X-Factor

Theodor Andrei

About Quick Facts NameTheodor Andrei Born09 October 2004 Nationality🇷🇴 Romanian National SelectionSelecția Națională 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongD.G.T. (Off and on) (2023) Biography Theodor Andrei, born in Bucharest in 2004, is a Romanian singer. Theodor’s first success came in 2017, when he took part in Vocea Romaniei Junior (The Voice Kids Romania) and managed to reach the semifinals. Meanwhile, Theodor was performing many covers, which he placed on Youtube. His first original release came on 21 September 2017: “Young and sweet”. It was followed in October 2018 by a song in Romanian, “Și dacă azi zâmbesc”. Theodor Andrei released many singles, all in Romanian. In 2020, Theodor participated in the X-Factor. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to survive the bootcamp. One year later, he had one of the main roles in the theatre play “Brainstorm”. On 25 July 2022, Theodor released the single “Ţigări mentolate”, for which he teamed up with Valentina. On 15 October of the same year, his debut album “Fragil” was released. On 11 February, 2023, Theodor was chosen to represent Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “D.G.T. (Off and on)”. With the song, he unfortunately did not reach the final of the contest. Entries D.G.T. (Off and on) Country🇷🇴 Romania Year2023 LanguageEnglishRomanian LyricsTheodor AndreiMikail JahedLuca de MezzoLuca Udățeanu MusicTheodor AndreiMikail Jahed DancersDiana Colea Results Semi Points: 0Position: 15Running order: 3 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/Bf3iPXU1RYU

The Busker

© EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett About Quick Facts MembersDavid ‘Dav Jr.’ GrechJean Paul BorgSean Meachen Founded2012 Nationality🇲🇹 Maltese National SelectionMalta Eurovision Song Contest 2023 In Eurovision2023 Liverpool SongDance (Our own party) (2023) Biography The Busker is a Maltese indie pop band. The band was formed in October 2012 by singer and guitarist Dario Genovese and percussionist Jean Paul Borg. In 2014, bassist/keyboardist David Grech (aka Dav Jr.) and saxophonist Sean Meachen joined the band. The Busker was inspired by 1960s pop bands. They published their first song, “The ballad of John Brown”, on YouTube in 2013. The Busker started publishing songs on YouTube; both covers and original songs. Their debut album, “Telegram”, was released in 2017, followed by “Ladies and Gentlemen” om 2018. Dario Genovese left the group in august 2020. The band continued as a trio.The band teamed up with Matthew James for the song “Just a little bit more”. The song became no. 1 in the Maltese Top-10. In January 2021 the band teamed up with Raquella for the song “Don’t you tell me what you feel”. After these collaborations, Dav Jr. became the frontman of the band. The first single with the new line up was “Loose” in august 2021, followed in December of the same year by “Nothing more”. Both songs were released on the group’s EP “X”. On September 12, 2022, a new song “Miracle” was released. On February 11th, 2023, their song “Dance (Our own Party)” was chosen to represent Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it to the final. Entries Dance (Our own Party) Country🇲🇹 Malta Year2023 LanguageEnglish LyricsDavid Meilak MusicDavid MeilakJean Paul BorgMatthew James BorgMichael Joe CiniSean Meachen Backings– Results Semi Points: 3Position: 15Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/zVmVt9qmg9g

Alex Florea

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameAlexandru Ionuț Florea Born15 September 1991 Nationality???????? Romanian National SelectionSelecția Națională 2018Selecția Națională 2017 In Eurovision2017 Kyiv SongYodel It1 (2017, with Ilinca) Biography Alexandru Ionuț “Alex” Florea (b. September 15, 1991, Constanța[2][3]) is a Romanian singer. He was born in Constanța and studied journalism, but interrupted it and studied acting at “Ovidiu” University in Constanța. In March 2015, he took part in The X-Factor, together with his brother Cristian Goaie. In the same year, he was in Vocea României (The Voice of Romania) and managed to reach the semi-finals. In 2017, he took part in Selecția Națională 2017, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, together with Ilinca. With the song “Yodel it!”, they were able to win, so that they could represent Romania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. In the Grand Final they ended up in 7th place. A year later, Florea took part in Selecția Națională again, with a song called “Nobody told me it would hurt”. The song didn’t manage to survive the semifinals. In the same year, Florea took part in another talent show, The Four – Cei 4!. As an actor, Florea played the role of Quasimodo in the musical Cocosatul de la Notre Dame. The play was premiered on June 22, 2018 and he did the tour in 2018 and 2019. In January 2021, Alex teamed up with Masymeno and released the song “Soare”. Entries Yodel It! (with Ilinca) Country???????? Romania Year2017 LanguageEnglish LyricsAlexa Niculae MusicMihai Alexandru BackingsCristian Goaie Results Semi Points: 174Position: 6Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: 282Position: 7Running order: 20 https://youtu.be/ZSHc7iDuBCQ

Ilinca Băcilă

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameMaria Ilinca Băcilă Born17 August 1998 Nationality???????? Romanian National SelectionSelecția Națională 2017 In Eurovision2017 Kyiv SongYodel it! (with Alex Florea) Biography Ilinca Băcilă is a Romanian singer and Yodeler. She was born in Târgu Mureș, but currently lives lives in Cluj-Napoca. She has been studying music since she was 7 years old. In 2012, she took part in Românii au talent at age 13. She went on to the semifinals. A year later she participated in The X Factor as a member of a girl band, managing to reach the live galas. In 2014, she took part in Vocea României (The Voice of Romania), where she was part of Loredana Groza’s team and where she reaches the semi-finals. After getting noticed on The X Factor and Vocea României, Ilinca began collaborating with several cultural institutions in the country, such as the Iași Philharmonic, the Cluj Romanian Opera and the Brașov Dramatic Theatre. At the beginning of 2017, Ilinca Băcilă collaborated with Alex Florea and presents the song “Yodel it”, the song entered in the Selecția Națională, the Romanian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. The song won the competition, and Ilinca and Alex represent Romania at Eurovision 2017, reaching the final. Romania reached the 7th place with the song. After Eurovision, Ilinca released a solo song, “Amici”. In 2018, another one called “Nu acum” was released. Since May 2022, Ilinca is the lead singer of a band called Gadjo Dilo. Their music is based on the gipsy culture. Entries Yodel It! (with Alex Florea) Country???????? Romania Year2017 LanguageEnglish LyricsAlexa Niculae MusicMihai Alexandru BackingsCristian Goaie Results Semi Points: 174Position: 6Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: 282Position: 7Running order: 20 https://youtu.be/ZSHc7iDuBCQ

Michael Ben David

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameMichael Ben David Born26 July 1996 Nationality🇮🇱 Israeli National SelectionX-Factor Israel 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongI.M. (2022) Biography Michael Ben David is an Israeli singer and dancer. He was born in Ahkelon, Israel, to a mother of Russian-Ukrainian descent and a father of Georgian descent. He grew up and was educated in Petah Tikva. In sixth grade, he moved to the Green Village boarding school. He came out of the closet in front of his mother as a homosexual at the age of 16. Ben-David did his military service in a classified unit in the Ministry of Defense and then began studying acting at Beit Zvi. Ben-David competed in the reality show “The X Factor Israel” in an attempt to represent Israel at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. On February 3, 2022, the judges of the “X Factor” program, the professional committee of the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation and the audience selected “I.M” as eligible to compete in the pre-Eurovision final. He performed the song in the preliminary final on February 5, reached first place, and was chosen to represent Israel at the 2022 Eurovision. In Eurovision, Ben David did not reach te final. Shortly after Eurovision, Ben David released a new single called “Not being me”. Entries I.M. Country🇮🇱 Israel Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsChen AharoniLidor SaadiaAsi Tal MusicChen AharoniLidor SaadiaAsi Tal DancersTomer TenenboymMoty PilasBar BenjaminEyal Levy Results Semi Points: 61Position: 13Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/XgXjPUsjx4Y

Sheldon Riley

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameSheldon Riley Hernandez Born14 march 1999 Nationality🇦🇺 Australian National SelectionEurovision – Australia decides 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongNot the same (2022) Biography Sheldon Riley Hernandez, known by his stage name Sheldon Riley, is an Australian singer. Riley was born in Sydney to an Australian mother and Filipino father. He grew up in the Gold Coast. Riley was diagnosed with the asperger syndrom. Riley also faced difficulties in his live being gay in a Christian family. Sheldon Hernandez started his career in 2016 by auditioning for the eighth season of The X Factor Australia. He was originally mentored as a young solo singer by Adam Lambert. However, he did not make it. Riley returned to The X Factor after the mentor of the groups category, Iggy Azalea, selected him to be a part of a new boy band of eliminated solo artists. The band was called Time and Place. They made it to the first week of the live shows. In 2018, Riley took part in the seventh season of The Voice Australia. Riley chose Boy George to be his coach. He became 3rd in the final of The Voice. It resulted in the release of his debut single “Fire”. A year later, Riley returned to The Voice to compete in its eighth season as an all-star contestant. This time, he chose Delta Goodrem as his coach. He reached the semifinal. In 2020, Riley competed in the fifteenth season of America’s Got Talent. He reached the quarter finals here. In 2022, Sheldon Riley won the Australian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, and thus represented Australia with the song “I’m not the same”. Entries Not the same Country🇦🇺 Australia Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsSheldon Riley Hernandez MusicSheldon Riley HernandezCam Nacson Backings– Results Semi Points: 243Position: 2Running order: 8 Results Finals Points: 125Position: 15Running order: 21 https://youtu.be/wosfFz2FJPU?si=QOvajMHv3KuEIlnE

Road to Rotterdam: Bulgaria

When the Eurovision song contest was canceled last year, Bulgaria was number 1 at the bookmakers. Victoria Georgieva seemed to be heading for the first Bulgarian victory with “Tears getting sober”. It was not going to happen, but the Bulgarians were of course happy to work with this former X-Factor participant for another year. The audience was allowed to choose one out of five songs. It became this “Growing up is getting old”. photo credits: © Lora Musheva

Road to Rotterdam: Malta

Who says Destiny, says Eurovision. In 2015 she won the Junior Song Contest. In 2019 she gave vocal support to Maltese candidate Michela at the ESC. No one had any doubts that Destiny would win X-Factor Malta 2020, and with this victory the ticket to the Eurovision Song Contest. For the contest she got the song “All of my love”, but the Eurovision Song Contest was canceled. Malta chose to send Destiny on the road again, this time with “Je me casse”. This song is, at this moment, the hot favorite with the bookies.Anyone wondering how Destiny Chukunyere got such a non-Maltese name: she has a Nigerian father. Her life does not only consist of song contests: in 2017 she participated in the talent show Brittain’s Got Talent and came sixth there.

Road to Rotterdam: Croatia

Her full name is Albina Grčić, but she leaves her last name at home for the occasion. She participated in the X-Factor but withdrew when she was allowed to continue only as part of a girl group. At The Voice Hrvatska she did better: she reached no less than a 3rd place.This year she won DORA, the Croatian preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Tick-tock”. photo: © HRT

Anxhela Peristeri

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NameAnxela Peristeri Born24 march 1986 Nationality🇦🇱 Albanian National SelectionFestivali i Këngës 2021 In Eurovision2021 Rotterdam SongKarma (2021) Biography Anxhela Peristeri, (born in Korça, is a well-known singer and songwriter. She got her first lessons in her hometown, she finished art high school in Tirana, while she graduated from the Academic Faculty in Greece. Angela lived in Greece for some time where she also participated in the X Factor. In 2014, she returned to Albania as a singer Anxhela Peristeri with a new song and clip entitled “Femër mediatike”. Although she has lived in Greece for years, she chose to return to the Albanian audience. She now lives in Tirana and is regularly participating in festivals and show. She is the winner of the first edition of “Your Face Sounds Familiar”, the runner up in “C’est la Vie” and the winner of the “Kënga magjike” 2017. In October 2020, Albanian broadcaster Radio Television Shqiptar (RTSH), announced that Peristeri was one of twenty-six contestants selected to compete in the 59th Festival i Kënges with the song “Karma”. Peristeri won this selection and represented Albania at the European Song Festival 2021 in May. Peristeri’s first EP,”N’Tiranë”, was released in January 2022. The single, “N’Tiranë”, had reached number 25 on Albania’s Top 100 chart. Entries Karma Country🇦🇱 Albania Year2021 LanguageAlbanian LyricsOlti Curri MusicKledi Bahiti Backings– Results Semi Points: 112Position: 10Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: 57Position: 21Running order: 2 https://youtu.be/OxniMKVXjqM