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Eurovision 2019 Favourites

The Eurovison Song Contest is tomorrow, so here is my 2nd Eurovision themed post! You can read the first one, Countdown to Eurovision 2019! here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/05/countdown-to-eurovision-2019.html

Last night I watched the 2nd Semi-Final (the one the UK can vote in). I did see some of the 1st one but not all of it because it can be boring if you hear all the songs before the night! Today I'm going to share my favourites. :)


Darude feat. Sebasatian Rejaman- Look Away (Finland)

This was a song from the 1st Semi-Final that didn't get through to the final. I watched it online later. It seems kind of pop/dance with a touch of rock ballad! The song is asking how can we look away with all the things going in in the world today.

Darude (real name Toni-Ville Henrik Vitarenen) is a popular Finnish producer and DJ, probably best known for the 1999 single Sandstorm, one of the best selling dance songs in the history of Electronic dance music. He's released 3 albums- Before The Storm (2000), Rush (2003), Label This! (2007) and Moments (2015). His 14 singles include Sandstorm, Feel The Beat, Next to You and Look Away. His latest, Hide was released on 6th May.

Sebastian Rejman, a member of the band The Giant Leap (currently on hiatus) and Sebastian & the 4th Line Band) is also an actor  and TV presenter. He  has previously worked with Darude on the 2016 single Moments.



You can watch the music video for Look Away here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5hBZC-SIsE

For more on Darude visit these links:

Eurovision page: https://eurovision.tv/participant/darude

Official website: https://www.darude.com/

Official FB: https://www.facebook.com/Darude/ 

And follow Sebsatian here: https://www.facebook.com/sebastianrejmanofficial/


Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës (Albania)

Albania's entry Jonida Maliqi was my favourite in the second Semi Final this year and I voted for her.  Her song Ktheju tokës (Return to your land in English) stood out, it seemed more traditional and folky. It qualified for the Grand Final tomorrow.

Jonida is a graduate of the University of Arts in Tirana, Albania, and was also a contestant in the Albanian TV music reality shows Top Fest and Festivali i Këngës. In addition to singing she has acted in musicals and is a TV presenter. She is also known as style icon and a philanthropist. To date Jonida has released two albums, Nuk të pres (2005) and 2013's Jonida Maliqi.


Watch the official music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo4aFzAkQkA

For more on Jonida check out these links:

Eurovision profile:  https://eurovision.tv/participant/jonida-maliqi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonidamaliqi/


Srbuk- Walking Out (Armenia)

This was my second favourite in yesterday's semi-final. It's the type of  song I like, and my fave bit is the chorus. Unfortunately it didn't get through :(

Srbuk (full name Srbuhi Sargsyan) is a pop/soul singer. She was runner up in the first series of the Armenian X-Factor. She also came 4th in S8 of The Voice of Ukraine. She learnt to play the qanun (a musical instrument) at an Armenian music college.

After The X-Factor  Srbuk played local concerts with her own band. Her debut single Yete Karigh Es came out in 2016. Last year she brought out the single Half a Goddess.


Here's the Walking Out music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_46dy4yJwg

Visit these links for more on Srubk:

Eurovision profile: https://eurovision.tv/participant/srbuk

Offical site: https://www.srbuk.com/

Want more Armenia in Eurovision? Check out this post for their 2009 entry, Jan Jan by Inga & Inush: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2013/05/eurovision-songs-i-like.html


Luca Hänni- She Got Me (Switzerland)

Luca  Hänni was this year's entry with She Got Me and qualified for the final.  He reminds me a bit of Liam Payne (ex One Direction)! Luca won Deutschland sucht den Superstar, the German version of Pop Idol in 2012, aged 17. He was the first non German to win the show.

His debut single Don't Think About Me was released in May 2012 and was No. 1 in the Swiss, German and Austrian charts. The album My Name Is Luca followed later that month. He's released 3 more albums since then- Living the Dream (2013), Dance Until We Die and When We Wake Up (2015). His other singles include I Can't Get No Sleep with Christopher S, Only One You, Wonderful, Signs and She Got Me.

As well as singing, Luca plays the drums, guitar and piano. He also models, designs clothes and runs the magazines Stories. He's a good dancer too, having won the German reality TV dance competition Dance Dance Dance in 2017.

She Got Me is a Latin style pop song. I thought it would do well when I heard it because the crowd was really cheering!



Watch the music video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PxoMWtAC7M

For more on Luca check out these links:

Eurovision profile: https://eurovision.tv/participant/luca-haenni

Official site: http://lucamusic.ch/

Official FB: https://www.facebook.com/LucaHaenniOfficial/


Chingiz- Truth (Azerbaijan)

I liked this one too, and it also qualified for tomorrow night. Chingiz (full name Chingiz Mustafayev) was born in Moscow and moved to Azerbaijan with his mum and brother aged 6. He learnt to play the guitar as a child. He won the Azerbaijani version of Pop Idol in 2007. He has also represented Azerbaijan in the New Wave competition.

Chingiz also competed in Series 6 of The Voice of Ukraine and performs with his group Palma. He has released 4 singles to date, "Qürbət and Get in 2018 and "Tənha gəzən and Truth this year.

I think Truth is catchy and could do quite well.


You can see the music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyZJ_aMw5hY

Visit these links for more info on Chingiz:

Eurovison profile: https://eurovision.tv/participant/chingiz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chingizmustafayev

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ChingizMustafayevGuitar/

Fan of Azerbaijan in Eurovision? Check out these posts:

Read about Arash, who entered wih AySel in 2009 with the duet Always: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/05/countdown-to-eurovision-2019.html


Watch their 2017 entry, Dihaj's Skeletons: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2017/05/eurovision-faves-and-past-contestant.html

So those were my fave songs. :) I seem to like the "A" countries this year! lol. (Starting with A). Hope you liked the post. Which song do you like this year?

The Grand Final is tomorrow Saturday 18th May, 8pm UK time/9pm CEST. It will be shown on BBC1 in the UK.

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