Slovenia

Kalamari

About Quick Facts MembersJože Pepi JežMatjaž ŠvagelRok Tomažinčič (not on stage)Egon Prinčič (not on stage) Active1993 – 2020 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenian National SelectionEMA 2010EMA 2004 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongNarodnozabavni Rock (& Ansambel Žlindra, 2010) Biography Kalamari was a coastal music group that started in November 1993. Jože Jež (Pepi), Matjaž Švagelj, and Aleksander (Sandi) Kokošar came together to perform a few shows at a hotel. They quickly stood out because of their good performances and especially their three-part singing, which other groups couldn’t do as well. Early on, they tried writing their own songs and released an album called “Dobra vila” in 1995. This album had some radio hits, but the group became well-known across Slovenia with their second album “S tabo držim.” The song “Angelca” from this album became a big hit and is still popular at parties today. The group grew from three members to four and then five, which made their live shows even better. They became very successful with their third album, especially with the song “V vetru rdečih zastav,” which won second place and a lyrics award at the “Slovenska popevka” festival. Their live shows became even more popular, and they started performing not just in Slovenia but also in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. Because of their busy schedule, some members left, deciding not to become professional musicians. However, the group kept writing new songs and did well at music festivals, winning awards for songs like “Kup besed,” “Zadnja šansa,” and “Preden zaspi.” With the song “Boš prišla”, Kalamari took part in EMA 2004, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it to the EMA final. Their biggest success was at the EMA 2010 competition, where they won with the song “Narodnozabavni rock” along with the Roka Žlindre ensemble. Slavko Ivančić and the late Danilo Kocjančič, who wrote some of their songs, often performed with Kalamari. After their big win at EMA, the group’s popularity and the number of performances slowly decreased. In 2014, frontman Jože Jež (Pepi) left the group and was replaced by Darjan Gržina. In 2020, partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group decided to split up. Entries Narodnozabavni Rock (& Ansambel Žlindra) Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2010 LanguageSlovenian LyricsLeon Oblak MusicMarino Legovič Backings– Results Semi Points: 6Position: 16Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/2faHkE1JZwc?si=8VAHdktaElgzHKPY

Ansambel Žlindra

About Quick Facts MembersRok ŽlindraBarbara OgrincNejc DrobničRok Modic Founded2005 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenian National SelectionEMA 2010 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongNarodnozabavni Rock (& Kalamari, 2010) Biography Ansambel Roka Žlindre, also known as Ansambel Žlindra, is a folk music group that started in 2005. They are from Sodražica. The group has three musicians and two singers. In 2010, they performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo with the group Kalamari. The Roka Žlindre Ensemble includes Rok Žlindra, who plays the accordion and leads the group, Boštjan Merhar on guitar, Rok Modic on bass, and singers Barbara Ogrinc and Kristjan Oven. Before Merhar, Toni Tomas Lovšin played guitar, and before Oven, Tadej Osvald was a singer. The group has been active since 2005. In the next two years, they joined the Graška Gora festival and won the Silver Shepherd award twice. After two years, they did well at a festival in Dolenjske Toplice, winning awards from both the audience and the judges. In 2008, they performed in Škofja Loka and Graška Gora, winning audience awards and other prizes. Their most successful years were 2009 and 2010. They won awards at top festivals like Slovenska polka in valček and in Ptuj. They are best known for winning EMA and performing at Eurovision in Oslo in 2010 with the song “Narodnozabavni rock.” They did not make it to the final round. In 2011, the group toured western Canada, hosted by Slovenian clubs. They spent most of their time in Vancouver and Calgary, and also visited Kelowna. During the tour, they saw sights like Myra Canyon and watched a hockey game. They even visited the USA for a day. The tour lasted one month. In 2015, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, they held a concert called “Mi ga pa žlindramo” in Ribnica’s Sports Hall. Television Slovenia recorded the concert and showed it in two parts the next year. At this concert, they introduced a new song “Nasmehni se,” recorded with their idols, the Franc Mihelič Ensemble, who are also from Sodražica. In February 2016, they released a single “Le tvoj parfum”. In June, it was followed by “Mi ga pa žlindramo”. Also in 2016, bass singer Tadej Oswald left the band. He was succeeded by Kristian Oven. The first record with the new bass singer was called “Pogrešam te” and was released in March 2017. The song immediately reached the Slovenian charts, and reached the #1 spot on the domestic charts. In December, the song “Neumen in mlad” came out. At the Pesem prepostih Ljudi concert the band received the award for best ensemble by the jury in February 2018. In the summer, they did a lot of performances. In September, Boštjan Merhar left the band. The last song including him was called “Ko se ženi ribnčan”. Matic Padaršič was the new group member. In December 2018 the band came up with two Christmas songs, “Srečno novo leto” and “Srečno novo leto”. The new song “Veliko je želja” was premiered at the Slovenska Polka in Valček Festival in 2019. For the festival they teamed up with the group Amabile. They reached the final with their song. In September of the same year they released the song “Kaj pa vidva”. In February 2020 the band started a concert tour along with Amabile, the Iskreno tour. Unfortunately, some of the concerts had to be cancelled. Due to COVID19 they could not be held on another time. In September 2020, the new single “V tvojem objemu se pomirim” came out. After a long time of silence, in January 2022 the news came that Rok Modic, Matic and Kristian left the band. Only Rok Žlindra and Barbara continued, together with new members Blaž Žnidaršič (guitar and drums) and Jernej Oblak (tuba, accordion, trumpet, baritone, and bass). In March 2024 they released a new polka, “Nočem bit ujet”. Entries Narodnozabavni Rock (& Kalamari) Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2010 LanguageSlovenian LyricsLeon Oblak MusicMarino Legovič Backings– Results Semi Points: 6Position: 16Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/2faHkE1JZwc?si=QcJWZx4srVTPW_yJ

Malmö Messages: yesterday’s pressconference

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Yesterday, after winning the tickets to the final, the 10 winners headed to the winners’ pressconference. We of Eurovision Universe were present at this press conference. Cyprus Silia Kapsis said it was a huge opportunity to be here. She was super proud and super happy. About her country of birth, Australia, she said she was proud as well that the Australians showed their culture. It was her goal to make her country proud and after this, to grow as a pop artist. Serbia Teya Dora said it was crazy; the rehearsals, the performance; it was all super exciting and she was happy. She wants to make her country proud and give the best she can, with the best placement. She loves it that so many people watched her performance. And about Konstrakta, who was in the introduction film, she loved her amazing energy. Lithuania Silvester Belt thanks the audience. To all the bullies from the past he has a message: “I know you are struggling. And to the little boy I was: I love you so much”. The biggest challenge this week was sleeping. About singing in the Lithuanian language he said: “only Lithuanians wanted me to sing in English. Everybody else said I should sing in Lithuanian.” Ireland Bambie Thug said they are completely dissociated after this succes, but also that they are super proud. They have a small team and they are en independent artist, yet they reached this. And also, they are the first non binary artist in the contest. Bambie revealed that they met the rules of the EBU: texts like Ceasefire and Free Palestine were not allowed, so Crown The Witch was the only text left. On the question what made them special, Bambie answered “What makes me special is that I’m a queer”. Ukraine Alyona Alyona explained that she and Jerry Heil raised fund to rebuild Ukrainian schools. She called for donation. Half of the money is there, but you can donate via United24. “Children are our future”, Alyona Alyona stated. Jerry also stated that it was great to be in Malmö now. It was a super possibility to say thank you for your help. And yes, they felt pressure, because they felt Ukraine expected something from them. Croatia The performance was way better than the rehearsals. Before going on stage, Baby Lasagna tried to empty his mind, but before him Poland performed; that song got stuck in his mind. About his first place in the odds he said that odds are just numbers, it’s not over ’til it’s done. He felt comfortable in Malmö as Eurovision is, in his opinion, the next level of professional, with all the sound- and camerawork. The energy to him was fine. Slovenia Raiven said she was grateful. She was unsure about the result and doubting all the time. That meant going to the final was a huge surprise for her. When it comes to making music and visuals she went with her instinct. “The staging is really me, and I am very satisfied with it”, she said. About the fact that she was called Eurovision’s opera diva, she said that it is great to hear that people checked her background. Finland It was our own Kal (!!) who had the opportunity to ask windows95man a question. Due to the lyrics of the song “No rules”, Kal was interested to know which of the many rules of Eurovision had to go in his opinion. “More nakedness! For everybody!”, windows95man replied without any hesitation. Windows95man also told that he got help in preparing for the show. Before the show the men do some physical exercises. Portugal Iolanda from Portugal thinks that music can be whatever you like. She wrote the song in her grandmothers house. Her message is that you can do a lot with not so much money. She designed the act with the stage director and the choreographer. She also added that she believes music connects. Luxembourg “I nearly had a heart attack”, Tali explained, “It was brutal, but the camera was approaching and I thought…. maybe”. In Tali’s opinion Eurovision is a beautiful contet that unites. She was thrilled and was hoping to inspire other countries to return to Eurovision. “Music is my life, my therapy, my everything”, Tali stated.

Malmö Messages: party animals, tradition and strong women

Croatia: For a long time, Croatia was the number one with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” according to the bookmakers. Now he’s in second place. The story is known: the song tells about young people leaving Croatia to find their fortune elsewhere. This is depicted by someone walking with a suitcase. The whole group wears traditional clothing. Baby Lasagna has not been praised for his singing talent so far, but that doesn’t seem to harm him. Split or Zagreb next year? Iceland: The friendly Hera Björk, who kindly spoke to us a few days ago, is back. With flair and enthusiasm, and without us having to worry about her vocals, she stands on stage. However, we do have a concern: the song. It doesn’t seem to make much of an impact yet. While Hera easily made it to the final in 2010, the odds currently give her a 29th place. The final seems far away. Slovenia: Many bodies around the Slovenian Raiven as she sings her Veronika. The dancers, all in bodysuits and with a lot of nudity, portray the story of this strong woman with her. Vocally, everything is well. But whether the beautiful but sad story of Veronika will be understood? We hope so! With a 19th place, the bookmakers are positive for now. Finland: What Käärijä can do, Windows95man must have thought he could do too. We have our doubts about thát, but what he and his companion Henri Piispanen definitely succeed in is throwing a party. With the blurred Windows95 logo, the underwear, and the way too short 1970s jeans, the entry stands out. “No rules,” sings the man who follows the rules perfectly. Moldova: We don’t understand it. Why wasn’t Natalia Barbu, who sings her “In the Middle,” allowed to bring all her look-alikes from the national final? Now she has added everything: butterflies, blossoms, wings, a violin… but she stands there alone. In 2007, she had to pay for her trip if she didn’t make it to the final. She did make it, but hopefully, she doesn’t have such a deal with the Moldovan broadcaster again. The bookmakers have her at 36th place.

Malmö Messages: returning artists, strong women and underwear

Iceland is represented this year, 14 years after her participation in 2010, by Hera Björk. This time, she sings “Scared of Heights”. She starts on a sort of black platform. She has swapped her reddish-brown dress for a golden one with fringes. She is alone on stage without dancers. We see lots of lasers in the background. It seems like Hera is mainly focusing on singing. Given her past experiences, that will undoubtedly be good. And Hera is impressed, as she told us: “It was fantastic! It’s much bigger and more professional than in 2010”. Photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett After the Irish witch comes a song about a witch from Slovenia. That is to say: Veronika really existed and was accused of witchcraft. Raiven sings about her being a powerful woman. She wears a silver bodysuit. Those who know the music video will recognize a lot. She starts off sitting and adds a lot of drama to the whole performance. She is surrounded by five dancers; and no, they are not naked, but wearing a skin-colored bodysuit. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming Windows95man and Henri Piispanen show more or less the same act for Finland with “No Rules” as they did during UMK. Henri in denim and Windows95man in his underwear and then in a still not very revealing denim. The difference is that the Windows 95 logo is now blurred. It’s still advertising, and that’s just not allowed. Although he sings about the absence of rules, he still has to follow the rules. “I was nervous at first, but the more we performed the better it went. I burned my sock from the fireworks, so it was even quite dangerous. But it’s nice to be in Malmö and rehearse with all the professional technical stuff”. Photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming Also returning: Natalia Barbu. We have to go all the way back to 2007 for her last participation. Now she sings “In the Middle” for Moldova. Interestingly, she hasn’t brought the ladies who were around her during the national final. According to sources, that would be a matter of money. So Natalia is alone on the stage now. We see butterflies and blossoms at the LED screens. During the part with the violin, wings are shown on the LED screen, making it seem like Natalia is an angel. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

🇸🇮 Road to Malmö: Slovenia

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: Slovenia. Raiven Sara Briški Cirman, famously known as Raiven, is a distinguished Slovenian mezzo-soprano, pop artist, and harpist. Born on April 26, 1996, in Brežice, Slovenia, Raiven has excelled in intertwining the realms of classical and pop music. Her musical journey saw a significant leap when she nearly clinched the ticket to represent Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 with “Črno bel,” securing second place at the national final Evrovizijska Melodija (EMA). Her continued efforts at EMA, including a third-place finish in 2017 with “Zažarim” and a second-place in 2019 with “Kaos,” culminated in her being selected to represent Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with “Veronika.” Raiven’s debut album, “Magenta,” released in 2017, won record of the year from Zlata piščal, highlighting her innovative musical approach. Her collaboration with London’s Metropolis Studios for the EP “REM” further showcased her versatility and garnered widespread acclaim. Raiven has also performed at significant events and with prestigious orchestras, demonstrating her dynamic stage presence and performance skills. In 2021, her song “Vokovi” won the Grand Audience Award at Popevka 21, reinforcing her stature in the music industry. Educated in classical music from a young age, Raiven has amassed several awards in music competitions and holds a master’s degree in opera solo singing. She has explored various roles in opera and theater, showcasing her broad talent spectrum. In 2023, Raiven was announced as Slovenia’s Eurovision representative with “Veronika,” a testament to her enduring appeal and artistic evolution. Veronika Veronika of Desenice, whose tragic tale intertwines with the history of the Counts of Celje, remains a poignant figure in Slovenian cultural memory. Originating from the village of Desinić, her marriage to Frederick II, Count of Celje, sparked controversy due to her lesser social standing, leading to vehement opposition from Frederick’s father, Hermann II. This union set the stage for a harrowing narrative of love, persecution, and eventual murder. Despite being acquitted of witchcraft charges by the court, Veronika’s fate was sealed; she was imprisoned and drowned on the orders of Hermann II in 1425. Her story did not end with her death; Frederick later moved her remains to the Carthusian monastery at Jurklošter, making an endowment in her memory. Veronika, Wikimedia Commons Veronika’s life and untimely demise have inspired numerous literary and artistic works, reflecting on themes of innocence, power, and the enduring nature of love amidst adversity. Her legacy continues to influence Slovenian literature, theater, and music, serving as a muse for creations spanning from the 19th to the 20th century. Additionally, her name graces the Veronika Poetry Award and the Veronika Festival, ensuring her memory lives on in Slovenian culture and beyond. Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest On 6 occasions, RTV Ljubljana submitted the Yugoslav entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1962, Lola Novaković even reached a 4th place with “Ne pali svetlo u sumrak”. As an independent country, Slovenia started to participate in 1993. Best scoring songs were “Prisluhni mi” by Darja Švajger in 1995 and “Engergy” by Nuša Derenda in 2001. The last few years, high scores were not meant for Slovenia. However, Joker Out, who reached the final last year, managed to do some very succesful tours throughout Europe. The Bookmakers Slovenia currently has a 21st place at the bookmakers, which makes Raiven a serious contender to reach the final. And as everything changes as soon as the final is there, a good score might be very well possible for the country. The song And this is “Veronika”.

🇸🇮 Slovenia: This is “Veronika”, Raiven’s song

Tonight, between three semifinals, Slovenia also decided to present their entry. We already knew the title, “Veronika”. The song is a self-penned song by Raiven. We know how it sounds now and this is the song: “Veronika” is the 30th entry for Slovenia. The country has never won before. Two times, in 1995 and 2001, the country reached a 7th place. Last year, Joker Out reached the final and was 21st there. However, the band reached great popularity all over Europe after the contest.

🇨🇿 🇬🇧 🇮🇱 🇳🇱 🇸🇮 🇸🇪 Update after a turbulent week

It has been a turbulent week in the world of Eurovision. No less than four countries presented their participant, one of which also included a song. And as if that was not enough, the EBU also presented the theme art. Israel Let’s all start were it started. The 10th of december was the day of the next round in Israel. This was the result: Malki Lipsker, 95% Raz Levi, 53% Dor Shimon, 93% Yehuda Saado, 73% None of them took part before in Kokhav Nolad when it was the national final for Eurovision. However, Yehuda Saado won the contest in 2005, way before it became the Eurovision national final. The Netherlands Last Monday, it was announced that the Netherlands will be represented by Joost Klein. Joost is especially known for his international hit “Frieschenjung”. You can read everything about Joost here. The song will be presented in March. Slovenia Tuesday was the day of Slovenia. Rumour had it already, but now it was confirmed that Raiven will be the Slovenian representative. Raiven took part in the national selection EMA more than once. Read all about it here. Czechia Wednesday, the result of the Czech final was announced. Aiko is the happy one, her song “Pedestal” will be the Czech entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. You can also find out who Aiko is at her page on our site. Theme Art Thursday, the theme art was published. The theme art makes it possible to have a consistent experience regardless of platform or screen size. Also good to know: the allocation draw, in which it will be decided which country will perform in which semifinal, will be held on January 30. United Kingdom Surprise, surprise, Saturday evening Olly Alexander suddenly announced that he will be the 2024 UK representant. The song will be announced later, in 2024. But until then, you can find all the information about Olly here.

Raiven

©EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett About Quick Facts NameSara Briški Cirman Born26 April 1996 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenian National SelectionInternal selection 2024EMA 2019EMA 2017EMA 2016 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongVeronika (2024) Biography Sara Briški Cirman, widely recognized by her stage name Raiven, is a renowned Slovenian mezzo-soprano, pop singer, songwriter, and harpist. Born on April 26, 1996, in Brežice, Slovenia, she has made significant strides in her musical career, distinguishing herself in both the classical and pop music arenas. Raiven first gained widespread recognition in Slovenia’s music scene during the national final Evrovizijska Melodija (EMA) in 2016, where she competed to represent Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song “Črno bel.” She achieved second place in this highly competitive event. Following this success, Raiven continued to participate in EMA, securing third place in 2017 with “Zažarim” and returning in 2019 with “Kaos,” again placing second. Her talent and persistence paid off in 2024 when she was chosen to represent Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest with her song “Veronika.” In 2017, Raiven released “Magenta,” her debut album, to critical acclaim. This release earned her an award from Zlata piščal, a Slovenian cultural and artistic association, in the record of the year category. Later, Raiven expanded her horizons by collaborating with songwriters and producers at London’s Metropolis Studios. This partnership culminated in the release of the EP album “REM,” which garnered both critical and public acclaim. Raiven’s stage presence and performance skills were further highlighted at the Exit Festival in Novi Sad in 2019, where she performed on the Fusion Stage to an audience of over 56,000 people. She also showcased her versatility by performing with several esteemed orchestras, including the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and the Slovenian Police Orchestra. In 2020, she delivered a memorable performance with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra at the Ljubljana Slovene National Theatre Opera and Ballet. Her achievements in 2021 were notable, winning the Grand Audience Award at the Popevka 21 festival with her song “Vokovi,” earning the title Popevka 2021. That same year, Raiven completed her master’s degree in opera solo singing at Ljubljana’s Academy of Music. Raiven’s innovative approach to music was evident in her electro-opera concert project in 2022, where she skillfully blended classical opera arias with electronic pop. This project, titled “Doloroso,” was showcased in a sold-out concert at Cankar Centre. In 2023, Raiven hosted the Popevka festival and introduced her new song “Ikona,” signaling the upcoming release of her EP “Sirene,” which includes her Eurovision song “Veronika.” Raiven’s education in music began early, enrolling at the Ljubljana Music Matica at the age of four. She pursued harp lessons at the Music School in Ljubljana and later attended the Maribor Conservatory of Music and Ballet, where she majored in harp, jazz singing, and solo singing. Her talents were recognized early on, winning several awards in classical music competitions. She graduated in solo singing from the Ljubljana Academy of Music in 2015 and completed her master’s degree in 2021. In opera, Raiven dedicated herself to artistic development, performing in various roles, including in the world’s first tamburitza opera “Ambrož and Katarina” and as a scholarship holder of the Berlin Opera Academy. Her performances in significant roles, such as Rosina in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville” and the title role in Händel’s “Agrippina,” demonstrate her versatility and commitment to the opera genre. Raiven has also made her mark in theater, performing in plays like “Trojanke” and musicals such as “Povodni mož,” showcasing her multifaceted talents. Her dedication to her craft and continuous development as an artist have established her as a significant figure in both the Slovenian and international music scenes. On December 12, 2023, it was announced that she was going to represent Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Veronika”. The song managed to reach the Grand Final on May 11. Entries Veronika Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2024 LanguageSlovenian LyricsSara Briški CirmanBojan CvjetićaninKlavdija Kopina MusicSara Briški CirmanBojan CvjetićaninDanilo KapelKlavdija KopinaMartin BezjakPeter Khoo DancersFilippo Jorio Lukas Bareman Marin Ino Mateja Železnik Matteo Moretto Results Semi Points: 51Position: 9Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: 27Position: 23Running order: 22 https://youtu.be/l86DxpRnz5M?si=fLlVc841n08YIFLg

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