Iran

Arash Labaf

About Quick Facts NameAlex Arash Labaf Born23 April 1977 Nationality🇸🇪 Swedish National SelectionInternal selection 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongAlways (& Aysel) Biography Alex Arash Labaf, born April 23, 1977, in Tehran, is an Iranian-Swedish musician. As an artist, he is known simply as Arash. Arash had his breakthrough in 2004 with the release of his single “Boro Boro”, which topped the Swedish charts. Following this success, he released his self-titled debut album, “Arash”, in 2005, which included other hits such as “Tike Tike Kardi”. His third single, “Temptation” (feat. Rebecca), also became a major hit in Scandinavia, reaching number two on the Swedish charts in 2005. Arash further expanded his influence by recording a Russian version of “Temptation” with the popular Russian group Blestjasjtjie. The song, called “Vostotjnie skazki”, was a significant hit in Russia. In 2006, Arash released “Crossfade (The Remix Album)”, showcasing new renditions of his popular tracks. He continued to build his career with the 2008 album Donya, featuring collaborations with artists like Shaggy on the title track Donya, and Rebecca on Suddenly. The album also included the heartfelt duet “Pure Love” with Helena Paparizou. In 2009, Arash represented Azerbaijan in the Eurovision Song Contest with AySel, performing the song Always. They finished in third place with 207 points. The song became a major hit in Sweden, reaching number 3 on the Swedish charts. Following this success, he released “Kandi” (feat. Lumidee) the same year. Arash’s international collaborations continued with the release of “She Makes Me Go” (feat. Sean Paul) in 2013, a track based on “Think about the way” from 1994 by Ice MC. In 2014, he released his album “Superman”, which featured singles like “One Day” (feat. Helena Paparizou), “Doga Doga” (feat. Medina), and “Sex Love Rock N Roll” (feat. T-Pain). In 2016, Arash collaborated with Snoop Dogg on the track “OMG”. The following year, he released “Se Fue” (feat. Mohombi) and “Dooset Daram” (feat. Helena). His musical journey continued with the 2018 hit “Goalie Goalie” (feat. Pitbull, Blanco & Nyusha) and the 2019 single “One Night In Dubai” (feat. Helena). Arash’s more recent works include “Mary Jane” (versus Ilkay Sencan) and “No Maybes” (feat. Ilkay Sencan, Era Istrefi) in 2020. In 2021, he released several singles, including “Lavandia” (with Marshmello), “Angels Lullaby” (feat. Helena), Asemoon, and “Ich bin weg (Boro Boro)” (feat. Samra & Topic42). In 2022, he collaborated with Navid Zardi on “Bombe”, and in 2024, he released Hulu (feat. Sasy). Beyond his music, Arash has also contributed to film soundtracks. He produced music for the 2004 film Bombay Dreams, featuring the track “Bombay Dreams” (feat. Rebecca & Aneela), and for the 2005 film Bluffmaster, which included his song “Boro Boro (Bure Bure)”. Arash’s family resides in Sweden. He has two siblings, Arsalan Labaf, a lawyer, and Ashkan Labaf, a doctor. Malmö is his hometown in Sweden. Entries Always (& AySel) 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/9OEIOS1oUeY?si=XTfvyALTe_5fDfS1

Tooji

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameTouraj Keshtkar Born26 May 1987 Nationality🇳🇴 Norwegian National SelectionNorsk Melodi Grand Prix 2012 In Eurovision2012 Baku SongStay (2012) Biography Touraj Keshtkar, known professionally as Tooji, is a Norwegian singer, painter, model and television host.Tooji was born in Shiraz, Iran, and moved to Norway at the age of one. His mother, Lily Bandehy, is a renowned author and political commentator. By 16, Tooji embarked on a modelling career. He soon found his way to MTV Norway, hosting shows like Super Saturday and Tooji’s Top 10. Apart from his media pursuits, he trained as a social worker and served in asylum reception centres. Tooji’s musical accolades include winning the Melodi Grand Prix 2012, which led him to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 with his song “Stay”. Though he qualified from the semi-finals, he placed 26th in the final round. Moreover, he presented international jury votes for various Eurovision events and has co-hosted Melodi Grand Prix Junior in Norway since 2012 alongside Margrethe Røed. Musically, Tooji has been a versatile artist. His 2013 single “Rebels” is described as a fusion of pop-dance with hints of organic elements and robust electronica. Later, in pursuit of refining his musical style, he moved to Stockholm and released “Packin’ Guns”, a track blending electronic components with a gritty, organic sound. Tooji’s approach often incorporates irony against intense beats. His background in social work and education deeply influences his music, often echoing political and social sentiments. For instance, “Cocktail” addresses contemporary gender norms, referencing a quote by Gloria Steinem. After openly discussing his sexuality, he unveiled “The Father” project, confronting the church’s stance on sexual relationships and perceived hypocrisy. His subsequent single “Say Yeah” takes a stand against homophobic violence. His single and EP “Father” played a pivotal role in his coming out journey, addressing the complex intersection of sexuality and the church. Meanwhile, Tooji also released his first children’s book, Taki og Bestemor. In 2016 Tooji played a role in the musical “Rent”, where he played the role of Angel, a HIV infected gay person in the nineties. In the same year he co-wrote “Start anew”, a song by Swedish/Norwegian singer Elouiz. He joined the ‘Dracula Song Camp’ in Bucharest in September. Together with Lori Witt and Lauren Gallagher, Tooji produced a short film, “Just hear me” based on the Father Project. The short film was released in December 2016. In March 2017, the second book of Taki og Bestemor was released. On 26 November 2017, producer Anderson released the song and video “Cool kids”. The song was written by Tooji, who also provided the vocals. In 2018, he composed the music for the film KuToppen. He made his first steps in the field of K-Pop in 2019, when he wrote the song “Want” for Taemin. In April of that year, Chris Viviano released a song “Black horse” with Tooji’s vocals. Since July 2019 Tooji is known as Samaj Ai Bandéh. He leads Pink Lotus soundhealing and meditation sessions. Meanwhile he kept writing songs for others, like for Sofie Rose (“Keep loving me”). His film De Reisende (The Travelers) was released in 2020. Entries Stay Country🇳🇴 Norway Year2012 LanguageEnglish LyricsToojiPeter BoströmFigge Boström MusicToojiPeter BoströmFigge Boström BackingsHans Esben Gihle DancersSérgio Benvindo jr.Daniel GillAnne Marit TynesMaria Ima Karlsen Results Semi Points: 45Position: 10Running order: 16 Results Finals Points: 7Position: 26Running order: 12 https://youtu.be/-ZaxIY1VAbM?si=eKhxqCe-AbvXzw9t