Male Artists

Ovi

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts NameOvidiu Cernăuțeanu Born23 August 1974 Nationality🇷🇴 Romanian🇳🇴 Norwegian National SelectionSelecția Națională 2014Selecția Națională 2010Norsk Melodi Grand Prix 2009Norsk Melodi Grand Prix 2006 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen2010 Oslo SongMiracle (2014, & Paula Seling)Playing With Fire (2010, & Paula Seling) Biography Ovidiu Cernăuțeanu, known professionally as Ovi Jacobsen or simply Ovi, is a Romanian-Norwegian singer-songwriter, producer, and musician. He was born on August 23, 1974, in Botoșani, Romania. Ovi began his music career in Romania, releasing several solo albums and singles. In the mid-2000s, he decided to relocate to Norway. This move led to a new chapter in his career, opening up international opportunities for him. In 2006, Ovi took part in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. However, his song “The better side of me” got stuck in the 2nd chance round. In a new attempt in 2009 he did reach the final with his song “Seven seconds”. Ovi teamed up with Paula Seling again, and with Adrian Enache, to release the album “Duelul Pianelor” in 2017. A year later, her new solo album “Steaua Răsare” was released. In 2010, Ovi first came to prominence in the Eurovision scene when he represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest, partnering with fellow Romanian artist Paula Seling. The duo performed the song “Playing with Fire”, which proved to be a great success, finishing third in the contest – one of the highest placements for Norway in recent years. This performance also marked the first of several collaborations with Seling. In 2014, Ovi once again teamed up with Paula Seling to represent Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest. Their song, “Miracle”, managed to make it to the finals and ultimately placed 12th. Apart from his performances in Eurovision, Ovi is also known for his songwriting and production work. He has penned songs for various artists and contributed to several musical projects in both Romania and Norway. In 2019 for example, he wrote a song for Olivier Kaye. This song, “Right now”, was submitted to the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest and reached an 8th place in the final in Romania. In 2021, Ovi and others started a cross-country project playing live music. The band is called Popfolklorica. Also, he teamed up again with Paula Seling in January 2022 for the song “See You Again”. In March 2023, a new single came out for Ovi: “Două geci îmbrățișate”. In 2024 he went to Norway for a songwriting camp. He will also be part of ‘Eurovision on Tour’, performances of artists from the Eurovision Song Contest. Entries Miracle (& Paula Seling) Country🇷🇴 Romania Year2014 LanguageEnglish LyricsAndreas Sjo EngenFrida AmundsenKjetil HelgesenMarcus OnlyOvidiu CernăuţeanuPhilip Halloun MusicAndreas Sjo EngenFrida AmundsenKjetil HelgesenMarcus OnlyOvidiu CernăuţeanuPhilip Halloun BackingsJulie LindellLine KrogholmMads StormMarcus Only Results Semi Points: 125Position: 2Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: 72Position: 12Running order: 6 https://youtu.be/cAMpVodhiS4 Playing With Fire (& Paula Seling) Country🇷🇴 Romania Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsOvidiu Cernăuţeanu MusicOvidiu Cernăuţeanu BackingsAlexandra CraescuOana Puscatu Results Semi Points: 104Position: 4Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: 162Position: 3Running order: 19 https://youtu.be/J9EtMZXeQZw

Václav Noid Bárta

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameVáclav Bárta Born27 October 1980 Nationality🇨🇿 Czech National SelectionInternal selection 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongHope Never Dies (with Marta Jandová, 2015) Biography Václav Noid Bárta, born as Václav Bárta, (* October 27, 1980, Prague) is a Czech rock singer, music composer, lyricist, and actor. From the age of 17, he was a member of the band Dolores Clan. Currently, he has a band called BekBek Clan. He sings and performs in musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Carmen, Madagaskar and Sestra v akci (Sister Act). Previously, he was involved in productions of Hamlet, Aida, Excalibur, Lucie, větší než malé množství lásky (Larger than a Small Amount of Love), and Bonnie & Clyde. In 2015, he participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, representing the Czech Republic alongside singer Marta Jandová. They performed the song “Hope Never Dies,” for which Noid composed the music. Unfortunately, they did not qualify for the final. After Eurovision, he released a CD, “Jedinej krok”. It was released under the name Noid. The song became a top10 hit in the Czech charts. It was followed by a Jedinej Krok Tour in 2017. He also recorded a childrens song “Ja tak rad trsam” together with Maxim Turbulenc. In February 2018 he recorded the video of “Vsechy tvare vody”, in his own Paranoid Studios. Entries Hope Never Dies (& Marta Jandová) Country🇨🇿 Czechia Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsTereza Šoralová MusicVáclav Noid Bárta Backings– Results Semi Points: 33Position: 13Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/SLz6VeSPXjA

Michele Perniola

© EBU/Elena Volotova About Quick Facts NameMichele Perniola Born06 September 1998 Nationality🇮🇹 Nationality National SelectionInternal selection 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongChain Of Lights (& Anita Simoncini) Biography Michele Perniola was born on September 6, 1998, in Mottola and lives in Palagiano, in the province of Taranto. In 2012, he participated and won the sixth edition of the television program Ti lascio una canzone (I Leave You a Song), mostly performing songs of Michael Jackson. In 2013, he represented San Marino at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song “O-o-O Sole intorno a me”. In 2014, he made a brief appearance in the first season of the TV series Braccialetti rossi. In May 2015, he represented San Marino at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 alongside Anita Simoncini, performing the song “Chain of Lights,” written and produced by German composer Ralph Siegel. They received 11 points in the second semifinal, ranking only ahead of Switzerland, and thus, did not qualify for the final stage of the competition. In October 2015, he participated in the New Wave singing event in Sochi, Russia, representing Italy and finished in 4th place in the overall ranking. Since January 2017, he has been participating in the sixteenth edition of the talent show Amici di Maria De Filippi. However, he was eliminated at the end of the first episode of the live shows on March 25. In July of the same year he released the single “Déjà vu”. He did a tour throughout Italy with many performances. After this, Michele Perniola started performing under the name 3x3n. He released the song “Emerald eyes” in 2020. In February 2021, this song was followed by “Amare invano”. At the same time, the song “RE4 Freestyle” was released on YouTube. Entries Chain Of Lights (& Anita Simoncini) Country🇸🇲 San Marino Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsJohn O’Flynn (Bernd Meinunger) MusicRalph Siegel BackingsKatrin Schild von SpannenbergPat LawsonRon van LankerenJulian Feifel Results Semi Points: 11Position: 16Running order: 3 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/FE1KJYNvVAE

Uzari

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameYuri Navrotski Born11 May 1992 Nationality🇧🇾 Belarusian National SelectionBelarusian national final 2015Belarusian national final 2013Eurofest 2012 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongTime (& Maimuna) Biography Yury Viktorovich Navrotsky , better known as Uzari, is a Belarusian artist, composer, and producer. Yury Navrotskiy was born into a family of musicians. He attended several schools, including a general education school, a theatrical school, and a music school. In 2008, he enrolled in the Saint Petersburg University of Culture and Arts, specializing in jazz, and graduated in 2013. In 2008, Uzari began working at the Music Hall theater and caught the attention of directors. He played the roles of Kai and the Crow in the musical adaptation of The Snow Queen. His first publicly released composition was “Chto mezhdu nami” (“What’s Between Us”), which won the”Song of the Year Belarus award in 2011. That same year, he represented Belarus at the International Contest of Young Performers of Popular Music “New Wave,” where a star for Uzari was placed on the Star Alley in Jurmala. Prior to that, Uzari served as a backing vocalist for Anastasiya Vinnikova at Eurovision 2011. In 2012, Yuzari performed at the Slavic Bazaar Festival in Vitebsk. He participated in the Eurovision selection process in 2012 and 2013, reaching the finals with the songs “The Winner” and “Secret.” In 2014, together with Dmitry Piven, he served as a producer, composer, and arranger for the song “Sokal,” which Nadezhda Misyakova performed at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Finally, in 2015, Uzari, alongside Belarusian violinist Maimuna, represented Belarus at Eurovision 2015 with the song “Time.” Although the song did not qualify for the final, Uzari considered Eurovision as a significant milestone in his career. He has been awarded the Song of the Year Belarus prize from 2011 to 2017 and in 2019. In 2016, the “Art Platform” arts center was opened, providing vocal and dance training. In the same year, Uzari participated in the Ukrainian show Holos Krainy (the Ukrainian version of “The Voice”). In 2016, Uzari released his first single in the Belarusian language, titled “Mora,” which also won the Song of the Year Belarus award. In 2017, he released the Belarusian-language singles “Supratsleglyya” and “Ya vydumlayu,” a version of Ivan Dorn’s song “Stycamen” in the Belarusian language. In 2017, Uzari performed at the Sibur Arena during the St. Petersburg Tennis Trophy 2017 and participated in the international festival Laima Rendezvous Jurmala. He also performed at the Olympic Sports Complex during the Synergy Global Forum. In 2018, Uzari co-wrote the official anthem “This Land” for the European Games, which reached the top five finalists. Later, “This Land” was played at the Dynamo Stadium during the volunteers’ march at the Closing Ceremony of the Games. In July 2018, he performed at the Laima Rendezvous Jurmala festival with the song “Ya vydumlayu” in Jurmala. In August 2018, together with Dmitry Piven, he became the author of the official anthem for the St. Petersburg Open 2018 tennis tournament, sharing the stage with Dima Bilan at the Sibur Arena. In October 2018, he began recording his debut album, “Padzyaka sertsa” (Gratitude of the Heart). In February 2019, the single “Padzyaka sertsa” was released. On April 10, 2019, the album was released, along with a music video for the title track. On June 30, 2019, Uzari performed at the closing ceremony of the European Games at the Dynamo Stadium in Minsk. In July 2019, he performed at the Laima Rendezvous Jurmala festival in a duet with Latvian singer Aija Andrejeva, singing the song “Novae kino.” He also performed solo with the song “Padman” accompanied by an orchestra. In August of the same year, he performed at Laima Vaikule’s festival in Odessa. On January 18, 2020, he received the Best Performer of the Year award at the Song of the Year Belarus 2019 ceremony on. On March 21, 2020, he released a music video for his new song “Moy Vibe” (My Vibe). On May 6, 2020, Uzari released the album “Say WOW.” On November 5, 2021, Yuzari became a participant in the show “The Voice,” joining Leonid Agutin’s team and reaching the quarterfinals of the competition. Entries Time (& Maimuna) Country🇧🇾 Belarus Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsSvetlana GeraskovaMaimuna Murashku-Diko MusicYuri Navrotski BackingsYuriy SeleznyovArtyom AkhpashDenis Lis Results Semi Points: 39Position: 12Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/Cwjm1lRV4N4

Samir Javadzadeh

About Quick Facts NameSamir Cavadzadə Born16 April 1980 Nationality🇦🇿 Azerbaijani National SelectionLand Of Fire 2008 In Eurovision2008 Belgrade SongDay After Day (with Elnur Hüseynov 2008) Biography Samir Javadzadeh (born April 16, 1980, Baku) is an Azerbaijani singer. He started his musical education at a young age. In 1992, he began studying at Music School No. 9. He is considered a performer of Azerbaijani folk music. In 1997, he enrolled in the “Foreign Relations” faculty of the Business University. After graduating from the institute, he studied mugham (traditional Azerbaijani music) for 5 years. After one year of military service, he joined the group Sheron. In 2006, he left the group and started his solo career. In 2008, Samir Javadzadeh participated in the national selection to represent Azerbaijan for the first time in the Eurovision Song Contest. In the national final he performed the song “Day After Day” as a duet with Elnur Hüseynov. After the jury’s vote, they won. At the Eurovision Song Contest itself, Elnur and Samir reached the 8th place in the Grand Final. The single “Day After Day” gained popularity in many foreign countries, and the music video remained at the top of the charts in Azerbaijan for a long time. In July, Samir appeared in a commercial for the Neolit restaurant alongside Elnur and other singers. Later, he performed the legendary “Cheri Cheri Lady” song of Modern Talking together with Elnur Huseynov. However, due to rumors circulating about him, he took a long break from the spotlight and rested. His first songs as a solo singer were with the songs “Bəlkə” (mən bəlkə sən) and “Mənim üçün yox” .His performance of the song “Deyin ona” with Röya became a hit in Azerbaijan for a long time. After his participation in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, Samir Javadzadeh took a break from the spotlight. In 2010, Samir wrote and returned to the stage with the songs “Səninlə Birlikdə” (Quci, quci), “İnsafsızlar” (composed by Ramal Israfilov), “Təkcə Sənə Bağlanıb Qəlbim (Son görüş),” and “Bu da Son.” In January 2011, it was announced that his producer planned his first solo concert, but it was later announced that the concert would take place at the end of the year. In November 2017, he released a new single, with the title “Şəhər darıxır bizsiz.” After a long hiatus, on February 13, 2019, he released the music video for the song “Sev Məni,” which quickly surpassed 2 million views. The song reached the no.1 spot in the MTV Azerbaijan charts. On 19 February 2022, he released the song “Son görüş”, a song of Ranar Musayev. Entries Day After Day (Elnur & Samir) Country🇦🇿 Azerbaijani Year2008 LanguageEnglish LyricsZahra Bədəlbəyli MusicGovher Hasanzadə BackingsNames of the 2 dancers and 2 backing singers are unknown. Results Semi Points: 96Position: 6Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: 132Position: 8Running order: 20 https://youtu.be/6OGVL_9P5fw

Mørland

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameKjetil Mørland Born03 October 1980 Nationality🇳🇴 Norway National SelectionNorsk Melodi Grand Prix 2019Norsk Melodi Grand Prix 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongA Monster Like Me (2015, with Debrah Scarlett) Biography Kjetil Mørland (born October 3, 1980) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter, born in Grimstad in the southern part of Norway. He has lived in England for most of his adult life. With his British band Absent Elk, Mørland released the album “Caught in the Headlights” in 2009, produced by Toby Smith (Jamiroquai). In the fall of 2014, Mørland temporarily moved to Oslo to establish himself as a solo artist under the name Mørland. Mørland wrote the song “A Monster Like Me,” which won the Norwegian final of the Melodi Grand Prix 2015. “A Monster Like Me” was performed by Kjetil Mørland and Debrah Scarlett. Through their victory in the Melodi Grand Prix, Mørland and Debrah Scarlett represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna, Austria. Mørland and Debrah Scarlett qualified for the final on Saturday, May 23. In the final, Norway placed eighth. Mørland won the Marcel Bezençon Award in the Composer category for “A Monster Like Me.” Mørland also participated as a songwriter in Melodi Grand Prix 2018 with the song “Who We Are.” The song was performed by Rebecca Thorsen and finished in second place. In 2019, he participated again as a songwriter and vocalist with the song “En livredd mann” and as one of the songwriters for “The Bubble,” performed by Adrian Jørgensen. “En livredd mann” was eliminated in the first round, while “The Bubble” finished in second place in the final. In 2020, Mørland won the Melodi Grand Prix for the second time, this time as a songwriter for “Attention,” performed by Ulrikke Brandstorp. The song was intended to be the Norwegian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in the Netherlands. However, the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the Melodi Grand Prix 2021, he contributed as one of the songwriters for “Eyes Wide Open,” performed by Rein Alexander. Unfortunately, the song did not make it to the gold final. Moving on to the Melodi Grand Prix 2022, he collaborated with Sofie Fjellvang as a songwriter for “Made of Glass,” which was also performed by Sofie. This entry achieved a respectable third or fourth place. In the Melodi Grand Prix 2023, he teamed up with Kate Gulbrandsen as a songwriter for “Tårer i paradis,” performed by Kate herself. However, this song was eliminated during the first semi-final round. Entries A Monster Like Me (with Debrah Scarlett) Country🇳🇴 Norway Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsKjetil Mørland MusicKjetil Mørland BackingsHåvard GrytingMay Kristin KaspersenJulie Lillehaug KaasaBjørnar Reime Erlandsen Results Semi Points: 123Position: 4Running order: 6 Results Finals Points: 102Position: 8Running order: 9 https://youtu.be/vY1FCXDojMU

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

In the spotlight: Käärijä

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will take place in Liverpool on Saturday 13th of May. One of the favorites for the win is Käärijä, who represents Finland. But who is Käärijä ? Let’s give him a spotlight! Käärijä (Jere Pöyhönen) is a Finnish singer, rapper and songwriter born in Helsinki on October 21, 1993.He grew up in the Ruskeasanta district of Vantaa, near the Finnish capital Helsinki. While growing up Käärijä was a hockey player. Later on, he discovered his passion for music, while learning to play the drums. Start musical career and stage name His stage name comes from a joke with his friends about gambling (kääriminen), a recurring theme in his music. In 2014, Jere was rushed into hospital, when he was diagnosed with a sudden serious illness in the colon. His condition worsened fast to the point Jere’s life was threatened due to the illness. Emergency surgery followed, after which he started to recover. However, the incident signalled a turning point in his artistic career, allowing him to focus solely on producing music. Pöyhönen self-released his music until 2017 when he signed a contract with the record label Monsp Records. He subsequently released the double single “Koppi tules” / “Nou roblem”. The following year, he released an extended play, titled “Peliä”. His debut album Fantastista was released in 2020. This album was announced in a very special way: At the beginning of 2023 he took part in Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, the Finnish preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest. The song he brought, is nothing more than a cozy song about a night out, and the drinks that are drunk, but catchy it absolutely is. Nevertheless, “Cha cha cha” convincingly won Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. Will he also win he Eurovision Song Contest 2023? We will know on Saturday.

Road to Liverpool: Serbia

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Serbia. Luke Black Luke Black won the Serbian national final with the song “Samo mi se spava”. The song is written and composed by Luke Black himself. It is sung in both Serbian and English. Luke Black’s real name is Luka Ivanović. He was born in Čačak, Serbia, in 1992. His career started in 2014, when he performed at the Groveland Festival. His first hit single “D-generation” was released in 2015. In 2016, Luke Black was one of the contenders to represent Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song “Demons” was not selected but became a success for Luke. In total, Luke Black released 3 EP’s. The most recent one was “F23.8” this year. It included his 2021 hit “Amsterdam“. Pesma Za Evroviziju This year’s national final was called Pesma Za Evroviziju 2023. After two semifinals, a final with 16 songs was held on 4 March. Remarkable participant was the group Hurricane. They won the national selection in 2020. Due to the cancellation of the contest, the group was invited for the 2021 edition. In the end both jury and televoters had different opinions. Nađa won the jury vote, while Princ was the favourite of the televoters. Both jury’s had Luke Black in 2nd place. Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest When Yugoslavia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest, Serbia provided the entry on 6 occasions but never ended up higher than the 12th place. How different it was when Serbia and Montenegro started to participate. Željko Joksimović reached a 2nd place. In 2006, the country withdrew. Serbian TV and the audience in the national final did not agree with the Montenegrin winner. Shortly after the contest, Montenegro voted for independence in a referendum. That was when Serbia started to participate…. and won rightaway! Marija Šerifović reached the first place with “Molitva”. Željko Joksimović participated again in 2012 and became 3rd. Last year, Serbia was also succesful with a 5th place for Konstrakta’s “In corpore sano”. The bookmakers Serbia is currently 15th according to the bookmakers. That would not be as high as Konstrakta last year. But at least Serbia would reach the final in this case. However, Konstrakta was a big surprise. So who knows… The song This is the song:

Switzerland: Remo Forrer to sing “Watergun”

(Photo by Lukas Mäder/SRF) It was already revealed that Remo Forrer was going to represent Switzerland. Today, at 12:00 CET, the song was revealed. Remo is especially known as the winner of The Voice Of Switzerland 2020. On 20 February of this year, it was announced that he will represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Now we know that the song is titled “Watergun”. Switzerland will perform in the 2nd half of the 1st semifinal. Do you like the song? You can watch the video here.