Groups

Laura Põldvere

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameLaura Põldvere Born30 August 1988 Nationality🇪🇪 Estonian National SelectionUuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2021 (Finland)Eesti Laul 2020Eesti Laul 2017Eesti Laul 2016Eesti Laul 2009Eurolaul 2007Eurolaul 2005 In Eurovision2017 Kyiv2005 Kyiv SongVerona (2017, with Koit Toome)Let’s get loud (2005, Suntribe) Biography Laura Põldvere is an Estonian singer. She was born in the Estonian city of Tartu. Laura’s career started in 2005, when she took part in Eurolaul, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. As a solo singer, she sang “Moonwalk”. The song became 2nd and reached the #1 spot in the Estonian charts. However, she also participated as a member of the girlband Suntribe. The group won and represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Let’s get loud”. The band had previously recorded a song in Estonian, “Ei tunne mind”. After 2005, the group split up and Laura went for a solo career. In 2007, Laura was back in Eurolaul, this time with the song “Sunflower”. She reached the 3rd place. Again, Laura’s song reached the #1 spot in the Estonian charts. In the same year, on 1 September, her debut album “Muusa” was released. Laura took a break from her singing career to study at Berklee College in Boston, USA.In 2009, Laura made a comeback at Eesti Laul, now the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Her song “Destiny” reached a 3rd place. Another album followed, “Ultra”, which was released on 8 December 2009. In November 2011 the album was followed by a compilation album with the title “Sädemeid taivast”. After a few years of silence, Laura made a comeback in 2016, and her stage again was Eesti Laul. The song “Supersonic” became 2nd and again was good for a #1 in the Estonian charts. The follow up song “94-95” had the same success. Together with Koit Toome, Laura took part in Eesti Laul 2017. The song “Verona” won and took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. “Verona” did not reach the final. On 12 May 2017 however, a “Greatest hits” album appeared with “Verona” on it. In 2018, Laura released a few non-album singles: “Waterfall”, “Tõusulained” and “Lennujaamas”. A new album, “9 Elu” found it’s release on 3 December 2019. On this album a.o. another duet with Koit Toome. In 2020, Laura took part in Eesti Laul again. The song this time was called “Break me”. Laura reached the 11th place in the final this time. The song was followed by one in Estonian, “On meie aeg”. In 2021, Laura participated in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, the Finnish national selection for the Eurovision song contest. Unfortunately, her song “Play” became last in the final. After this, she released two new singles and went on to perform in Poland and Italy. In 2022, on 11 March, a new single was released: “Gameboy”, which was a collaboration with Jyrise. The band Tabloided invited her to record a song together, which was titled “Zeitgeist”. In May of that year, the new song “Prayers to you” came out. In the summer, Laura organized a music camp, Make Music Until You Drop. It was in March 2023 that Laura released a song called „Lilled jäävadki Sulle“. With that song, she participated in the show Uus Laul II. She and her team reached the final of the contest. In August she opened for Bonnie Tyler. A new single, “Pahupidi”, was released in September. Laura took part in Eesti Laul 2024, where she sang “Here’s Where I Draw The Line”. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it to the final. Entries Verona (with Koit Toome) Country🇪🇪 Estonia Year2017 LanguageEnglish LyricsSven Lõhmus MusicSven Lõhmus BackingsKaire VilgatsDagmar OjaRolf Roosalu Results Semi Points: 85Position: 14Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/NxqPpzWYN1c Let’s get loud (Suntribe) Country🇪🇪 Estonia Year2005 LanguageEnglish LyricsSven Lõhmus MusicSven Lõhmus Backings– Results Semi Points: 31Position: 20Running order: 12 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/mqvOUfdwQtw

Timebelle

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersMiruna ManescuSamuel ForsterEmanuel Daniel Andriescu Founded2014 Nationality🇨🇭 Swiss (Samuel)🇷🇴 Romanian (Miruna and Emanuel) National SelectionESC 2017 – Die EntscheidungsshowESC 2015 – Die Entscheidungsshow In Eurovision2017 Kyiv SongApollo (2017) Biography Timebelle started as a 6 man band. Miruna Manescu was the lead vocalist. Other members were Christoph Siegrist (guitar), Sandor Törok (bass-guitar), Samuel Forster (drums), Rade Mijatovic (accordion) and Emanuel Daniel Andriescu (saxophone, clarinet, piano). The men were students in Bern. They formed the band Imports Ltd. first. Later, they started Timebelle, with Miruna as the singer. The band took part in the 2015 national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. They played the song “Singing about love” and reached the 2nd place. The song was followed by two singles: “Desperado” and “Are you ready?”. On 10 October 2015, the band released an EP called “Desperado”. In December 2016 the band announced they were going to take part in ESC 2017 – Die Entscheidungsshow. The band was now reduced to a trio, with Rade, Sandor and Christoph having left the band. Their song, “Apollo”, won the national selection and represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest, where they did not reach the final. In November of the same year, the band featured in the Soundland track “Come around”. In 2018, the band kept working together with Sounland in a new song, “Heartache”. On 16 November, a video “Tocame” was released, which was a collaboration with Sunstroke Project. A year later, they teamed up with Soundland again for a new song, “Movin’ on”. In May 2019, they were able to perform in the Euroclub in Tel Aviv, where the Eurovision Song Contest was held that year. They also performed at the summer fest in Chisinau, Moldova. A new song, “Black sea”, was released in September. The band teamed up with Alizé Oswald for a new song, “Beautiful people”, which was released in January 2020. In collaboration with Alejandro Reyes, who took part in ESC 2018 – Die Entscheidungsshow, Timebelle released the song “Rapido” in September 2020. A second song with Alejandro, “Barba”, came out a year later. “Dopamina” was a new song by the band in 2021, followed by “About us”, “No se puede” and “No te vayas de aqui”. With Runa and Nosfe they released “Palatul de crom” and “Garsoniera din obor”, a Romanian production. It brought them performances in Romania. Meanwhile, Samuel Forster had left the band, which means that Timebelle was a duo from then on. On 18 March, 2022, Timebelle came up with a new song and video, ” ’96”, followed by “$1” in 2022. Entries Apollo Country🇨🇭 Switzerland Year2017 LanguageEnglish LyricsElias NäslinNicolas GünthardtAlessandra Günthardt MusicElias NäslinNicolas GünthardtAlessandra Günthardt BackingsTanja DanknerNyssina SwerissenNori Rickenbacher Results Semi Points: 97Position: 12Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/OrNPRfS9Sbg

Cascada

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts MembersNatalie HorlerManuel Reuter (not on stage)Yann Peifer (not on stage) Founded2004 Nationality🇩🇪 German National SelectionUnser Song Für Malmö 2013 In Eurovision2013 Malmö SongGlorious (2013) Biography Cascada is a German dance music act. Natalie Horler, at the age of 17 in 1998, was involved in studio collaborations with numerous DJs. It was during this period that she encountered Yanou (Yann Peifer) and DJ Manian (Manuel Reuter), who were 24 and 20 years old respectively. Initially, their music was released under the name Cascade. However, due to potential legal complications from another artist named Kaskade, they rebranded as Cascada. They also ventured into music under aliases such as Siria, 3XM, Phalanx, Scarf!, Diamond, and Akira, but these projects were halted given Cascada’s rising popularity. Their debut single was “Miracle”, and its successor, “Bad Boy”. “Miracle” was launched in 2004 in the US. When it failed to gain significant traction, Cascada pitched “Everytime We Touch”. Nearly a year after launching their second U.S. single “Everytime We Touch” — inspired by Maggie Reilly’s 1992 track of the same name — Cascada achieved significant recognition in both the UK and the U.S. This track received multiple gold and platinum awards worldwide, including a platinum certification from the RIAA. Its immense popularity led to the rapid recording and release of an album, accompanied by a promotional music video for “Everytime We Touch”. The album spawned seven singles in total. In the UK, four of these were launched: “Everytime We Touch”, “Truly Madly Deeply” (a rendition of Savage Garden’s hit), “Miracle”, and “A Neverending Dream”. All but “A Neverending Dream”, which ranked at #46, achieved top 10 status. In the U.S., following the surge in popularity of “Everytime We Touch”, “Miracle” was reintroduced, garnering extensive radio airplay and achieving a modest chart position. The album “Everytime We Touch” made its mark on the UK Album chart, holding a spot in the top forty for half a year and reaching its peak at No. 2. It also performed well on U.S. charts. This widespread acclaim led to Cascada receiving two World Music Award nominations and clinching the title for the World’s Best-Selling German Artist. In late 2007, Cascada unveiled their second album, “Perfect Day”, initially in the UK and parts of Northern Europe, with other regions receiving it in early 2008. For its U.S. release, which came later, the album underwent some alterations. The album’s first single, “What Hurts the Most”, rolled out at the close of 2007 and the onset of 2008, accompanied by its B-side, a rendition of Wham!’s festive hit, “Last Christmas”. This track achieved commendable success, securing spots within the top ten in numerous countries. Subsequently, in the UK and Germany, the tracks “What Do You Want From Me?” and “Because the Night” were released. In late June 2009, Cascada released “Evacuate the Dancefloor” in the UK. The song secured the No. 1 spot. The track achieved top five rankings in several countries like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and New Zealand, and was among the top ten in several others. By late September, it made its U.S. debut, peaking at No. 25 and marking the group’s second top-forty hit in the country. “Evacuate the Dancefloor” became iconic in the club scene, featured in various dance-centric video games, and even secured a nomination for an MTV Video Music Award. The album, sharing the same title, was launched on July 6 in both the UK and Germany. Although the album didn’t achieve the same level of acclaim as its titular single, it still ranked in the top ten in numerous countries. From this album, “Dangerous” and “Fever” were introduced as subsequent singles, with varying regional releases. Both tracks didn’t mirror the success of their predecessor in terms of airplay or sales. Despite this, Cascada continued to actively promote their album, even joining Britney Spears as an opening act during a concert in Germany. In 2010, Cascada introduced “Pyromania”, marking a continuation of their electropop style. That summer, parts of a song named “Night Nurse” began to surface online. By November, a music video spotlighting Horler adorned in multi-colored full-body paint was unveiled, building anticipation for their upcoming album. In late March 2011, Cascada was busy shooting music videos for their forthcoming singles, “San Francisco” and “Au Revoir”. Both were directed by Lisa Mann with choreography by Luther Brown. These tracks were highlighted in the album “Original Me”, which saw its UK release on 20 June 2011 and a later US release on 29 November. In a bold move, Horler graced the pages of Playboy Deutschland in July 2011, evoking varied responses from both fans and critics. In January 2012, Horler became a jury member for the German vocal talent show, “Deutschland sucht den Superstar”. By March, the music video for “Summer of Love” debuted in Germany, paving the way for the compilation album “Back on the Dancefloor”. A few months later, in June, clips of Horler covering Corona’s classic “The Rhythm of the Night” appeared online. The cover was officially released later that month in both Germany and the US. Approaching the festive season, Cascada unveiled a Christmas album titled “It’s Christmas Time” in November 2012. This album featured their rendition of Wham!’s “Last Christmas” and an original song, “Somewhere At Christmas Time”. Notably, David Horler, Natalie’s uncle, contributed his trombone skills to a couple of tracks. Early in 2013, Cascada released the single “Glorious”, which soon earned them the honor of representing Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. They later secured 21st place out of 26 participants in the contest’s final round. Shortly after this, they dropped their second greatest hits compilation, “The Best of Cascada”, which introduced the new song “The World is in My Hands”, succeeding their Eurovision entry. The group then shifted gears, working on an acoustic album titled “Acoustic Sessions”, released in November 2013. This album spotlighted stripped-down versions of their popular hits along with select cover songs. In March 2014, Cascada

ESDM (El Sueño de Morfeo)

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts MembersRaquel Del RosarioDavid Feito RodríguezJuan Luis Suárez Garrido Active2002 – 2022 Nationality🇪🇸 Spanish National SelectionEl Sueño de Morfeo: Destino Eurovisión 2013 In Eurovision2013 Malmö SongContigo hasta el final (With You Until The End) (2013) Biography El Sueño De Morfeo (translated as “Morpheus’s Dream” in English) was a Spanish pop-rock band with Celtic influences that rose to prominence in the early 2000s. Formed in 2002, the band was made up of lead singer Raquel del Rosario from the Canary Islands, and Asturian musicians Juan Luis Suárez and David Feito, both on guitar. Before their current incarnation, the trio played under the name Xemà, releasing an album titled “Del Interior” in 2002. However, it was their reformation as El Sueño De Morfeo that truly brought them into the spotlight. Their debut album as El Sueño De Morfeo, released in 2005, was a massive success in Spain. The album was certified as a gold record and produced several hits, including “Nunca Volvera,” “Okupa de Tu Corazón,” and “Esta Soy Yo.” The latter song also earned Raquel del Rosario a nomination for Best Song at the Principality of Asturias Awards. In 2007, they followed up their successful debut with a second album titled “Nos vemos en el camino,” which further solidified their place in the Spanish music industry. This was followed by two more albums, “Cosas que nos hacen sentir bien” in 2009 and “Buscamos sonrisas” in 2011. The band represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. Their song “Contigo hasta el final (With You Until The End)” unfortunately did not fare well in the competition, finishing in the 25th place out of 26 contestants. They decided to take a break as a group, and at the end of 2014 they announced that they would reunite in January of the following year to record their next album. However, they ultimately decided to pursue separate paths, not having taken it as a definitive breakup. Raquel moved with her family to the United States. They made a joint musical collaboration in 2020 during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 crisis online. In June 2022, following the initiative of Prensa Ibérica, they gave a reunion concert at the Príncipe Felipe Auditorium in Oviedo, the proceeds of which were donated to those affected by the eruption of the La Palma volcano. Although Juan Luis was present and helped organize the event, he could not play the guitar. They announced that this would be their last concert and that they have no plans to resume their career as a group. Entries Contigo hasta el final (With you Until The End) Country🇪🇸 Spain Year2013 LanguageSpanish LyricsDavid FeitoRaquel del RosarioJuan Luis Suárez MusicDavid FeitoRaquel del RosarioJuan Luis Suárez BackingsMey GreenJavi MendézMilena Brody Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 8Position: 25Running order: 5 https://youtu.be/5o_DnM_ANF8

AWS

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersÖrs SiklósiBence BruckerDániel KökényesÁron VeressSoma Schiszler Founded2006 Nationality???????? Hungarian National SelectionA Dal 2018 In Eurovision2018 Lisbon SongViszlát nyár (2018) Biography AWS is a Hungarian metal and post-hardcore band formed in 2006 by Bence Brucker, Dániel Kökényes, Örs Siklósi, and Áron Veress, later joined by Marcell Vaga. The band’s name is often humorously explained as an acronym for a random phrase. In the initial period the formation worked as a real high school band. The 2006 the band was linked to a school-farewell concert. This was their first public appearance. Soon after, a recording of their song “Alone” was made, but it was only released among friends. Their first major recording was a two song EP with the songs “Afterparty” and “It’s My Word”. Their raw material was published on Myspace.At the end of 2008, they were invited to perform at Budapestrocknroll. After the concert they joined the band Superbutt at two other places. These were the band’s first ever country club concerts. In early 2009, they set off for their first Transylvanian tour. In june of that year, they played their first self-organized mini-festival in Budakeszi. In mid-December, they will begin recording drums of their then-untitled first album at the Bakery studio in Érd, with Attila Horváth, the sound engineer known as the Subscribe guitarist. At the end of the year, they were invited to the BZF Talent Final on the A38 as an invited guest. In April 2011, after many years of work, the band’s first album, “Fata Morgana” was released. They won the MTV Brand: New Award for their album. Soon after the release of the album, which contained English and Hungarian songs, AWS decided to go for Hungarian Lyrics. A four-song EP called “Világposztolás” was released, with videos made for all four songs. The band made a tour with the group Road. In September 2012, the band reached another milestone with their first concert in London with the bands Depresszió, Rómeó Vérzik and Sold for Evil. In 2013 Marcell Vaga left the band and was replaced by Gergő Varga. With this line up, their second album “Égésföld” was released in 2014. A year later, they performed in London again, opening for the band Alvin és a Mókusok. Varga then decided to leave the band. They continued playing without a bassist for some time. They continued playing at concerts and released a new single “Te is félsz”. In September 2016, “Kint a vízből” the band’s third album, was released. In October, they launch a highly successful joint tour with Leander Kills. At the beginning of 2017, the band’s new bassist, Soma Schiszler, joined the band. In November, they gave four concerts in front of the Tank Trap.In 2018, the band took part in A Dal, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. As they won A Dal, they were able to represent Hungary in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Viszlát nyár” and reached the final. Two weeks later, they are giving their first solo concert on the Budapest Park stage. With the upcoming festival season and the hype surrounding the media, the band was thrilled to finish their new album. This album, “Fekete Részem”, was released in octorber 2018. AWS released their fifth studio album, “My Black Part,” on October 10 2019. In December, the video and audio material of the Madách theater concert in September were released. At the beginning of the year 2020, the band went on a solo tour, the guest was the band Useme. In February, another milestone came in the life of AWS, as they ran out of tickets for their Aquarium Great Hall concert three weeks before the event. Örs Siklósi, the singer of AWS, died of leukemia on February 5, 2021. He was 29 years old. The band kept on performing, but now as a four man band. Entries Viszlát Nyár Country???????? Country Year2018 LanguageHungarian LyricsÖrs Siklósi MusicBence BruckerDániel KökényesÁron VeressSoma Schiszler BackingsDavid Schwartz Results Semi Points: 111Position: 10Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: 93Position: 21Running order: 21 https://youtu.be/p6e1TmYb33w

DoReDos

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersMarina DjundyetEugenio AndrianovSergiu Mîța Founded2011 Nationality🇲🇩 Moldovan National SelectionO Melodie Pentru Europa 2018O Melodie Pentru Europa 2016O Melodie Pentru Europa 2015 In Eurovision2018 Lisbon SongMy Lucky Day (2018) Biography The members of DoReDos originate from Rîbnița, Transnistria. DoReDos exists of Marina Djundyet (15 october 1986), Eugeniu Andrianov (2 april 1993) and Sergiu Mîța (3 may 1993). They all graduated from the Acadamy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts in Chișinău. They met in 2011 and decided to form a band, in those days called The Art Band. Later they changed their name into DoReDos. In 2014, DoReDoS won the George Grigoriu Pop Music Contest in Romania. In 2015, they participated in O melodie pentru Europa, the Moldovan national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. A year later, they took part in O melodie pentru Europa again, and they were finalists in the X-Factor Romania. In 2017, the group won the New Wave Contest in Sochi, Russia. In 2018, they were chosen to represent Moldova in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “My lucky day”, reaching a 10th place in the final. In the same year, they released two other singles: “Write your number on my hand” and “Constantine”. In July 2019, the song “Shokolad” was available, followed by “Otpusti” in september. In December, they were given a Grasia Award for best concert show. In 2020, the group released a new single, “Ya teby lyublyu”. Later that year, they started recording in Romanian. Their first song in Romanian language was “Dragostea La Doi”. In the beginning of 2022, DoReDos announced a change of look and sound. Their first single in their new style became “Boom Boom” in February. Entries My Lucky Day Country🇲🇩 Moldova Year2018 LanguageEnglish LyricsPhilipp KirkorovJohn Ballard MusicPhilipp Kirkorov BackingsErik HøibySara Linnea LauingerKostya Vechersky Results Semi Points: 235Position: 3Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: 209Position: 10Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/5evrVL1rJPA

EQUINOX

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersZhana BergendorffGeorgi SimeonovVlado MihailovTrey CampbellJohnny Manuel Active2018 Nationality???????? Bulgarian (Zhana, Georgi, Vlado)???????? American (Trey, Johnny) National SelectionInternal selection 2018 In Eurovision2018 Lisbon SongBones (2018) Biography Equinox was a Bulgarian band, established to represent Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest. The name “Equinox” comes from the term equinox, which means the moments of the year when day and night are approximately the same duration throughout our planet. These days are celebrated all over the world and are important to all major religions. Zhanna Bergendorf was born on October 20, 1985 in Sofia. She starts singing when she is 7 years old. When she was 18, she went to sing in South Korea. She remained there until 2010, after which she moved to Denmark. She participated in the X Factor Denmark. She became famous for winning the X Factor Bulgaria in 2013. She had a lot of hits in Bulgaria and won several important prizes in Bulgaria. Georgi Simeonov, known as JJ, is a singer, songwriter and vocal producer. He made his debut in the popular Bulgarian boy band 032 at the age of 16. In 2013, he began his solo career and released the songs “Better I Understood” and “Dealer of Love.” In 2009 he started teaching pop, soul and RnB, leading master classes in Sofia and Plovdiv. He works as a vocal producer for some of the biggest musicians in Bulgaria. He participated in the X Factor Romania. Vladimir Mihailov is a Bulgarian singer, songwriter, artist and vocalist of the famous bands Sappho and Slang. Prior to joining Equinox, he was a backing vocalist for Christian Kostov. As an artist, he has starred in three of the biggest Bulgarian films of 2017 – “Vŭzvishenie”, “Benzin i Nokaut”, and “Vsichko, koeto tya napisa”. He composed songs for many Bulgarian artists. He has been invited to play a leading role in the Bulgarian production of the musical “Mamma Mia”. He has worked as a voice actor in animated films such as “Frozen”, “Tangled” and “The Muppets”. Johnny Manuel comes from Flint, USA. Johnny has been a performer since his childhood, touring with ‘N Sync at the age of 14. In 2017 he took part in “America’s Got Talent”. His Withney Houston performance went viral on the internet. After “America’s Got Talent,” he released two singles, “Come Alive” and “Blind Faith,” and began working on his debut album with Symphonics International. Trey Campbell is a songwriter from Los Angeles, one of the composers of “Bones”, a major contributor to Equinox. Trey has written music for artists such as Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Norwegian singer Julie Bergan, and Romanian Alexandra Stan. In 2019, he was a backing vocal in the Eurovision Song Contest for Azerbaijani participant Chingiz Mustafayev. As a group, Equinox represented Bulgaria in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Bones”. Entries Bones Country???????? Bulgaria Year2018 LanguageEnglish LyricsBorislav MilanovTrey CampbellJoacim PerssonDag Lundberg MusicBorislav MilanovTrey CampbellJoacim PerssonDag Lundberg BackingsMaria Georgieva Results Semi Points: 177Position: 7Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: 166Position: 14Running order: 18 https://youtu.be/vC-1tdGDFQc

Anti Social Media

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersPhilip ThornhillNikolaj TøthDavid VangEmil Vissing Active2015-2016 Nationality🇩🇰 Danish National SelectionDansk Melodi Grand Prix 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongThe Way You Are (2015) Biography Anti Social Media was a Danish pop rock group. The band is composed of Philip Thornhill, Nikolaj Tøth, David Vang, and Emil Vissing. They took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 as Denmark’s representative. They performed the song “The Way You Are”. Unfortunately they did not reach the final. On 4 May 2015 Anti Social Media released the single “More Than a Friend”. On 11 May 2015 they released their debut EP “The Way”. In July of the same year they performed at the Roskilde Festival. They also opened for Rasmus Seebach at his concerts. In September, one of the songs from “The Way”, “Fire exit”, was released as a single. The band also toured and performed in 2016. After that year, nothing has been heard or released from the band. Entries The Way You Are Country🇩🇰 Denmark Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsRemeeChief1 MusicRemeeChief1 BackingsNellie EttisonJohanna Beijbom Results Semi Points: 33Position: 13Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/J–Tgi_iZQ8

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersPertti KurikkaKari AaltoSami HelleToni Välitalo Active2009-2016 Nationality🇫🇮 Finnish National SelectionUuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongAina Mun Pitää (2015) Biography Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät (also known as PKN) was a Finnish punk band that operated from 2009 to 2016. The band consisted of Pertti Kurikka (guitar, compositions, lyrics), Kari Aalto (vocals, lyrics), Sami Helle (bass), and Toni Välitalo (drums). The band was managed and their music arranged by disability instructor Kalle Pajamaa. Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät originated in 2009 at the Lyhty Association’s art workshop in Konala, Helsinki, which provides services for people with disabilities. Film director Pekka Karjalainen wanted to include a band of individuals with developmental disabilities in his movie called “Vähän kunnioitusta” (“A Little Respect”). Although the association had several bands, they decided to form a completely new one specifically for the film, centered around guitarist Pertti Kurikka, who had a strong punk background. Kurikka composed the song “Kallioon” (“Into the Rock”) during the summer of 2010 for the film’s premiere, with lyrics written by the band’s vocalist Kari Aalto. Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät gained national attention in the spring of 2009 when Kalle Pajamaa, the instructor at the workshop, created a music video for the song and uploaded it to YouTube. Within a few weeks, it garnered over ten thousand views, and soon the band was offered a gig at the F*cking Disco punk club in Helsinki. In February 2010, Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät performed at Tavastia Club, and that same winter, they embarked on their first concert tour outside the Helsinki metropolitan area, playing in Tampere. Following that, the band played hundreds of concerts and also performed internationally in countries such as the United States, Germany, Canada, Kosovo, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Norway. In May 2014, the band performed at a charity concert in Rovaniemi alongside Mr. Lordi of the band Lordi. In December 2014, Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät embarked on a ten-concert tour in the United Kingdom with the English punk band Hard Skin. Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät participated in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, the Finnish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, in 2015 with their song “Aina mun pitää” (“I Always Have To”). The band eventually won. However, in the Eurovision Song Contest, the band did not qualify for the final and was eliminated in the first semifinal, not among the ten acts that advanced. Pertti Kurikka announced his retirement from playing rock music after turning 60, and the band ceased its activities on Kurikka’s birthday, December 26, 2016. The tickets for their final show at On the Rocks club in Helsinki cost 60 cents. Otto Talvio from Helsingin Sanomat described the band’s last performance as sweaty, cramped, and emotional. However, on December 5, 2017, Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät performed one last time at Kansalaistori Square in Helsinki. The band had promised to do one more show if the “Ei myytävänä!” (“Not for Sale!”) citizens’ initiative received over 50,000 signatures, which is the requirement for the initiative to be considered by the Finnish Parliament. The citizens’ initiative opposes the outsourcing of housing and daily life services for people with disabilities. Entries Aina Mun Pitää Country🇫🇮 Finland Year2015 LanguageFinnish LyricsPertti Kurikan Nimipäivät MusicPertti Kurikan Nimipäivät Backings– Results Semi Points: 13Position: 16Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/v4Y0HOPL5GU

Il Volo

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersPiero BaroneIgnazio BoschettoGianluca Ginoble Founded2010 Nationality🇮🇹 Italian National SelectionSelection Method In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongGrande Amore (2015) Biography Il Volo is an Italian music group composed of two tenors and a baritone: Piero Barone (born on June 24, 1993, in Naro), Ignazio Boschetto (born on October 4, 1994, in Bologna), and Gianluca Ginoble (born on February 11, 1995, in Roseto degli Abruzzi). The trio was formed in 2009 during the participation of the three singers in the second edition of the children’s singing talent show “Ti lascio una canzone”. Initially, they auditioned as soloists, not knowing each other before. However, at the request of director Roberto Cenci, they occasionally performed together as a trio. Due to their vocal talents and young age, they were given the nickname “tenorini” (little tenors). After their television experience, the emerging music group caught the attention of record producers Michele Torpedine and Tony Renis. They signed a two-million-dollar contract for the release of an album on the international market. Before adopting the name Il Volo, the group was initially called The Tryo and participated in the recording of “We Are the World 25 for Haiti” to raise funds for the populations affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Shortly after, the three singers were invited back to the Ariston Theatre and, as guests of the 60th Sanremo Music Festival. They changed their name into Il Trio. The title of their first album, “Il Volo,” marks the young singers’ new name. The album was released in Italy on November 30, 2010, and reached the sixth position on the Italian chart in the first week of 2011. In the last week of 2013, it was certified platinum by FIMI for selling over 60,000 copies. On May 17, 2011, the album was also released in the United States and Europe. Following several television appearances, including a live performance on the talent show American Idol, the album reached the tenth position on the Billboard 200 chart. “Il Volo” also entered the top 10 in France, the Netherlands, and the Belgian region of Wallonia. In Austria, it debuted at the second position and eventually topped the album sales chart. On June 7, 2011, the album was released in Spanish and received the RIAA Latin Gold Award in the United States. It achieved double platinum status in Venezuela, platinum in Mexico, and gold in Colombia and Puerto Rico. The album also received gold certification in Austria, France, and the Netherlands. In late July and early August, the group expanded their promotion to the Asian market with tours in Malaysia, Taiwan, and Singapore, followed by Australia and New Zealand. Il Volo was certified gold in New Zealand and Singapore as well. Their first North American tour began on September 24, 2011, with seventeen dates in the United States and Canada. In November 2011, they embarked on a 13-concert tour in Europe. On February 28, the CD and DVD “Il Volo Takes Flight – Live from the Detroit Opera House” were released. In April and May, the group embarked on a twelve-concert tour for their first Latin American tour. From early August to early October, they toured the United States and Canada, performing in twenty-eight concerts. In the fall of 2012, Barbra Streisand invited the group to be special guests on her North American tour, “Back to Brooklyn.” At the end of the year, their second album, “We Are Love,” was released. It featured duets with tenor Plácido Domingo and Eros Ramazzotti. In the United States, the album was reissued in the spring of 2013 as the “We Are Love Special Edition,” with five songs replaced. The album included the song “Luna nascosta,” which was the main theme of the movie “Hidden Moon.” A live album, “We Are Love – Live from The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater,” was released after the specials aired. In May, the Latin version of “We Are Love” was released under the title “Más que amor.” In its first week of sales, the album reached the number one position on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart and the number two position on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. “Más que amor” was certified gold in Mexico and Argentina. In August, the “We Are Love Tour,” their fourth North American tour, began and lasted for two months, featuring twenty dates in the United States and Canada. From October to November, the group embarked on the “Más que amor” tour, performing twenty-seven concerts in Central and South America. On October 26, 2013, the international version of “Buon Natale – The Christmas Album” was released, featuring some of the most famous American Christmas songs, along with two songs in Latin and one in German. In 2014, Il Volo won the Billboard Latin Music Award award for Best Group of the Year in the Latin Pop Albums category and also won the El Pulso Social award, which recognizes the artist who dominated social media interactions during the Billboard Awards. In June, they returned to North America for a summer tour of fifteen concerts in large outdoor theaters in the United States and Canada, accompanied by a band and orchestra. The concert setlist featured their most successful songs, and the tour received excellent reviews from critics. On August 21, the group won the Favorite Duo or Group award at the Premios Tu Mundo, held in Miami and broadcasted by the US television network Telemundo. At the final evening of the 2015 Sanremo Festival, which began on February 14, 2015, and ended late at night, the song “Grande amore” won the competition with 39% of the votes. Released as a single, the song preceded the release of the trio’s EP titled “Sanremo grande amore,” which was released on February 17 of the same year. In addition to the new song, the EP included six reinterpretations of past Sanremo Festival winning songs, including “Ancora” by Eduardo De Crescenzo, which the trio performed during the third night of the festival. The EP