Vienna

Monika Kuszyńska

© EBU/Elena Volotova About Quick Facts NameMonika Kuszyńska Born14 January 1980 Nationality🇵🇱 Polish National SelectionInternal selection 2015Krajowe Eliminacje do Konkursu Piosenki Eurowizji 2003 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongIn The Name Of Love (2015) Biography Monika Kuszyńska (born January 14, 1980, in Łódź) is a Polish singer and songwriter. Monika grew up in Łódź. She obtained a master’s degree in art, specializing in music therapy, from the Music Academy. During her school years, she sang in a children’s group. While in high school, she was involved in the school choir and theater and participated in recitation competitions. She started her professional career as a vocalist in the band Farenheit. They recorded two singles together: “Film” and “Sens istnienia,” with which they unsuccessfully attempted to participate in the “Debiuty” concert at the Polish Song Festival in Opole. At the end of 2000, Monika became the vocalist of the band Varius Manx, a band that was already active and famous since 1989. In 2001, they released their first jointly recorded studio album called “Eta,” which was promoted with the singles “Maj” and “Jestem Twoją Afryką.” The song “Maj” competed unsuccessfully to participate in the “Premiery” concert at the 38th Polish Song Festival in Opole. Kuszyńska’s joining the band led to her being styled as a new symbol of sex appeal. She posed twice in a nude photo session for “Maxim” magazine. In July 2002, they won the first prize at the Baltic Song Contest in Karlshamn with the song “Moje Eldorado.” They promoted their second album, “Eno,” released on September 21, 2002, which also featured the singles “Jest w nim” and “Znów być kochaną.” In January 2003, they participated with the song “Sonny” in the national selection for the 48th Eurovision Song Contest. They promoted the album “Emi,” released in 2004, which included Kuszyńska’s first songs with her own lyrics. The other singles from the album were “Pamiętaj mnie” and “Stay in My Heart,” which they recorded with rapper Red. In May, they performed a recital to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Varius Manx at the 41st Polish Song Festival in Opole. On May 28, 2006, while returning from a concert in Milicz, Kuszyńska was seriously injured in a car accident, resulting in a spinal cord injury. Since then, she has been paralyzed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair. On July 16, 2006, a charity concert was held during the TOPtrendy 2006 festival in Sopot to support the injured members of the band. In 2009, Monika Kuszyńska returned to the music scene at the invitation of Beata Bednarz, who suggested she write lyrics and record vocals for the song “Nowa rodzę się,” which appeared on Bednarz’s album “Pasja miłości.” In 2010, she made her first public appearance on television since the accident, performing the song on the program “Dzień dobry TVN.” In June 2010, she gave her first concert after the accident at the European Film Festival Integracja Ty i Ja in Koszalin. In 2012, she was the choir captain from Łódź in the second season of the TVP2 program Bitwa na głosy. On June 12 of that year she released her first solo studio album titled “Ocalona.” In 2014, she was awarded the Ona to Skarb award, participated in a social campaign and became an ambassador for the Wings for Life World Run races, the photographic-social project “440 kilometrów po zmianę,” the “Równe Szanse” program, and the T-Mobile campaign “Pomoc mierzona kilometrami.” In March 2015 she was announced as Poland’s representative in the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. She co-wrote the contest song “In the Name of Love” She performed at promotional events such as Eurovision Pre-Party Riga 2015 in Riga and Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam. During a press conference in Kraków organized by the Austrian broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk, she recorded the Polish version of the song, titled “Obudź się i żyj.” She qualified for the final at the Eurovision Song Contest.. In the final, she received 10 points and finished 23rd out of 27 finalists. On November 13, her recording of the song “Linia życia” was included on the album “Kobiety” by the band Pectus. On November 4, 2015, her autobiographical book titled “Drugie życie,” was published. In May 2016 she appeared in Bartek Grzanek’s song “Czort.” On June 1, 2017, she released the song “To taka miłość,” dedicated to her son. On June 15, 2019, she performed the song “Nie ma rady na miłość” at the “Premier” concert during the 56th Polish Song Festival in Opole. The song was a preview of her second solo studio album, which was supposed to be released on her 40th birthday but was never released. In 2019, she was featured in the Super Polsat program “Linia życia. Niepokonani,” and in 2020, she served as a mentor on the talent show program “Usłyszcie nas!” on TTV. Entries In The Name Of Love Country🇵🇱 Poland Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsMonika Kuszyńska MusicJakub Raczyński BackingsOlą TabiszewskąJanek RadwanNatalia BajakJakub Raczyński (piano) Results Semi Points: 57Position: 8Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: 10Position: 23Running order: 18 https://youtu.be/TReYIZYloSg

Ann Sophie

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameAnn-Sophie Elisabeth Dürmeyer Born01 September 1990 Nationality🇩🇪 German National SelectionUnser Song Für Österreich 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongBlack Smoke (2015) Biography Ann Sophie is a German singer, actress and musical star. She was born in London in 1990 and grew up in Hamburg. At the age of four, she began dancing ballet. She attended Gymnasium and completed her school education in 2010. After school, she moved to New York, where she attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and completed a two-year acting training. In 2011, Ann Sophie started performing her own songs in bars. In 2012, she recorded her first EP called “Time” and later released a music video for “Get Over Yourself.” Her first studio album, “Time Extended,” was released in October 2012. In September 2014, she applied for the wildcard of the show “Unser Song für Österreich,” the German qualification for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. She sang the song “Get Over Yourself”. A panel of experts selected her as one of ten artists from 1270 applications. In February 2015, she performed at the club concert with the song “Jump the Gun,” written by Beatgees, Katrina Noorbergen, and Laila Samuels, and received the wildcard. In March 2015, Ann Sophie competed against seven other artists in the German national selection. She performed her songs “Jump the Gun” and “Black Smoke” and qualified for the final with the latter. Although she lost in the viewer voting to Andreas Kümmert, who later withdrew from the competition, citing personal reasons for not feeling ready to perform in Vienna. He passed the opportunity to Ann Sophie, who officially became the German representative for Eurovision. In the final of the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in May 2015 in Vienna, her song “Black Smoke” received zero points, placing 26th and last together with Austria’s entry. From 2016 to 2018, she performed various concerts, presenting her own music acoustically with a small ensemble. As a soloist, she toured with Andrej Hermlin’s Swing Dance Orchestra. Since the beginning of 2019, she has been covering her favorite songs on her YouTube channel, Live-Sessions. In 2021, she participated in the singing talent show The Voice of Germany and reached the semifinals. In 2014, Ann Sophie played the lead role in the karaoke comedy “Tussipark” by Christian Kühn at Comödie Dresden. In 2018, she made her musical debut in the role of Gloria in the musical Flashdance and served as the understudy for the role of Alex Owen. From September 2019 to March 2020, she played the lead role of Indigo in the musical “Cirque Du Soleil Paramour” at the Neue Flora in Hamburg. In June and July 2022, she performed as Alex Owen in “Flashdance” once again at the Walensee stage. Entries Black Smoke Country🇩🇪 Germany Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsMichael HarwoodElla McMahonTonino Speciale MusicMichael HarwoodElla McMahonTonino Speciale BackingsGiovanna WinterfeldtBibi VongehrLan SyreenKatie Okwuazu Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 0Position: 26Running order: 17 https://youtu.be/DGMJOchTRPc

Knez

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameNenad Knežević Born5 December 1967 Nationality🇲🇪 Montenegrin National SelectionInternal selection 2015MontenegroSong 2008Evropesma – Europesma 2004 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongAdio (2015) Biography Nenad Knežević Knez, is a Montenegrin pop singer and songwriter. He was born on December 5, 1967, in Cetinje, the Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Yugoslavia, in a musical family. He spent his childhood and youth in Podgorica. His first public performance was at the age of six at the Naša radost festival in Podgorica, where he sang the song “Bio jednom jedan lav” (Once Upon a Lion). By winning the competition, he became the soloist of the children’s choir “Suncokrili” (Sunflowers). During high school, he formed his first band called Visoka frekvencija, and during that time, he composed songs like “Da l’ si ikada mene voljela” (Have You Ever Loved Me) and “Ti si kao magija” (You’re Like Magic), which would later become hits for Knez. Shortly after, he formed The Moon Band and became a star on many hotel terraces along the Montenegrin coast. A few years later, together with his father Milija, a legend of the Montenegrin music scene, he gathered the most talented musicians in Montenegro: guitarist Milorad Jovović – Šule and arranger-keyboardist Aleksandar Saša Tamindžić, and thus, Montenegro Band was formed. They performed throughout the former Yugoslavia, gaining extensive experience in live performances. Knez began his solo career in 1992, appearing at the prestigious Yugoslav music festival MESAM with the song “Da l’ si ikada mene voljela,” which became a big hit overnight. This was followed by his debut album titled “Kao magija” (Like Magic). Most of the hits from this album were composed by Leo Đokaj and Knez, with lyrics written by Ljubo and Zlatko Jovović. The album also includes a duet with Rambo Amadeus titled “Ne kukaj nam djede Niko” (Don’t Cry for Us, Grandfather Niko). Nenad Knežević Knez’s distinctive and original voice that emerged on the Yugoslav music scene in the 1990s was recognized with numerous awards, including Album of the Year, Oskar of Popularity, Golden Hit, Golden Cassette, Golden Palm, Melko, and others. In late 1994, his second album “Iz dana u dan” (Day by Day) was released, preceded by the maxi single of the song “Moja mala” (My Little One) in four different versions. Many hits were remembered from this album, but Knez’s favorite was the duet “Vrati je more” (Return Her, Sea), which he performed with his father Milija Knežević. Most of the songs were accompanied by excellent music videos. Two years later, Knez released his third album, “Automatic,” which broke all sales records. In addition to major hits, the album stood out with the duet “Bubamara” (Ladybug) featuring actor Branislav Lečić. The peak of his career up to that point was marked by a grand solo concert in Belgrade’s Sava Center. Three years later, the compilation album “The Best of Knez” with 18 greatest hits was released, including two new songs: “Nijedna žena na svijetu” (No Woman in the World) and “Ti ne znaš ko sam ja” (You Don’t Know Who I Am) in collaboration with Vlado Georgiev. Afterward, preparations began for his performance at the Pjesma mediterana – Budva 2000 festival. In this highly competitive event, Knez won the first prize with the song “Vjeruj” (Believe). His victory in Budva served as an excellent preview for his most complete and, according to many, best album yet, titled “Daleko, visoko” (Far, High). Songs from that album became the most listened to on many radio and TV stations in the region. In May 2003, Knez delighted his audience with his fifth album, “Ti me znaš” (You Know Me). The album featured twelve new songs, one of which had already achieved success at the Sunčane Skale festival in Herceg Novi (Silver Siren 2002 for the song “Pobijedila si ti” – You Won), and it showcased a very interesting blend of styles. In 2004, Knez took part in Evropesma – Europesma, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest in Serbia and Montenegro. In the final, his song “Navika” reached a 7th place. The self-composed song had lyrics from Snežana Vukamanović. In 2005, Knez released his sixth album titled “Vanilla,” in which he changed his style again and turned to house and R&B, collaborating with a completely new team of young arrangers. The album was produced in Belgrade, Skopje, and Zagreb, and many top instrumentalists and studio musicians participated in its realization. The album includes a duet “Emina” with singer Emina Jahović. In 2006, he achieved third place with the song “Ti me znaš” for which the lyrics were written by Sergej Ćetković at the “Pjesma mediterana” festival in Budva. That same year, he released the compilation album “The Best of Balade,” produced by City Records. In 2008, he released his seventh album, “Otrov i med” (Poison and Honey), which was very interesting in terms of production, also under the same record label. In the same year, Knez participated in MonetenegroSong 2008, the contest were the artist for Eurovision 2008 was selected. Knez reached a 3rd place. In 2012, he released the ethno-jazz album “The Magic of Balkan,” featuring 15 covers of sevdalinka, old town, and Roma songs. He gathered the best instrumentalists of that genre in the region for this release. The album was presented through numerous concert tours. In 2010, he participated in the reality show “Survivor,” which was filmed in the Philippines. In 2013 and 2019, the audience had the opportunity to witness his vocal abilities and talent for transformation in the TV show (Your Face Sounds Familiar) broadcast on Prva Srpska Televizija. Knez represented Montenegro at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in 2015 with the song “Adio,” with music by Željko Joksimović and lyrics by Marina Tucaković. He finished 13th in the final, achieving the best result for Montenegro at that prestigious music competition. In October 2018, Knez released a new single, entitled “Danas ja, sjutra ti”. In August 2019 “Još samo njenu svirajte” came out. In the same

Maria Elena Kyriakou

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameMaria Elena Kyriakou Born11 January 1984 Nationality🇨🇾 Cypriot National SelectionEurosong 2015 – NERIT & MAD Show In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongOne Last Breath (2015) Biography Maria Elena Kyriakou is a Greek Cypriot singer. She was born on January 11, 1984, in Larnaca, Cyprus, and has been living there ever since. She has three siblings: a brother named Kyriakos Pavlou and two sisters. At the age of 13, her mother enrolled her in a music school. After a few years, she studied philosophy at the University of Ioannina, and during her first year, she received a proposal from Giannis Ploutarchos, which she rejected as she wanted to continue her studies. After two years at the University of Ioannina, she decided to return to Cyprus and pursued her studies at the University of Cyprus. After graduating, she established her own tutorial center. In 2011, her mother suggested that she try her luck on Greek Idol, but she declined. Maria Elena Kyriakou auditioned for The Voice of Greece at the age of 29. In the final, she performed her own song, “Dyo Egoismoi,” and a duet with her coach on the song “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough).” When she advanced to the second round with Areti Kosmidi and Lefteris Kintatos, she sang “Because of You,” the song she had performed in the blind auditions. Maria Elena Kyriakou won the first season and received a record deal with Universal Music Greece. Maria Elena Kyriakou represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015 with the song “One Last Breath”. The song qualified for the final, where it ranked 19th with 23 points. After Eurovision, she released the singles “Mia anapnoi”, “Otherside” and “Choris Elena”. After Eurovision, Maria Elena kept on performing on live stages. Entries One Last Breath Country🇬🇷 Greece Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsEvelina TzioraVaggelis Konstantinidis MusicEfthivoulos TheocharousMaria Elena Kyriakou BackingsAlex EconomouKaterina KyirakouEfthivoulos Theocharous (piano) Results Semi Points: 81Position: 6Running order: 6 Results Finals Points: 23Position: 19Running order: 15 https://youtu.be/1RZ2JGC9Nlw

The Makemakes

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersDominic ‘Dodo’ MuhrerMarkus ChristFlorian Meind Active2012-2020 Nationality🇦🇹 Austrian National SelectionWer Singt Für Österreich? 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongI Am Yours (2015) Biography The Makemakes were an Austrian rock music group consisting of Dominic “Dodo” Muhrer and musicians Florian Meindl and Markus Christ. The name is derived from the dwarf planet Makemake, which in turn was named after the creator deity Makemake in the culture of Easter Island. The band gained recognition in 2013 when they performed as the opening act for Bon Jovi. The band’s popularity was also fueled by a widely quoted rumor in the press that the group’s singer, Dodo Muhrer, could be an illegitimate son of actor Christoph Waltz. They were chosen as Austria’s candidate for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. Their song “I Am Yours” faced plagiarism allegations, claiming similarities to the song “The Scientist” by the British band Coldplay. An official examination concluded that no plagiarism had occurred. Their participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Vienna on May 23, 2015, was not successful, as they received zero points. They finished last out of 27 participating countries. In reference to the successful Swedish winning song, The Makemakes released a satirical video titled “We are the Zeroes of our Time” on Facebook on the night of the contest. The video received over half a million views in a few days and was interpreted by the media as a fitting gesture. In response, German particpant Ann Sophie, inspired by The Makemakes, released her own version of the Austrian parody the following day. For the reimagined version of the song “Climb Every Mountain” from the musical The Sound Of Music, the US producer Humberto Gatica enlisted The Makemakes as duet partners for American Idol finalist Joshua Ledet. In 2017, they filmed the ServusTV documentary The Makemakes in Hollywood – In the Footsteps of The Sound of Music. In March 2018, The Makemakes released their official comeback single “Keep On Moving” in Austria, in which they claimed to return to their musical roots. In December, The Makemakes participated in the production of the third episode of the first season of “My Hit Your Song” on ProSieben. With their rock arrangements of the songs “Love Is All Around” and “Freedom” by DJ BoBo, they emerged as winners, earning a prize of 25,000 euros. The German audience responded positively to the band, who were relatively unknown in Germany at the time. In 2019, two singles of the band, “The Beach” and “Heyo”, became successes in the United Kingdom. In 2020, the band released their version of “Vivo Per Lei”. That was the last time The Makemakes released music together. Currently, Dodo Muhrer is using the social media of The Makemakes to publish his own music. Entries Song Title Country🇦🇹 Austria Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsJimmy HarryDominic MuhrerFlorian MeindlMarkus Chris MusicJimmy HarryDominic MuhrerFlorian MeindlMarkus Chris BackingsChris CorasHarald BaumgartnerRegina Mallinger Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 0Position: 26Running order: 14 https://youtu.be/-f993p0CAV8

Loïc Nottet

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameLoïc Edward Nottet Born10 April 1996 Nationality🇧🇪 Belgian National SelectionInternal selection 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongRythm Inside (2015) Biography Loïc Nottet is a Belgian singer, songwriter and dancer. He was born in Charleroi in 1996. In 2014, Loïc Nottet gained recognition after participating in the TV show The Voice Belgique, the Walloon edition of The Voice. Although he reached the finals, he did not win. Following his stint on The Voice, Nottet signed a record deal with Sony Music Belgium. In November 2014, Nottet was chosen by the RTBF to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2015. His song “Rhythm Inside” was unveiled in March of that year. Nottet successfully advanced to the grand final on May 23, 2015. The day after the semi-final, “Rhythm Inside” entered the iTunes charts in 23 countries and reached number one in Belgium. It also topped the Flemish Ultratop 50 for four weeks starting from May 30, 2015. Nottet’s single earned a platinum certification in Belgium. During the final on May 23, 2015, Nottet achieved fourth place. It was one of Belgium’s best results in Eurovision history, with only Sandra Kim, Urban Trad, and Jean Vallée achieving higher rankings, albeit in smaller competitions. In 2017, Nottet released his debut album titled “Selfocracy.” The album included the hit single “Million Eyes” and his third single “Mud Blood,” both of which gained popularity in Wallonia and France. “Million Eyes” reached number 23 on the Flemish Ultratop 50 and number 2 on the Walloon Ultratop 50, earning a gold certification. The song even received a diamond certification in France, a rare achievement for a Belgian artist. “Mud Blood” didn’t perform as well in Flanders but had several weeks on the Walloon and French charts. “Selfocracy” became the best-selling album in Wallonia, according to Ultratop’s year-end overview. Later in 2017, Nottet embarked on his Selfocracy Tour, promoting the album in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Kingdom. In addition to his musical accomplishments, Nottet won the sixth season of the French TV show Danse Avec Les Stars in partnership with Denitsa Ikonomova in 2015. He also received the MTV European Music Award for “Best Belgian Act” in 2017. Nottet released two more singles, “Doctor” and “Go to Sleep,” in late 2017, which were not included in his debut or second album. In 2018, Nottet surprised fans with a new single called “On Fire,” which quickly climbed the Belgian download charts, reaching the 23rd position on the Walloon Ultratop 50. Shortly after, he released the music video for the single on his YouTube channel. “On Fire” served as the lead single from his second album, released in 2019. Nottet also announced additional shows in Brussels and Paris. Following the second single “29,” the release of “Heartbreaker” achieved high chart positions in both Wallonia and Flanders. In 2020, Nottet announced the Sillygomania Tour, which was initially postponed due to COVID-19 and took place in late 2021. The tour culminated with a sold-out show at Vorst Nationaal. After concluding the Sillygomania Tour in 2021, Nottet closed the chapter on “Selfomania” (a combination of “Selfocracy” and “Sillygomania”). In November 2022, he made a comeback with the release of his single “Mélodrame,” accompanied by a music video that quickly surpassed a million views. On February 9, 2023, Nottet released his first novel titled “Les Aveuglés: Le Palais Des Murmures.” He had started writing the book five years earlier while still engrossed in “Selfocracy.” Nottet mentioned that the book’s themes strongly overlap with those explored in “Selfocracy.” Entries Rythm Inside Country🇧🇪 Belgium Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsBeverly Jo Scott MusicLoïc Nottet BackingsKatie BernsteinMichael StorrsSusanna Marie CorkSarah CoveyNicolas Dorian Results Semi Points: 149Position: 2Running order: 3 Results Finals Points: 217Position: 4Running order: 13 https://youtu.be/G48p8eNhnd8

Guy Sebastian

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameGuy Theodore Sebastian Born26 October 1981 Nationality🇦🇺 Australian National SelectionInternal Selection 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongTonight Again (2015) Biography Guy Theodore Sebastian AM, born on October 26, 1981, is an acclaimed Australian singer who rose to fame as the winner of the inaugural season of Australian Idol in 2003. He later served as a judge on Australia’s The X Factor from 2010 to 2012 and again from 2015 to 2016. Currently, he is a coach on The Voice Australia since 2019. Sebastian also represented Australia at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, securing a respectable fifth-place finish. Sebastian’s musical journey has been marked by great success, with ten of his albums reaching the top ten charts, including three that claimed the number one spot. His first seven albums achieved either platinum or multi-platinum certification, demonstrating their popularity among fans. Furthermore, he has attained an impressive twenty-three top twenty singles, with fourteen of them entering the top ten, including six number one hits. Remarkably, Sebastian holds the record as the only Australian male artist to achieve six number one singles, placing him third overall among all Australian acts. His exceptional accomplishments include ten multi-platinum certified singles, with the remarkable “Battle Scars” earning an impressive 12× platinum certification. Notably, his debut single “Angels Brought Me Here” was the highest-selling song in Australia from 2000 to 2009, showcasing his immense popularity during that decade. Sebastian’s outstanding achievements have earned him a staggering total of 69 platinum and seven gold certifications, making him the Australian Idol contestant with the highest certifications and sales, surpassing all others. Beyond his domestic success, Sebastian has collaborated with prominent American musicians such as Brian McKnight, Robin Thicke, Steve Cropper, John Mayer, Jordin Sparks, Eve, and Lupe Fiasco. His collaboration with Fiasco on the song “Battle Scars” enjoyed considerable success, spending 20 weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and achieving platinum certification. Additionally, the song reached number two in Norway and New Zealand. Sebastian has also made an impact in New Zealand, with an album and six singles reaching the top ten charts, including two number one hits. He has earned six platinum and three gold certifications in New Zealand. In 2015, his Eurovision song charted in the top 50 in five European countries, further expanding his international recognition. Sebastian’s outstanding talent and contributions to the music industry have garnered him numerous accolades. He has been nominated for 34 ARIA Awards, ultimately winning seven, including categories such as Best Pop Release and Best Live Act. Other notable awards include the APRA Urban Work of the Year, the [V] Oz Artist of the Year, Urban Music Awards for Best Male Artist and Best R&B Album, as well as an International Songwriting Competition award for “Battle Scars.” Sebastian has had the honor of performing at prestigious events, including appearances for Pope Benedict XVI, Oprah Winfrey, and Queen Elizabeth II. Furthermore, he demonstrates a strong commitment to charity and has previously served as an ambassador for World Vision Australia and the Australian Red Cross. Together with his wife Jules, Sebastian established The Sebastian Foundation, aiming to make a positive impact through charitable initiatives. In recognition of his significant contributions to music and charity, Sebastian was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours. In October 2020, Guy Sebastian released his ninth studio album titled “T.R.U.T.H.” The album made an impressive debut by reaching the number one position on the ARIA charts, marking Sebastian’s third album to achieve this milestone in his career. Additionally, “T.R.U.T.H.” has been certified gold, attesting to its commercial success and popularity among listeners. Furthermore, Sebastian’s music video for the song “Standing With You” was honored with an ARIA Award for Best Video at the 2020 ARIA Music Awards, acknowledging the visual excellence and artistic merit of the production. Entries Song Title Country🇦🇺 Australia Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsGuy SebastianDavid Ryan HarrisLouis Schoorl MusicGuy SebastianDavid Ryan HarrisLouis Schoorl BackingsCarmen SmithAaron MarcellusBrandon WinbushDevin Michaei Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 196Position: 5Running order: 12 https://youtu.be/H0EhhZWXTng

John Karayiannis

© EBU/Elena Volotova About Quick Facts NameGiannis Karagiannis Born25 July 1994 Nationality🇨🇾 Cypriot National SelectionEurovision Song Project 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongOne Thing I Should Have Done (2015) Biography Yannis was born on July 20, 1994, in the Cypriot city of Limassol. At the age of 6, he began to take an interest in music. Two years later, in 2002, he started singing lessons. He also won several local music competitions. He took part in the national selection to represent Cyprus in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 and 2008. However, he lost in both instances. On February 1, 2015, after winning the Eurovision Song Project qualifying competition against five competing participants, he was selected to represent Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. The song he was singing was called “One Thing I Should Have Done”. The song became a hit in Austria. John was placed 22nd in the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest. On May 6, 2015, John Karayiannis released a new single, a cover version of the Eurovision song “Diggy-loo diggy-ley”. The song has been given a completely new arrangement by Mike Connaris. In 2018, John represented Cyprus at the Golden Stag Festival in Romania. Entries One Thing I Should Have Done Country🇨🇾 Cyprus Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsMike Connaris MusicMike Connaris BackingsChristopher Madin Results Semi Points: 87Position: 6Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: 11Position: 22Running order: 11 https://youtu.be/RUNEoMBLGc8

Måns Zelmerlöw

© EBU/Elena Volotova About Quick Facts NameMåns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw Born13 June 1986 Nationality🇸🇪 Swedish National SelectionMelodifestivalen 2015Melodifestivalen 2008Melodifestivalen 2007 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongHeroes (2015) Biography Måns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw, born on June 13, 1986, in the Lund Cathedral Parish, Malmö County, is a Swedish presenter, musician, and songwriter.Måns Zelmerlöw attended a music-focused program at Lars-Erik Larsson Gymnasium in Lund, where he primarily focused on choir singing and later sang in the Lund University Male Voice Choir. In 2002, he participated in a production of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where he played one of Joseph’s eleven brothers. He competed in TV4’s Idol 2005 where he finished in fifth place. In 2006, he emerged as the winner of TV4’s “Let’s Dance” together with Maria Bild. In the second half of 2006, he played the lead role of Danny Zuko in the musical Grease, which was staged in Malmö. Zelmerlöw reached the final of Melodifestivalen, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, in 2007 with the song “Cara Mia,” which finished in third place with the second-highest number of viewer votes. The song topped the Swedish sales chart. In 2007, he performed the song on TV programs such as Allsång på Skansen and Lotta på Liseberg. On October 5, 2007, he hosted Lilla Melodifestivalen (the Junior Melodifestivalen). At the same time, he appeared in the musical Footloose, where he played the villain Tommy. The musical premiered on November 8, 2007, at Storan in Gothenburg and was staged in Stockholm from February 20, 2008. In 2008, he participated in the Diggiloo Tour along with Lasse Holm, Linda Bengtzing, Lotta Engberg, Thomas Pettersson, Molly Sandén, Nanne Grönvall, Stefan and Kim, and Magnus Johansson. He participated again in Melodifestivalen 2009, this time with the song “Hope & Glory” (lyrics: Måns Zelmerlöw, Fredrik Kempe; music: Fredrik Kempe, Henrik Wikström). He advanced directly to the final at the Globe Arena, where he took the lead after the jury groups had voted. After the viewers’ votes were cast, Zelmerlöw finished in fourth place with 144 points. In 2009, he participated in the TV program Så ska det låta together with Lill Lindfors. He also performed in “Allsång på Skansen.” He hosted “Sommarkrysset” directly from Gröna Lund and went on The MZW Tour, which consisted of a five-member band and four dancers. The tour started in Västerås on June 26 and concluded on August 15, 2009, in Kristinestad. During the year, Zelmerlöw also performed at Crown Princess Victoria’s birthday, which was broadcast on Swedish Television on July 14, 2009. During the second semifinal of Dansbandskampen 2009, he served as a guest judge in the second round, where his songs were the evening’s theme. On November 10, 2009, it was announced that Zelmerlöw would be one of the three hosts of Melodifestivalen 2010. He co-hosted the show with Dolph Lundgren and Christine Meltzer. He also took on the role of Romeo in Romeo and Julia. In connection with Dansbandskampen 2010, he co-wrote a song with Peter Wennerberg for Elisa’s titled “Varenda veranda,” which the band also recorded for the album “Det här är bara början” in 2011. For Christmas 2010, Zelmerlöw released the solo album “Christmas with Friends.” On February 23, 2011, it was announced that he would be the new host of Allsång på Skansen. For Christmas, Zelmerlöw released the album “Kära vinter” (Dear Winter). Måns Zelmerlöw released the single “Ett lyckligt slut” in collaboration with the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation in 2012. The same year, he participated in the panel of opinions in SVT’s music program Inför Eurovision Song Contest. He was named “Årets Lundensare” (Lund Citizen of the Year) by the Grandiosa Society in Lund. For the third consecutive summer, he hosted Allsång på Skansen in 2013. However, during the final episode on August 13, he announced his intention to quit. Zelmerlöw participated as a songwriter in Melodifestivalen 2013 with the song “Hello Goodbye,” performed by Erik Segerstedt and Tone Damli, which advanced to the Second Chance round. In the fall of 2013, he played the lead role in a new version of the musical Spök (Ghost) alongside Loa Falkman, Sussie Eriksson, and Lena Philipsson, among others. In February 2014, he released the personal album “Barcelona Sessions,” which he had been working on for almost two years. Zelmerlöw competed in Melodifestivalen 2015 with the song “Heroes”, which he won, thus earning the opportunity to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. Zelmerlöw won with 288 points, achieving the largest margin of victory (150 points) in Melodifestivalen history. In the Eurovision final on May 23, Zelmerlöw won with 365 points. During the summer of 2015, Måns Zelmerlöw made several appearances at music festivals in Sweden and Finland. Following that, he embarked on a European tour in September. Before the tour, he also visited Shanghai, China to promote his latest album, “Perfectly Damaged,”. In January 2016, Zelmerlöw traveled to Australia and surprised audiences by joining Guy Sebastian‘s Concert Tour, “You..Me..Us Tour,” as a guest artist. He performed with his band at two dates. In May 2016, Zelmerlöw co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm alongside Swedish TV presenter Petra Mede. During the three shows, he performed his winning song “Heroes,” as well as his new song “Fire in the Rain.” Additionally, he showcased two musical sketches, co-written with Edward af Sillén, titled “Story of ESC” and the highly acclaimed “Love, Love, Peace, Peace” with Petra Mede. In October 2016, Zelmerlöw appeared in the TV series “Chevaleresk” with host Alexander Wiberg, which was broadcast on TV6. In 2021, Zelmerlöw returned to Melodifestivalen as a host for the final together with Shima Niavarani and Christer Björkman. In the same year, he joined the Swedish edition of “The Masked Singer,” where he is part of the panel. In 2022, Zelmerlöv was one of the participants in TV4’s show Så mycket bättre (So Much Better). Entries Song Title Country🇸🇪 Sweden Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsAnton Malmberg Hård af SegerstadJoy DebLinnea Deb MusicAnton Malmberg Hård af SegerstadJoy

Genealogy

© Ailura, Wikimedia Commons About Quick Facts MembersEssaï AltounianTamar KaprelianVahe TilbianStephanie TopalianMary-Jean O’Doherty BasmadijanInga Arshakyan Active2015 Nationality🇫🇷 French (Essaï)🇺🇸 American (Tamar)🇪🇹 Ethiopian (Vahe)🇯🇵 Japanese (Stephanie)🇦🇺 Australian (Mary-Jean)🇦🇲 Armenian (all members) National SelectionInternal selection 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongFace The Shadow (2015) Biography Genealogy, an Armenian supergroup, was formed with the purpose of representing Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. The group consisted of six members, five of whom hailed from different continents as part of the Armenian diaspora. The dispersion of their families around the world was a result of the Armenian genocide in 1915. The five artists from the diaspora symbolized the five petals of the forget-me-not flower, which served as the official logo for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, commemorated in April 2015. The sixth member, based in Armenia, represented the center of the flower. Their entry for the contest was the song “Face the Shadow,” initially titled “Don’t Deny.” However, the organizers decided to change the title due to its political nature, as it alluded to the denial of the Armenian genocide. Genealogy represented Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 final, held on May 23, 2015, and secured the 16th position overall with a total of 34 points from eight countries, receiving the maximum 12 points from Georgia. The group comprised individuals from diverse backgrounds. The first member announced was Essaï Altounian, a French Armenian, on February 16, 2015. Tamar Kaprelian, an American-Armenian singer, was revealed as the second member on February 20, 2015. Vahe Tilbian, an Armenian-Ethiopian singer, became the third member, announced on February 23, 2015. Stephanie Topalian, a singer of Armenian-American-Japanese heritage residing in Japan, was introduced as the fourth member on February 27, 2015. Mary-Jean O’Doherty Basmadjian, an Australian opera singer of Armenian descent, joined as the fifth member, announced on March 3, 2015. Inga Arshakyan, who had previously represented Armenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 alongside her sister, Anush, completed the group as the sixth member. On April 28, 2015, during an audience with President Serzh Sargsyan, the five members from the Armenian diaspora (Kaprelian, O’Doherty Basmadjian, Tilbian, Altounian, and Topalian) were granted Armenian citizenship and received their Armenian passports. Inga Arshakyan already held Armenian citizenship at the time. Entries Face The Shadow Country🇦🇲 Armenia Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsInna Mkrtchyan MusicArmen Martirosyan Backings– Results Semi Points: 77Position: 7Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: 34Position: 16Running order: 6 https://youtu.be/Z6O8pr7HH94