Female Artists

Sinéad Mulvey

About Quick Facts NameSinéad Mulvey Born22 January 1988 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurosong 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongEt Cetera (& Black Daisy, 2009) Biography Sinéad Mulvey is an Irish singer and performer. Born on January 22, 1988, in Dublin, Sinéad displayed a passion for music from an early age, which later propelled her into the spotlight. Her first major breakthrough came in 2005 when she participated in the Irish television talent show You’re A Star. Following this success, she joined a stage production of Cinderella, where she further honed her performance skills and showcased her versatility as an entertainer. In 2009, Sinéad represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. Performing alongside the pop-rock group Black Daisy, she competed with the song “Et Cetera”. Since then, Sinéad has, as far as we know, not remained active in the music and entertainment industry. Entries Et Cetera (& Black Daisy) Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2009 LanguageEnglish LyricsNiall MooneyJonas GladnikoffDaniele MorettiChristina Schilling MusicNiall MooneyJonas GladnikoffDaniele MorettiChristina Schilling BackingsJenny Newman Results Semi Points: 52Position: 11Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/iYwys-Pe6Lc?si=wON0PFpWihUOi7RV

🇲🇪 Montenegro: Nina Žižić returns to Eurovision

Nina Žižić returns to Eurovision. She will represent Montenegro after the band NeonoeN withdrew. They decided not to participate with their song “Clickbait”. The song was already performed before September 1st of this year. That was reason for the EBU to investigate the case. Nina Žižić was the runner up of the Montenegrin national final Montesong. Her song “Dobrodošli” was the favourite of the jury. Due to a lower score at the televote, Nina didn’t win. However, today Montenegrin broadcaster RTCG announced that she will represent Montenegro in the 2025 contest. It’s not the first time Nina Žižić represents Montenegro. In 2013, she was on stage accompanying hip hop band Who See. They performed the song “Igranka”, but unfortunately did not reach the final. And now Nina Žižić returns to Eurovision. The song “Dobrodošli” is written and composed by Violeta Mihajlovska, Boris Subotić and Darko Dimitrov. Due to the early stage of selection, we don’t know whether the song will be in the first or second semifinal. Montenegro’s Eurovision history Montenegro first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest as an independent nation in 2007, following its split from Serbia and Montenegro. Despite its small size, the country brought diverse entries ranging from Balkan ballads to modern pop. Montenegro achieved its best result in 2015 with Knez‘s “Adio,” a traditional ballad composed by Željko Joksimović, which finished 13th in the final. However, financial constraints and challenges in qualifying for the final often hindered its success. After withdrawing in 2020 and after due to funding issues, Montenegro will now return to the contest.

Blast from the past: Yugoslavia 1991

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 go back to 1991, when Baby Doll represented Yugoslavia with her song “Brazil”. Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest Yugoslavia debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961. Already in their 2nd year, Yugoslavia reached a high score (4th) with Lola Novaković and her “Ne pali svetlo u sumrak”. Unfortunately, it was hard for the country to break that record. In 1983, the country reached the 4th place again with Danijel Popović and his “Džuli”. The English version of that song “Julie” became a worldwide hit. But Yugoslavia had to await their first and only victory until 1989. Riva won the contest with “Rock me”. Only three more Yugoslav entries followed, but the country fell apart. In 1992 they had their very last entry. Riva Jugovizija 1991 The Yugoslav national final was called Jugovizija. Eight regional television stations all had their contributions and their jury. In 1991, the contest was held on 9 March in Sarajevo. 16 songs participated: Tedi Spalato sang “Gospode moj”, 29 pts, 5th (HTV, Zagreb) Zorana Pavić sang “Ritam ljubavi“, 26 pts, 6th (TVBg, Belgrade) Milica Milisavljević-Dugalić sang “Sta će nebo reći“, 20 pts, 10th (TVPr, Pristina) Baby Doll sang “Brazil“, 68 pts, 1st (TVBg, Belgrade) Miran Rudan sang “Ne reci goodbye“, 5 pts, 15th (TVSl, Ljubljana) Jelena Džoja sang “Čuvaj se ljubavi“, 9 pts, 13th (TVSa, Sarajevo) Margarita Hristova sang “Daj mi krilja“, 3 pts, 16th (TVSk, Skopje) Vesna Ivić sang “Ime“, 11 pts, 11th (TVNS, Novi Sad) Ivana Banfić sang “Daj, povedi me“, 57 pts, 3rd (HTV, Zagreb) Helena Blagne sang “Navaden majski dan“, 25 pts, 7th (TVSl, Ljubljana) Šeri sang “Da li već spavaš“, 6 pts, 14th (TVBg, Belgrade) Ponoćni express sang “Pjesma o tebi“, 22 pts, 8th (TVCg, Titograd) Tony Cetinski sang “Marina“, 22 pts, 8th (TVNS, Novi Sad) Danijel Popović sang “Ma daj obuci levisice“, 66 pts, 2nd (HTV, Zagreb) Anastasija Nizamova-Muhić sang “Molitva“, 11 pts, 11th (TVSk, Skopje) Zerina Cokoja, “Bez tebe“, 52 pts, 4th, 52 pts, 4th (TVSa, Sarajevo) Danijel was the hot favourite to win the competition. However, Yugoslavia was about to fall apart. In June 1991, Croatia and Slovenia declared their independence. Four months before that, the political tension was very high. The result was that the jury of TVSl, TVSa and TVSk did not vote for any of the Serbian songs. TVBg and TVPr did not vote for Danijel, the latter did not vote for the other Croatian entry either. However, both juries gave “Brazil” their maximum number of points. That is what brought Baby Doll her victory. Danijel Popović Baby Doll Bebi Dol or Baby Doll, born Dragana Šarić on October 2, 1962, in Belgrade, is a prominent Serbian and former Yugoslav pop-rock singer. Raised by her jazz musician father, Milisav Šarić, she began her career in the late 1970s with the band Tarkus before co-founding Anoda Ruž with Goran Vejvoda in 1981. Following the band’s short run, she embarked on a solo career and gained fame with the 1981 single Mustafa, which won Song of the Year. In 1983, her debut album Ruže i krv earned her acclaim and established her popularity across Yugoslavia. Bebi Dol’s style evolved with each release, from the oriental-inspired Inš-Alah in 1986 to the dance-influenced tracks on her 1995 album Ritam srca. Her 1991 Eurovision entry, Brazil, remains iconic despite placing low, a result often attributed to Yugoslavia’s political turmoil. Her 2002 album Ljuta sam received mixed reviews, but she continued performing, venturing into cover albums like Čovek rado izvan sebe živi in 2006. In 2009, she participated as a finalist in the reality show Farma, appearing again in 2013 and 2015. Eight years later, she competed in the fourth season of Tvoje lice zvuči poznato, though she did not make it to the finals. In 2018, she entered the reality show Zadruga, but was quickly eliminated. In 2020, she appeared as a special guest in the series Tajkun. Brazil “Brazil” was written by Dragana Šarić herself, with music composed by Saša Habić and Zoran Vračević, the song blends Latin-inspired rhythms with Balkan pop, creating a vibrant, energetic piece. Known for its catchy melody and exotic flair, Brazil highlighted Bebi Dol’s theatrical style and ambitious staging, featuring elaborate costumes and dynamic choreography. Despite its popularity at home, the song faced challenges on the European stage, likely influenced by the tense political climate in Yugoslavia at the time. Ultimately, Brazil scored only one point at the contest, finishing in last place. However, the song later gained recognition as a unique Eurovision entry, maintaining a dedicated following among fans for its creativity and Bebi Dol’s distinct performance.

Blast from the past: Belgium 1981

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 go back to 1981, when Emly Starr represented Belgium with her song “Samson”. Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest Belgium is one of the countries that participates from the beginning on. The Belgians switch every year between the Flemish and Wallon broadcasters. Just once, Belgium won: in 1986, Sandra Kim sang she was 15, claimed she was 14 and in the end appeared to be 13. However: more Belgian songs were successful. In 1978 and 2003 Belgium was the runner up: Jean Vallee and Urban Trad were very close. In recent years, Belgium made it to the top-5 with Loïc Nottet (2015) and Blanche (2017). The best scoring Flemish entry was the 2010 song “Me and My Guitar”, sang by Tom Dice. Eurosong 1981 No less than 40 songs participated in the Belgian selection of 1981. Out of three heats, 10 finalists were chosen. The final was held in the Amerikaans Theater in Brussels, hosted by Luc Appermont. No results were made public, apart from the winner. However, in later years jury members of those days confirmed that Liliane Saint-Pierre’s “Brussel” reached the 2nd place. Fancy Free sang “De Wereld Is Een Showtoneel“ De Opera sang “De Opera“ Gene Summer sang “Zing Het Maar“ Stella sang “Veel Te Veel“ Ann Michel sang “Ik Ben Gelukkig“ Johann Stollz sang “Hello Hello“ Emly Starr sang “Samson en Delilah“ Lester & Denwood sang “Bonnie“ Venus sang “Talisman“ Liliane Saint-Pierre sang “Brussel“ Liliane Saint-Pierre Stella already participated in 1970 for the Netherlands as a member of Hearts Of Soul, and in 1977 for Belgium as a member of Dream Express. She sang solo for Belgium in 1982. Liliane Saint-Pierre represented her country in 1987, in….. Brussels! The title of the winning song was later shortened to “Samson”. Emly Starr Emly Starr, born Marie-Christine Mareels on September 5, 1957, in Wetteren, Belgium, is a singer best known for representing Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981. She began her career at a young age under the stage name “Heidi” but later adopted the name Emly Starr, performing English-language pop and disco songs. In 1978, she appeared in the short film Santiago Lovers. Starr gained recognition with her disco act “Emly Starr Explosion,” and in 1980, she participated in the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, finishing eighth with the song Mary Brown. The following year, she won Belgium’s Eurosong contest, earning the opportunity to perform Samson at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, where she finished in 13th place. In 1985, Starr played the role of Erika in the film Springen and sang its title song, Jump in the Dark. Eventually, she transitioned from performing to the business side of the entertainment industry, working alongside her husband, Tony Winter (Frans De Schrijver). Together, they manage the Globe Show Center in Denderleeuw, which houses a television studio and organizes events. They also provide showbiz equipment rentals, contributing to the Belgian entertainment scene. Samson “Samson” was composed by Kick Dandy, a pseudonym for Tony Winter (Frans De Schrijver), and the lyrics were written by Penny Els. It is a dynamic, upbeat disco-pop track, characterized by its catchy rhythm and energetic performance, which was a popular style in the early 1980s. The lyrics of “Samson” playfully reference the biblical story of Samson, known for his great strength, and Delilah, who betrays him. However, the song reinterprets the tale, using it as a metaphor for a romantic relationship, with the singer comparing herself to the powerful figure who falls for a lover’s charm. Emly Starr’s lively stage presence and the colorful, engaging choreography added to the song’s appeal. The daring dress with a high slit contributed to the festive atmosphere. Despite the spirited performance, “Samson” scored 40 points at Eurovision and finished in 13th place out of 20 entries. Although it did not achieve a top ranking, the song remains a memorable part of Emly Starr’s career.

Blast from the past: Romania 2003

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 look back at Nicola’s Don’t Break My Heart, Romania 2003. Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest Romania made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994. The year before, they already did an attempt. That year, they took part in the Eastern European qualification round Kvalifikacija za Millstreet. Romania has never won the Eurovision Song Contest so far. Both Luminița Anghel & Sistem with Let Me Try (2005) and Paula Seling & Ovi with Playing With Fire (2010) reached a 3rd place. However, Romania did not participate in this year’s contest. They will also be absent in the 2025 contest. Luminița Anghel Selecția Națională 2003 The Romanian national selection is called Selecția Națională. That was already the case in 2003. Two semifinals were held with 12 songs each. Mălina Olinescu (Eurovision 1998) was one of the contestants but she didn’t reach the final. The 10 who did are listed below: Valahia sang Friends Are Friends, 11 pts. 3rd D’La Vegas sang Oxigen, 5 pts, 10th Nicola sang Don’t Break My Heart, 24 pts, 1st Genius sang My Life, 9 pts, 6th Paula Seling sang Let’s Go!, 11 pts, 3rd Răzvan Crivaci and Liviu Sorescu sang Once Upon A Time, 9 pts, 6th Alexandra Ungureau sang Make This Love Come True, 11 pts, 3rd Centru’ Civic sang Come With Us, 9 pts, 6th Aurelian Temișan sang Let’s Have A Holiday, 20 pts, 2nd Mihai Trăistariu (member of Valahia) and Paula Seling later also represented Romania, Paula even twice. Mihai Trăistariu Nicola Nicoleta Alexandru, known as Nicola, was born on November 5, 1966, in Bucharest, Romania. She began her music career in 1985, performing at the Mamaia Festival, where she won several awards. Nicola sang in various bands before launching her solo career in 1999 with the hit song Cu tălpile goale (Barefoot). The song gained widespread airplay on many radio and TV stations across Romania. In 2003, Nicola rose to fame after winning Romania’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Don’t Break My Heart. She represented Romania in Riga, Latvia, and secured 10th place. That same year, she released her album Best of Nicola, which achieved great success and earned her a Platinum Disc. Nicola continued her music career, releasing albums and singles such as De mă vei chema (If You Call Me) and Honey in 2005. She received several MTV Romania Music Award nominations and collaborated with well-known international artists, including Thomas Nichols. In 2019, Nicola competed again in Romania’s Eurovision selection with the song Weight of the World. Don’t Break My Heart Nicola wrote and composed Don’t Break My Heart, with her husband Mihai Alexandru producing the song. With its catchy tune and her strong performance, Nicola won first place in Romania’s national competition, securing her spot at the Eurovision Song Contest in Riga. On May 24, 2003, Nicola performed Don’t Break My Heart for an international audience. The song’s upbeat pop melody and her powerful vocals captured attention. Nicola finished in 10th place, earning 73 points from the voting countries, marking a strong result for Romania at that time.

Blast from the past: Ukraine 2010

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 look back at Alyosha‘s “Sweet people”, the Ukrainian song in 2010. Ukraine in the Eurovision Song Contest The first Ukrainian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest was “Hasta la vista”, sung by Olexandr Ponomariov in 2003. Already a year later, the country had it’s first victory with Ruslana and her “Wild dances”. Ukraine is the only country that always reached the final so far. Ukraine managed to win the contest even three times already: with Ruslana, in 2016 with Jamala and her “1942” and in 2022 with Kalush Orchestra’s “Stefania”. Evrobachennya. Ukrayina-2010 Vasyl The road that lead to “Sweet people” being the Eurovision song was quite a complicated one. In December 2009, Ukrainian Television announced that the artist representing the country was selected internally. It was the 28 years old singer and performer Vasyl Lazarovych who got the job. The national final Evrobachennya. Ukrayina was held on March 5. Vasyl sang a total of 5 songs. The winning song was “I love you”, written and composed by Brandon Stone and Olga Yarinich. However, a storm of criticism came up, especially about the idea of giving only one artist the chance to perform. 20 songs After 10 days, Ukrainian broadcaster NTU decided to have a new national final. “I love you” was now one of 20 songs. Vitaliy Kozlovskiy sang “”I-L@VE?” Vasyl Lazarovych sang “I love you”, 24 pts, 7th SH and BB sang “Ne zhurys” OIeksiy Matias sang “Angely ne umirayut”, 32 pts, 3rd Zaklyopi sang “Anybody home?” 23 pts, 8th Ivan Berezovskyi sang “No doubt”, 21 pts, 10th Stereo sang “Ne shkody s uma”, 22 pts, 9th Irina Rosenfeld sang “Forever”, 29 pts, 6th Shanis sang “Lechu k tebe” Max Barskih sang “White raven” Vladyslav Levytskyi sang “Davay, davay!” Miya sang “Vona” DaZzle Dreams sang “Emotional lady” Masha Sobko sang “Ya tebya lyublyu”, 36 pts, 2nd Zlata Ochnevich sang “Tiny island”, 30 pts, 5th Mira Gold sang “Crazy lady” Natalia Valevska sang “Europe”, 31 pts, 4th Juliya Voice sang “Zavyazhi mne glaza” El Kravchuk sang “Fly to heaven”, 21 pts, 10th Alyosha sang “To be free”, 36 pts, 1st A new song Accusations of plagiarism were made about the winning song “To be free” immediately after the contest. Also, it was said to be published already in 2008. While NTU wanted to investigate this, the final deadline of submitting a song was so close that NTU decided that Alyosha could sing another song in Eurovision: “Sweet people”. Alyosha Olena Oleksandrivna Kucher, known as Alyosha and later by her real name, Olena Topolia, is a celebrated Ukrainian singer, songwriter, and composer. Born on May 14, 1986, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, she grew up in a hardworking family; her father was a traffic officer, and her mother worked at an aviation plant. From a young age, Olena was passionate about music, singing in school choirs and attending the “Youth” music studio. She later graduated from the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts with a degree in Pop Vocal. Olena’s career began to take off after she won the international competition Yalta 2006. In 2010, she gained worldwide attention when she represented Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Sweet People,” . Olena quickly became a prominent figure in the Ukrainian music scene. She has written and composed many of her own songs, as well as for other artists. Over the years, Olena has released several successful albums, such as A World Outside Your Door and Tocka na karte. In 2023, she returned to Eurovision as an interval act, performing a duet with Rebecca Ferguson. That same year, she started performing under her real name, Olena Topolia, marking a new chapter in her career. Sweet people The song “Sweet people” was composed by Alyosha, alongside Borys Kukoba and Vadym Lisitsa. It was written in response to environmental concerns, carrying a strong message about the negative impact of human actions on the world. The lyrics call for awareness and responsibility, warning about the destruction caused by pollution and the need to protect the planet for future generations. At the Eurovision Song Contest, “Sweet People” represented Ukraine after the forementioned last-minute change from Alyosha’s original song, “To Be Free,” due to plagiarism accusations. In the grand final, Alyosha delivered a powerful performance of the ballad in Oslo, Norway. The song finished 10th out of 25 participants, scoring a total of 108 points. “Sweet People” stood out for its emotional message and Alyosha’s strong vocal performance, gaining widespread recognition across Europe.

After the Eurovision Fame 1988 Switzerland Eurovision Song Contest.

After the Eurovision fame: Céline Dion

In 1988, Céline Dion represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest. She won with the song “Ne Partez Pas sans moi”, which marked her breakthrough in Europe Early life and Career Céline Marie Claudette Dion was born on March 30, 1968, in Charlemagne, Canada, as the youngest of 14 children. At the age of 12, she came into contact with music producer and artist manager René Angéli, who was very impressed by her talent. He chose to mortgage his house to finance her career. In 1981 she released her first album: “La Voix du bon Dieu”. This made her a star in Quebec. During the following years, Dion released several albums of French chansons. Her first Pop album, “Incognito” was released in 1987. After the Eurovision Fame After winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988, she worked on her first English-language album; “Unison”, which was published in 1990. In addition to her growing fame in Europe, her recordlabel ambitioned to break through in the United States. And it worked! The single “Where Does My Heart Beat Now” reached the top 5 of the US Billboard Hot 100 and the album achieved platinum status. At the end of 1993 “The Colour Of My Love”, Dion’s third English Album was presented to the world. In North America, the first single “The Power of Love” (originally recorded by Jennifer Rush) was an unparalleled success. The single spent weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Europe, the single “Think Twice” achieved great success. The album gave Dion her definitive breakthrough in almost every country in the world. Still going French Despite all the success of her English works; she remained a Canadian with French roots. Therefore she decided to make a temporary foray into the basics: In 1994, Jean-Jacques Goldman wrote 12 French songs for the singer that ended up on the album “D’Eux”, which came out in early ’95, containing the hit “Pour que tu m’aimes encore”. The album went on to become the best-selling French-language album of all time, with 9 million copies sold worldwide. First Olympic appearance Her participation in the opening ceremony of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta was watched by 3.5 billion people on TV. At the end of 1997 the next English-language album “Let’s Talk About Love” was released, which was recorded in London, Los Angeles and New York.Artists such as Barbra Streisand, Luciano Pavarotti, Bee Gees, Carole King, George Martin and Diana King contributed to several songs. “Tell Him”, a duet by Dion and Streisand, was the first hit single from the record. “My Heart Will Go On”, another single and also the title song of the feature film Titanic, became an unprecedented success. It is Dion’s best-selling single ever, and reached number 1 all over the world in no time. The song also earned Dion numerous awards, such as an Academy Award and some Grammys. She sold 31 million copies of this album worldwide, and it is therefore Celine’s 2nd best-selling album of her career. Break en come-back In 1999, after years of performing, Dion felt it was time to take a break and focus more on family and friends, and she really wanted to be a mother. With a number of concerts, she temporarily ended her period of success. During that period, Dion’s husband René was diagnosed with cancer, from which he recovered.On January 25, 2001, Dion gave birth to a son, René-Charles Dion-Angélil, in Florida. In 2002 she returned to the spotlight and released several albums, both in French and English. Las Vegas and worldtour With the release of the album “A New Day Has Come” in 2002, it was announced that the singer would have her own show at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas from 2003.On February 14, 2008, Dion embarked on a world tour, performing outside of Las Vegas for the first time since 1999. The tour stretched from Canada to Japan to South Africa.Céline came back to Caesar’s Palace in 2011 with the plan to do 70 shows a year. The premiere was on March 15, 2011. In August 2014, Dion cancelled all her planned concerts and announced that she would stop singing immediately. This was because she wanted to take care of her sick husband.René Angélil passed away on 16 January 2016. On September 18, 2019, she started her world tour “Courage World Tour, It was her first world tour in over a decade. In December 2022, Dion announced, after years of speculation about her appearance and health, that she suffers from the rare neurological disorder “stiff-person syndrome”. This affects her singing voice. She therefore cancelled the continuation of her Courage World Tour, which she had previously interrupted due to the corona pandemic. Another Olympic appearance During the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, she sang “Hymne à l’amour” (Édith Piaf) from the Eiffel Tower. This performance is seen as her spectacularly acclaimed comeback after four years of not performing as a singer.We are curious to see what more we can expect from her.

After the Eurovision Fame: Vicky Leandros

Vicky Leandros participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2 times; in 1967 she represented Luxembourg with “L’amour est blue” and finished in fourth place. The song, however, became a worldwide hit, and was covered by many. In 1972 she was again asked to represent Luxembourg. She won the festival that year with “Après Toi” and gained worldwide fame. Early life and Career Vicky was born as Vasiliki Papathansasiou in Paleokastritsa (Corfu, Greece) on August 23. According to her own statement, she was born in 1952, but many biographies have mentioned birth year as 1949. In 1958, the Papathanasiou family moved to West Germany. After her parents’ divorce in 1961, her mother returned to Greece, and Vicky grew up with her father, who himself had a successful career as Leo Leandros. With his support, she built a career in Greece and Germany, initially under the name Vicky. Her first single was released in 1965: “Messer, Gabel, Schere, Licht” and became an instant hit in Germany. Until 1967 she had already scored several hits in this country, as well as in Canada and Greece. After the Eurovision Fame After winning the Eurovision Song Contest, Vicky was very successful in many countries, such as France, Greece, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan and Canada. She scored many hits worldwide, in different languages. In 2000 she released her first album of her own compositions. 2005 was a jubilee year for Vicky; She was on stage for 30 years and celebrated this with a double CD with her greatest hits and some new tracks. Actually, it was her 40th anniversary as an artist, but she withdrew from publicity for about 10 years from 1982, in order to be able to pay more attention to her husband and 3 children. During that period, however, new albums were released. In 2006 Vicky participated in the preselections for Eurosong in Germany, with the song “Don’t Break My Heart”. In this way, she hoped to represent her country in Athens. However, she had to leave the victory to the Texas Lightning. Throughout her impressive career, she has sold over 55 million albums. Political career On 15 October 2006 Vicky Leandros was elected town counselor of the Greek harbour town of Piraeus on the Pasok list. Her task concerned the Cultural and International development of Piraeus. She was also Deputy Mayor of Piraeus. It was announced in June 2008 that Leandros decided to leave her position in Greek politics with immediate effect. She stated, that she had underestimated the work load and time needed to fulfill her political obligations. Also it became impossible to combine those duties with her singing career. In August 2022, a few days after her 70th (or 73rd) birthday, she announced her retirement with a farewell tour in Austria and Germany, which will take place until the end of 2024.

Aysel Teymurzadeh

About Quick Facts NameAysel Teymurzadeh Born25 April 1989 Nationality🇦🇿 Azerbaijani National Selectioninternal selection 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongAlways (& Arash, 2009) Biography Aysel Teymurzadeh Aysel Teymurzadeh (Azerbaijani: Aysel Məhəmməd qızı Teymurzadə; born April 25, 1989, Baku) is an Azerbaijani pop and R&B singer. Biography Aysel was born in Baku, the youngest of three daughters to a journalist father and a university professor mother. Aysel began singing at the age of four and developed a passion for the piano early on. She graduated from the Intellect Lyceum in Baku and attended Texas High School in Texarkana, Texas, during the 2005-2006 academic year. Shortly after arriving in the United States, she joined the local choir and started training for young vocalists’ competitions. While in the U.S., Aysel won three gold medals at contests held at Southern Arkansas University and the University of Texas at Austin. In 2005, she participated in Season 4 of the national song contest Yeni Ulduz (“New Star”). As of January 2009, she was majoring in International Relations at the Azerbaijan University of Languages. Eurovision In January 2009, Aysel was selected internally by İTV to represent Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia, alongside Iranian-Swedish singer Arash with the song “Always.” On May 16, 2009, Aysel and Arash finished third with 207 points. Aysel and Arash won the 4th Annual ESC Radio Awards in the Best Group category. After Eurovision On May 28, 2009, Aysel announced a European tour with Arash, performing in countries such as Sweden, Greece, and Russia. She also starred in a high-profile TV commercial for Danone yogurts, which aired on Azerbaijani and Georgian TV channels. In 2012, Aysel was one of five musicians from Azerbaijan chosen as jurors for the Danish national selection of the 2012 Eurovision contestant. In December 2022, Aysel made a comeback and released a new single: “Yeni il”. In July 2023 a follow up came, in Russian: “Voploshcheniye mechty”. She also served as the spokesperson for the Azerbaijani jury at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, while she was also involved in the national selection as a member of the selection committee. Personal Life In 2012, Aysel married Murad Adigozalov, the 39-year-old director of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society and a divorced father of two children. Following her marriage, Aysel reportedly planned to leave the big stage and only perform at official events. The couple has three children: two sons born in 2012 and 2016, and a daughter born in 2014. Entries Always (& Arash) Country🇦🇿 Azerbaijan Year2009 LanguageEnglish LyricsArash LabafRobert UhlmannElin WrethovAnderz Wrethov MusicArash LabafRobert UhlmannJohan BejerholmMarcus EnglöfAlex Papaconstantinou Backings? Dancers??? Results Semi Points: 180Position: 2Running order: 12 Results Finals Points: 207Position: 3Running order: 11 https://youtu.be/J0qdRqY_3HM?si=FAod2E8VcBbI7bOU

Andrea Šušnjara

About Quick Facts NameAndrea Šušnjara Born26 February 1987 Nationality🇭🇷 Croatian National SelectionDORA 2009DORA 2004 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongLijepa Tena (& Igor Cukrov, 2009) Biography Biography of Andrea Šušnjara Andrea Šušnjara, born on February 26, 1987, in Split, Croatia, is a talented Croatian singer and songwriter known for her captivating voice and dynamic stage presence. Her journey in the music industry began at a young age, and she quickly rose to prominence as one of Croatia’s most beloved performers. Early Life and Career Beginnings Andrea showed an interest in music from a young age. She participated in various local singing competitions and talent shows, which helped her gain recognition and experience in performing. Her passion for music was evident, and it wasn’t long before she started making a name for herself in the Croatian music scene. Breakthrough and Eurovision Andrea’s major breakthrough came in 2009 when she represented Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest alongside Igor Cukrov. They performed the song “Lijepa Tena,” written by Tonči Huljić. The song was selected through Croatia’s national selection, Dora, and went on to compete in the Eurovision final held in Moscow. Although the song finished in 18th place, it was a significant milestone in Andrea’s career, exposing her to a broader European audience. Collaboration with Magazin In 2010, Andrea became the lead singer of the popular Croatian band Magazin, one of the most well-known pop bands in the region. Her collaboration with Magazin marked a new chapter in her career, and she quickly became a fan favorite. With Andrea as the lead vocalist, the band released several hit songs and albums, further solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the Croatian music industry. Notable Singles and Performances Throughout her career, Andrea has released numerous singles that have topped the charts and resonated with audiences. Some of her notable singles include “Sijaj zvijezdo,” “Bojim se,” and “Kasno je.” Her performances at various music festivals and concerts have garnered widespread acclaim, showcasing her versatility and strong stage presence. Entries Lijepa tena (& Igor Cukrov) Country🇭🇷 Croatia Year2009 LanguageCroatian LyricsVjekoslava Huljić MusicTonči Huljić BackingsIvana ČabrajaJelena MajićSanja JukićKarmen Matković Results Semi Points: 33Position: 13 (backup jury qualifier)Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 45Position: 18Running order: 5 https://youtu.be/jdLct2IqcLA?si=MPyubULW3Z91NZU7