guitar Archives - Eurovision Universe

Kalamari

About Quick Facts MembersJože Pepi JežMatjaž ŠvagelRok Tomažinčič (not on stage)Egon Prinčič (not on stage) Active1993 – 2020 Nationality🇸🇮 Slovenian National SelectionEMA 2010EMA 2004 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongNarodnozabavni Rock (& Ansambel Žlindra, 2010) Biography Kalamari was a coastal music group that started in November 1993. Jože Jež (Pepi), Matjaž Švagelj, and Aleksander (Sandi) Kokošar came together to perform a few shows at a hotel. They quickly stood out because of their good performances and especially their three-part singing, which other groups couldn’t do as well. Early on, they tried writing their own songs and released an album called “Dobra vila” in 1995. This album had some radio hits, but the group became well-known across Slovenia with their second album “S tabo držim.” The song “Angelca” from this album became a big hit and is still popular at parties today. The group grew from three members to four and then five, which made their live shows even better. They became very successful with their third album, especially with the song “V vetru rdečih zastav,” which won second place and a lyrics award at the “Slovenska popevka” festival. Their live shows became even more popular, and they started performing not just in Slovenia but also in Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. Because of their busy schedule, some members left, deciding not to become professional musicians. However, the group kept writing new songs and did well at music festivals, winning awards for songs like “Kup besed,” “Zadnja šansa,” and “Preden zaspi.” With the song “Boš prišla”, Kalamari took part in EMA 2004, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Unfortunately, they didn’t make it to the EMA final. Their biggest success was at the EMA 2010 competition, where they won with the song “Narodnozabavni rock” along with the Roka Žlindre ensemble. Slavko Ivančić and the late Danilo Kocjančič, who wrote some of their songs, often performed with Kalamari. After their big win at EMA, the group’s popularity and the number of performances slowly decreased. In 2014, frontman Jože Jež (Pepi) left the group and was replaced by Darjan Gržina. In 2020, partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group decided to split up. Entries Narodnozabavni Rock (& Ansambel Žlindra) Country🇸🇮 Slovenia Year2010 LanguageSlovenian LyricsLeon Oblak MusicMarino Legovič Backings– Results Semi Points: 6Position: 16Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/2faHkE1JZwc?si=8VAHdktaElgzHKPY

Rosa Linn

©EBU/Nathan Reinds About Quick Facts NameRoza Kostandyan Born20 May 2000 Nationality???????? Armenian National SelectionInternal selection 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongSnap (2022) Biography Rosa Kostandyan (born in Vanadzor, Armenia), known on stage as Rosa Linn, is an Armenian singer, songwriter, music producer. Rosa was born and raised in Vanadzor. She started playing the piano at the age of six. In 2013, she participated in the Armenian national final for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Gitem”. Rosa Linn began her professional music career by working with the American Nvak Collective recording label, which was founded by Armenian-American singer-songwriter Tamar Kaprelyan. In September 2021, she released her debut single “King” in collaboration with American singer Kiiara. On March 11, the Armenian Public Television (AMPTV) officially announced Rosa Linn as Armenia’s representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Her song called “Snap” was released together with the video on March 19. Rosa Linn managed to reach the final with her song. Entries Snap Country???????? Armenia Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsRosa LinnLarzz PrincipatoJeremy DusouletAllie CrystalCourtney HarrellTamar Kaprelyan MusicRosa LinnLarzz PrincipatoAllie CrystalCourtney HarrellTamar Kaprelyan Backings– Results Semi Points: 187Position: 5Running order: 17 Results Finals Points: 61Position: 20Running order: 8 https://youtu.be/DAJ6vfmD_ic

Rosa Linn

© EBU About Quick Facts NameRoza Kostandyan Born20 may 2000 Nationality🇦🇲 Armenia National SelectionInternal selection 2022 In Eurovision2022 Turin SongSnap (2022) Biography Rosa Kostandyan was born in Vanadzor, Armenia. She is known on stage as Rosa Linn. She is an Armenian singer, songwriter and music producer. Rosa Linn started playing the piano at the age of six. In 2013, she participated in the selection stage of the representative of Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Gitem”. RosaLinn began her professional music career by collaborating with the American Nvak Collective label, which was founded by Armenian-American singer-songwriter Tamar Kaprelyan. In September 2021, she released her debut single “King” in collaboration with American singer Kiiara. On March 11, the Armenian Public Television (AMPTV) officially announced Rosa Linn as Armenia’s representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Her song called “Snap” was released together with the video on March 19. Entries Snap Country🇦🇲 Armenia Year2022 LanguageEnglish LyricsRosa LinnLarzz PrincipatoJeremy DusouletAllie CrystalCourtney HarrellTamar Mardirossian Kaprelian MusicRosa LinnLarzz PrincipatoAllie CrystalCourtney HarrellTamar Mardirossian Kaprelian Backings– Results Semi Points:Position:Running order: 17 Results Finals Points:Position:Running order: 8 https://youtu.be/ug5Tein5Ams

Anna Bergendahl

About Quick Facts NameAnna Henrietta Bergendahl Born11 December 1991 Nationality🇸🇪 Swedish National SelectionMelodifestivalen 2022Melodifestivalen 2020Melodifestivalen 2019Melodifestivalen 2010 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongThis Is My Life (2010) Biography Anna Henrietta Bergendahl, born December 11, 1991, in Hägersten, Stockholm, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and doctor. Bergendahl performed in public for the first time at the age of eight, singing Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” in York Cathedral, UK. At age 12, she also appeared on the TV4 program Super Troupers with the song “Play That Funky Music” in 2004. Anna Bergendahl successfully auditioned for the fifth season of TV4’s talent series Idol 2008. She finished in fifth place in the competition. Anna participated in Melodifestivalen 2010, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “This Is My Life”. The song won the final at Globen on March 13 with 214 points. Therefore, Bergendahl represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo. “This Is My Life” was the first ballad to win the festival since “Kärleken är” in 1998. It was also Sweden’s 50th entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. The entry did not advance to the final after the second semifinal, finishing in eleventh place. It was the first and only time since the introduction of the qualifying rounds in 2004 that Sweden missed the Eurovision final. After Eurovision, Bergendahl toured Sweden and appeared on popular programs such as Allsång på Skansen, Sommarkrysset, and Lotta på Liseberg. On August 22, 2012, the single “Live And Let Go” was released. It was produced and recorded in Los Angeles and featured on Bergendahl’s second studio album, “Something To Believe In,” released on October 24, 2012. The album was also launched in January 2013 via Decca Records in the USA. The songs on the album were written and produced by Bergendahl herself, along with Larry Klein. In December 2013, SVT aired a documentary about Bergendahl’s life in the USA. In 2014, Bergendahl wrote music with producer and songwriter Tobias Fröberg. The collaboration resulted in two singles released in 2015, “Business” and “For You.” In October of the same year, an EP, “Live From Sandkvie Studio,” featuring acoustic covers of Bergendahl’s own songs, was released. In 2016, Bergendahl took a step back from music to focus on her medical studies at Örebro University and her work as a goodwill ambassador for the UN project Flicka. In 2016, Bergendahl began studying medicine, and in January 2023, she graduated as a doctor. In 2018, Bergendahl released several singles, the EP “We Were Never Meant to Be Heroes,” and the Christmas song “Just Another Christmas.” The following year, she competed in Melodifestivalen 2019 for the second time with the song “Ashes to Ashes,” reaching the final via Andra chansen and finishing in tenth place. “Ashes to Ashes” topped Swedish radio and went platinum. Bergendahl also participated in Melodifestivalen 2020 with the song “Kingdom Come,” finishing in third place. The song became the second most played on Swedish radio and also went platinum. Later that year, the single “Thelma and Louise” reached third place on the radio charts. The EP “Vera” was released in October 2020, containing five self-written songs by Bergendahl. At the end of the year, she released the Christmas single “It Never Snows In California.” In 2021, Bergendahl released the songs “Grain Of Trust” and “Bottom Of This Bottle,” the latter being a duet with Tyler Rich. Bergendahl competed in Melodifestivalen 2022 with the entry “Higher Power,” which qualified from the fourth heat to the semifinal (formerly known as Andra chansen) and advanced to the final. In July of the same year, she released a new song, “Demons and dreams”. On 18 November 2022, her Christmas EP “Merry Christmas everyone” came out. Anna’s new single “Dance with me” was released on 21 April 2023. A new video followed in October: “How Do You Know”. In April 2024 she performed at the Eurovision Preparties in Madrid and Amsterdam. Entries This Is My Life Country🇸🇪 Sweden Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsKristian Lagerström MusicBobby Ljunggren BackingsKristian TåjeAnna LundströmEmmalisa NorrhamnJessica MarbergerMartin Kagemark Results Semi Points: 62Position: 11Running order: 6 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/hNk6CZ77ags?si=7baCjVvu_UrjR_68

Gjoko Taneski

About Quick Facts NameGjoko Taneski Born02 March 1977 Nationality🇲🇰 Macedonian National SelectionSkopje Fest 2010 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongJas ja imam silata (2010) Biography Gjoko Taneski is a North Macedonian singer. He was born in Ohrid, SR Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia. Gjoko Taneski began his musical journey in Kavadarci, where he formed his first band during his high school days, performing on the local scene. Gjoko Taneski made his debut on the music scene in 1996 at one of the biggest and most popular festivals in North Macedonia, Makfest, where he performed the song “Odi Ne Go Mami Srceto”. Following his initial public appearance at Makfest ’96, Taneski’s talent was widely recognized, leading to several collaborations with composers and songwriters that helped launch his career. Gjoko released his first album “Zbogum Najmila” in 2007. A second album, „Nikogaš dosta“, was released in 2009. A year later, Gjoko represented North Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Jas ja imama silata”. Unfortunately, he didn’t reach the final. Two new songs came out in 2015: “Ako ljubov e….” and “Krajot e samo zbor”. The song and video of “Kako negas” were released in 2016. Ohrid was the place were he performed on a weekly basis in 2016 and 2017. Gjoko scored a hit with “Nemam nitu son” in 2018. He also performed with the Bitolskiot Kamen Orkestar. In 2019 he released a new single and video: “Toj što vo srce te nosi” (2019), followed by “Edna ljubov imam”. In the same year, he took part in a Numb Pink Floyd tribute. In 2020 he released “Den po den”. In 2021, just like in 1996, Gjoko took part in Makfest. This time with the song “Ti”. 20 July 2024 he gives a huge concert for his 30 years carreer. Entries Jas Ja Imam Silata Country🇲🇰 North Macedonia Year2010 LanguageMacedonian LyricsKristijan Gabroski MusicKristijan Gabroski BackingsBilly ZverDamjan ‘Pejcin’ Pejcinoski DancersBilly ZverDamjan ‘Pejcin’ Pejcinoski Results Semi Points: 37Position: 15Running order: 15 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/3sYNmPkivyU?si=nzGNs8-UJX4aMqd2

Tom Dice

About Quick Facts NameTom Eeckhout Born25 November 1989 Nationality🇧🇪 Belgian National SelectionEurosong 2023Internal selection 2010 In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongMe And My Guitar (2010) Biography Tom Dice, born Tom Eeckhout on November 25, 1989, in Eeklo, Belgium, is a celebrated singer-songwriter whose musical journey has captivated audiences both domestically and internationally. Dice’s musical inclinations were evident from a young age, initially exploring choral singing at the Sint-Jozef primary school, before venturing into guitar lessons at the age of eight. Despite an initial desire to learn the trumpet, it was the guitar that would become his instrument of choice, leading to the composition of his first song by twelve. This early exploration of music laid the foundation for his artistic identity, which would become more defined when he joined the band “The Dice” at fifteen. Adopting Tom Dice as his stage name, he began to carve out his niche as a performer, songwriter, and composer, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of artists including Gavin DeGraw, Taylor Swift, and Damien Rice. The turning point in Dice’s career came in 2008 when he participated in the second season of X Factor Belgium. Encouraged by his classmates to audition, Dice was pleasantly surprised by the positive reception from the jury, which contrasted sharply with the feedback he had grown accustomed to in his hometown. His journey on X Factor, where he finished second, was a significant milestone, leading to the release of his debut single “Bleeding Love,” an acoustic cover of the Leona Lewis hit, in June 2009. The single’s success in Belgium and Poland marked Dice’s arrival on the music scene, earning him a nomination for a TMF Award in the Best Young Artist category. In November 2009, another opportunity arose that would elevate Dice’s career to new heights. He was selected to represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo with the song “Me and My Guitar.” Breaking with a long tradition of less successful selection processes, the choice of Dice was a gamble that paid off. He became the first Belgian act since 2004 to reach the finals, ultimately securing a commendable sixth place. This achievement not only showcased his talent on an international stage but also solidified his position as a prominent figure in the Belgian music industry. Following his Eurovision success, Dice released his debut album “Teardrops” in April 2010. The album, which achieved gold status, featured a blend of original songs and covers, highlighting Dice’s growth as an artist and his commitment to crafting music that resonates on a personal level. The album’s singles, including “Me and My Guitar” and “Lucy,” alongside his debut single “Bleeding Love,” reflected his journey from a hopeful musician to a seasoned artist with a distinct voice and vision. Beyond his early achievements, Dice continued to evolve, exploring new musical landscapes and collaborating with other artists. His subsequent albums, “I’ve Come a Long Way” and “Better Days,” showcased his versatility and dedication to his craft, even as he ventured into the local political scene in Eeklo in 2018 without aspirations of being elected. In 2019, he formed The Starlings with Kato Callebaut, further expanding his musical repertoire and participating in the VTM program “Love for Music.” In 2023, The Starlings participated in the Belgian final for the Eurovision Song Contest. With the song “Rollercoaster”, the duo reached a 2nd place in the contest. Entries Me And My Guitar Country🇧🇪 Belgium Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsTom EeckhoutAshley HicklinJeroen Swinnen MusicTom EeckhoutAshley HicklinJeroen Swinnen BackingsJimmy ColmanMátyás Blanckaert Results Semi Points: 167Position: 1Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: 143Position: 6Running order: 7 https://youtu.be/lTsnwGrPKEI?si=r-W9oyqSrpAx5ALH

Paradise Oskar

About Quick Facts NameAxel Ehnström Born23 October 1990 Nationality🇫🇮 Finnish National SelectionEuroviisut 2011 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf SongDa Da Dam (2011) Biography Axel Ehnström, born on October 23, 1990, in Kirkkonummi, Finland, is a Finnish songwriter and musician recognized for his contributions to the music industry both as a performer and a songwriter. He gained international recognition as Paradise Oskar, representing Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with his song “Da Da Dam,” which placed 21st in the finals and won the Marcel Bezençon Press Award. Ehnström’s career is marked by his work with several notable artists and his involvement in gold and platinum-certified albums. He has collaborated with artists like Phoebe Ryan, Lost Frequencies, Isac Elliot, Anna Abreu, Christopher, Alle Farben, RAF Camorra, Dennis Kruissen, Madeline Juno, and Kasmir. Since joining Elements Music as a songwriter in 2013, he has achieved significant milestones, including co-writing Sofi De La Torre’s song “Vermillion,” recognized by Billboard as one of the best songs of 2014. His most notable works include featuring on Lost Frequencies’ single “All Or Nothing,” co-writing Deepend’s “Woke up in Bangkok,” and the co-writing of Alle Farben’s hit song “Bad Ideas.” Ehnström’s songwriting prowess was highlighted in both the 2016 and 2017 Finnish music industry reports by Music Finland, where he was recognized for having more international songwriting cuts than any other Finnish songwriter. In 2018, he was awarded the music export award of the year by the Finnish Music Publishers association for his contributions to the German music market. In 2022, Axel collaborated with Jyra for a song called “City Lights”. In October 2023 he teamed up with Mingue on the song “Fucking Lonely”. Ehnström’s personal life reflects his Swedish-speaking minority heritage in Finland, and he resides in Evitskog, Kirkkonummi. He adopted his stage name from Astrid Lindgren’s children’s book “Rasmus and the Vagabond,” where Paradise Oskar is a vagabond who plays the accordion, a name symbolizing his storytelling approach in music. His debut album, “Sunday Songs,” was released via Warner Music Finland on May 2, 2011. Entries Da Da Dam Country🇫🇮 Finland Year2011 LanguageEnglish LyricsAxel Ehnström MusicAxel Ehnström Backings– Results Semi Points: 103Position: 3Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: 57Position: 21Running order: 1 https://youtu.be/rQ98uBQxbBo?si=PKnoTE2PS_45h7An

Eye Cue

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersMarija IvanovskaBojan Tajkovski Founded2008 Nationality???????? North Macedonian National SelectionInternal selection 2018 In Eurovision2018 Lisbon SongLost and found (2018) Biography Bojan Trajkovski and Marija Ivanovska formed the duo Eye Cue in 2008. They started working together in 2007. Their first single “Magija” was released in May 2008, and became a major success. Five months later, their second single “Superstar Wannabe” was released, followed by an album with the same name. In june 2009, they had a promotion tour for this album, and a new single: “Glowing lips”. In 2010 they topped the charts with the song “Not this time”, which even reached the top 20 of most popular videos in 2010 on MTV Adria. They have been a part of major festivals in North Macedonia and the region. In December 2011, the song “Ne zaboravaj”, was released. “Ista pateka” reached the chart’s number 2. 2013 was a big success for the band as they had two major hits with the songs “Son” and “Bobi bas mi e gajle”. “Son” climbed no. 4 and “Bobi bas mi e gajle” no.9 on the MTV Chart.In 2014, the duo won SkopjeFest with the song “Ubava”. Normally, this was the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest but not that year. In 2018, the band represented North Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Lost and found”. Unfortunately, they didn’t manage to reach the final. In December 2018, the band released their third album “Sepak mie za bavno”. In 2019, they released no less than five new singles. In the same year, they performed at Eurovision Parties in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Australia. In 2020, they released a new single in Macedonian, called “Kolku dobro te znam”. In November of the same year, they released a music video for the song “Trepet”, together with Sarah Mejs. Entries Lost and found Country???????? North Macedonia Year2018 LanguageEnglish LyricsBojan Trajkovski MusicBojan TrajkovskiDarko Dimitrov BackingsValery DimovskaAntonia GigovskaDina JashariIvo Mitkovski Results Semi Points: 24Position: 18Running order: 11 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/MV_cR_Qb2Cg

Manel Navarro

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts NameManel Navarro Quesada Born07 March 1996 Nationality???????? Spanish National SelectionObjetivo Eurovisión 2017 In Eurovision2017 Kyiv SongDo it for your lover (2017) Biography Manel Navarro Quesada (Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain, March 7, 1996), better known as Manel Navarro, is a Spanish singer, guitarist and composer. He was born in Sabadell, Barcelona. In 2014 he rose to fame after winning the second edition of the regional contest for young musical talents Teen Star. It allowed him to sign his first record contract with TeenStarRecord. He also recorded the first theme of his authorship debuting as a composer, entitled “Brand new day”. In 2016 Manel signed with the record label Sony Music Entertainment (SME), and released his first single, “Candle”. With his new song, “Do it for your lover”, Manel participated in Objetivo Eurovisión 2017, the preselection to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. The voting ended in a tie with Mirela, who had been the winner of the popular vote. The jury voted again to break the tie and, by two votes to one, Manel was chosen as representative in the face of criticism and boos from the audience. As soon as the result was known, a barrage of criticism of the winner and the production of the gala was unleashed on social media, as well as allegations of fraud in the voting to favor Manel. Even the PSOE, an opposition party at the time, asked the government and RTVE for explanations about the gala. Manel participated on May 13 in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 performing in sixteenth place. He ended up in 26th and last place. On June 2, 2017, Manel published the song “Keep on Falling”, which tells his own story of personal improvement. In August, he launched the #LoSuperé anti-bullying campaign, which was joined by celebrities such as Carlos Baute, Gemeliers, Adrián Rodríguez and Nathan Trent. In April 2018 he announced his signing by the Universal Music label and published the song “Voulez-vous Danser?”. At 24 October 2019, Manel released a new single, “Mi mejor despedida”. For this song he teamed up with Funambulista. The song was also released in Catalan language as “El comiat de la vida”. On 22 January, 2020, another duet was released, now between Manel and Belén Aguillera: “Que te vaya bien”. In the same year, he teamed up with Bely Basarte for “Quiéreme”. In March 2021, Manel released a single with David Otero, “Que tengas suerte”, soon followed by “Que tal?” with Miki Nuñez. T Soon after those songs, it was time for Manel’s debut album “Cicatriz”. The album was released on digital download, CD and vynil at 23 April 2021. In October of that year, he teamed up with Danny Romero for the song “Pierda”. Entries Do It For Your Lover Country???????? Spain Year2017 LanguageEnglishSpanish LyricsManel NavarroAntonio Rayo “Rayito” MusicManel NavarroAntonio Rayo “Rayito” BackingsÁlex GonzálezAlejandro de los SantosMarc Montserrat RuizEdgar RegincósPol Niubó Results Semi Points: –Position: –Running order: – Results Finals Points: 5Position: 26Running order: 16 https://youtu.be/qAOXHdLdlqQ