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Harel Skaat

About Quick Facts NameHarel Skaat Born08 August 1981 Nationality🇮🇱 Israeli National SelectionKdam Eurovision 2010 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongMilim (2010) Biography Early life and background Harel Skaat, born on August 8, 1981, in Kfar Saba, Israel, is a renowned Israeli singer and songwriter. His family is of Yemenite-Jewish and Iraqi-Jewish descent. Harel’s musical journey began at a very young age. At six, he won a national children’s song festival called A Star for the Evening – Singing Big in his hometown, marking the start of his public performances. Throughout his youth, he appeared on various television shows and festivals, including a notable appearance on the children’s TV show Parpar Nehmad. During his teenage years, Harel was the lead singer for both his city’s band and his high school band. His passion for music continued through his mandatory military service, where he sang with the Israeli Defense Forces’ Communication Corps Band.  Education and Early Career After completing his military service, Harel attended Beit Zvi, a prestigious performing arts college. He won two significant scholarships for his performances in school musicals. During this time, he recorded his first single, “Ein Od Si’kui” (“No More Chance”), and participated in the televised talent show “Ha’melech Ha’ba” (“The Next King”), where he finished in sixth place. Rise to Fame: Kokhav Nolad Harel’s big break came in 2005 when he joined the second season of Kokhav Nolad (“A Star is Born”), Israel’s version of American Idol. Although a friend signed him up without his knowledge, Harel quickly became a favorite among viewers and judges. He consistently received high praise and votes, making it to the finals. Harel finished in second place. Debut Album and Success Following Kokhav Nolad, Harel signed with Hed Arzi, one of Israel’s largest music companies. In July 2006, he released his debut album, “Harel Skaat,” which included hit singles like “Ve’at” (“And You”), “Kama Od Efshar” (“How Much More is Possible”), and “Mashehu Mimeni” (“Something from Me”). The album was a commercial success, achieving platinum status in Israel and solidifying Harel’s status as a leading pop singer. Legal Disputes and Second Album In early 2008, Harel and Hed Arzi became embroiled in a legal dispute, which was resolved after a year. He then signed with Aroma Music and released his second album, “Dmuyot” (“Figures”), in September 2009. The album featured hits like “Muvan Li Achshav” (“Now I Understand”) and “Boi Ha Yom” (“Come Today”). Despite being certified gold, “Dmuyot” did not match the commercial success of his debut album. Eurovision Song Contest 2010 In December 2009, Harel was selected to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song “Milim” (“Words”). The contest was held in Oslo, Norway, where Harel’s performance earned Israel 14th place out of 39 entries. Despite the mid-range finish, he received significant accolades, winning all three Marcel Bezençon Awards for best artist, composition, and entry. Continued Career and Personal Life Harel continued to release music and perform extensively. His third album, “Shuv Me’ushar” (“Happy Again”), released in January 2012, included hits like “Mashehu Tov” (“Something Good”), “Tihye Li Ahava” (“I Will Have Love”) and “HaMea Ha-21” (“21st Century”). Harel also ventured into acting, starring in musical productions such as Les Miserables at the Habima Theatre and Peter Pan. He also played a main role in the musical Kim’at normali. 4th Album, Tsmarmoret In 2013, a new song was released, “Akhshav”. The song became #1 in the Israeli I-Tunes charts rightaway. That also counts for the second song, “Boom” in January 2014. In 2015, the first song from his new album came out: “Tsmarmoret”. It was followed by a single in English, “Hollow”, meant for the international market. Meanwhile, he released “Gadol Bishvilech” in Hebrew for the Israeli market. In the same year, Harel performed in Paris and London. Les Miserables and HaKokhav Haba Harel recorded “At Li Hakol”, the title song of the movie Galis. The song was released in April 2016. In August of the same year, the song “Boker Tov Motek” came out, followed two months later by “Anachnu po”. For the song “Milim shektot” he teamed up with Nasrin Kadri. In the last 3 months of 2016 Harel performed as Marius in Les Miserables. Jubilee In February 2017 a new song was released: “Ahava Mesovevet HaKol”. That was also the title of his compilation album, released for his 12 1/2 year jubilee as a singer. He also made a special tour, the tour of the decennium. In December of the same year, he released the song “Bein hashmikot”. Shortly after that, a cover version of “Im nin’alu”, Ofra Haza’s hit, came out. In 2019, he teamed up with Osher Bachta for the song “Kulam Oto Davar”. At the end of the year, the song “Aba ve’Aba” was released. In August 2020, he teamed up with Ania Bukhstein for the song “Kol hayom”. Recent years In February 2021, Harel’s new song “Chazak Al HaRitzpah” was released. In October of the same year, “Ba Li” came out. 2022 started with “Ad ShehaSheket Ya’azov”. Two months later he teamed up with Keren Peles for the song “Silchi li”. It was by the end of the year that his song “Lehargish Babayit” came out, with a video containing family pictures of his husband and kids. USA In June 2023 Harel Skaat went on tour in the USA, in a.o. New York and Los Angeles. In August of the same year, a new single called “Mi Yagid Li” was released. HaKokhav Haba Harel Skaat started to be a judge in the new series of HaKokhav Haba, the second season of an Israeli talent show, in 2014/2015. The contest was also the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest since 2015. He continued to do so in the 2016 until the 2019 contest. In his personal life, Harel is openly gay. He married Idan Roll, a model and Knesset member, in March 2021. The couple has two children born through surrogacy. Harel is actively involved in charitable organizations supporting

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Juliana Pasha

About Quick Facts NameJuliana Pasha Born20 May 1980 Nationality🇦🇱 Albanian National SelectionFestivali i Këngës 2010Festivali i Këngës 2009Festivali i Këngës 2008 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongIt’s All About You (2010) Biography Juliana Pasha, born on May 20, 1980, is a prominent Albanian singer who has significantly influenced the music scene in her home country. Juliana’s journey into music began at a young age, paving her way to national recognition and international platforms. Juliana’s career took a notable turn when she participated in Albania’s national selections for the Eurovision Song Contest. Her early attempts in 2007 with “Qielli i ri” and in 2008 with “Një jetë,” a duet with Luiz Ejlli, saw her finishing 3rd and 2nd, respectively. These performances built a solid foundation for her musical career and increased her visibility in the Albanian music industry. The pinnacle of Juliana’s early career came in 2009 when she won the national final to represent Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with her song “It’s All About You.” Performing in Bærum, Juliana showcased her vocal prowess on a grand stage. She successfully advanced to the finals, performed fifteenth, and ultimately placed 16th out of 25 contestants, receiving 62 points, including a high score of 12 points from Macedonia. Following her Eurovision appearance, Juliana continued to garner acclaim. In 2010, she won the prestigious “Kënga Magjike” festival with “Sa e shite zemren,” a collaboration with Luiz Ejlli.  In 2016, she performed at the Te Stela resort along with, a.o. Olta Boka and Kejsi Tola. A year later, with the same team she performed at Hotel Kalaja in Gjakovë, Kosovo. In March 2017 she released a new single, “Jeto!”, to get attention for human trafficking. In January 2018 this was followed by a benefit concert for the victims of human trafficking. In July 2018 she had a summer hit: “Në më jë”. In August 2019 she did the job again with the song “Yll i rralle”.  In early 2020, she became part of the La La Land music shows in Tirana. In November and December of the same year, she participated in the show Këngë Moj. In December she released the new single “Më e bukura mbi dhe!”. Beyond singing, Juliana expanded her influence by taking on the role of a mentor and judge in the first series of the Albanian and Kosovo version of “The X Factor.” Her expertise and experience brought valuable insights to the show, helping to guide and inspire a new generation of artists. Juliana’s contributions to music have been recognized with multiple awards. Notably, she received the Honorary Citizen Award of Burrel in 2010. Her other accolades include winning the Çesk Zadeja Prize at “Kënga Magjike” in 2005, the Critic Prize in 2008, and she won the third prize in 2012 and 2015. She also took part in the 2019 contest. In 2016, she won the Vulkan Award. Outside of her musical endeavors, Juliana is known for her deep faith and philanthropic efforts, particularly in combating the blood feud tradition in Albania through her involvement in the Hanna project. Her personal beliefs and humanitarian efforts have played a significant role in shaping her public persona and her approach to her career and life. Entries It’s All About You Country🇦🇱 Albania Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsArdit GjebreaPirro Çako MusicArdit Gjebrea BackingsGlenys VargasOlen CesariJoy GarrisonDesiree Kedjour Results Semi Points: 76Position: 6Running order: 12 Results Finals Points: 62Position: 16Running order: 15 https://youtu.be/idE_32NUJbo?si=Gqf82Iz2PO_y5yW0

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John Karayiannis

© EBU/Elena Volotova About Quick Facts NameGiannis Karagiannis Born25 July 1994 Nationality🇨🇾 Cypriot National SelectionEurovision Song Project 2015 In Eurovision2015 Vienna SongOne Thing I Should Have Done (2015) Biography Yannis was born on July 20, 1994, in the Cypriot city of Limassol. At the age of 6, he began to take an interest in music. Two years later, in 2002, he started singing lessons. He also won several local music competitions. He took part in the national selection to represent Cyprus in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 and 2008. However, he lost in both instances. On February 1, 2015, after winning the Eurovision Song Project qualifying competition against five competing participants, he was selected to represent Cyprus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015. The song he was singing was called “One Thing I Should Have Done”. The song became a hit in Austria. John was placed  22nd in the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest.  On May 6, 2015, John Karayiannis released a new single, a cover version of the Eurovision song “Diggy-loo diggy-ley”. The song has been given a completely new arrangement by Mike Connaris. In 2018, John represented Cyprus at the Golden Stag Festival in Romania.   Entries One Thing I Should Have Done Country🇨🇾 Cyprus Year2015 LanguageEnglish LyricsMike Connaris MusicMike Connaris BackingsChristopher Madin Results Semi Points: 87Position: 6Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: 11Position: 22Running order: 11 https://youtu.be/RUNEoMBLGc8

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