Ukraine: LAUD out of national final due to previous release of his song!

We have a last minute change in the list of 8 candidates for the Ukrainian national final for Eurovision 2022. As announced by the country’s public television, LAUD is out of the process, since the song of Head Under Water was released in 2018.

Barleben takes his place in the final with the song Hear My Words.

The candidates for the Ukrainian national final are:

  • Alina Pash – “Tini zabutih predkiv
  • Cloudless – “All be Alright
  • Kalush Orchestra – “Stefania
  • Barleben – “Hear My Words”
  • Michael Soul – “Demons
  • Our Atlantic – “Moya Lyubov
  • Roxolana – “GIRLZZΖZ
  • Wellboy – “Νozzy Bossy

As a reminder, Ukraine’s national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will take place on 12 February at 18:00 CET, live on UA public TV (UA:First). Frends Pro TV LLC will produce the Final of the National Selection, and will also create a Live on Tape video of the winner in case it is needed in Turin.

Source: UA:PBC

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the latest news regarding Ukraine’s participation in Eurovision 2022! 

Lithuania: The artists and running order of the first “Pabandom iš naujo! 2022” semi-final!

A few minutes ago, the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT announced the artists who will compete in the first semi-final of their national final, Pabandom iš naujo! 2022 (Let’s try again! 2022), as well as their running order.

The artists of the first semi in order are the following:

  1. Elonas Pokanevič – “Someday
  2. Joseph June – “Deadly
  3. Gebrasy – “Into Your Arms
  4. Emilijana – “Illuminate
  5. Queens of Roses – “Washing Machine
  6. Gintarė Korsakaitė – “Fantasy Eyes
  7. Lolita Zero – “Not Your Mother
  8. Justė Kraujelytė – “How to Get My Life Back
  9. Erica Jennings – “Back To Myself

That means that remaining artists Augustė Vedrickaitė, Ieva Zasimauskaitė, Mary Mo, Monika Liu, Moosu X, Rūta Loop, Titas and Benas, Urtė Šilagalytė and Vilija will be competing in the second semi-final.

The first semi-final will be held on Saturday, January 29 at 20:00 CET.

Pabandom iš naujo 2022 consists of six shows. The three heats which have already been complete, two semi-finals and the grand final. The winner will be chosen 50% by the public vote and 50% by a jury.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding Lithuania’s participation in Eurovision 2022!

Spain: Luna Ki explains what made her withdraw from Benidorm Fest!

As we have already informed you in a previous article, Luna Ki withdrew, just yesterday, from the Spanish Final. Today she posted a video, on her YouTube channel, in which she explains the reasons why she was finally forced to withdraw.

Already from the first seconds of the video, the singer points out that the reason why she will not be able to be part of the Benidorm Fest is

“Europe will finally not allow the use of autotune, something we have been discussing with the Spanish broadcaster for a long time and we have really done everything we needed to.”

She also says

“Despite all the efforts of the Spanish delegation, I will not be able to give my performance. I could make up excuses by saying that I am withdrawing for a health issue, but I won’t, because for me, both as an artist and as a human being, the truth is of primary importance. I will never stop defending my truth and above all the truth of my art.”

On the point where Luna refers to the “truth of her art,” she explains, later on, that it’s very important for her to respect the way she writes her songs, which is why she “would rather defend them by telling the truth than just making an excuse.”

“Yes, I could take part in Benidorm Fest and in case I won I would have about 3 months to change the song and remove the autotune. I know there are many people who will say I can’t sing without it. I honestly tell you that Luna can sing. But Luna Ki can not.”

The singer goes on to say “many will ask ‘Then why don’t you sing without autotune?’ and the truth is that many people close to me ask me the same. It doesn’t seem like a big deal to them.”

“For me autotune is part of the aesthetics of the song and not just a technical support. Try to think of a song that is written on an electric guitar and is suddenly forced to be played by an acoustic one. It would be pointless. Its aesthetic, rhythm and dynamics would be lost. I don’t want something like that to happen to my song.”

In the video Luna goes on to urge the officials to reconsider banning autotune at Eurovision as “it’s a singing competition, not a voice one like, for example, The Voice” and through this she hopes to see more electronic songs on similar big stages in the future.

She also extends her heartfelt thanks to Spanish broadcaster, RTVE, and all those who supported her and believed in her, while asking her listeners to support the other participants in the national final regardless of the result.

Finally, she elaborates on how she experienced the whole situation from the day she learned that she would not be able to participate, explaining that the best way she could convey her thoughts to the audience unchanged is through this video. At the same time, she verifies the rumours of creating a video clip for “Voy a morir” in which it is very likely that she will be wearing the clothes she was going to wear at Benidorm Fest!

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the latest news regarding Spain’s participation in Eurovision 2022! 

Croatia: The running order of Dora 2022!

A couple of hours ago the running order of the croatian national final, Dora 2022, was announced. The draw for the Dora 2022 running order was done by HRT TV presenter Barbara Kolar and the composer of last year’s Dora 2021 winning song, Branimir Mihaljević.

The running order is as follows:

  1. Mila Elegović – “Ljubav
  2. Mia Negovetić -“Forgive Me (Oprosti)
  3. Marko Bošnjak – “Moli za nas
  4. Jessa – “My Next Mistake
  5. Zdenka Kovačiček – “Stay on the Bright Side
  6. Tina Vukov – “Hideout
  7. Roko Vušković – “Malo kasnije
  8. Bernarda – “Here for Love
  9. Eric Vidović -“I Found You
  10. ToMa – “In the Darkness
  11. Elis Lovrić – “No War
  12. Ella Orešković -“If You Go Away
  13. Tia – “Voli me do neba
  14. Mia Dimšić -“Guilty Pleasure

We remind you that Dora 2022 will be held on February 19 at Marino Cvetković Sports in Opatija.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding Croatia’s participation in Eurovision 2022!

Ukraine: These are the 8 artists to compete in Vidbir 2022!

A short while ago, Ukraine‘s public broadcaster, UA:PBC, announced the candidates for the country’s national final, Vidbir 2022, with the aim of selecting Ukraine’s next representative for Eurovision 2022!

A total of 284 songs had been submitted. Initially in the first phase, a panel of experts selected the 26 best songs. In the second phase, only eight artists went on to participate in the grand final.

The eight artists who will compete in Vidbir 2022 are:

  • Alina Pash – “Tini zabutih predkiv
  • Cloudless – “All be Alright
  • Kalush Orchestra – “Stefania
  • LAUD – “Head Under Water
  • Michael Soul – “Demons
  • Our Atlantic – “Moya Lyubov
  • Roxolana – “GIRLZZΖZ
  • Wellboy – “Νozzy Bossy

As a reminder, Ukraine’s national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will take place on 12 February at 18:00 CET, live on UA public TV (UA:First). Frends Pro TV LLC will produce the Final of the National Selection, and will also create a Live on Tape video of the winner in case it is needed in Turin.

Source: UA:PBC

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the latest news regarding Ukraine’s participation in Eurovision 2022! 

Eurovision 2022: Announcement about the contest’s presenters will be made during Sanremo!

Italy’s biggest radio station, RTL 102.5, informs us that the announcement of the presenters of Eurovision 2022 will be made during the upcoming Sanremo 2022 festival, from which, of course, the representative of Italy in the competition will also be chosen.

https://twitter.com/rtl1025/status/1485547683418890246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1485547683418890246%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feurovisionfun.com%2F2022%2F01%2Feurovision-2022-CF83CF84CEBF-sanremo-2022-CEB7-CEB1CEBDCEB1CEBACEBFCEAFCEBDCF89CF83CEB7-CEB3CEB9CEB1-CF84CEBFCF85CF82-CF80CEB1CF81CEBFCF85CF83%2F

According to RTL, the “Adnkronos” agency was informed that the most likely names for presenters of the competition are now singer Laura Pausini, presenter Alessandro Cattelan and possibly singer Mika.

The announcement will be made, specifically, on the second night of Sanremo (February 2) by Amadeus.

We remind you that Sanremo 2022 will be held on February 1-5.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all news regarding our favorite contest!

Australia: SBS introduces Isaiah Firebrace’s duet partner!

A few minutes ago, the Australian broadcaster SBS revealed the artist that is going to perform along with Isaiah Firebrace on their duet, at Australia Decides. It is the 20-year-old Evie Irie.

Their song called “When I’m With You” will be released on the 4th of February, alongside the TikTok Wildcard winner.

Who is Evie Irie

Evie Irie, born in 2002, is an Australian pop singer and songwriter from the Central Coast, New South Wales. She released her debut extended play 5 Weeks in LA in 2019 through Republic Records, after travelling to the United States to pursue becoming a singer. In 2020, she released the EPs “The Optimist” and “The Pessimist”, and collaborated with producer Dillon Francis on the song “Be Somebody“.

Hailing from just outside of Sydney, Irie started performing in area cafés and restaurants at a young age, writing her own songs from the age of 12. She turned to the life experiences of her older sister for material on some of her earliest material. In her mid-teens, in lieu of doing an exchange program like many of her friends, her parents agreed she should take some time off to visit Los Angeles (and, ultimately, New York and Nashville) to take writing sessions and shop labels.

Irie not only found interest in her songs in the U.S. but reportedly started a bidding war in Los Angeles that ultimately led to her signing with Republic Records. She was 16 years old when they released her first EP, “5 Weeks in LA”, in mid-2019. Irie opened shows for the likes of Sigrid and Bastille before returning with “Over Him” and “Worst Enemy” in early 2020. Her sophomore EP, The Optimist, arrived later that fall.

Evie Irie said:

If there’s one thing I like as much as creating music for my own projects, it’s writing with other artists for their projects: it’s not work, it’s just fun!  So when Isaiah and his team asked me to do Eurovision with this random wonderful song called, When I’m With You, that we had such a great time writing together, I was seriously shook. I never EVER thought I’d have the chance to play at Eurovision and I just can’t say no to Isaiah.

And Isaiah Firebrace commented:

Sometimes life takes you on a very unusual journey. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined doingEurovision – Australia Decides with Evie Irie but I am so thankful that our planets aligned and we get to do this together.  We wrote the song together, we jumped out of a plane together and we want to represent Australia together. Being together is what the song is all about and what the world needs right now. I’m incredibly proud to being doing this with Evie – she’s so unique and so special… wait until the world gets to know her like I have!!!

Already known song titles

Mid of January, in a previous article we had reported that the first song titles for Australia Decides 2022 had been revealed, as some candidates had announced the title of their songs that will compete to represent Australia in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

The song titles already revealed are:

  • Seann Miley Moore – “My Body”
  • Charley – “I Suck At Being Lonely”
  • Sheldon Riley – “Not the Same”
  • Isaiah Firebrace, Evie Irie – “When I’m With You”

Read more

Israel: The first two finalists of “X Factor Israel”!

Α little while ago, the first semi-final of “X Factor Israel” was completed. X Factor is Israel’s method to choose its next representative for Eurovision Song Contest!

The six finalists of X Factor Israel are:

  • Inbal Bibi
  • Eli Huli
  • Michael Ben David
  • Sapir Saban
  • Shahar Edwi
  • Anna Steffaniee

The six contestants were divided in three duels, the first to go on stage were Inbal Bibi and Shahar Edwi. The remaining four contestants, Michael Ben David, Anna SteffanieeEli Huli andSapir Saban competed against each other in two separate duels. The three winners of the first phase, went on stage again and two of them made it to the final.

The first two finalists of X Factor Israel, that will sing in the final on February 5 are:

  1. Inbal Bibi
  2. Eli Huli

The second semi-final will take place on Thursday, January 27 on Channel 13, when we will learn the last two finalists of X Factor Israel.

About the final of the X Factor Israel:

The final will take place on February 5 with four finalists. The juries of this year’s X Factor are Netta Barzilai, Aviv Geffen, Margalit Tzan’ani, Ran Danker and Miri Mesika.

The juries will assign two songs to each of the four finalists of the Grand Final. At first, through the juries and the vote of the public, one song for each artist will be chosen.

The chosen song will be the one with which each artist claims Israel’s representation for Eurovision 2022. Subsequently, the public and the juries will decide upon the artist that will represent the country in Turin.

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun, for all the latest developments regarding Israel’s entry for Eurovision 2022!

Source: Channel 13

Italy: The lyrics of the songs for Sanremo 2022!

The traditional TV sorrisi e canzoni magazine photoshoot of Sanremo’s artists is here, along with the interviews of the artists and the lyrics of their songs.

Let’s look at the lyrics of the songs one by one:

  • ACHILLE LAURO feat. Harlem Gospel Choir – Domenica

Achille Lauro seems to talk about a carefree life like a “roller coaster”, full of occasional love affairs, likening it to “Sunday”, which is the title of the song, as the most carefree day of the week.

  • AKA 7EVEN – Perfetta così

A love song, in which Aka 7even explains that the woman he is referring to is “perfect with her imperfections”. In his own words, “In this song I tried to put myself in the shoes of an insecure woman who, in a relationship or while looking at herself in the mirror, feels fragile. So, I sing to her what I’ve always told the girls I’ve been with in my life: Be strong, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

  • ANA MENA – Duecentomila ore

Ana Mena sings about a secret, perhaps toxic love story, about the desperate wait until “the night comes” to see her beloved, only to be separated again the next day.

  • DARGEN D’AMICO – Dove si balla

The lyrics of this song, as Dargen D’Amico explains in his interview, were born as a metaphor for the need we have to rationalize the time of coronavirus, each in our own way, especially in the midst of quarantine. Dargen’s way is to dance carefree, although he admits that he always had a love-hate relationship with dance songs before he appreciated their vitality because of the quarantine.

  • DITONELLAPIAGA & RETTORE  Chimica

As you would expect from the title “Chimica” (Chemistry), the song by Ditonellapiaga and Rettore talks about how no one can stop two people when there is chemistry between them.

  • ELISA – O forse sei tu

Another clear love song, with Elisa singing “maybe you are the moment that will bring me a little joy, and that stupid will to live”. Essencially, she’s talking about “the chemistry that should be in a relationship, the difference the person you love makes to you”.

  • EMMA – Ogni volta è così

As she explains, Emma’s song is about “a love story and a situation in which women’s attitudes in relationships are misunderstood and often judged as being wrong”.

  • FABRIZIO MORO – Sei tu

A love song with Fabrizio Moro’s intense and distinctive way of writing that he has gotten us used to. According to him, “I have written many love songs in my life, but I believe this is the most intense and significant dedication of love I have ever made to a person”.

  • GIANNI MORANDI – Apri tutte le porte

A hopeful song that advises us to “open all the doors and let the sun in”, instead of letting our lazy thoughts and habits drown us.

  • GIOVANNI TRUPPI – Tuo padre, mia madre, Lucia

“A love song in which I recognize myself and which contains roughness and various contrasts. Suitable for listening to in the dark,” according to Truppi. “Lucia” in the title is his daughter.

  • GIUSI FERRERI – Miele

As Ferreri explains, “a song that is both romantic and melancholic. As the lyrics say, ‘it’s a blade that tastes like honey’, in every relationship there is sweetness but also bitterness.”

  • HIGHSNOB & HU – Abbi cura di te

A song about “a special aspect of love: letting a person go peacefully after a period of a toxic relationship. We both had similar experiences, so we understood each other immediately,” as Highsnob & Hu explain.

  • IRAMA – Ovunque sarai

“It’s not a love song,” Irama clarifies, even if at first glance the lyrics suggest that. “It talks about the memory of a person who is no longer in my life. I would rather not reveal who that person is. I want everyone to be free, listening to it, to think of a person they have in their heart.” In any case, it’s a song written like a poem, about people who are no longer in our lives.

  • IVA ZANICCHI – Voglio amarti

A song about passion that goes beyond ages. “It is a hymn to love. It evokes peace and joy. Love is a strange emotion that one can feel at any age,” in the singer’s own words.

  • LA RAPPRESENTANTE DI LISTA – Ciao ciao

“A song about the end of the world”, we are sung by La rappresentante di lista. In fact, the song seems to be a great metaphor for all kinds of human crises, the intense emotions we feel during them, but also the small signs of hope expressed more in the joyful refrain.

  • LE VIBRAZIONI – Tantissimo

“Tantissimo”, according to Le Vibrazioni, is about the wounds that remain forever, which we must try to turn into something positive.

  • MAHMOOD & BLANCO – Brividi

Perhaps the most beautiful love song of the year, as noted by the journalists who were the first to hear the songs, as they are every year. More specifically, “the lyrics begin by narrating a dream and go on to describe the problem of wanting to give it all to love, to the point where you end up feeling like you’re doing something wrong yourself.”

  • MASSIMO RANIERI – Lettera di là dal mare

A song that talks about “a perpetual journey and the feeling of finally being able to find the ‘other shore'”, another side of life.

  • MATTEO ROMANO – Virale

Another love song that describes love as “something so beautiful that everyone talks about, especially young people”, hence the title “Virale” (Viral).

  • MICHELE BRAVI – Inverno dei fiori

“A love song intimate, sentimental but not sad, that speaks of hope”, according to Bravi.

  • NOEMI – Ti amo non lo so dire

The song with the most lyrics at this year’s festival. “It’s a metaphor: You can take it as a love song, but I feel like it’s a song about our relationship with others and ourselves. To say ‘I love you’ to someone takes a lot of sincerity and a lot of strength,” Noemi explains.

  • RKOMI – Insuperabile

“Insuperabile” has special lyrics, as it talks about “a love that is conflicting and very dangerous, comparable to sports cars”, according to Rkomi.

  • SANGIOVANNI – Farfalle

This song was written after a period of crisis that Sangiovanni went through due to the pandemic. The title Farfalle (Butterflies) and the rest of the lyrics refer to the singer’s need to “find the butterflies in his stomach again”, perhaps with the help of a companion.

  • TANANAI – Sesso occasionale

Contrary to what one might think based on the title, “Sesso occassionale” (Casual sex) is about the exact opposite, about the fact that we should sometimes put our minds in their place and not just make reckless decisions in our (erotic) relationships with others.

  • YUMAN – Ora e qui

Sanremo Giovani winner Yuman invites us to “seize every moment, the classic ‘carpe diem'” through his song “Ora e qui”.

 

As a reminder, the Sanremo Festival will take place on 1-5 February at the Teatro Ariston in San Remo.

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun for all the latest news regarding Italy’s participation in Eurovision 2022!