz, and their Idol was Ed Sheeran. The band rose to fame when they participated in the 2nd season of X Factor Adria and ended in 4th place. Their audition song in The X Factor, “Bar na kratko”, also became their first hit. They participated in another contest, Sunčane Skale, with that song. They reached the 3rd place in the newcomer section of the contest. In October 2015, it was announced that they would represent Montenegro in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. On 23 November they presented their first song, “Sam”. A month later, Bojan Jovović, former member of No Name, joined the group. The song they brought in Eurovision, entitled “The real thing”, was presented in March 2016. At the Eurovision Song Contest itself, the band unfortunately didn’t manage to reach the final. The follow up of the Eurovision song, “Lud”, was released in October of 2016. On July 28, 2017, their video of the song “Što dalje” was published. In 2018, the band signed with Croatia Records. Their first successes were “Navika” and “Salt Lake City”. In 2019, they performed at the Miss Montenegro ceremony. In 2020, the journal CDM declared that the music video for the song “Navika” is one of the most beautiful Montenegrin music videos. In 2021, they were nominated at the Adria Muzzik Video Awards 2020 in the category of Best Rock Music Video for the song “Svijetlija Strana Ulice”. They lost to the music video for the song “Ti Si Taj” by the Serbian band Goblini. Also in 2021, they released their first album, “Skica Za Portret,” which includes 10 tracks, including 2 unreleased songs. Entries The Real Thing Country🇲🇪 Montenegro Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsSrđan Sekulović Skansi MusicSrđan Sekulović SkansiMaro MarketLuka Vojvodić BackingsNikola MarjanovićMarija Lazić Results Semi Points: 60Position: 13Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/FgKehisElQI

Jüri Pootsmann

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts Name Jüri Pootsmann Born 01 July 1994 Nationality 🇪🇪 Estonia National Selection Eesti Laul 2021 Eesti Laul 2016 In Eurovision 2016 Stockholm Song Play (2016) Biography Jüri Pootsmann (born July 1, 1994, in Raikküla) is an Estonian pop singer and television host. He is a baritone in terms of vocal range. He won the television show “Eesti otsib superstaari” (Estonia’s Got Talent) in 2015. In November 2015, Jüri Pootsmann released his first self-titled EP in collaboration with Vaiko Eplik, Sten Šeripov, and Kim W. On March 5, 2016, Pootsmann won Eesti laul, the Estonian final for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Play,”. At the Eurovision Song Contest, he placed last in the first semifinal and did not qualify for the final. He received the Male Artist of the Year award at the 2016 Estonian Music Awards gala, having been nominated in five categories (Album of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Debut Album of the Year, Best Song of the Year, and Album of the Year). In November 2016, Jüri Pootsmann released his second album, “Täna” (Today). Since 2018, Jüri Pootsmann has been a morning show host on the radio station MyHits. A year later, Jüri scored a hit with the song “Üksinda koos”. In November 2020, he qualified as a semi-finalist in the “Eesti laul 2021” (Estonian Song Contest 2021) with the song “Magus melanhoolia” (Sweet Melancholy). On March 6, 2021, the song achieved third place in the competition. On 18 November 2022, a new album was released: “Süveööde unetus”. It containted at least 5 hit singles. Entries Play Country 🇪🇪 Estonia Year 2016 Language English Lyrics Fred Krieger Stig Rästa Vallo Kikas Music Fred Krieger Stig Rästa Vallo Kikas Backings Silver Laas Dagmar Oja Kaire Vilgats Results Semi Points: 24 Position: 18 Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: – Position: – Running order: –

Lidia Isac

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameLidia Isac Born27 March 1993 Nationality🇲🇩 Moldovan National SelectionO Melodie Pentru Europa 2016O Melodie Pentru Europa 2015O Melodie Pentru Europa 2014O Melodie Pentru Europa 2013 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongFalling Stars (2016) Biography Lidia Isac is a Moldovan singer of Russian origin. She was born on March 27, 1993, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where her Moldovan parents met while studying. They moved back to Moldova when she was a few months old. Lidia graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences at Moldova State University in 2015. Lidia Isac started her musical career as part of the duo Glam Girls, formed with Sasha Druc. They participated in the Moldovan national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 and 2014 but didn’t make it to the final. In 2014, Lidia also took part in New Wave, a contest held in Jūrmala, Latvia. In 2015, Lidia entered the selection as a solo act and with Glam Girls, reaching the final but placing last. In 2016, she won the national selection with the song “Falling Stars” and represented Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, Sweden, finishing in seventeenth place in the first semi-final. In 2017, Lidia Isac appeared as a contestant in the sixth season of The Voice: la plus belle voix, the French version of The Voice. She advanced from the Blind Auditions but was eliminated in the Battle rounds. That same year, she also participated in the seventh season of the Romanian version Vocea României, where she joined Tudor Chirilă’s team but was eliminated in the Live Shows. On December 17 2018, her song “Aproape” was released. A year later, on 27 November 2019, it was followed by a new song: “Nomada”. After this, she teamded up with OZ Drive, which resulted in the song “Zabudem do zavtra”. In April 2021 Lidija started her own vocal studio in Chişinau. In October of the same year Lidia Isac gave a concert called “Chante la France!”, entirely with French songs. Entries Falling Stars Country🇲🇩 Moldova Year2016 LanguageEnglish LyricsGabriel AlaresSebastian LestapierEllen BergLeonid Gutkin MusicGabriel AlaresSebastian LestapierEllen BergLeonid Gutkin BackingsGabriel AlaresEllen Berg Tollbom DancersIuri Rîbac Results Semi Points:Position:Running order: Results Finals Points:Position:Running order: https://youtu.be/LlhV-E6leTI

Argo

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersChristina LachanaMaria VenetikidouVladimiros SofianidisKostas TopouzisIlias KezidisElekos Papadopoulos Founded2001 Nationality🇬🇷 Greece National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongUtopian Land (2016) Biography The Argo (formerly known as Europond) is a Greek band. They represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden, with the song “Utopian Land.” They competed in the first semi-final on May 10th but failed to qualify for the final. This was the first time since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004 that Greece did not manage to qualify for the final. The six members of the band are: Christina Lachana on vocals, Maria Venetikidou also on vocals, Vladimiros Sofianidis on vocals, Kostas Topouzis on the Pontian lyra, Elias Kesidis on percussion, and Alekos Papadopoulos on the davul. Before the contest, the band was known as Europond, but the name was changed for the purposes of the competition. Argo embodies a dynamic fusion, bringing together highly skilled music artists with notable educational backgrounds and impressive accomplishments, alongside passionate self-taught performers who channel their intense personal experiences to create impactful music. The band finds its main inspiration in hip-hop sounds, yet their compositions also incorporate resonances of folklore, particularly Pontian tunes, and traditional instruments like the lyre, which hold a significant place in the ancestral heritage of most band members. After the Eurovision Song Contest, Argo released a new video in September 2016, “Pame”. The song was followed by “Opos estroses na koimitheis” in April 2017. Entries Utopian Land Country🇬🇷 Greece Year2016 LanguagePontic GreekGreekEnglish LyricsVladimiros Sofianidis MusicVladimiros Sofianidis Backings– Results Semi Points: 44Position: 16Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/55ubbjAzwYA