France

Françoise Hardy passed away

This night, the sad news came to us that French singer Françoise Hardy passed away. Hardy represented Monaco in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va”. Hardy, who was born on January 11 1944, signed her first contract with the record label Disques Vogue in November 1961. In April 1962, shortly after finishing school, she released her first album called “Oh oh Chéri.” The title song was written by Johnny Hallyday’s songwriting team. The song “Tous les garçons et les filles” became very popular and sold 2 million copies. She had long hair, usually wore jeans with a leather jacket, and played the guitar. Because of the success of “Tous les garçons et les filles” and her style, people in the mid-1960s called her ‘France’s answer to The Beatles.’ Hardy sometimes sang in English, Italian, Spanish, and German. In 1963, she represented Monaco at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “L’amour s’en va” and finished in fifth place. She received the Grand Prix du Disque Académie Charles Cros award in 1968. In May 2000, she made a comeback with the album “Clair Obscur.” Her son played guitar, and her husband sang a duet with her called “Puisque vous partez en voyage.” Iggy Pop and Étienne Daho also took part in the album. Françoise Hardy was already ill for a long time. She was 80 years old.

In the spotlight: Slimane

Tomorrow, the big final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Malmö Arena. 26 countries compete for the win. One of them is Slimane , representing France But who is Slimane ? Let’s give him a spotlight. Slimane Nebchi was born on 13 October 1989 in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, France. He is of Algerian descent through his grandparents, who migrated to Paris from Biskra and Ghazaouet. He attended Lycée Jehan de Chelles, and moved later to Les Lilas, a suburb of Paris. Career He started uploading covers to YouTube in 2009, and soon took part in several music competitions such as Nouvelle Star in 2009 and X Factor in 2011. In 2016, at the age of 26, he auditioned for season 5 of The Voice: la plus belle voix. All four judges turned their chairs. On 14 May 2016, he won the title with 33% of the public vote. After this win, his career took off; with 2 million albums sold, 5 Music Awards, 2 billion worldwide streams, 7 million followers on social media and a Victorie de la Musique to his name. Participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. In November 2023, was announced that he would represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest. Given his origins, quite a few people were against this. He chooses not to comment on this, and says himself: ‘Every day I “enjoy” at least one person who thinks that someone like me should not represent his country. But nowadays I can laugh about it, I think it’s so sad.’ The song The song was written in 2022 during a music tour. According to Slimane, the song to him is a “love letter to European hearts”, in line with much of Slimane’s music, which is mainly based on love. Slimane sees “Mon amour” as his first date with the viewer. And from that perspective, his final question to all of us is: “Do you love me… Or not?” What is your answer? Photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

The second semifinal

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett The hosts Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman open the show with their own version of “Tattoo.” Malta In the Maltese act by Sarah Bonnici, there is a lot of movement and dancing. Later during the act, she is blindfolded, as are her dancers. Despite so much movement, Sarah manages to sing remarkably well. Albania Besa wears a turquoise gown with gemstones. The stage also includes several dancers, which might make it look a bit messy. However, many dancers are projected onto LED screens. Besa’s voice sounds a bit sharp here and there. Greece First, we see her purple boots, then the whole Marina Satti. She is also flanked by four dancers, but it looks much more organized. Greece has chosen a sophisticated entry not meant for casual listeners. A lot happens during this entry. Marina continues to sing well. Switzerland Nemo takes the viewer into his story with the song “The Code,” managing to crack the (binary) code. Their clothing says it all. Nemo has so far managed to enhance their narrative through fashion statements. Nemo jumps, skips, shows himself to be a balancing artist… and continues to sing crystal clear. We do not know if this is a winner, but we definitely respect their skills. Czechia You would expect Aiko to be standing on a pedestal during her performance. That’s not the case, but we find that the ceiling (one of the cubes) is very low. Aiko has four… Her nipples are no longer visible. Pay particular attention to the high note that Aiko effortlessly hits. Aiko surprises! During the first semifinal, Nicole (from Hugo) received a tribute, and in this semifinal, Jahn Teigen (ESC 1978, 1982, 1983) is honored. We are treated to a journey through Eurovision history with several participants who did not finish very high. France Slimane, dressed in white, starts singing while lying down, then sits up. Everything is shot in close-up, which makes the song even more intimate. Slimane pulls out all the stops in terms of his singing ability. The song has its distinct fans, but others are completely on the opposite end of the spectrum. Austria It’s interesting to put someone on stage who has held various other roles at the contest. Singing is clearly not Kaleen’s strongest suit. Regardless of how enjoyable the song may be found, the singing is forgotten in Austria. However, the act looks absolutely tight, and Kaleen knows very well what she is doing in terms of dance. Denmark It seems like you only see a singer sprinkling some sand and singing her song. However, we also see a second Saba in the background… A hologram, as it turns out, because at one point she disintegrates into sand. Occasionally, Saba tends to sing too loud, which makes the whole thing seem a bit shouty. Armenia Cheerfulness all over, garnished with typical Armenian sounds. Singer Jaklin Baghdasarian of Ladaniva plays a leading role throughout the act. The other band members and backing band stand behind her, but at one point, the flutist also comes forward. We see all sorts of things in the background: trumpets, chickens, and the artists themselves. Latvia Looking at his Instagram account, he is very cheerful and humorous: the Latvian Dons. But seeing him standing there in his sleeveless leather outfit amid a circle, and hearing his very serious ballad, we notice little of that. There is nothing wrong with this song, but that might also be the problem. Spain Both the singer and the dancers are dressed in black. The singing isn’t fantastic, but Nebulossa certainly knows how to throw a party in the hall. And of course, halfway through the act, the dancers strip off their clothes and continue dancing with bare chests and buttocks. At the end, a keyhole appears behind the singer Mery. The Spaniards really throw a party. San Marino We stick with the Spanish language, as San Marino sends the Spanish group Megara. Singer Kenzy Loevett is briefly flanked by two dancers in scary Easter bunny suits. Everything is pink and black in this act. It’s all rock, and the group tries to match the scariness of Bambie Thug, but it remains rather tame for a horror show. Georgia Nutsa Buzaladze is dressed in gold and stands in a circle of fire, which at one moment looks like a sun, the next a burning hoop. Nutsa is flanked by four dancers, and gives her all in terms of singing, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. For Georgia, it’s definitely not a done deal. Belgium We had already seen photos of Mustii amid a circle of microphones, but he starts alone on stage. He then stands on a rotating platform. Later, he goes into this circle. Mustii is dressed in white. The singing we hear here is very cautious, with Mustii consciously staying below the high notes. He did not, as we previously reported, take his shirt off. But towards the end, we see the whole hall going wild with the Belgian entry! Estonia 5miinust and Puuluup are having a party on stage. The title of the song is, as previously mentioned, the longest ever. Whether the party really come across with all the “hey hey hey” is still a question. Possibly a finalist position for Estonia, but that is by no means certain. Italy Angelina Mango starts lying down, with roses projected under her. She has a sort of henna-like print depicted. This print also continues with the dancers. There are so many prints all over. There are so many details that you occasionally don’t see Angelina and her dancers at all. The singing is fine where it concerns Angelina. She ends a cappella. That takes skilsl, and Angelina has them. Italy will finish high, but perhaps not win. Israel The Israeli entry is the only ballad in this latter stage of the second semifinal. Just before she starts singing, Eden Golan leans back in a circle with lights. Five dancers flank her,

Malmö Messages: A draw among the Big 5 and Sweden

The big five and Sweden had their second rehearsal today. However, there is more happening: the draw also took place to decide in which part of the show the participants will perform. There is a change happening: half of the countries will draw a ‘producers choice‘. They can be placed anywhere. United Kingdom He might have called it the most homosexual act ever. Olly Alexander has four dancers around him, who seem to be dancing around each other somewhat combatively. The men have bare torsos, except for Olly’s torn shirt. Whether it is indeed the most homosexual act ever or not? No idea, but not much is left to the imagination. He seems to be rising in the bookmakers’ ratings, where he is now in tenth place. Olly Alexander drew the first half of the final. Germany Little has changed since last time for Germany. The act was already so well-defined that there is little left to change. The singing is important in the German entry. But whether Isaak makes enough of an impression to break Germany’s negative streak remains to be seen. The bookmakers give him a 23rd place. Isaak drew in the first half of the final. Sweden The Swedes are number three in line to create a full music video of their performance. It is exactly the same performance as during Melodifestivalen. We see Marcus and Martinus everywhere and nowhere. This afternoon in the press center, someone enthusiastically told of having done five interviews with them. We already knew that Sweden will open the final. France Less is more, the French must have thought. Slimane stands alone on the stage in white clothing while singing his “Mon amour”. He stands, sits, and lies down while singing. The a cappella part makes a deep impression. The bookmakers currently predict just shy of a top-5 spot, placing him sixth. France will perform in the second half of the final. Spain With a lot of gold in the background, a red sofa, and the two members of Nebulossa in black clothing, the act is complete. The lyrics of “Zorra” caused a lot of controversy, but the Spanish audience enthusiastically roars along with the song. The bookmakers have no faith in it. They rank the song in 24th place. Nebulossa drew producers’ choice this afternoon. Italy Fortunately, not everything remains exactly the same as during the previous rehearsal. Angelina Mango has a different dress: a black one, with much fewer flowers on it. That makes the overall busy impression during the performance a bit less intense. “La Noia” is currently fourth with the bookmakers. Angelina Mango drew producers’ choice. As mentioned, except for Italy, there are few changes. The big five and Sweden will be heard and seen for the first time during the semifinals, so there are equal opportunities for everyone. We think: abolish the big five if they really want equal chances. But then, who are we…

Malmö Messages: The Big Five plus Sweden

We haven’t heard from the big five plus Sweden yet. Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the host Sweden automatically qualify for the final. They had their rehearsal tonight. The United Kingdom was the first to rehearse. If you think you have ended up in the locker room of a boxing match; this is still the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Olly Alexander is wearing red pants and a white shirt. His hands are taped up. Around him are a number of dancers in red shorts and with bare chests. According to eurovision.tv, the camera moves in such a way that it seems as if the room is spinning. It could make you “Dizzy”. Isaak, representing Germany, appears to be in a very luxurious living room while singing his song “Always on the run”. We see a fire pit, lots of flames, and the cube coming down again. Isaak himself is dressed in black and is flanked by four backup singers; live singing matters here too. Marcus and Martinus are performing “Unforgettable” for Sweden. And as usual, the Swedes have the exact same act on stage as they did during Melodifestivalen. The twins are dressed in blue and black. On the LED screens behind them, and on the cube above them, many colors and patterns are visible. Occasionally, the title of the song also appears. The act is the same, but huge. The contestant for France, Slimane, is dressed in white during his “Mon amour”. He starts lying down and sings the first part of the song on his knees. Later, he stands behind the microphone and steps away from it to sing the last piece a cappella. The smoke machine does its job. The Spanish duo Nebulossa rehearsed next. Their song “Zorra” starts from the cube, which is now not hanging but has come all the way down. Mery is wearing pants with wide legs and a blouse with large puff sleeves. The red sofa, which Mery also was standing on during the national final, has come along to Malmö. There is smoke on the floor throughout the performance. Angelina Mango will perform for Italy in a red dress. On her arms and legs, we see some sort of plant images. The four dancers emerge from four large cubes to lift Angelina. She stands among them in front of a large throne made of branches. The whole scene is set against a backdrop of a sort of forest with bare trees. In short, there will be much to see during “La Noia.”

🇦🇲 Road To Malmö: Armenia

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Armenia. Ladaniva Ladaniva is a special band from Lille, France, known for its unique world music. The group was created by Zhaklin Baghdasaryan and Louis Thomas. Zhaklin was born in Armenia in 1997 and moved to France in 2014. She’s been singing since she was a kid. Louis, born in Lille in 1987, comes from a family of musicians and is a talented jazz artist. They met in 2018 during a music session in Lille and formed Ladaniva in 2019. Their music is inspired by sounds from around the world, like the Balkans, Maloya, and Armenian traditions. The name “Ladaniva” comes from an old Russian car, the Lada Niva. They became popular during the 2020 lockdown with videos that got a lot of love online. In 2023, they put out their first album with [PIAS]. Armenian Language The Armenian language is a unique and ancient language spoken by millions of people, mainly in Armenia and in communities around the world. It’s part of the Indo-European family, which means it’s distantly related to languages like English, Spanish, and Russian, but it stands out because it has its own branch in this family tree. Armenian has its own alphabet, invented by a scholar named Mesrop Mashtots in the 5th century. This was a big deal because it helped preserve the country’s culture and literature. Armenian is split into two main types: Eastern Armenian, which is spoken in Armenia, and Western Armenian, used by Armenians in other countries. Even though it’s old, Armenian is very much alive, changing over time and used in books, music, and on the internet. It’s a language with a rich history, connecting people to their heritage and to each other. Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest Ladaniva provides the 16th Armenian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. They started participating in 2006, when André represented the country. “Without your love” was an instant success with an 8th place in the Eurovision final. Armenia reached the top-5 twice, both with a 4th place. In 2008 it was Sirusho‘s “Qele Qele”, in 2014 Aram mp3‘s “Not alone”. The latter was the number 1 at the bookmakers for a long time. We can not speak about Armenian Eurovision history without mentioning Rosa Linn and her “Snap”. In the Grand Final of 2022 she reached a 20th place only. Thanks to TikTok “Snap” became a worldwide hit and one of the most viewed Eurovision songs ever. The Bookmakers Currently, Armenia is 17th in the odds to win the Eurovision Song Contest. The country is 5th in the odds to reach the final this year. Conclusion: it is safe to say that Armenia might do well in the contest again. The Song And this is the song:

🇫🇷 Road to Malmö: France

photo: EBU We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: France. Slimane Slimane Nebchi, widely known as Slimane, is a celebrated French-Algerian singer and songwriter. Born on October 13, 1989, in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, Slimane’s music is deeply enriched by his Algerian roots, blending diverse cultural influences. He gained fame through his participation in music competitions, notably winning “The Voice: la plus belle voix” in 2016 with 33% of the public vote at age 26. Before this triumph, Slimane had been sharing his compositions online, including notable pieces like “Toi et moi” and the duet “Amour Impossible” with Princesse Sofia. Post-“The Voice,” he released his debut album and several singles, quickly becoming a key figure in the French music scene. Besides his recording achievements, Slimane has taken on roles in musicals, including “Marie-Antoinette et le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge.” His career reached a new milestone when he was chosen to represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Mon Amour” in November 2023. A French winner…. or not? France won the contest in 1991, and yet they did not. France and Sweden ended up with a tie. Even the amount of twelves was the same. Sweden won because of a higher amount of tens. Amina Annabi, often just called Amina, is a famous singer from Tunisia who also grew up in France. She sings, acts, and has been making music for a long time. Amina is special because she mixes music from Tunisia with music from France and other places, making her songs interesting and different. Her Eurovision song became the most famous of her songs: “Le Dernier qui a parlé” which means “The Last One to Speak.” The song “Le Dernier qui a parlé” is really catchy and talks about how important it is to talk and understand each other to make peace. Amina’s beautiful singing and the mix of traditional and modern music made this song stand out. It did really well in the competition and almost won, coming in second place by just one point. The song became a hit single in various countries. France in the Eurovision Song Contest As said, France almost won in 1991. That would have been the 6th victory. The row of French victories started in 1958, when André Claveau won with the song “Dors mon amour”. Two years later, the trophy went to France again, this time thanks to Jacqueline Boyer and her “Tom Pillibi”. Again two years later, Isabelle Aubret did the job singing “Un premier amour”. In 1969, Frida Boccara‘s “Un jour un enfant” was one of the four winners. The last time so far France won was in 1977, with Marie Myriam holding the trophy thanks to her “L’oiseau et l’enfant”. In the last few years France is less succesful, except a few highlights. We have to mention Barbara Pravi in this; she was the runner up in 2021, but her “Voila” became a hit and a Eurovision classic. Marie Myriam The Bookmakers As France will be placed directly in the final, there are no betting odds about reaching the final. In the odds to win the contest, France is currently 7th. That would mean one of the better scores for France in the last few years. The song And this is the song:

Ladaniva

© EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts MembersZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas Founded2019 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal Selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongJako (2024) Biography Ladaniva is a French world music band from Lille. Zhaklin Baghdasaryan was born in 1997 in Eghegnazor, Armenia. She grew up in Minsk, Belarus, before immigrating to France with her mother in 2014. Zhaklin has been singing since her early childhood and, after moving to Tourcoing, France, she enrolled at the Lille Conservatory. Louis Thomas, born in 1987 in Lille, France, comes from a family of musicians and is an accomplished jazz musician. Like Zhaklin, he attended the Lille Conservatory. In 2018, Jaklin and Louis met by chance during a jam session at l’Intervalle, a music bar in Old Lille. In 2019, they founded the world music band Ladaniva in Lille, France. The band draws its musical inspiration from around the world, particularly from the traditional music of the Balkans, Maloya, and Armenian folklore. The name “Ladaniva” is derived from a very rustic Russian 4×4, the Lada Niva. During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns in March and April 2020, Ladaniva released two videos, “Vay Aman” and “Zepyuri Nman,” which gained significant popularity, especially within the Armenian community. Following this success, their video clip “Kef Chilini” quickly amassed 18 million views. In 2023, Ladaniva released their debut album, which is self-titled and was produced and distributed by [PIAS]. On March 9, 2024, it was announced that Ladaniva would represent Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Their song was called “Jako”. Ladaniva reached the final with the song and did pretty well there, ending up in 8th place. Entries Jako Country🇦🇲 Armenia Year2024 LanguageArmenian LyricsZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis Thomas MusicZhaklin BaghdasaryanLouis ThomasAudrey Leclercq BackingsLouis DesseigneNinon ThomasPierre KastlerRomain Desreumeaux Results Semi Points: 137Position: 3Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: 183Position: 8Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/hAYXDoZzAyE?si=A7AjUUP2kdJCSgRI

Slimane

© EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett About Quick Facts NameSlimane Nebchi Born13 October 1989 Nationality🇫🇷 French National SelectionInternal selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongMon Amour (2024) Biography Slimane Nebchi, known simply as Slimane, is a French singer and songwriter. Born on October 13, 1989, in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, he is of Algerian heritage, a fact that enriches his music with a blend of cultures. He first stepped into the limelight through various music competitions like “Nouvelle Star” and “X Factor”. His persistence paid off when he won the fifth season of “The Voice: la plus belle voix” in 2016, at the age of 26, with an impressive 33% of the public vote. Prior to his success on The Voice, Slimane’s musical journey was filled with online releases of his own compositions, such as “Toi et moi” and “Amour Impossible“, the latter being a duet with Princesse Sofia. After his victory on The Voice, Slimane’s career soared. He released his debut album and multiple singles, establishing himself as a significant figure in the French music industry. His achievements are not limited to the recording studio. He has also been cast in secondary roles in musicals, such as Didier Barbelivien’s French musical “Marie-Antoinette et le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge”. On November 8, 2023, it was announced that Slimane was going to represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest. The same evening, the French entry “Mon Amour” was presented. The song was automatically placed in the Grand Final. Slimane reached a 4th place there. Entries Mon Amour Country🇫🇷 France Year2024 LanguageFrench LyricsSlimane Nebchi MusicMeïr SalahSlimane NebchiYaacov Salah Backings– Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 445Position: 4Running order: 25 https://youtu.be/-XyLecY2JyE?si=hBsDb4y2EVtTGr9u

Is Sweden in for the win?

Is Sweden in for the win? Your guess is as good as ours. Currently the bookmakers predict a 52% chance for Sweden to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. That would be their 7th victory. Currently Ireland holds the record, also with 7. But bookies are bookies, we have our own prediction. We agree with Sweden for the win, but here is our entire top-5: 1.Sweden – Loreen – Tattoo 2.Finland – Käärijä – Cha-cha-cha 3.France – La Zarra – Évidement 4.Israel – Noa Kirel – Unicorn 5.Austria – Teya and Salena – Who the hell is Edgar? But…. tonight, 01.00 CET, we know more!