2022 Archives - Eurovision Universe

Stoyan Yankoulov

About Quick Facts NameStoyan Yankoulov Born10 September 1966 Nationality🇧🇬 Bulgarian National SelectionInternal selection 2022Bŭlgarskata pesen v „Evroviziya 2013”Bŭlgarskata pesen v „Evroviziya 2007” In Eurovision2022 Turin2013 Malmö2007 Helsinki SongIntention (2022, Intelligent Music Project)Samo Shiampioni (2013, with Elitsa Todorova)Water (2007, with Elitsa Todorova) Biography Stoyan Yankulov was born on September 10, 1966, in the town of Elin Pelin, Sofia region. At the age of eight, he began piano lessons. At the same time, he showed interest in percussion instruments. From an early age, he was already the basis of musical groups as a drummer. In Sofia, he graduated from the “Lyubomir Pipkov” music school, and then the “Pancho Vladigerov” State Music Academy specializing in percussion instruments. He was admitted to the Big Band of the Bulgarian National Radio. Yankulov plays with rock and jazz groups, folklore ensembles, jazz-rock, and fusion groups. He has performed in Bulgaria, Finland, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Turkey, the USA, Canada, Japan, and Russia. Stoyan Yankulov has presented Bulgarian cultural heritage in front of the presidents of Bulgaria, Greece, Armenia, Hungary, His Highness Prince Albert, the King and Queen of Sweden, Koichiro Matsuura – UNESCO, and OSCE ministers. He participated in projects with Bobby McFerrin, Okay Temiz, Cornel Horvat, Carlo Ritzo, Arabel Karayan, Enver Izmailov, as well as with Theodosii Spassov, Ivo Papazov, Milcho Leviev, Simeon Shterev, Yildiz Ibrahimova, Anatoli Vapirov, and Petar Ralchev. In a duet with Elitsa Todorova, Yankulov ranked an impressive 5th place in the Eurovision Song Contest’s final in 2007 in Finland. Together with the Wladigeroff Brothers, Stoyan gave a jazz concert in April 2011 in Montreal, Canada. In 2013, he and Elitsa Todorova were again chosen to represent Bulgaria in the Eurovision Song Contest. Out of three songs, the song “Kisnet” was chosen. However, due to a copyright issue with the composer of the song, it was withdrawn and replaced by “Samo Shiampioni”. Unfortunately, Elitsa and Stoyan didn’t manage to reach the final. In December, Yankoulov performed at the Bulgarian festival MoMental. In 2014, Stoyan teamed up with the fusion Jazz Band Zone C for a couple of performances and recordings. In October of the same year he worked together with the Classic FM Orchestra and a month later with the Black Sea Quartet. Stoyan Yankoulov also joined the Intelligent Music Project. At the end of 2021 it was announced that Intelligent Music Project would participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin. The band sang the song “Intention”. Unfortunately, the group did not make it to the final. Entries Intention (Intelligent Music Project) Country🇧🇬 Bulgaria Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsMilen VrabevskiMD MusicMilen VrabevskiMD Backings– Results Semi Points: 29Position: 16Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/EwZTI5AoTg4?si=ZTNgdNfyl9Q1C2Zw Samo Shiampioni (with Elitsa Todorova) Country🇧🇬 Bulgaria Year2013 LanguageBulgarian LyricsElitsa TodorovaChristian Talev MusicElitsa TodorovaChristian Talev BackingsDesislava GeorgievaBilyana SokolovaBiserka Danova-PilarskaVenci Venc’ Results Semi Points: 45Position: 12Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/Cb46Mhy_mCI?si=W7vdlU5LmBd16nD1 Water (with Elitsa Todorova) Country🇧🇬 Bulgaria Year2007 LanguageBulgarian LyricsElitsa Todorova MusicElitsa TodorovaStoyan Yankoulov Backings– Results Semi Points: 146Position: 6Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 157Position: 5Running order: 21 https://youtu.be/CVO3mEj8Udo?si=AbtLJDRFxjrfHVDo

Last Pizza Slice

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersFilip VidušinGašper HlupičMark SemejaZala VelenšekŽiga Žvižej Founded2018 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenian National SelectionEMA 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongDisko (2022) Biography Last Pizza Slice, often shortened as LPS, is a Slovenian band. Te band was created in December 2018 in the music room of the Gymnasium Celje – Center. Filip Vidušin, Martin Škorjanec, Žiga Žvižej, Maj Lesjak and Mark Semeja gathered there for the first rehearsal. In December 2019, Škorjanec, Vidušin, Žvižej, Gašper Hlupič, Matija Mervič and Lovro Gubenšek performed at the “Centrovizija” school event and received the expert jury award. In 2020, they were selected for the 8th season of Špil lige, a talent show on Slovenian television. They made it all the way to the finals in june 2021. Three days before the final, they released the EP “”Live from Šiška”, which contained live recordings of five original songs from their semi-final performance at the Špil League in Kino Šiška. After the finals of the Špil lige, the current line-up of the band was formed, in which Teržana and Laha replaced Mark Semeja (who had previously played in the group) and Zala Velenšek. On 19 February 2022, they won Ema with the song “Disco” and thus represented Slovenia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin. One week before that, they released their first (official) single “Silence in My Head”. Entries Disko Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2022 LanguageSlovenian LyricsFilip VidušinGašper HlupičMark SemejaZala VelenšekŽiga Žvižej MusicFilip VidušinGašper HlupičMark SemejaZala VelenšekŽiga Žvižej Backings– Results Semi Points: 15Position: 17Running order: 5 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/S1tFqoflsT8

Vladana

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameVladana Vučinić Born18 July 1986 Nationality???????? Montenegrin National SelectionMontevizija 2005Evropesma-Europjesma 2006Internal Selection 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongBreathe (2022) Biography Vladana Vučinić, also known as Vladana, is a Montenegrin singer and songwriter. Vladana has a primary and secondary music education, focused on music theory and opera singing. She graduated in journalism from the State Faculty of Political Science of Montenegro. In 2003, Vladana made her television debut on a national karaoke show In the same year she released her debut single „Ostaćeš mi vječna ljubav”, which was performed at the Budva Mediterranean Festival in Budva, Montenegro. In 2005, she participated in Montevizija 2005 with the song “Samo moj nikad njena”. She took 18th place and thus failed to qualify for Evropesma – Europjesma 2005, the Serbian & Montenegrin national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. This time, she reached the Evropesma – Europjesma final and became 15th there. Later that year, Vladana performed her song “Kapije od zlata” in the section of newcomers to the Suncane Skala music festival. Vladana released her first video for the single “Kao miris kokosa”, directed by Montenegrin director Nikola Vukčević, which became the most-broadcast video in Montenegro at the time. In 2007, she continued her collaboration with Vukčević and released his second single “Poljubac kao doručak”. At the end of 2009, Vućinić recorded and released her first single in English, “Bad Girls Need Love Too”. A year later, in November 2010, an animated video for the song “Sinner City” was released as an introduction to her first album in English. In december 2010 Vučinić released her debut album “Sinner City”. Vladana is the first solo performer from Montenegro to be broadcast on the regional MTV station MTV Adria. She launched an online fashion magazine called Čiviluk, based on an editorial with fashion designers from Montenegro. As the founder and editor-in-chief, she contributed to the magazine through columns and fashion interviews with various personalities from music, culture and politics. On January 4, 2022, it was announced that she had been chosen by the Montenegrin broadcaster RTCG to represent Montenegro at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest. A day later, on January 5, 2022, it was announced that her song at Eurovision would be called “Breathe”. Unfortunately, Vladana didn’t manage to reach the final with the song. Entries Breathe Country???????? Montenegro Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsVladana Vučinić MusicVladana VučinićDarko Dimitrov Backings– Results Semi Points: 33Position: 17Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/L-ViRVRiGl0

Emma Muscat

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameEmma Louise Marie Muscat Born27 November 1999 Nationality🇲🇹 Maltese National SelectionMalta Eurovision Song Contest 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongI am what I am (2022) Biography Emma Muscat is a Maltese singer and model who often works in Italy. After compulsory education, Emma decided to attend the University of Performing Arts. She showed her talents and abilities in singing, dancing, and the use of musical instruments, but she specialized in the piano, and also began composing the music and lyrics of her songs. In 2016 she released her first single “Alone” on her YouTube channel and later, in 2017, she released her second single “Without You”. In 2018 she participated in the 17th edition of the talent TV show Amici di Maria De Filippi. She managed to reach the final phase of the program. She finished fourth in the singing category and was awarded a contract with Warner Music Italy. Following her experience at Amici, she participated in “Isle of MTV 2018” with Jason Derulo, Hailee Steinfeld and Sigala. A year later she took part again, now with Martin Garrix, Bebe Rexha and Ava Max. She performed together with tenor Joseph Calleja and with the Italian star Eros Ramazzotti. In 2018, she released her first EP titled “Moments”, which also included the two singles she had previously released on YouTube. The EP was preceded by the single “I Need Somebody”. On December 7 of the same year, she released her first studio-recorded album entitled Moments Christmas Edition with covers of many classic Christmas songs. On 16 November 2018 she sang in duet with the Italian rapper Shade: “Figurati noi”. On April 26, 2019, she released her first single, “Avec moi”, with excerpts from the song sung by Biondo. Also in 2019, she participated in the remix of the hit “Sigarette” by rapper Junior Cally. The single “Vicolo Cieco” was released in december. On July 3, 2020, she released her summer hit “Sangria” with Italian rapper Astol. It was certified as a gold record in Italy and reached 21 million streams on YouTube. Emma submitted a song to take part in the Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2022. The song “Out of Sight” won the competition. However, Emma decided not to sing “Out of Sight” at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin. A new song, “I Am What I Am”, was released on March 14, 2022, and replaced “Out of Sight”. Entries I am what I am Country🇲🇹 Malta Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsEmma MuscatDino MedanhodžićJulie AagaardStine Kinck MusicEmma MuscatDino MedanhodžićJulie AagaardStine Kinck DancersFrank KseyGiulia SantorielloLorenzo de RosaShadia Taghi Results Semi Points: 47Position: 16Running order: 6 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/DFCFM5qtvms

Intelligent Music Project

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts MembersBisser IvanovDimiter SirakovIvo StefanovRonnie RomeroSlavin SlavchevStoyan Yankoulov Founded2012 Nationality🇧🇬 Bulgarian🇨🇱 Chilean National SelectionInternal selection 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongIntention (2022) Biography Intelligent Music Project is a Bulgarian rock band. The band is characterized by a strong change in the line-up. In 2012, the project’s first album was released, which was started by the Bulgarian businessman Milen Vrabenski. At the start he invited musicians with big names such as Simon Phillips (Toto), John Payne (Asia), Carl Sentance (Nazareth), Robert Rondinelli (Blue Öyster Cult, Black Sabbath and The Lizzards) and Todd Sucherman (Styx). After that first album, “The power of mind”, no less than five other albums were released. The line-up of the band was always different. Chilean Ronnie Romero is the current lead singer. At the end of 2021 it was announced that Intelligent Music Project would participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin. The band sang the song “Intention”. One of the current members, Stoyan Yankoulov, had already participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 and 2013. Unfortunately, the group did not make it to the final. Entries Intention Country🇧🇬 Bulgaria Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsMilen VrabevskiMD MusicMilen VrabevskiMD Backings– Results Semi Points: 29Position: 16Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/EwZTI5AoTg4

Brooke Scullion

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameBrooke Scullion Born31 march 1999 Nationality🇮🇪 Irish National SelectionEurovision 2022 Late Late Show Special In Eurovision2022 Turin SongThat’s rich (2022) Biography Brooke Scullion, born in Bellaghy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, is an Irish singer who often goes by her first name Brooke. She grew up in Derry, Northern Ireland, just across the Irish-Northern Irish border. Already when she was in high school, she performed in musical productions like “Fame!”, “Mamma Mia” and “Sister Act”. In 2020 she took part in the ninth season of The Voice UK where all four coaches turned for her. She chose Meghan Trainor’s team and eventually reached the finals where she shared third place. Brooke Scullion was one of the six contestants in the Irish pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, the Eurovision 2022 Late Late Show Special. She won the competition with her song “That’s Rich”. She represented Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin. Entries That’s rich Country🇮🇪 Ireland Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsBrooke ScullionIzzy WarnerKarl Zine MusicBrooke ScullionIzzy WarnerKarl Zine DancersAmy FordAmy WhearityLizzy BenhamSophie Kavanagh Results Semi Points: 47Position: 15Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq2AJrWm04s

Pia Maria

© EBU/Andres Putting About Quick Facts NamePia Maria Außerlechner Born21 May 2003 Nationality🇦🇹 Austrian National SelectionInternal selection 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongHalo (2022, with LUM!X) Biography Pia Maria (real name Pia Maria Ausserlechner) is an Austrian singer. Pia Maria comes from Tyrol. She is a trained make-up artist and works at the Tyrolean State Theater in Innsbruck. She has been writing her own songs since she was 16 and has sent out her first demo recordings. She signed to Entertainment Quarter/Günter Unger by the Austrian music manager Günter Unger. After the ORF brought the Austrian DJ and producer LUM!X into play to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, a singer was sought, and LUM!X came across a demo by Pia Maria. On February 8, 2022, the ORF announced that LUM!X and Pia Maria was going to represent Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 with the song “Halo”. The two failed to qualify for the final in the first semi-final. Entries Halo (with LUM!X) Country🇦🇹 Austria Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsLuca MichlmayrAnders NilsenGabry PonteRasmus FlycktSophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons MusicLuca MichlmayrAnders NilsenGabry PonteRasmus FlycktSophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons BackingsCorinne MarchiniElisa Bava Results Semi Points: 42Position: 15Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/dMgjHYwXSuo

LUM!X

© EBU/Corinne Cumming About Quick Facts NameLuca Michlmayr Born23 July 2002 Nationality🇦🇹 Austrian National SelectionInternal selection 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongHalo (2022, with Pia Maria) Biography Lumix (born July 23, 2002 in Rohrbach, real name Luca Michlmayr), also written as LUM!X, is an Austrian DJ and music producer. Michlmayr aka Lumix started producing music himself at the age of 11. By uploading bootlegs and original songs to SoundCloud and YouTube, the Swedish independent label and network Bounce United found him and signed him. In May 2018, Michlmayr released his debut single “Underground” there, which he produced in collaboration with Spanish musician Moha. On the occasion of reaching 700.000 subscribers on the official Bounce United YouTube channel, he produced the song “Bounce United”. The song “Chiraq 2018” by the Swedish musician Alfons, a first official remix which he created together with Myhr, was released in the same year. At the beginning of 2019, the singles “Jägermeister” and “Waiting for Me” were released. After his bootleg of Meg & Dia’s song “Monster” went viral on YouTube, he remixed it with Italian musician Gabry Ponte and released the new version as a single through Spinnin’ Records. With this he achieved his international breakthrough. He hit the charts in several European countries. More than 400,000 copies of this single were sold in Germany. Michlmayr received a platinum record. With more than 70 weeks in the German single charts, Monster is also one of the songs that stayed in the German single charts the longest. In January 2020, he released the single “The Passenger (LaLaLa)”, again together with Ponte, Mokaby and D.T.E. A third collaboration with Ponte, titled “Scare Me”, followed in September 2020. The US producer KSHMR and Karra also took part. On January 8, 2021, a cover version of the English language version of the song “Major Tom” by Peter Schilling from 1983 was released. In the same month he released the single “Annie Are You Ok”, which was created in collaboration with Mio. In April 2021 the song “Secrets” followed. He produced this one together with Sølo. “Thunder”, the fourth official collaboration with Gabry Ponte, was released in May 2021, who also supported Michlmayr in the studio with the previous songs. “Thunder” was able to build on the success of “Monster” and “Passenger (LaLaLa)” and reached the single charts in several countries. The song received numerous awards. The single “Champion”, which served as the official anthem of the Summer 2021 LEC Playoffs, was released in august. The song was created in collaboration with Orange Inc and Séb Mont.The follow up “Trick or Treat”, was produced together with the Swiss DJ and music producer duo Molow. Lumix took part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin together with the singer Pia Maria with the song “Halo”. Entries Halo (with Pia Maria) Country🇦🇹 Austria Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsLuca MichlmayrAnders NilsenGabry PonteRasmus FlycktSophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons MusicLuca MichlmayrAnders NilsenGabry PonteRasmus FlycktSophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons BackingsCorinne MarchiniElisa Bava Results Semi Points: 42Position: 15Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/dMgjHYwXSuo

Achille Lauro

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameLauro De Marinis Born11 July 1990 Nationality🇮🇹 Italian National SelectionFestival of Sanremo 2019, 2020, 2022, Una voce per San Marino 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongStripper (2022) Biography Achille Lauro, pseudonym of Lauro De Marinis. is an Italian singer-songwriter. Lauro was born in Verona. He grew up in Rome and at the age of 14 he chose to go to live with his older brother Federico, former producer for the group Quarto Blocco; it is from Federico that the young Lauro derives his passion for music. Also thanks to his brother, Lauro enters the world of underground rap and punk rock. Having entered the musical circle of Quarto Blocco, Lauro decides to adopt a stage name, opting for Achille Lauro. He himself explained that this choice was motivated by the fact that many associated his name with the surname of the Neapolitan shipowner of the same name. In 2012 his first mixtape was released, entitled “Barabba”. The mixtape was an independent production, so it was made immediately available as a free download. The same goes for “Harvard”, another mixtape produced for the Quarto Blocco collective. Lauro became the leading artist of Quarto Blocco in 2013. In February of the same year the album “Achille Idol immortale” was announced, then released in February 2014 as a free download. The disc did not look like a traditional rap album, since at the end of each track there is the reading of an evangelical verse, revisited in a “Laurian” perspective, and the sounds are not typical of hip-hop. In 2015, thanks to the excellent response of “Achille Idol Immortale”, from which successful singles such as “Real Royal Street Rap” are extracted, Roccia Music invested more and more in Lauro, who released an EP entitled “Young Crazy EP”. For May 26, 2015, the release of “Dio c’e” was scheduled. The title of the album is clearly another reference to the Christian religion. The reason that prompted Lauro to abandon Roccia Music was the desire to found his own record label, the No Face Agency, which he would be able to start together with the producer DJ Pitch8, former producer of the song Young King. The new label immediately got to work on the production of “Ragazzi Madre”, the Roman rapper’s third studio album, released in November 2016. During 2017, after leaving Roccia Music, Lauro, while collaborating with leading artists of the old Italian school, approaches emerging rap artists of the new school and realizes successful songs such as “Thoiry RMX”. This year’s singles depart from the typical style of early studio albums; the wave of the “samba trap” is born. In the first half of 2018 the singles “Midnight Carnival” and “Ammò” were released, anticipating the album “Pour l’amour”, released on June 22 of the same year in collaboration with Boss Doms. Achille Lauro participated (with the collaboration of Boss Doms) in the 69th edition of the Sanremo Festival in 2019, with the song “Rolls Royce”. He ended up in the low end of the partial ranking of the opinion poll jury and in the high end of the jury result. In January 2019 he publishes his autobiography “Sono io Amleto” In 2020 he founded, together with the manager Angelo Calculli and the creative co-director Nicolò Cerioni, a new booking and management agency, MK3. At the same time he was appointed Chief Creative Director of the Elektra Records label. Achille Lauro participated in the festival of Sanremo again in 2020 with the song “”Me ne frego”. He ended up in 8th place. In July of the same year, the first project he did for Elektra Records is released: “1990”, the artist’s sixth studio album. On September 25, “1969 Achille Idol Rebirth” was released, a reinterpretation of the successful “Rolls Royce” album, which contains, in addition to all the original tracks, the singles released in 2020. In december 2020 Lauro announced the release of a new project with jazz-swing sounds: 1920 – Achille Lauro & The Untouchable Band. In 2021, he took part in the Festival of Sanremo again: not in the competition, but as a special guest. A new album, under the name of “Lauro” was released on April 16, 2021. The single “Mille”, sung with Fedez and Orietta Berti debuted at the top of the Top Singles. The song turned out to be a great success and became a real hit. In 2022, Achille Lauro performed in the festival of Sanremo for a third time. This time his song “Domenica” became 14th. However, he also took part in “Una voce per San Marino”, the San Marinese national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. He won and represented San Marino in Turin. Entries Stripper Country🇸🇲 San Marino Year2022 LanguageEnglishItalian LyricsLauro De MarinisDaniele DeziDaniele MungaiDavide PetrellaFrederico De MarinisFrancesco ViscovoSimon Pietro Manzari MusicMattia CutoloMarco LanciottiGregorio CalculliMatteo Ciceroni BackingsGregorio CalculliMarco LanciottiNicola IazziRaffaele LittorioBoss Doms Results Semi Points: 50Position: 14Running order: 7 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/vCmX64N_sXM

Citi zēni

© EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts MembersJānis PētersonsDagnis RoziņšReinis VišķerisKrišjānis OzolsRoberts MemmēnsToms Kagainis Born2020 Nationality🇱🇻 Latvian National SelectionSupernova 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongEat your salad (2022) Biography Citi Zēni (Other Boys) is a Latvian hip-hop and pop group. The band consists of Jānis Pētersons (vocals), Dagnis Roziņš (vocals, saxophone), Reinis Višķeris (keyboards), Krišjānis Ozols (guitar), Roberts Memmēns (bass) and Toms Kagainis (drums). They gained wide recognition at the end of 2020 with the song “Vienmēr kavēju”. They reached the 2nd place in the song competition “Muzikālā banka 2021” organized by Latvijas Radio 2, with the song “Limuzīns uz krīta”. They also participated in “Supernova 2022”, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Eat Your Salad”. By winning the conest they got the opportunity to represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Citi Zēni was the first one of the participants to claim they did not want to participate as long as Russia would be among the contestants. EBU decided not to allow Russia in the contest. The band also faced problems with the lyrics of “Eat your salad”. They were not allowed to sing the word ‘pussy’. Their solution was to let the audience do it. Entries Eat your salad Country🇱🇻 Latvia Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsDagnis RoziņšJānis Pētersons MusicJānis JačmenkinsRoberts Memmēns Backings– Results Semi Points: 55Position: 14Running order: 2 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/TM0_0WfuxSk