Poland

Malmö Messages: orange light, cats and more demons

Even after the lunch break, there were new and fresh rehearsals, with even one, or perhaps two, favorites for the final victory taking the stage. We started with Ukraine. Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil sing for that country about Teresa & Maria. They bask in orange light. Alyona wears a high ponytail and a wide silver-gray coat, Jerry has her hair loose and wears a beige-like dress. We also see Jerry standing on some sort of wooden stump. Both ladies perform both individually and facing each other. Because Ukraine is currently in fifth place for a final victory, this is an entry to pay extra attention to. The Polish Luna sings “The Tower.” Luna tries to rectify the mistakes she made in the past; she shows that in the music video. Anyone who watches the video carefully might recognize this story in her current performance. She wears a white top with red dots on the shoulders. Here again, a demon emerges, in this case, one from the past. Luna stands on two towers, between which she later stands. As she does so, she is dressed like the demon. The moon is depicted in the graphics. Croatia was long number 1 with the bookmakers. Baby Lasagna is now number 2 with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim.” In the same traditional clothing with puffed sleeves that we already know from him, Baby Lasagna appears on stage. The act is a fine-tuning of what we have already seen during the Croatian pre-selection. At the end of the act, we see three dancers dressed as cats. An entry to keep a close eye on. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists.

🇵🇱 Road to Malmö: Poland

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Poland. Luna Luna, the stage persona of Aleksandra Katarzyna Wielgomas, born August 28, 1999, in Warsaw, is a distinguished Polish singer, songwriter, and composer. Beginning her musical journey with violin lessons, she later attended a high school focused on law and political sciences before pursuing artes liberales at the University of Warsaw. Luna’s early career was marked by her participation in the Artos children’s choir and performances at the Grand Theatre, laying the foundation for her artistic path. Her collaboration with the Kayax record label in 2018 through the “My Name is New” project led to her debut single “Na wzgórzach niepokoju,” propelling her into the spotlight at significant events like the Night of Museums and Pol’n’Rock Festival. 2020 saw Luna adopting her stage name and venturing into a new musical direction with Michał “Fox” Król, exploring cosmic sounds in her work, as highlighted in singles like “Serca przemokną” and “Mniej,” incorporating space sounds from NASA. Luna’s “Zgaś” further established her presence in the Polish music scene, embodying her “cosmic pop” style influenced by the cosmos, nature, and poetry, drawing inspiration from icons like Nick Cave and Björk. In 2024, Luna was chosen to represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest with “The Tower,” bringing her unique sound to an international audience. Beyond her music, Luna engages in theatre and promotes music equality, notably as an ambassador for the Equal Spotify campaign, becoming the first Polish woman to be featured on Times Square for this initiative. Her career reflects a blend of cosmic fascination, poetic expression, and advocacy for equality in the music industry. Polish language It is already 5 years ago that a song, partially in Polish, participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. The Polish language, a Slavic tongue, serves as Poland’s linguistic core. It intertwines with the nation’s rich history and culture. Known for its complex sounds and unique diacritical marks like ł (łaciaty), ś (śliski), and ń (koń), it challenges non-native speakers. Its pronunciation and consonant clusters are notably difficult. Its vocabulary is a tapestry of Slavic roots with layers of Latin, German, and English influences. It reflects centuries of cultural interactions. Beyond Poland’s borders, vibrant Polish-speaking communities flourish worldwide, preserving and enriching this beautiful language. Polish not only connects millions to their heritage but also to a deeply storied past and a dynamic present. Poland in the Eurovision Song Contest Poland debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994. With a second place for Edyta Górniak’s “To nie ja”, they secured a record. The song is still the best scoring song ever for Poland. Only two times after that, the Polish entry reached the top-10. In 2003 with Ich Troje’s “Keine Grenzen – Żadnych granic” (7th) and in 2016 with Michał Szpak’s “Color of my life” (8th). Last year, Blanka reached the final easily, but in the final itself reached a 19th place. Luna hopes to be the 4th artist reaching the top-10. The Bookmakers Poland is currently no. 32 in the betting odds. That means it’s gonna be a tough job for Luna to reach the final. However, things such as staging and live performance can change everything and make Poland one of the more succesful contenders. The song This is the song:

Luna

©EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts NameAleksandra Katarzyna Wielgomas Born28 Augustus 1999 Nationality🇵🇱 Polish National SelectionInternal selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongThe Tower (2024) Biography Luna, known offstage as Aleksandra Katarzyna Wielgomas (born on August 28, 1999, in Warsaw), is a prominent Polish vocalist, lyricist, and composer. Aleksandra was born in Warsaw. Her educational journey in music began with violin lessons. Furthering her academic pursuits, she attended a high school specializing in law and political sciences, from 2015 to 2018. Subsequently, she embarked on higher education in artes liberales at the University of Warsaw starting in 2018. Aleksandra’s musical career took off in 2010 when she joined the Władysław Skoraczewski-named Artos children’s choir at the Grand Theatre. Her involvement in operatic performances and theatrical productions at the Grand Theatre marked the beginning of her career in music. In 2018, her musical direction took a pivotal turn with her collaboration with Kayax record label on the “My Name is New” project, leading to the release of her debut single “Na wzgórzach niepokoju”. This period also saw her taking the stage at notable events, including the Night of Museums and the Pol’n’Rock Festival. 2020 was a transformative year for Aleksandra as she embraced the stage name Luna, collaborating with Michał “Fox” Król and releasing the single “Luna”. This marked a new chapter in her artistic expression, exploring new musical landscapes. She also ventured into incorporating cosmic sounds into her music, evident in singles like “Serca przemokną” and “Mniej”, featuring sounds from space provided by NASA. Her single “Zgaś” received acclaim, making its mark on the Polish music scene and receiving extensive radio play. Luna’s music, often described as “cosmic pop”, reflects her fascination with the cosmos, nature, and poetry, drawing inspiration from artists like Nick Cave and Björk. In 2024, Luna was selected to represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest with her song “The Tower”, showcasing her talents on an international stage. Unfortunately Luna did not manage to reach the final with her song. Aside from her musical career, Luna has contributed to theatrical productions and is actively involved in promoting music equality as an ambassador for the Equal Spotify campaign, achieving the distinction of being the first Polish woman featured on Times Square under this initiative. Entries The Tower Country🇵🇱 Poland Year2024 LanguageEnglish LyricsAleksandra Katarzyna WielgomasMax CookePaul Dixon MusicAleksandra Katarzyna WielgomasMax CookePaul Dixon BackingsMaciej StarnawskiMarta Dywicka DancersAngus SimpsonJordan GarciaJulia Żytko Results Semi Points: 35Position: 12Running order: 6 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/ESKG8Uo1YaU?si=TIDO_9rvGULADXR0

🇵🇱 Luna represents Poland

Luna will represent Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö with the song ‘The Tower’. That is what Polish broadcaster TVP announced today. Luna, a prodigious singer and multifaceted artist, has been an integral part of the music scene since her formative years. From enchanting audiences with her mesmerizing performances in folk bands to gracing the grand stages of the Grand Theatre-National Opera in Warsaw, Luna’s musical journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. At 24, she is not only a student at the University of Warsaw’s Faculty of Artes Liberales but also a virtuoso violinist and pianist, a prolific songwriter in both English and Polish, and a skilled composer. While Luna finds her muse in art, philosophy, and fashion, her fascination with astrology and her deep connection with nature serve as guiding forces in her life. As the inaugural Polish Ambassador of the Spotify Equal initiative, Luna garnered international acclaim, with her image adorning the iconic Times Square in New York. Her meteoric rise continued with a nomination for ‘Discovery of the Year’ at the prestigious Polish ‘Bestsellery EMPIKu’ Awards in 2022. The release of her debut album “Nocne Zmory” (‘Nightmares’) in 2022 marked a significant milestone in Luna’s career, celebrated with a sold-out promotional concert at Warsaw’s esteemed Niebo club. Venturing beyond borders, Luna embarked on collaborations with UK and Swedish producers, showcasing her versatility and international appeal. Her collaboration with DJ Miss Monique on the track “Subterranean” garnered millions of streams, while her contribution to the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “The Tower,” crafted alongside Fyfe and Max Cooke in the UK, further solidified her status as a rising star on the global stage.

Donatan

© Albin Olsson About Quick Facts NameWitold Czamara Born02 September 1984 Nationality🇵🇱 Poland National SelectionInternal selection 2014 In Eurovision2014 Copenhagen SongMy Słowianie – We are Slavic (2014, with Cleo) Biography Donatan, born Witold Czamara on September 2, 1984, is a Polish music producer and musician recognized predominantly for his work in the hip-hop and pop genres. Donatan was born in Kraków, Poland, but he spent a significant part of his childhood in Taganrog, Russia. His career in the music industry began in 2002, but his initial works did not gain significant recognition. However, Donatan persevered, and his skills as a producer gradually improved over the years. Donatan’s breakthrough came in 2012 with the release of his album “Równonoc. Słowiańska dusza” (Equinox. Slavic Soul). This album featured collaborations with a variety of Polish rappers and singers, and its blending of hip-hop with traditional Slavic music elements marked a unique musical direction. This album was a major commercial success and significantly boosted Donatan’s popularity in Poland’s music industry. The producer achieved international recognition in 2014 when he, along with singer Cleo, represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “My Słowianie” (We Are Slavic). The song, which celebrated Slavic culture and heritage, was a blend of traditional Polish folk music with modern pop and hip-hop elements. The duo finished 14th overall in the competition, marking one of Poland’s best Eurovision results in recent years. In 2015, Donatan teamed up with Maryla Rodowicz. The song “Pełnia” was a success in the Polish charts. Two years later, Donatan scored another hit, “Andromeda”, together with Edyta Górniak. In June 2018, behind the scenes of a Sunday concert as part of the 55th National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, he allegedly exhibited sexist behavior (grabbing the buttocks) towards singer Edyta Górniak. The incident turned out to be a public scandal in the country, which was reported by most online services. In 2019, Donatan scored two hits again: „Wolę Ciebie wolność” with RL9, Góscinnie and the band Enej, “Dom”, again with Cleo. Entries My Słowianie – We are Slavic (& Cleo) Country🇵🇱 Poland Year2014 LanguagePolishEnglish LyricsCleo MusicDonatan BackingsSylwia KlanAnna ŁapińskaAlesia Turonak DancersOla CiupaPaula Tumala Note that Donatan was not on stage! Results Semi Points: 70Position: 8Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: 62Position: 14Running order: 9 https://youtu.be/VJ920cN2HmA

Liverpool live: bare feet, earrings and a train

Day number 6 of the rehearsals is going on. This is what happened in the first half of the rehearsalday. photo credits: EBU/Chloe Hashemi/Sarah Louise Bennett Cyprus No shoes for Andrew Lambrou this time. Furthermore, not much has changed compared to the first rehearsal; many red and blue, fire on the LED-screens and smoke on the floor. Cyprus is currently 22nd at the bookmakers, and is very likely to qualify for the final. Iceland The people of Eurovision.tv noticed that Diljá has earrings. Whether there have been changes in the performance or improvement in singing… we don’t know. On the other hand, singing does not seem to be Diljá’s problem. Still, a number 29 in the betting odds and a number 14 in the semifinal ranking does not necessary bring the final closer for Iceland. Greece The Greek performance seems to be pretty much the same as the previous one, Victor Vernicos varying from sitting on the floor to walking, dancing and jumping. And of course he still has shorts on. Greece is currently 31st at the bookmakers and 11th in the semifinal ranking. But Greece and Denmark (no. 10) seem to get closer to eachother. Will Greece make it to the final after all? Poland No bare feet, earrings or a haircut (as the eurovision.tv liveblog mentions with Greece) is noticed when they talk about Poland. We guess it is because there are no changes. We are especially anxious on how Blanka’s singing is. In the national final this was definitely not good, we wanna know if that improves. We keep you updated! Poland is currently 24th at the bookmakers and could seriously reach the final. Keep in mind that this is all based on the staging. Slovenia The cheerful Slovenian entry was performed once again too. The act is still swinging and colourful. We mentioned the words Joker Out on the LED-screens but we also saw the title of the song, “Carpe diem”. The bookmakers predict a place in the final for Slovenia, as they are 21st in the ranking right now. Georgia Again, a change in clothes. The dress Iru is wearing is still the same, but the train it has is much bigger now. The windmachine still works at this stormy performance. Georgia is likely to qualify with a 23rd place at the bookmakers and a high ranking at the semifinal odds. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Liverpool live: rehearsal schedule

Today the rehearsals for the 2nd semifinal will be finished. The 11 countries that didn’t rehearse for a second time yet will do so today. We will closely follow it again. 11.30 – 11.50 Cyprus11.55 – 12.15 Iceland12.20 – 12.40 Greece12.45 – 13.05 Poland13.10 – 13.30 Slovenia13.35 – 13.55 Georgia 15.00 – 15.20 San Marino15.25 – 15.45 Austria15.50 – 16.10 Albania16.15 – 16.35 Lithuania16.40 – 17.00 Australia

Liverpool live: a headroll, tropical graphics and little hearts

Today is the 3rd day of rehearsals. After today we have heard and seen all the songs, except the Big Five and Ukraine. photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings Estonia Estonian Alika is wearing an all blue combination when she sings her song. As in the national final, the song starts with a piano that plays itself. In the beginning Alika sits on the music stool, later she stands behind the microphone. The LED screens on the background are greenish blue, varied with gold. Iceland Diljá is wearing a silver suit. She shows a lot of energy with kicks and gymnastic moves. She even makes a head roll! Diljá is surrounded by drums. The background colours change all the time, from green to blue to black with a daffodil (?) and to a sunflower. A lot happens during this show! Greece Victor Vernicos weirs beige while on stage, and yes, like in the video he has shorts. Victor dances but every now and then he is sitting on the floor, also just like in the video. On the LED screens in the background we see huge pictures of Victor himself. Later we see Greek letters in white on the screens. Victor is surrounded by smoke. Poland Blanka has a dress that is half in purple and half in orange. She is on stage with four dancers. At the background during the song you see tropical pictures on the LED screen. Halfway, Blanka changes her dress in a short, red one. The last chorus of the song is accompanied by a rain of fireworks. Slovenia The band Joker Out is wearing pink and purple pants with blouses in all kind of colours. A lot of red stroboscopic light is surrounding the band. In the end, you see the words Joker Out in white on a black screen, and the band members make hearts with their hands. Eurovision.tv mentions the enthousiasm of the band. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Liverpool Live: rehearsal schedule

Already for the third day, we have rehearsals. Eurovision Universe will keep you updated about everything that happens during the rehearsals. This is what you can expect today: 11.30 – 12.00 Estonia12.10 – 12.40 Iceland12.50 – 13.20 Greece13.30 – 14.00 Poland15.10 – 15.40 Slovenia15.50 – 16.20 Georgia16.30 – 17.00 San Marino17.10 – 17.40 Austria17.50 – 18.20 Albania18.30 – 19.00 Lithuania19.10 – 19.40 Australia

Blanka

© EBU/Chloe Hashemi About Quick Facts NameBlanka Stajkow Born23 May 1999 Nationality🇵🇱 Polish National SelectionTu bije serce Europy! 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongSolo (2023) Biography Blanka Stajkow (born in Szczecin in the North West of Poland) is a Polish singer, songwriter and photomodel of Bulgarian origin. She is the daughter of a Polish mother and a Bulgarian father. At the age of 13, she wrote her first song, “Strong Enough”. Then, during her four-year stay in the United States, she performed at Open Mic sessions in restaurants and pubs in Los Angeles and New York, as well as, among others, in the club The Bitter End(eng.). In 2021, Blanka took part in Top Model, the Polish version of America’s next Top Model. She also released her debut single, “Better”. In the summer of 2022, she signed a contract with Warner Music Poland and starred in the music video for Smolasty’s song “Piujemy for a better time”. In fall she released a music video for the song “Solo”, with which she reached the #4 spot in the AirPlay charts. On February 26, 2023, she won Tu bije serce Europy! 2023, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, with the song “Solo”, and thus represented Poland at the contest in Liverpool. She reached the final and became 19th. Entries Solo Country🇵🇱 Poland Year2023 LanguageEnglish LyricsBlanka StajkowMaria BrobergJulia Sundberg MusicBlanka StajkowMaciej PuchalskiMikołaj TrybulecBartłomiej RzeczyckiMarcin Górecki BackingsMaria Broberg DancersBruno DuartePaulina MaciejewskaOliwier KondratMaja Rolewska Results Semi Points: 124Position: 3Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: 93Position: 19Running order: 4 https://youtu.be/SEgF1aP-U1o