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🇷🇴 Blast from the Past: Romania 2006

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today: Mihai Trăistariu, who represented Romania in the 2006 contest with “Tornero”.

Romania in the Eurovision Song Contest

Romania made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994. The country has mostly participated every year, missing out only a few times. One notable absence was in 2016, when the country was disqualified due to unpaid debts to the European Broadcasting Union.
Romania has achieved several respectable placements throughout the years, but, so far, the country hasn’t won the contest. Romania’s best results were third place, achieved in 2005 with the song “Let Me Try” by LuminiÈ›a Anghel & Sistem and in 2010 with the song “Playing with Fire” by Paula Seling & Ovi. Romania is known for bringing a variety of music genres to the contest, from pop and rock to folk and traditional. Some entries, like “Zaleilah” by Mandinga in 2012, featured a mix of Romanian folk sounds with modern beats, giving it a distinct flavor.
This year, unfortunately, Romania was facing their worst score ever, getting no points at all in the semifinal for “D.G.T. (Off and on)” by Theodor Andrei.

Luminița Anghel

Selecția Națională 2006

The Romanian national final always has the name Selecția Națională, also in 2006. Two semifinals and a final took place, three days in a row. The final, containing twelve songs, was held on February 26th.

  1. “Hey a hey”, Gina Pop Band, 4 pts, 10th
  2. “Se tu vuoi”, Linda, 10 pts, 6th
  3. “It’s our world”, Maria Radu & Mike Peterson, 5 pts, 8th
  4. “Sunshine”, Jasmine, 5 pts, 8th
  5. “Jokero”, Akcent & Nico, 20 pts, 2nd
  6. “Brand new feeling”, Dora, 13 pts, 3rd
  7. “Sagapo”, MiDo, 3 pts, 12th
  8. “Tornero”, Mihai Trăistariu, 22 pts, 1st
  9. “Be my boyfriend”, Indiggo, 6 pts, 7th
  10. “I believe in my star”, LaurenÈ›iu Cazan, 12 pts, 4th
  11. “GândeÈ™ti prea high”, Delia, 4 pts, 10th
  12. “The universe”, Tony PoptămaÈ™ and Desperado, 12 pts, 4th

Note that not only “Tornero” was a success.  “Jokero” by Akcent and Nico also became an international hit.

Aksent – Jokero

Mihai Trăistariu

Born on December 16, 1979, in Piatra NeamÈ›, Romania, Mihai displayed an early passion for music. He began his music education at the Carmen Sylva Art School in Piatra NeamÈ› and later graduated from the Bucharest Academy of Music.

Mihai’s breakthrough came with his participation in various music festivals. In 1999 Mihai joined the group Valahia. They took part in the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2000 with the song “Why” and reached a 2nd place. Also in 2002 (“Mother”, 4rd), and in 2004 (“Friends are friends”, 3rd). In 2005 he also took part, now in duet with Nico, “All the time”. It was the same year that Mihai’s debut album was released. But his rise to international fame was cemented with his Eurovision entry. In 2006, he performed the song “Tornero,” a catchy pop track infused with operatic elements. The song finished in 4th place, one of Romania’s highest rankings in the contest, and subsequently became a hit across Europe.
In total, Mihai released four albums. Also, he took part in SelecÈ›ia NaÈ›ională numerous times. His most successful participation, apart from “Tornero”, was “I won’t surrender” in 2017, which reached a 2nd place. In 2019 Mihai withdrew, because he did not agree with Romanian television on the way the contest was organized. He had taken part in a show on another tv-station (Your Face Sounds Familiar) and stated “I do not trust the objectivity of the Eurovision Romania organisers, regarding the unclear situation about the competitors — those who qualified through the pre-selection and those who were later favoured — I decided to withdraw.”
Nowadays, Mihai Trăistariu has another career….. he is, as far as we know, the only Eurovision participant with an OnlyFans page.

Tornero

The song stood out due to Mihai’s powerful vocal range and its infectious pop-opera blend. At the contest, held in Athens, Greece, “Tornero” managed to achieve 4th place with 172 points. This ranking is one of the highest Romania has achieved in the contest. The track is a pop song with operatic elements, and its title, “Tornero,” is an Italian word meaning “I will return.” The song is about a man who promises his love that he will return to her. “Tornero” was well-received, not just within the Eurovision community, but also among general music enthusiasts. After the contest, it charted in several European countries and became a notable hit.

 

 

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Blast from the past: Belgium 1981

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today, we go back to 1981, when Emly Starr represented Belgium with her song “Samson”. Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest Belgium is one of the countries that participates from the beginning on. The Belgians switch every year between the Flemish and Wallon broadcasters. Just once, Belgium won: in 1986, Sandra Kim sang she was 15, claimed she was 14 and in the end appeared to be 13. However: more Belgian songs were successful. In 1978 and 2003 Belgium was the runner up: Jean Vallee and Urban Trad were very close. In recent years, Belgium made it to the top-5 with Loïc Nottet (2015) and Blanche (2017). The best scoring Flemish entry was the 2010 song “Me and My Guitar”, sang by Tom Dice. Eurosong 1981 No less than 40 songs participated in the Belgian selection of 1981. Out of three heats, 10 finalists were chosen. The final was held in the Amerikaans Theater in Brussels, hosted by Luc Appermont. No results were made public, apart from the winner. However, in later years jury members of those days confirmed that Liliane Saint-Pierre’s “Brussel” reached the 2nd place. Fancy Free sang “De Wereld Is Een Showtoneel“ De Opera sang “De Opera“ Gene Summer sang “Zing Het Maar“ Stella sang “Veel Te Veel“ Ann Michel sang “Ik Ben Gelukkig“ Johann Stollz sang “Hello Hello“ Emly Starr sang “Samson en Delilah“ Lester & Denwood sang “Bonnie“ Venus sang “Talisman“ Liliane Saint-Pierre sang “Brussel“ Liliane Saint-Pierre Stella already participated in 1970 for the Netherlands as a member of Hearts Of Soul, and in 1977 for Belgium as a member of Dream Express. She sang solo for Belgium in 1982. Liliane Saint-Pierre represented her country in 1987, in….. Brussels! The title of the winning song was later shortened to “Samson”. Emly Starr Emly Starr, born Marie-Christine Mareels on September 5, 1957, in Wetteren, Belgium, is a singer best known for representing Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981. She began her career at a young age under the stage name “Heidi” but later adopted the name Emly Starr, performing English-language pop and disco songs. In 1978, she appeared in the short film Santiago Lovers. Starr gained recognition with her disco act “Emly Starr Explosion,” and in 1980, she participated in the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, finishing eighth with the song Mary Brown. The following year, she won Belgium’s Eurosong contest, earning the opportunity to perform Samson at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, where she finished in 13th place. In 1985, Starr played the role of Erika in the film Springen and sang its title song, Jump in the Dark. Eventually, she transitioned from performing to the business side of the entertainment industry, working alongside her husband, Tony Winter (Frans De Schrijver). Together, they manage the Globe Show Center in Denderleeuw, which houses a television studio and organizes events. They also provide showbiz equipment rentals, contributing to the Belgian entertainment scene. Samson “Samson” was composed by Kick Dandy, a pseudonym for Tony Winter (Frans De Schrijver), and the lyrics were written by Penny Els. It is a dynamic, upbeat disco-pop track, characterized by its catchy rhythm and energetic performance, which was a popular style in the early 1980s. The lyrics of “Samson” playfully reference the biblical story of Samson, known for his great strength, and Delilah, who betrays him. However, the song reinterprets the tale, using it as a metaphor for a romantic relationship, with the singer comparing herself to the powerful figure who falls for a lover’s charm. Emly Starr’s lively stage presence and the colorful, engaging choreography added to the song’s appeal. The daring dress with a high slit contributed to the festive atmosphere. Despite the spirited performance, “Samson” scored 40 points at Eurovision and finished in 13th place out of 20 entries. Although it did not achieve a top ranking, the song remains a memorable part of Emly Starr’s career. Share

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October 17, 2024 No Comments
Blast from the past
Martijn

Blast from the past: Belgium 1981

We know a lot about Eurovision and we want to share this knowledge with you! Therefore we’d like to bring you a blast from the past. Today, we go back to 1981, when Emly Starr represented Belgium with her song “Samson”. Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest Belgium is one of the countries that participates from the beginning on. The Belgians switch every year between the Flemish and Wallon broadcasters. Just once, Belgium won: in 1986, Sandra Kim sang she was 15, claimed she was 14 and in the end appeared to be 13. However: more Belgian songs were successful. In 1978 and 2003 Belgium was the runner up: Jean Vallee and Urban Trad were very close. In recent years, Belgium made it to the top-5 with Loïc Nottet (2015) and Blanche (2017). The best scoring Flemish entry was the 2010 song “Me and My Guitar”, sang by Tom Dice. Eurosong 1981 No less than 40 songs participated in the Belgian selection of 1981. Out of three heats, 10 finalists were chosen. The final was held in the Amerikaans Theater in Brussels, hosted by Luc Appermont. No results were made public, apart from the winner. However, in later years jury members of those days confirmed that Liliane Saint-Pierre’s “Brussel” reached the 2nd place. Fancy Free sang “De Wereld Is Een Showtoneel“ De Opera sang “De Opera“ Gene Summer sang “Zing Het Maar“ Stella sang “Veel Te Veel“ Ann Michel sang “Ik Ben Gelukkig“ Johann Stollz sang “Hello Hello“ Emly Starr sang “Samson en Delilah“ Lester & Denwood sang “Bonnie“ Venus sang “Talisman“ Liliane Saint-Pierre sang “Brussel“ Liliane Saint-Pierre Stella already participated in 1970 for the Netherlands as a member of Hearts Of Soul, and in 1977 for Belgium as a member of Dream Express. She sang solo for Belgium in 1982. Liliane Saint-Pierre represented her country in 1987, in….. Brussels! The title of the winning song was later shortened to “Samson”. Emly Starr Emly Starr, born Marie-Christine Mareels on September 5, 1957, in Wetteren, Belgium, is a singer best known for representing Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981. She began her career at a young age under the stage name “Heidi” but later adopted the name Emly Starr, performing English-language pop and disco songs. In 1978, she appeared in the short film Santiago Lovers. Starr gained recognition with her disco act “Emly Starr Explosion,” and in 1980, she participated in the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, finishing eighth with the song Mary Brown. The following year, she won Belgium’s Eurosong contest, earning the opportunity to perform Samson at the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, where she finished in 13th place. In 1985, Starr played the role of Erika in the film Springen and sang its title song, Jump in the Dark. Eventually, she transitioned from performing to the business side of the entertainment industry, working alongside her husband, Tony Winter (Frans De Schrijver). Together, they manage the Globe Show Center in Denderleeuw, which houses a television studio and organizes events. They also provide showbiz equipment rentals, contributing to the Belgian entertainment scene. Samson “Samson” was composed by Kick Dandy, a pseudonym for Tony Winter (Frans De Schrijver), and the lyrics were written by Penny Els. It is a dynamic, upbeat disco-pop track, characterized by its catchy rhythm and energetic performance, which was a popular style in the early 1980s. The lyrics of “Samson” playfully reference the biblical story of Samson, known for his great strength, and Delilah, who betrays him. However, the song reinterprets the tale, using it as a metaphor for a romantic relationship, with the singer comparing herself to the powerful figure who falls for a lover’s charm. Emly Starr’s lively stage presence and the colorful, engaging choreography added to the song’s appeal. The daring dress with a high slit contributed to the festive atmosphere. Despite the spirited performance, “Samson” scored 40 points at Eurovision and finished in 13th place out of 20 entries. Although it did not achieve a top ranking, the song remains a memorable part of Emly Starr’s career. Share

Share
Read More »
October 17, 2024 No Comments
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