Groups

Can-linn

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts MembersDonna BissettJenny BowdenTarik ShebaniThomas Spratt Active2014 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurosong 2014 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongHeartbeat (ft. Kasey Smith, 2014) Biography Can-Linn was formed in Ireland in early 2014 with the specific purpose of representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. The name of the band, Can-Linn, means ‘to sing together’ in Irish, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the group. The band is notable for including members from a variety of different backgrounds and for blending a range of musical styles. It features Irish singer Kasey Smith, formerly of the girl group Wonderland, and five traditional Irish musicians who play instruments such as the bodhrán, the fiddle, and the Uilleann pipes. At Eurovision 2014, Can-Linn performed the song “Heartbeat”, featuring Kasey Smith. Despite the group’s spirited performance, “Heartbeat” did not progress past the semi-final stage. Since Can-Linn was formed specifically for the Eurovision contest, the group did not produce further music together. Entries Heartbeat (featuring Kasey Smith) Country🇮🇪 Irish Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsJonas GladnikoffRasmus PalmgrenPatrizia Helander MusicHazel KaneswaranJonas GladnikoffRasmus PalmgrenPatrizia Helander BackingsSarah May Rogers (Violin) Results Semi Points: 35Position: 12Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/J9zEybTMeEs

Mariko Ebralidze

About Quick Facts NameMariko Ebralidze Born1984 Nationality🇬🇪 Georgian National SelectionInternal selection 2014 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongThree Minutes To Earth (with The Shin, 2014) Biography Mariko Ebralidze is a notable Georgian jazz singer who gained international attention when she was selected to represent Georgia at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, alongside the band “The Shin”, with the song “Three Minutes to Earth”. Ebralidze was born in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. She graduated from the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, where she studied piano. However, her passion for singing led her towards a career in music. She’s been performing professionally since 2008, primarily as a jazz singer. Prior to her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, Mariko Ebralidze had been a respected figure in the Georgian jazz scene for several years. She performed with several big bands and jazz ensembles throughout Georgia and internationally, earning acclaim for her emotive performances and her smooth, sultry vocals. Despite her background in jazz, Ebralidze’s Eurovision entry with The Shin was an experimental piece combining elements of Georgian folk, jazz, and pop music. Although the song didn’t make it past the semi-finals in the contest, it highlighted Ebralidze’s versatility and ability to perform across different genres. Also in May 2014, she released a solo song, “Don’t say goodbye”. In 2017 she teamed up with the band Niutone to do some Christmas performances. She worked together with Otar Tatishvili for several songs and performances. For the Iavnana Charity Foundation, she did a performance in 2021 singing the song “Smile”. Together with Kato Chkareul she performed “Prince Ali” from the movie Aladdin. She did this performance in the childrens show Ranina. Entries Three Minutes To Earth (& The Shin) Country🇬🇪 Georgia Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsEugen Eliu MusicZaza Miminoshvili Backings– Results Semi Points: 15Position: 15Running order: 4 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/0v69AvCQJQY

The Shin

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts MembersAlexander ChumburidzeMamuka GaganidzeZaza MiminoshviliZurab Gagnidze Founded1998 Nationality🇬🇪 Georgian National SelectionInternal selection 2014 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongThree Minutes To Earth (2014, with Mariko) Biography “The Shin” is a Georgian band known for their innovative fusion of traditional Georgian polyphonic music with other music genres such as jazz and pop. They formed in Germany in 1998. The members of the band include Zaza Miminoshvili (guitars, panduri), Zurab Gagnidze (bass, vocals), Mamuka Gaganidze (percussion, vocals), and Eugen Vizir (drums). Zaza and Zurab, who have been friends since childhood, are the creative core of the band. Mamuka Gaganidze, a well-known performer of Georgian polyphonic songs, joined them in 2002. “The Shin” literally means “home” in Georgian, but it also has a broader connotation of the space where the east meets the west. Their music is often characterized by the use of traditional Georgian instruments and vocal styles, intertwined with elements of modern Western music. This style allows them to convey the fusion of their different cultural experiences in a unique way. Over the years, The Shin has performed in various music festivals and events around the world. They were also selected to represent Georgia in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, with their song “Three Minutes to Earth”, which again showcased their distinctive blend of Georgian and Western musical styles. The Shin performed on a lot of occasions in Germany and the Baltic states. They played a lot on folk festivals in those countries and in Georgia itself. On 12 August 2019, the sad news came that Mamuka Gaganidze passed away. He died of skin cancer. Entries Three Minutes To Earth (with Mariko) Country🇬🇪 Georgia Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsEugen Eliu MusicZaza Miminoshvili Backings– Results Semi Points: 15Position: 15Running order: 4 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/0v69AvCQJQY

Jala Brat

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameJasmin Fazlić Born16 October 1986 Nationality🇧🇦 Bosnian National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongLjubav je (Dalal & Deen ft. Ana Rucner & Jala, 2016) Biography Jasmin Fazlić, better known as Jala Brat, is a Bosnian rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer. Jasmin Fazlić was born in Sarajevo. He took his first steps in the music career in early 2000 by recording his first demo songs. He soon realized that rap was the genre he wanted to pursue. He created his first original songs in his home studio, which he shared with a close group of friends, and adopted his nickname “Jala” as his stage name. Initially, Jala worked alone, but in 2011, he formed a group called Blunt Blyon, with whom he worked more seriously and released his first album “Replay.” After the album’s release, his music career as a rapper started to flourish. In 2012, Jala met Sarajevo rapper Amar Hodžić. That same year, Jala and Amar started collaborating together, not only in music but also in live performances. Jala began releasing his songs on the YouTube channel Imperia, which they jointly managed. After the release of the album “Replay”, Jala worked on new material and collaborated with rappers such as Frenkie, Sajfer, Mayer, Klijent, and Buba Corelli. He recorded a total of 10 songs and released an album called “Riječ na riječ”, which came out on June 12, 2012. At the end of 2012, together with Buba and Kontro, he featured on the song “RMX” released on the album “Troyanac” by Tuzla rapper Frenkie, for which they also made a music video. The song received positive reviews, further launching Jala into the music scene. In the period from 2012 to 2013, he released two EP albums named “SA Sin City” in collaboration with Buba, and “Mahala” with rapper Shtela. In the same year, he met singer and producer Almir Ajanović, who decided to produce his music in his Tempo studio. Jala and Buba worked on new songs between 2013 and 2014, and together they recorded a studio album called “Pakt s đavolom” (Devil’s Pact). The album featured collaborations with various rappers and singers, including Rasta, Juice, MCN, and Sedžida Matoruga. “Pakt s đavolom” was released in 2014 and received positive reviews from the audience. The album was released by Tempo Digital, in cooperation with the record label RedEye Vision. In early 2015, Jala decided to change his stage name to Jala Brat, citing the fact that the nickname “Brat” (Brother) had started to appear frequently alongside his old name, Jala. He adopted it as his own and first introduced it in the music video for the song “Dom” (Home). Soon after, he recorded another joint album with Buba, titled “Stari radio” (Old Radio). The most popular songs from the album were “Skandal” and “Casino.” However, their collaboration with Buba was interrupted due to Buba being arrested. A significant turning point in Jala Brat’s career was his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, where he co-wrote the song “Ljubav je” and performed it with singers Dalal Midhat-Talakić, Deen, and cellist Ana Rucner from Croatia. The Bosnian delegation did not qualify for the final of the competition after performing the song in the semi-final evening. The song was also recorded in English under the title “Love is all.” In November 2016, Jala Brat and Buba Corelli recorded an album titled “Kruna” (Crown). This was the first album released under the label of the Imperia publishing and media house. During the commercial success of the album “Kruna,” Jala Brat established contacts with mainstream singers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia. He recorded the song “Zvezde plaču za nama” (Stars Cry for Us, 2015) with rapper Vuk Mob, and the song “Dominantna” (Dominant, 2016) with folk singer Dado Polumenta. He collaborated with Elena Kitić again, this time on the song “Folira” (She’s Pretending, 2016), which he recorded in collaboration with Buba. Afterward, he continued to release singles collaborating with folk singer Maya Berović on the song “To me radi” (What She Does to Me, 2016), which he recorded together with Buba Corelli. In early 2017, he collaborated with Croatian pop singer Severina on the song “Otrove” (Poison), and with Serbian pop-folk singer Milan Stanković on the song “Ego.” In 2016, Jala decided to become politically involved and ran for the Municipal Council in the Local Elections in the Municipality of Vogošća as a candidate of the Party of Democratic Action. He faced criticism, mainly from the public and audience, for his candidacy, but he remained on the list due to the insufficient number of votes. Afterward, he withdrew from the political scene. The album “Alfa i Omega” (2016) was recorded in the Imperia studio and represents a continuation of Jala Brat’s collaboration with Buba Corelli. The highlight of the album was a concert tour, culminating in a sold-out concert at the Tašmajdan Arena in Belgrade, with an audience of over 15,000 people. Album “99” (2019) After seven years since the release of Jala’s first album, “Riječ na riječ,” his second solo album, titled “99,” was released on September 9, 2019. Jala Brat announced the album on July 4 via his Instagram profile. The album features collaborations with Buba Corelli, Coby, and Raf Camora. Music videos were made for all the songs. After launching the Imperia YouTube channel, Jala decided to produce songs for prominent artists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Croatia, together with Buba Corelli. He wrote lyrics and music for Milan Stanković, Dado Polumenta, Severina, Katarina Grujić, Aca Pejović, Dara Bubamara, and Selma Bajrami. However, his most significant collaboration was with pop-folk singer Maya Berović, for whom he and Buba produced several studio albums and most of the songs from 2017 onwards. Entries Ljubav je (with Dalal, Deen & Ana Rucner) Country🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Year2016 LanguageBosnian LyricsAlmir AjanovićJasmin Fazlić Jala MusicAlmir Ajanović BackingsEna ĐapoZorana Guja Results Semi Points: 104Position: 11Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/QLrXmTB8OaY

Ana Rucner

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameAna Rucner Born12 February 1983 Nationality🇭🇷 Croatian National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongLjubav je (Dalal & Deen ft. Ana Rucner & Jala, 2016) Biography She was born into a musically talented family. Her mother, Snježana, is a cellist and soloist at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, while her father, Dragan, is a violinist and soloist in the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. She received her primary and secondary music education at the Elly Bašić Music Institute in Zagreb, and during her high school years and studies (from 1993 to 2003), she was constantly engaged with the Maribor Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2006, she married singer Vlado Kalember, from whom she divorced eight years later. She became particularly famous after the release of the “Ode to Joy” music video, which promotes Croatian tourism. The video was created based on her idea, and besides her, it featured the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and the Ivan Goran Kovačić Academic Choir. The video won the tourism Oscar (“Das goldene Stadttor”) at the 11th International Tourism Film and Multimedia Festival in Berlin, competing against 180 countries. On April 9, 2013, the video was awarded a bronze medal at the New York Festivals, along with 11 other awards. In 2016, Ana performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, Sweden, together with singers Dalal Midhat-Talakić and Fuad Backović, also known as “Deen,” and rapper Jasmin Fazlić Jala, with the song “Ljubav je,” representing Bosnia and Herzegovina. The song was performed in the first semi-final on May 10 but did not qualify for the final on May 14. This was the first time that representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina did not qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest final. Entries Ljubav je (with Dalal, Deen & Jala) Country🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Year2016 LanguageBosnian LyricsAlmir AjanovićJasmin Fazlić Jala MusicAlmir Ajanović BackingsEna ĐapoZorana Guja Results Semi Points: 104Position: 11Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/QLrXmTB8OaY

Dalal

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameDalal Midhat-Talakić Born05 August 1981 Nationality🇧🇦 Bosnian National SelectionInternal selection 2016 In Eurovision2016 Stockholm SongLjubav je (with Deen, Ana Rucner & Jala) Biography Dalal Midhat-Talakić (born August 5, 1981) is a Bosnian singer. She was born in Sarajevo, where she also attended school. Her first original song was performed in 1995 at a choir competition in Zagreb’s Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall. In 1999, Dalal formed the group Erato with singer Aida Jašarević, where she co-wrote most of the songs they released together. They released two studio albums, “Backstage” (2003) and “Make Up” (2005), and performed numerous concerts and shows throughout the region. The albums were released by the JRTV record label. Erato disbanded in 2009, after which Dalal started her solo music career. As a singer and vocal soloist, she collaborated with many songwriters, musicians, and performers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. She has released several singles, such as “Bonbon” (2015). Dalal represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 together with singers Deen, Ana Rucner, and Jala Brat. They performed the song “Ljubav je” (Love Is) written and produced by Almir Ajanović. The song did not qualify for the Eurovision final. After the Eurovision Song Contest she released the singles “Never Give Up” (2017), “Gdje sam ja” (Where Am I, 2017), and “Instant” (2019). Entries Ljubav je (with Deen, Ana Rucner & Jala) Country🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina Year2016 LanguageBosnian LyricsAlmir AjanovićJasmin Fazlić Jala MusicAlmir Ajanović BackingsEna ĐapoZorana Guja Results Semi Points: 104Position: 11Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/QLrXmTB8OaY

Olia Tira

About Quick Facts NameOlga Tsyra Born01 August 1988 Nationality🇲🇩 Moldovan National SelectionO Melodie Pentru Europa 2014O Melodie Pentru Europa 2010O Melodie Pentru Europa 2009O Melodie Pentru Europa 2007O Melodie Pentru Europa 2006 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongRun Away (2010, with Sunstroke Project) Biography Olia Tira, also known by her stage name FLUX LIGHT, is a singer from Moldova. She was born on August 1, 1988, in Potsdam, East Germany, to a Soviet military family. At the age of 14, she began appearing in festivals and concerts. Tira attended school in Cahul and is currently studying at the Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts in Chișinău. Her first album, titled “Your Place or Mine?”, was released in December 2006. It was produced by Nordika Multimedia, and all the songs were written by Ruslan Taranu. Tira participated in the Moldovan national finals for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006, 2007, and 2009. In 2010, she was chosen to represent Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest along with SunStroke Project. They finished 22nd in the final. Tira also competed in Moldova’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 with the song “Never Stop No,” performing under the stage name FLUX LIGHT. She tied for sixth place but did not qualify to represent Moldova in the contest. In March 2015 Olia Tira released a new song, “Moj Angel”. In December of that year she was voted Woman of the Year in the “Voice of the Year” category. Meanwhile, Olia also worked as a model. In October 2016 it was time for yet another single, “Ya znayu tochno”. In 2017, she took part in The Power of Dance – Battle of the Strongest. In March 2018, Olia released a new single, “Fixcatine”. In October of the same year, the video of the song “Ultramarin” came out. On September 11, 2020, Olia was awarded Honored Artist of Moldova. In February 2022, she released a new single, called “Neodnoznachnye”. In May 2023 it was the song “My Champion”. In October of the same year, a video of her concert Kto ya was released. Olia Tira is also a goodwill ambassador for Unaids. Entries Run Away (with Sunstroke Project) Country🇲🇩 Moldova Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsAlina Galeţcaia MusicAnton RagozaSergey Stepanov Backings– Results Semi Points: 52Position: 10Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 27Position: 22Running order: 4 https://youtu.be/pHXDMe6QV-U

Vesna

© EBU/Chloe Hashemi About Quick Facts Members Patricie FuxováBára ŠůstkováOlesya OchepovskáMarkéta VedralováTereza ČepkováTanita Yankovová Founded2016 Nationality🇨🇿 Czech National SelectionESCZ 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongMy sister’s crown (2023) Biography Vesna is an alternative music band with strong folklore features. It consists of singer, composer and lyricist Patricie Fuxová, violinist and vocalist Bára Šůstková, keyboardist Olesya Ochepovská, drummer Markéta Vedralová and bassist Tereza Čepková. The band was founded in 2016 by Patricia Fuxová. She got the idea to found an all-female group that would celebrate femininity and Slavism while studying at the conservatory. Together with her, Vesna was formed in the beginning by violinist Bára Šůstková, flutist Andrea Šulcová and Tanita Yankovová, whom she met at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory in Prague. The first song released was “Morana” in 2017, named after the goddess of winter and death, which they recorded in collaboration with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra; other singles were “Mokoš”, “Vesna” and “Živa”, named after the goddesses of autumn, spring and summer. In 2018, Šulcová and Yankovová left the group, who were replaced by pianist Olesya Ochepovská and drummer Markéta Vedralová. In November, they released their debut album “Pátá Bohyně” with 13 songs. With this album, the group was nominated in the Discovery of the Year category in the Anděl 2018 music award. 2019–⁠2022In June 2019, the group released the song “Bílá laň” in collaboration with Věra Martinová. In July the song “Bečva”, named after the river of the same name in collaboration with singer Zuzana Smatanova. On November 18, they released the song “Don’t Forget”; in the fall of 2019, the group organized its first club tour in the Czech Republic and Slovakia called #MyaVy. During the covid-19 pandemic, the group worked on a new album called “Anima”. It was released in October 2020, containing 11 songs; on the record, the band focused on animal archetypes, the symbolism of the night sky, the female body, self-perception or balancing the male-female worlds. The group was chosen as one of the five participants in the final selection, from which emerged the performer who will represent Czechia at Eurovision in 2023. The group entered the competition with the song “My Sister’s Crown” and clearly won the national final; domestic and foreign fans and spectators decided it in a vote. In Liverpool, they represented Czechia and reached the final. They earned a 10th place in the final. Entries My Sister’s Crown Country🇨🇿 Czechia Year2023 LanguageEnglishUkrainianCzechBulgarian Lyrics Patricie Kaňok FuxováTanita YankovaKateryna Vatchenko MusicPatricie Kaňok FuxováTanita YankovaKateryna Vatchenko Backings– Results Semi Points: 110Position: 4Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: 129Position: 10Running order: 14 https://youtu.be/ag8qxpvTTy0

The Busker

© EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett About Quick Facts MembersDavid ‘Dav Jr.’ GrechJean Paul BorgSean Meachen Founded2012 Nationality🇲🇹 Maltese National SelectionMalta Eurovision Song Contest 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongDance (Our own party) (2023) Biography The Busker is a Maltese indie pop band. The band was formed in October 2012 by singer and guitarist Dario Genovese and percussionist Jean Paul Borg. In 2014, bassist/keyboardist David Grech (aka Dav Jr.) and saxophonist Sean Meachen joined the band. The Busker was inspired by 1960s pop bands. They published their first song, “The ballad of John Brown”, on YouTube in 2013. The Busker started publishing songs on YouTube; both covers and original songs. Their debut album, “Telegram”, was released in 2017, followed by “Ladies and Gentlemen” om 2018. Dario Genovese left the group in august 2020. The band continued as a trio.The band teamed up with Matthew James for the song “Just a little bit more”. The song became no. 1 in the Maltese Top-10. In January 2021 the band teamed up with Raquella for the song “Don’t you tell me what you feel”. After these collaborations, Dav Jr. became the frontman of the band. The first single with the new line up was “Loose” in august 2021, followed in December of the same year by “Nothing more”. Both songs were released on the group’s EP “X”. On September 12, 2022, a new song “Miracle” was released. On February 11th, 2023, their song “Dance (Our own Party)” was chosen to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it to the final. Entries Dance (Our own Party) Country🇲🇹 Malta Year2023 LanguageEnglish LyricsDavid Meilak MusicDavid MeilakJean Paul BorgMatthew James BorgMichael Joe CiniSean Meachen Backings– Results Semi Points: 3Position: 15Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/zVmVt9qmg9g

Sudden Lights

© EBU/Chloe Hashemi About Quick Facts MembersAndrejs Reinis ZitmanisKārlis Matīss ZitmanisMārtiņš Matīss ZemītisKārlis Vārtiņš Founded2012 Nationality🇱🇻 Latvian National SelectionSupernova 2018Supernova 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongAijā (2023) Biography Sudden Lights is a Latvian alternative rock band. The band consists of Kārlis Vārtiņš (bass guitar), Mārtis Matīss Zemītis (percussion), Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis (voice) and Kārlis Matīss Zitmanis (guitar). The group was created in 2012 by Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis and Mārtiņš Matīss Zemītis, who studied at the Pāvuls Jurjānas music school at the time. In 2014, Kārlis Matīss Zitmanis and Kārlis Vārtiņš joined the group. The first step on the way to growth for the group was the victory in the Riga State 1st Gymnasium’s young musicians competition Pirmā Plate in 2015. They reached the first place. It gave them the opportunity to record their song “Tik Savādi”. It became the first song released by Sudden Lights. Soon, the group’s debut album was created, with the singles “Suburban Waltz”, “Laikmets” and “Šājā sētas pāše” being released. The songs were immediately included in the rotations of Latvian radio stations. They released video clips for “Suburban Waltz” and “Šājā sētas pāše”. On September 22, 2017, the group presented their debut album “Priekšpilsētas”. It contained 10 songs in both Latvian and English. The first self-organized concert, in which the songs of the album were played, took place at the Music House “Daile” on April 12, 2018. In 2018, the band took part in Supernova, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. They reached the final and became the runner up there with the song “Just fine”. Along with the presentation of the album “Par to zēnu ks sit skārdas bungas”, They were going to open for Brainstorm. For the first time in the history of Sudden Lights, the group performed in front of thousands of listeners. With the singles “Negribu pizezemētis” and “Dzīvnieks” the group has announced a new album. It was released on October 11, 2019 and is the band’s second studio album “Vislabāk ir tur, kur manis nav”. At the end of February 2020, the group went on its first Latvian concert tour with the same name. Due to measures to limit the spread of the virus “Covid 19”, the tour could not be finished. In 2023, the group participated in the Supernova 2023 contest with the song “Aijā”. The group won the competition and got the right to represent Latvia in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Unfortunately they didn’t manage to reach the final. Entries Aijā Country🇱🇻 Latvia Year2023 LanguageEnglishLatvian LyricsAndrejs Reinis ZitmanisKārlis Matīss ZitmanisMārtiņš Matīss ZemītisKārlis Vārtiņš MusicAndrejs Reinis ZitmanisKārlis Matīss ZitmanisMārtiņš Matīss ZemītisKārlis Vārtiņš Backings– Results Semi Points: 34Position: 11Running order: 4 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/SEykwl9X9SY