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Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light

It's time for Eurovision again!  I usually do two posts in the weeks leading up to it, so ahead of tonight's show here is my 2nd one. Read last week's here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/05/countdown-to-eurovision-at-home-2020.html

So as I mentioned in the first post, this year the programme  Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will be shown in place of the Grand Final of the 65th Eurovision Song Contest. The original show (which would have been in Rotterdam after Duncan Laurence won for the Netherlands last year with Arcade, was cancelled back in March due to the coronavirus and the European (and pretty much worldwide) lockdown.

Europe: Shine A Light will spotlight the 41 songs from this year contest, as well as feature performances from past contestants. This year artists will also join together from different locations to perform the song Love Shine A Light by Katrina and the Waves, which won for the UK back in 1997 (last time we won!).

The past few years I haven't watched both Semi-Finals so some songs are a surprise on the night. I usually watch the one I can vote in and then later I can see the acts that didn't get through in the other show. When I heard that Eurovision wasn't going to be on this year (before Europe: Shine A Light was announced), I watched a couple of music videos, so I'll share them below.


Athena Manoukian- Chains On You (Armenia)

Athena Manoukian is a Armenian-Greek singer who started out in the music industry in 2007 when she won first prize in an international talent contest. She also entered for Greece in the 2008 Junior Eurovision and was a contestant on the UK X-Factor in 2018.

Athena released her debut single Party Like A Freak with DJ KAS in 2011 and her other singles I Surrender, Ne Le Pos M'agapas featuring S i N and XO have been hits. Her new single Dolla just came out yesterday (15th May).

Chains On You is my kind of song, pop/dance and one that fits Eurovision quite well, I think.



Watch Athena's live performance on Depi Evratesil (the Eurovision selection show she won): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f8jDV6Kcyc


For more Athena visit these links:






Want more Armenia in Eurovision? Visit these posts:

Features their 2009 entry, Jan Jan by Inga & Inush: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/05/eurovision-songs-i-like.html

Includes last year's entry Walking Out by Srbuk: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/05/eurovision-2019-favourites.html


Efendi- Cleopatra (Azerbaijan)

Efendi (full name Samira Efendi) has plenty of experience in music competitions, having taken part in the programmes Yeni Ulduz,  Böyük Səhnə and The Voice of Azerbaijan. In 2017 she represented Azerbaijan in Silk Way Star, an international singing competition held in Kazakhstan, coming 3rd. And last year she represented her country again at  Voice of Nur-Sultan which was held in Nur-Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan.

To date Efendi has released 4 singles- Yarımın Yarı, "Sən Gələndə, Yol Ayrıcı and Cleopatra, her Eurovison entry. This was her 5th attempt to represent Azerbaijan and this time she was successful. Which goes to show that persistence pays off! She has also been asked to be her country's entry again next year.

Cleopatra is an interesting song, about being a queen like the famous Egyptian ruler Cleopatra, and finding inner strength. In the chorus Efendi chants the Buddhist mantra Nam-myoho-renge-kyo which translates as something like, "I devote myself to the Mystic law of the Lotus Sutra" in English.



I couldn't find a live performance video of Cleopatra.

For more on Efendi visit these links:







Fan of Azerbaijan in Eurovision? Check out these posts:


Includes an update on Arash (whose entry with Aysel, Always came 3rd in 2009): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/05/countdown-to-eurovision-2019.html



I've heard a couple more of the entries which I'll link to below but I'm going to save the rest for the night for fun!


I quite like Running by Sandro, although I'm not sure it's exactly a "Eurovision song" It's a dance/clubbing type song.

Daði og  Gagnamagnið- Think About Things (Iceland): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFZNvj-HfBU

This is sung by Daði Freyr and his band Gagnamagnið (Data plan) which consists of his wife Árný Fjóla Ásmundsdóttir and his two sisters. It's a decent song but the video is umm...unique! A bit strange, lol.


For more Cyprus in Eurovision, visit last week's post which has an update on Eleni Fourerira (who entered in 2018 with Fuego): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/05/countdown-to-eurovision-at-home-2020.html


So that's it for now! just realised I've ended up featuring two "A" countries again! lol. Just the way it's worked out. I usually like Turkey's entries but they haven't entered since 2012. :( Which songs do you like this year? Do you think Shine A Light is a good replacement for the final?


To keep updated with Eurovision, visit the official site here: https://eurovision.tv

And check out the YouTube channel for the Song Celebration video, the home concerts and more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRpjHHu8ivVWs73uxHlWwFA


Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will air in place of the Grand Final on TV at 8pm BST/9pm CEST. In the UK it will be shown on BBC One.



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