IAN FOWELL WINS OGAE R O W AWARD FOR MOST SPECIAL MEMBER

Most of you probably are aware by now that Ian Fowell was selected by the award committee to receive the first OGAE R O W award for most special member (outside of South Africa).

There were originally over 20 nominations, narrowed down to 5 and then a committee voted and Ian was selected above Michaela Sowden of Australia, Tamas Vamas of Hungary, Gerry Avelino of the USA and Calvin Phillips of the USA.

Ian is very active on our website and you see several posts of him per week.

We hope his health will improve so much that he can join us in Stockholm in May 2016 where the award will be handed to him probably at our R O W lunch.

Congratulations Ian and also well done to the other 4 who narrowly missed out – maybe 2016 is your turn?

Hungary: 2016 A Dal acts announced

Hungary flag
Hungary flag

Hungary has confirmed the 30 acts participating in the 2016 edition of the national selection for Eurovision – A Dal.

  1. André VásáryWhy
  2. Anna PataiColors
  3. B The FirstYou Told Me You Loved Me
  4. Bálint Gájer – Speed Bump
  5. BenjiKöteltánc
  6. ByTheWay – Free To Fly
  7. C.E.T. – Free
  8. Egy Másik Zenekar Kéne közös kép
  9. Fatima MohamedOtt leszek
  10. Freddi – Pioneer
  11. Gergő Oláh – Győz a jó
  12. Group’n’Swing – Szeretni fáj
  13. Ív – Love Kills Me
  14. Jázmin TörökPower Of Love
  15. Júlia HorányiCome Along
  16. Kállay Saunders BandWho We Are
  17. Karmapolis & Böbe Szécsi – Hold On To
  18. Laci Gáspár – Love And Bass
  19. Maszkura és a Tücsökraj – Kinek sírjam
  20. Misztrál – Reggeli Reggae
  21. MushuUncle Tom
  22. NikaBeautiful Love
  23. OdettStardust
  24. Olivér Berkes Seven Seas
  25. Parno Graszt – Már nem szédülök
  26. PassedDriftin’
  27. Petra Veres-KovácsSinging Peace
  28. PetruskaTrouble In My Mind
  29. Reni TolvaiFire
  30. Szilvia Agárdi It Is Love

The final will be on 27 February with three quarter finals and two semi-finals preceding. Some previous national final acts are taking part again including the group Passed and the 2014 Hungarian representative Kállay Saunders.

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

Neringa Šiaudikytė releases ‘Su Tavim’ single and video

Neringa Šiaudikytė {copyright: TV3/Su Tavim official video}
Neringa Šiaudikytė {copyright: TV3/Su Tavim official video}

Neringa Šiaudikytė participated in the 2015 Eurovizijos selection in Lithuania. She has just released her brand new single entitled Su Tavim (With You) and official video.

Su Tavim is an upbeat and feelgood dance song. Neringa’s official video is both sexy and beautifully shot and makes us think of sunny days and the summer. The video is sponsored by Travel Bookings.

Neringa is hugely talented and recently had big success in Tenerife, Spain by winning the Universong competition. She has also appeared in earlier editions of the Lithuanian Eurovision selection in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

You can see the official video of Su Tavim by clicking the following link http://play.tv3.lt/programos/mama/679783?autostart=true&collection=503

Source: TV3 Lithuania; www.esccovers.com

 

 

Celina Ann hopes for success in Austrian wildcard selection

Celina Ann
Celina Ann

Celina Ann was a finalist at the 2015 Wer Singt für Österreich contest with Utopia. Now she is once again hoping for success in Austria. She has entered the wildcard selection with the song Life Is On Your Side.

Life Is On Your Side is composed by Celina Ann and producer Valentin Oman with Swedish songwriters Niklas Bergqvist and Magnus Almgren. The lyrics are by Celina Ann. The song is published by Sweden Songs and produced by Valentin Oman and mixed and recorded by Simon Johansson.

The songs will be chosen via the ORF Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ESCOesterreich

You can hear Life Is On Your Side below.

Source: www.esccovers.com

https://soundcloud.com/sweden-songs/life-is-on-your-side-eurovision-wildcard-selection-austria-2016-celina-ann

 

 

Ylva & Linda submit song by Laura Kamhuber in Austrian wildcard selection

Laura Kamhuber
Laura Kamhuber

The Swedish songwriting duo of Ylva & Linda Persson have submitted a rather catchy song to the 2016 Austrian wildcard selection. The performer is the young and talented Laura Kamhuber. The song is entitled Stay Tonight.

Ylva and Linda have composed the song and are lyricists, producers, backing vocalists and video editors with mix and guitars by Johnny Matrix.

If you like Stay Tonight you can help by liking the video on You Tube below and liking on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ESCOesterreich/

Source: Facebook/Ylvalindapersson; Facebook/laura.kamhuber; www.esccovers.com

Georgia internally select Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitas for 2016 Eurovision

Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitas {copyright: GPB}
Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitas {copyright: GPB}

For 2016 the broadcaster, GPB, has decided to select their act internally for Georgia. The performers will be Nika Kocharov & Young Georgian Lolitas. They are known for their indie style music.

An open contest for songwriters to submit songs will determine the selection. GPB advise the song should be adapted for the style of the musicians – “melodic song structure of alternative and indie rock with electronic beats, synths and/or samples, and club orientation of post-disco dance music.”

Source: www.eurovision.tv

Eurovision news round up

It has been busy time again over the last few days on the Eurovision front.

It has been confirmed Sergey Lazarev will represent Russia at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. A lot of Euro fans will be happy about this news as he has been rumoured and wanted by fans to sing for Russia for a few years now. Phillip Kirkorov and Dimitris Kontopoulos have been confirmed as the writers of Sergey’s song.

Malta have selected the 20 acts who will participate in the semi-finals of the Malta Eurovision Song Contest selection for 2016. Ira Losco, Malta’s representative from 2002 is back with two songs. There are also other familiar faces from Malta national selections taking part.

AliveJasmine Abela
All Around the WorldDeborah C
Chameleon (Invincible) Ira Losco
Empty HeartedDomenique Azzopardi
Falling GlassCorazon
Fire Burn Dominic
Flashing LightsRaquel Galdes
Frontline Danica Muscat
Golden Brooke 
I Love YouDario Mifsud Bonnici
KingdomChristabelle Borg
Light Up My LifeStefan Galea
LighthouseKimberley Cortis
Little LoveFranklin Calleja
Right Here With YouSarah Crystal
That’s Why I Love You – Ira Losco
The FlameJessika
Under the SunDaniel Testa
Young LoveMaxine Pace
You’re Beautiful Lawrence Gray

Finally, Stéphanie Palazzo has been withdrawn from the Swiss national final due to her song being released in 2013. She has been replaced by Kaceo and the song Disque D’or.

Source: www.oikotimes.com

R O W BEST SONG

Hello to our wonderful fan club!

Thank you so much for everyone who voted in our search for our favourite Eurovision song for ROW.  A staggeringly brilliant 55 people voted!!!
We have our 60 songs for round two!
This is going to be tough…
There are now 6 groups of 10 songs each… We have the wonderful (awful) task now of picking just TWO songs from each group.  That’s right… Pick YOUR favourite TWO songs from each of the 6 groups… For round 3, we will then, by the most voted for, reduce our 60 to just 12!!!!
The groups are as follows:
Group A
Séverine – Un banc, un arbre, une rue (Monaco, 1971)
Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up (United Kingdom, 1981)
Nicole – Ein bißchen Frieden (Germany, 1982)
Charlotte Nilsson – Take Me to Your Heaven (Sweden, 1999)
Helena Paparizou – My Number One (Greece, 2005)
Verka Serduchka – Dancing Lasha Tumbai (Ukraine, 2007)
A Friend in London – New Tomorrow (Denmark, 2011)
Ott Lepland – Kuula (Estonia, 2012)
Krista Siegfrids – Marry Me (Finland, 2013)
Il Volo – Grande amore (Italy, 2015) 
Group B

France Gall – Poupée de cire, poupée de son (Luxembourg, 1965)
Brotherhood of Man – Save Your Kisses for Me (United Kingdom, 1976)
Bobbysocks! – La det swinge (Norway, 1985)
Olsen Brothers – Fly on the Wings of Love (Denmark, 2000)
Lisa Andreas – Stronger Every Minute (Cyprus, 2004)
Mihai Trăistariu – Tornero (Romania, 2006)
Lena – Satellite (Germany, 2010)
Loreen – Euphoria (Sweden, 2012)
Zlata Ognevich – Gravity (Ukraine, 2013)
Guy Sebastian – Tonight Again (Australia, 2015) 
Group C
Cliff Richard – Congratulations (United Kingdom, 1968)
Gali Atari and Milk and Honey – Hallelujah (הללויה) (Israel, 1979)
Johnny Logan – Hold Me Now (Ireland, 1987)
Antique – Die for You (Greece, 2001)
Luminiţa Angheland Sistem – Let Me Try (Romania, 2005)
Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland, 2006)
Eric Saade – Popular (Sweden, 2011)
Emmelie de Forest – Only Teardrops (Denmark, 2013)
The Common Linnets – Calm After the Storm (Netherlands, 2014)
Mørland &Debrah Scarlett – A Monster Like Me (Norway, 2015) 
Group D
Sandie Shaw – Puppet on a String (United Kingdom, 1967)
Anne-Marie David – Tu te reconnaîtras (Luxembourg, 1973)
Carola Häggkvist – Främling (Sweden, 1983)
Dana International – Diva (דיווה) (Israel, 1998)
Željko Joksimović & Ad-Hoc Orchestra – Lane moje (Лане моје) (Serbia and Montenegro, 2004)
Ani Lorak – Shady Lady (Ukraine, 2008)
Yohanna – Is It True? (Iceland, 2009)
Ivi Adamou – La La Love (Cyprus, 2012)
Margaret Berger – I Feed You My Love (Norway, 2013)
Loïc Nottet – Rhythm Inside (Belgium, 2015) 
Group E
Domenico Modugno – Nel blu dipinto di blu (Italy, 1958)
ABBA – Waterloo (Sweden, 1974)
Céline Dion – Ne partez pas sans moi (Switzerland, 1988)
Katrina & The Waves – Love Shine a Light (United Kingdom, 1997)
Kate Ryan – Je t’adore (Belgium, 2006)
Euroband – This Is My Life (Iceland, 2008)
Alexander Rybak – Fairytale (Norway, 2009)
Pastora Soler – Quédate conmigo (Spain, 2012)
Conchita Wurst – Rise Like a Phoenix (Austria, 2014)
Elina Born &Stig Rästa – Goodbye to Yesterday (Estonia, 2015) 
Group F
Vicky Leandros – Après toi (Luxembourg, 1972)
Telex – Euro-Vision (Belgium, 1980)
Gina G – Ooh Aah… Just a Little Bit (United Kingdom, 1996)
Sertab Erener – Everyway That I Can (Turkey, 2003)
Ruslana – Wild Dances (Ukraine, 2004)
Marija Šerifović – Molitva (Молитва) (Serbia, 2007)
Hera Björk – Je ne sais quoi (Iceland, 2010)
Kati Wolf – What About My Dreams? (Hungary, 2011)
Sanna Nielsen – Undo (Sweden, 2014)
Måns Zelmerlöw – Heroes (Sweden, 2015)I’m very glad no one said this would be easy!!!

Please send your nominations to escvotes@gmail.com by

midnight 27 December Central European Time. Good luck..

ROW…. Start voting….. NOW!

Luc Spencer-Gardner

 

Aurela Gaçe wins the 2015 Kënga Magjike festival in Albania…and Juliana Pasha takes third place

Aurela Gaçe/Juliana Pasha {copyright: Klan tv/Super Sonic tv}
Aurela Gaçe/Juliana Pasha {copyright: Klan tv/Super Sonic tv}

Aurela Gaçe represented Albania at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest with her song Feel The Passion. She was one of the most accomplished and successful singers in Albania and the Balkans.

Aurela has just won the 2015 Kënga Magjike competition. It is one of the most important music festivals in Albania. The song Akomo Jo was composed by Adrian Hila, who wrote the Albanian Eurovision entries in 2005, 2007 and 2008. The song is a dramatic and powerful ballad.

Also, competing and finishing in third place was the 2010 Albanian Eurovision singer of It’s All About You, Juliana Pasha. She performed the powerful song Vullkan (Volcano).

You can see Aurela and Juliana perform their songs below.

Source: Sentiljana Plaku; Klan tv; www.esccovers.com

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYzvSbPuzvA

 

Six acts announced for final in Switzerland

Switzerland flag
Switzerland flag

Switzerland have revealed the six acts that will participate in the national final on 13 February to see who will represent them at the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. The individual broadcasters were involved in special round of auditions organised by SRF & RTR (Swiss German and Rumantsch); RTS (Swiss French) and RSI (Swiss Italian).

The six finalists are:

  • Bella C – Another World
  • Vincent GrossHalf A Smile
  • Stanley MillerFeel The Love
  • Stéphanie PalazzoPerché mi guardi cosi?
  • RykkaThe Last Of Our Kind
  • TheoBecause Of You

Source: www.eurovision.tv; www.esccovers.com

Fans of Eurovision Song Contest cover songs