Bands

Piqued Jacks will sing for San Marino!

Piqued Jacks will sing for San Marino. After a very long evening the band has been chosen to sing the San Marinese entry “Like an animal” in the Eurovision Song Contest. Piqued Jacks will perform in the second half of the second semifinal. Here are the full results: Piqued Jacks, “Like an animal” Le Deva, “Fiori su marte” XGiove, “Fucco e benzina Mayu, “C’e qualcosa in me che non funziona” Eiffel 65, “Movie star” Edoardo Brogi, “Due punti sull’equatore” Ellynora, “Mama told me” Tothem, “Sacro e profano” EEF, “Something for you” Vina Rose, “Oblivious” The other songs were: Alfie Arcuri, “Collide” Deborah Iurato, “Out of space” Deshedus, “Non basterà” Iole, “Sui tetto del mondo” Kida, “Stessa pelle” Lorenzo Licitra, “Never give up” Mate, “Prisma” NeVruz, “L’Alieno” Ronela Hajati, “Salvaje” Roy Paci, “Tromba” Thomas, “23:23”

Slovenian Joker Out! presents “Carpe Diem”

photo: primož lukežič Tonight, the Slovenian band Joker Out! presented their Eurovision entry. The song is called “Carpe diem”, as was already revealed in an earlier stage. The song was presented after a show called Misija Liverpool. Joker Out will perform the song in the 2nd half of the 2nd semifinal.

Joker Out

© EBU/Chloe Hashemi About Quick Facts MembersBojan CvjetićaninJure MačekKris GuštinJan PetehNace Jordan Founded2016 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenian National SelectionInternal selection 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongCarpe Diem (2023) Biography Joker Out is a pop rock band from Ljubljana. They describe their style as “shagadelic rock’n’roll”. The band was formed in May 2016, after the breakup of the band Apokalipsa, in which Bojan Cvjetićanin, Martin Jurkovič, Matic Kovačič and Luka Škerlep played. Three of them – Cvjetićanin, Jurkovič and Kovačič – were joined by Kris Guštin and Jan Peteh from the group Bouržuazija and Joker Out was born. Their first public performance was at the Festival Na Gaj in May 2016. In November of the same year, they released their first single “Kot srce ki kri poganja”, for which they also recorded a music video. A few days later, on November 10, they had their first (preliminary) appearance in the Špil Liga, a talent show for bands. In the following months, they performed a lot on festivals and in television shows. They also competed for a performance in the finals of the Volkswagen Rocks tour. In the final of the Špil Liga they became the winners of its 4th season. In November, their second song “Omamljeno telo” was released. They kept on performing a lot in live shows, also in 2017 and 2018. Their next single “Gola”, in which they collaborated for the first time with producer Žaret Pak, was released on September 12, 2019. Before that, they had a break of about 8 months, which was the result of Cvjetićanin wanting to try a solo career, but in the end he found that working in a group suited him better. On 2 November 2019 they had their first completely independent concert, at the Ljubljana Castle, and in December they performed again at the Rhythm of Youth. “Goli” was followed by the fourth single “Vem da greš” in March 2020, and then “Umazane misli” (October 2020) and “A sem ti sajal” (July 2021). Jure Maček replaced drummer Matic Kovačič between the releases of “Umazanih misli” and “A sem ti sila”. The composition “Umazane misli” was chosen by the audience as the “newest Slovenian composition of the last year” at the festival Frišno/Fresh – Dan Nove Slovenske Glasbe, which took place on October 1, 2021. Their first album “Umazane misli” was released in October 2021. It was originally supposed to be released in April 2020, but its release was postponed several times due to COVID19. In those two years, they received two golden flutes: in 2020 for Newcomer of the Year and in 2021 for Artist of the Year. In April 2022, they released the music video for the last single from the first album, “Barve oceana”. On May 12, at the eighth awarding of the Golden Pipes, for the second year in a row, they celebrated in the performer of the year category. On August 31, they released their second album “Demoni”, which was announced by the song “Katrina”. On October 10, they announced on Instagram that bassist Martin Jurkovič was leaving the band due to studying abroad. For now, they continue as a quartet, and Nace Jordan accompanies them on their performances. “Katrina” was followed at the end of October by “Demoni”, their first single in Serbian, which represents their first official release for the market of the former Yugoslavia. On December 8, 2022, RTV Slovenia announced that Joker Out will represent Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool. With their song, “Carpe Diem”, they reached the final and were 21st there. Entries Carpe Diem Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2023 LanguageSlovenian LyricsBojan Cvjetićanin MusicBojan CvjetićaninKris GuštinJan PetehJure MačekNace Jordan Backings– Results Semi Points: 103Position: 5Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: 78Position: 21Running order: 24 https://youtu.be/3LXlPviGiWc

The Black Mamba

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersPedro TatankaMiguel CasaisMarco PombinhoRui Pedro “Pity” VazGuilherme “Gui” Salgueiro Established2010 Nationality🇵🇹 Porutgese National SelectionFestival da Canção 2021 In EurovisionRotterdam 2021 SongLove is on my side (2021) Biography In May 2010, Pedro Taborda ( aka Tatanka), Ciro Cruz and Miguel Casais formed The Black Mamba. They soon released their first album with the same name. In just over a year, they passed through London, Philadelphia, Luanda, Madrid and Seville on their debut tour, having also visited Brazil in 2013. In 2014, the band released their second album, “Dirty Little Brother”, after which a new national and international tour followed. In 2016, the band presented a series of concerts in acoustic format. In October 2018, the band presented the third album, “The Mamba King“. The next year, the Good Times Tour tour celebrated the band’s 10-year career, ending at the end of February 2020. In 2021, the band participated in Festival da Canção, the Portuguese national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. They won and represented Portugal in the contest in Rotterdam. Entries Love is on my side Country🇵🇹 Country Year2021 LanguageEnglish LyricsTATANKA MusicTATANKA Backings– Results Semi Points: 239Position: 4Running order: 12 Results Finals Points: 153Position: 12Running order: 7 https://youtu.be/qq9SceXaukA

Måneskin

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersDamiano DavidVictoria De AngelisThomas RaggiEthan Torchio Established2016 Nationality🇮🇹 Italian National SelectionFestival di Sanremo 2021 In Eurovision2021 Rotterdam SongZitti e buoni (2021) Biography In November 2015, a few years after their first meeting, David contacted bassist Victoria De Angelis with the aim of forming a group; guitarist Thomas Raggi, a friend of De Angelis, and drummer Ethan Torchio joined the group through an ad posted on a Facebook group. In 2016 the group took part in the Pulse – High School Band Contest and won it. For the first time they used the name Måneskin, a Danish word (translated into Italian as Moonlight). Danish is Victoria’s mother language. In the same year they debuted with the first official concert.In 2017 they took part in the X Factor talent show. They ranked in second place. Soon, their first EP was released.Their first studio album “Il ballo della vita” was released, accompanied by a documentary “This is Måneskin”, which was played in several cinemas. They opened on a concert of Imagine Dragons. Their single “Torna a casa” became a great success. The album was followed by a European tour in November 2018. In october 2020, their single “Vent’anni” from the new album was released. In March 2021 they took part in the Festival of Sanremo with the song “Zitti e buoni” and won it. In may 2021 they won the 65th Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. After the contest, “Zitti e buoni” became a worldwide hit.”Zitti e buoni” and “I Wanna Be Your Slave” also entered the top ten of the Billboard top 100 in the USA. Their 2017 cover of “Beggin’” also became a worldwide hit. It even reached the no. 13 spot in the Billboard list. The band went on a European promotional tour between June and July. The band’s eleventh single “Supermodel” was released on 13 May 2022, and was performed at the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 held in Turin. Entries Zitti e buoni Country🇮🇹 Italy Year2021 LanguageItalian Lyrics & MusicDamiano DavidVictoria De AngelisThomas RaggiEthan Torchio Backings– Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 524Position: 1Running order: 24 https://youtu.be/RVH5dn1cxAQ

Blind Channel

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts Group membersJoel HokkaNiko VilhelmJoonas PorkoOlli MatelaTommi LalliAleksi Kaunisvesi Established2013 Nationality🇫🇮 Finnish National SelectionUMK 2021 In Eurovision2021 Rotterdam SongDark side (2021) Biography Blind Channel is a five-, now six-man rock band founded in Oulu in 2013. The band itself defines its music with the term “violent pop,” which the band has used since its inception. After two self-published releases, Blind Channel participated in the 2014 Wacken Metal Battle. They won, and the prize was a performance in the festival Wacken Open Air. In the same year, the band signed their record deal with the Finnish company Ranka Kustannus.Their debut album Revolutions was released on October 1, 2016. In June 2016, Blind Channel was chosen to open for the Canadian band Simple Plan in Finland and all Baltic countries. In 2017, the band also opened for Royal Republic. Their second album Blood Brothers was released in April 2018, while in February, Blind Channel opened for Hollywood Undead, who played at the Helsinki Ice Rink. It resulted in the band opening for Hollywood Undead at four other European concerts as well. In May, Blind Channel played at Tavastiafor the first time as the main performer. Following the release of the album, the band went on a tour in June that included performances in Finland and abroad. In December 2018, Blind Channel toured the UK with All That Remains and Sevendust. After the tour, Blood Brothers was nominated for the Emma Gala in the category Rock Album of the Year. In November 2018, Blind Channel released their first single from their third album, “Over My Dead Body”. In March 2019, the band released a song called “Timebomb” in which Alex Mattson (Aleksi Kaunisvesi) was a visiting artist. With the collaboration, Blind Channel also ended up playing a joint gig later that year with him. The third studio album Violent Pop was released in April 2020. In October 2020, the band announced Alex Mattson would join the band as its sixth member. He plays samples, synthesizers and percussion in the band and produces the band’s music. In february 2021 the band won UMK, the Finnish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Dark side”, and thus represented Finland in Eurovision. In May 2021, Blind Channel signed an international record deal with Century Media Records, a record company focused on metal music under Sony Music. In August 2021, the band released the single “Balboa.” In November 2021, the Blind Channel released the single “We Are No Saints,” which, according to band members, reflects how they were pressured to become role models. At the end of 2021, the band was awarded the Kaleva Publicity of the Year award. Entries Dark side Country🇫🇮 Finland Year2021 LanguageEnglish Lyrics & MusicAleksi KaunisvesiJoonas PorkoJoel HokkaNiko Vilhelm MoilainenOlli Matela Backings– Results Semi Points: 234Position: 5Running order: 14 Results Finals Points: 301Position: 6Running order: 16 https://youtu.be/fOPGxQ4fgVw

Lovebugs

About Quick Facts MembersAdrian SieberFlorian SennSimon RamseierStefan WagnerThomas Rechberger Founded1992 Nationality🇨🇭 Swiss National SelectionInternal selection 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongThe Highest Heights (2009) Biography Lovebugs, a Swiss rock band from Basel, was founded in 1992 by Adrian Sieber, Sebastian “Baschi” Hausmann, and Julie Lagger. The band originated when Adrian placed an ad looking for a drummer, which led to their early success by winning a local talent contest. This victory enabled them to record their debut album, Fluff, released in 1994. Shortly after, Julie left the band and was replaced by Simon Ramseier on drums. The band’s momentum grew as they embarked on their first European tour in 1995 and released their second album, Tart. Their breakthrough came in 1996 when the single “Fantastic” climbed to number 40 in the Swiss charts, leading to a deal with BMG Ariola. In 2000, Transatlantic Flight hit number three in the Swiss charts, followed by their first number one album, Awaydays, featuring the hit single “Music Makes My World Go Round.” Over the years, the band saw lineup changes, with bassist Florian Senn and keyboardist Stefan Wagner joining. In 2006, their album In Every Waking Moment topped the Swiss charts, and the single “Avalon” featuring Lene Marlin became a notable success. After a hiatus and a Eurovision appearance in 2009, Lovebugs returned with their 2024 album Heartbreak City, marking their resurgence with a fresh lineup. Entries The Highest Heights Country🇨🇭 Switzerland Year2009 LanguageEnglish LyricsAdrian Sieber MusicAdrian SieberThomas RechbergerFlorian Senn Backings– Results Semi Points: 15Position: 14Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/bMv0nMrrScE?si=XGLpBh6u0kx_Z87j

Gipsy.cz

About Quick Facts MembersRadoslav ‘Gipsy’ BangaVojta LavičkaNoemi FialováTibor ŽidaMatěj ČernýOliver Lipenský Active2004-2013 Nationality🇨🇿 Czech National SelectionEurosong 2009Eurosong 2008Eurosong 2007 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongAven Romale (2009) Biography Gipsy.cz was a Czech Romani hip hop group renowned for their innovative fusion of hip hop and traditional Romani music. The band’s lyrics were primarily sung in the Romani language, with some songs featuring Czech and English. They have made significant strides in the music industry, gaining international recognition and acclaim. Early History and Formation: 2004-2008 In 2004, rapper Radovan “Radek” Banga released his solo album “Ya favourite Cd Rom.” Shortly thereafter, he met violinist Vojta Lavička and brothers Jan (upright bass) and Petr Surmaj (guitar and accordion). Together, they formed Gipsy.cz, blending their diverse musical backgrounds to create a unique sound. The band’s rise to fame began in 2006 with the release of their single “Romano Hip Hop,” from their debut album of the same name. This single reached the MTV World Chart Express and was later certified Gold in the Czech Republic. That same year, Gipsy.cz won the Discovery of the Year award at the Anděl Awards, marking their breakthrough into the mainstream music scene. In 2007, Gipsy.cz participated in the Czech national final for the Eurovision Song Contest with their song “Muloland,” finishing in second place. They achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Czech group to perform at the prestigious Glastonbury Festival. Additionally, their song “Jednou” was included in the “Gypsy Groove” compilation album published by Putumayo in 2007. The following year, at the 2008 Český slavík awards, they won the Rising Star of the Year award. With the song “Benga Beat”, they participated in the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest again. In June 2008, they released their second studio album, “Reprezent,” which reached second place on the World Music Chart in Europe and stayed there for four weeks. The album included the controversial song “A na závěr si s námi dejte trochu té Čunárny,” which mocked politician Jiří Čunek known for his anti-Roma comments. To avoid legal issues, Gipsy.cz released an alternate version of the song without the offending lyrics. Eurovision and Continued Success: 2009-2013 In January 2009, Jan and Petr Surmaj left the band. New members joined, including Tomáš Baroš on electric upright bass and Jan Sochor on accordion. This year marked a significant achievement as Gipsy.cz finally succeeded in representing the Czech Republic at the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow with their song “Aven Romale.” Unfortunately, they finished last in the first semi-final without receiving any points. In 2011, Gipsy.cz toured Australia as part of the Karavan Festival and released their third studio album, “Desperado.” This album showcased the band’s ability to blend diverse musical influences while staying true to their Romani roots. Two years later, they issued their fourth record, “Upgrade,” further solidifying their presence in the music industry. That was the last album, released by Gipsy.cz as a group. Throughout their career, Gipsy.cz has received several accolades. They were nominated for the Best Hip Hop Album at the 2005 Anděl Awards. In 2006, they received nominations for Best Album in the World and Best New Artist, winning the latter. Band Members The last lineup of Gipsy.cz included Radoslav Banga aka Gipsy on vocals, Tomáš Baroš on electric upright bass, Jan Sochor on accordion, and Viliam Didiáš on violin. Past members who contributed to the band’s success include Vojta Lavička on violin and vocals, Noemi Fialová on violin and vocals, Tibor Žida on guitar and vocals, Matěj Černý on bass, Oliver Lipenský on drums, and the Surmaj brothers, Petr on guitar and accordion and Jan on electric upright bass. With a discography that includes “Romano Hip Hop” (2006), “Reprezent” (2008), “Desperado” (2011), and “Upgrade” (2013), Gipsy.cz continued to inspire and innovate within the music world. After 2013, Radoslav Banga aka as Gipsy continued solo. Entries Aven Romale Country🇨🇿 Czechia Year2009 LanguageRomaniEnglish LyricsRadoslav ‘Gipsy’ Banga MusicRadoslav ‘Gipsy’ Banga Backings– Results Semi Points: 0Position: 18Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/F39OvgrEEpg?si=hEv9lZXnTrUNYgTo

Hooverphonic

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersGeike Arnaert (2021)Alex CallierRaymond GeertsLuka Cruysberghs (2020) Founded1995 Nationality🇧🇪 Belgian National SelectionInternal Selection In Eurovision2021 Rotterdam2020 Rotterdam (Cancelled) SongThe wrong place (2021)Release me (2020) Biography Hooverphonic is a Belgian band that formed in October 1995. The band originally called themselves Hoover, but later changed their name to Hooverphonic after discovering other groups were already using the Hoover name On 10 October 2008, Geike Arnaert, the lead singer of the band, announced she would leave the group by the end of the year to pursue her solo career. Arnaert had been working on solo material for a few months. The last concert Hooverphonic did with Geike was on 13 December 2008 in Tele-Club, Ekaterinburg, Russia. On 29 October 2010, Hooverphonic announced a new single on their website. The videoclip showcased fourteen possible singers but only one of them, Noémie Wolfs, proved to be the real successor to Geike Arnaert. On 4 November 2010, the new singer was announced on De Laatste Show at the VRT, the Flemish public broadcasting organization. On 26 March 2015, Hooverphonic announced that Noémie Wolfs would be leaving the band “in mutual agreement”. In April 2018, Hooverphonic introduced their new singer Luka Cruysberghs. They were supposed represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam. However, due to the corona crisis, that didn’t happen. Flemish tv VRT invited Hooverphonic to represent the country in the 2021 contest. In november 2020 however, the group announced that Luka Cruysberghs was no longer their singer. They also announced the return of Geike Arnaert. With Geike, they brought up their new Eurovision song “The wrong place”. They ended up in the final of the contest. Entries The wrong place Country Belgium Year2021 LanguageEnglish Lyrics & MusicAlex CallierCharlotte Foret BackingsMonique HarcumArnout HellofsStef Caers Results Semi Points: 117Position: 9Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: 74Position: 19Running order: 4 https://youtu.be/HbpxcUMtjwY Release me Country🇧🇪 Belgium Year2020 LanguageEnglish LyricsAlex Callier ComposersAlex CallierLuca Chiaravalli Backing Vocals– Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/lAqjksxc4iA

Waldo’s People

About Quick Facts MembersWaldoKaroliina KallioCapri VirkkunenPäivi SeloSami Lehto (not on stage)Karl Sinkkonen (not on stage)Kimmo Nissinen (not on stage) Founded1998 Nationality🇫🇮 Finnish National SelectionEuroviisut 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongLose Control (2009) Biography Waldo’s People is a Finnish electronic dance music group that became famous in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group is led by a talented musician known as Waldo, whose real name is Marko Reijonen. Waldo’s People created energetic and catchy dance music that captured the hearts of many fans in Finland and beyond. The band’s journey began in the late 1990s when electronic dance music was becoming very popular. Waldo’s People quickly made a name for themselves with their unique sound. They released their first album, “Waldo’s People,” in 1998. This album featured the hit single “U Drive Me Crazy,” which became a big success, reaching number 3 on the Finnish charts and even charting in Sweden. The album itself also did well, reaching number 6 on the Finnish charts. The success of this album was a significant achievement and helped the band gain even more popularity. Following their successful debut, Waldo’s People continued to produce great music. They released their second album, “No Man’s Land,” in 2000. This album included popular tracks like “I Dream,” “Let’s Get Busy,” and “1000 Ways,” the latter reaching number 4 on the Finnish charts. The album itself again reached number 6 in Finland. Their music is known for its upbeat and danceable tunes. In the early 2000s, Waldo’s People continued to influence the Finnish electronic dance music scene. In 2001, they released singles like “Remedy” and “Disconnected,” keeping their presence in the music scene alive. However, after a few years of success, the band took a break and was not as active. In 2008, Waldo’s People made a big comeback. They released a new single called “Back Again” on May 19, 2008, which reached number 1 on the Finnish charts. This comeback was followed by a compilation album, “Back Again: The Greatest Hits,” which included many of their popular songs and reached number 27 on the Finnish charts. This comeback was exciting for their fans, who had missed their energetic music. The following year, in 2009, Waldo’s People achieved another milestone. They released their third album, “Paranoid,” which reached number 13 in Finland. They were also selected to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. They performed the song “Lose Control” in the semifinals on May 12, 2009, in Moscow. Band members Sami Lehto, Karl Sinkkonen and Kimmo Nissinen were not on stage at the event. The performance was a success, and the band made it to the finals with the help of the jury votes. In the finals, they performed second to last. Although they finished in last place with 22 points, it was one of the highest point totals ever for a song that placed last in the Eurovision finals. This was still a proud moment for the band and their fans. In 2010, they continued to release new music, with singles like “I Wanna Be a Rockstar,” which reached number 15 in Finland, and “Jackpot,” which reached number 19. They followed up with more singles such as “Echo” in 2011 and “You” in 2014, maintaining their presence in the music industry. In 2019 Waldo’s People teamed up with Movetron for the song “Nousee”, Oku Luukkainen featuring in the song. Entries Lose Control Country🇫🇮 Finland Year2009 LanguageEnglish LyricsAri LehtonenKarimaWaldoAnnie Kratz-Gutå MusicAri LehtonenKarima DancersNiko VirtanenAnton Kasmir Jolma Results Semi Points: 42Position: 12 (saved by the jury)Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: 22Position: 25Running order: 24 https://youtu.be/D-Wr0z1_quw?si=sMCMIV8c4Qpc65K9