We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Austria.
Teya and Salena
Teya and Salena were chosen internally to represent Austria. Their song “Who the hell is Edgar?” was written and composed by themselves with Ronald Janeček and Pele Loriano.
Teodora Špirić is Teya’s real name, but she is also known as Thea Devy. Under that name, she released her debut single “Waiting for” in 2017. She also worked in Switzerland. She took part in the Beyond Music Project. In 2020 she submitted the song “Judgement day” to the Austrian internal selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. She also took part in the Serbian national final with the Serbian version “Sudnji dan“. A year later, she took part in the Austrian show Starmania under her real name. She featured in Croatian Ninski’s song “Runaway (stay)“.
Salena’s real name is Selina-Maria Edbauer. She took part in The Voice of Germany in 2017. Two years later, she submitted a song for the Eurovision Song Contest, “Behind the waterfalls”, to the Austrian internal selection. Just like Teya, Salena took part in the 2021 Starmania.
Who the hell is Edgar?
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer, poet and literary critic. He was known for his dar, mysterious and often macabre tales. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Poe had a difficult childhood marked by the death of his parents and a turbulent relationship with his foster father. Despite these challenges, he became one of the most influential literary figures of the 19th century. He published works such as “The Raven”, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, and “The Fall of the House of Usher”. Poe’s writing was characterized by themes of death, madness and the supernatural. His contributions to the horror and detective genres continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day.
It is not the first time someone sang about Edgar Allan Poe on Eurovision. In 1990, Joëlle Ursull sang about him in her “White and black blues”: Je me sens d’un conte d’Edgar Allan Poe (I feel like I’m in an Edgar Allan Poe tale).
Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest
Austria first took part in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957. It was in 1964 when Udo Jürgens first took part. He then became 6th. A year later he reached the 4th place. For him it was 3 times lucky: in 1966 he managed to win the Eurovision Song Contest for Austria.
The country had to wait a long time before they won again. It was Conchita Wurst who managed to bring the trophy home in 2014 with her “Rise like a Phoenix”.
Austria had not always been successful in the Eurovision Song Contest. The only other song that managed to reach the top-3 was Cesár Sampson‘s “Nobody but you” in 2018. It was even the winner of the juries! Austria reached the 4th place only with Udo Jürgens. The country was 5th on four occasions.
Bookmakers
Austria is currently 8th at the betting odds. If that would happen, Austria can definitely be satisfied with the result, because 2018 was the last year they even qualified.
The song
And of course, this is the song:
