We start today again with the last group of 20 songs. It is the turn again of BELARUS and their 2012 song WE ARE THE HEROES by LITESOUND. This song is very special to me. Jan-Mattys van Lill who is doing the Afrikaans cover, did it for me as a birthday present in 2012, so there are not many copies of this available as it has not been commercially released.
We are now two-thirds of the way and next up is TURKEY. Only one song by them have ever been covered in South Africa. It is their 2009 song DUK TEK TEK sung by HADISE. The Afrikaans cover is by ANDRIETTE NORMAN.
Because so many songs from Sweden have been covered in South Africa, we are doing a second one – this time their 2012 entry EUPHORIA by LOREEN who also won Eurovision that year. The Afrikaans cover is by Tanya V
With Sweden selecting their entry tomorrow, we now announce the next song on the 60th celebration compilation and it is of course from SWEDEN. It is their 2009 song LA VOIX by Malena Ernman. There are various covers from South Africa, but we pick the version by NIANELL and ROMANZ.
For the first time, we are now announcing a song from PORTUGAL. It is their 2007 entry DANCA COMIGO of SABRINA. The Afrikaans cover is by LEANDIE LOMBAARD.
It is time from the Netherlands and their 1981 entry, HET IS EEN WONDER, originally sung by LINDA WILLIAMS. The Afrikaans cover we are using is by Belgium superstar DANA WINNER and she has done several Eurovision covers over the years and she also have done several songs in Afrikaans.
It is time for Montenegro and the only song from this country ever covered in South Africa. It is their 2009 entry JUST GET OUT OF MY LIFE by ANDREA DEMIROVIC. The Afrikaans cover is done by JEANDRE ODENDAAL.
Although Luxembourg left Eurovision many years ago, they had a great history in Eurovision and what better than their 1972 winning song APRES TOI by VICKY LEANDROS. There are various covers of this song around the world and even in Afrikaans with no less than 3 cobvers with totally different lyrics. We have picked the cover by JANITA CLAASSEN.
Finally it is time for LITHUANIA. Unfortunately we did not have a big choice as only one of their songs have been covered in South Africa. Itnis their 2005 entry LITTLE BY LITTLE by LAURA AND THE LOVERS. The Afrikaans cover is done by JENNIFER ZAMUDIO.
Back to Latvia, my favourite country and one of their best entries – 2003 HELLO FROM MARS by F L Y. The Afrikaans cover is by Nadia Louw and Hugo Nieuwoudt.