This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history!
For the fourth episode, we will look back at the eighties and early nineties. Gary Lux returned again, and Thomas Forstner participated twice. And 1990 brings a special national final…
1986 – Timna Brauer – Die Zeit ist einsam
Timna Brauer represented Austria in Eurovision 1986 with the song “Die Zeit ist einsam” (English: “Time is Lonely”). It was composed by Peter Janda with lyrics by Peter Cornelius. This introspective ballad scored 12 points in total and finished 18th in the final at Bergen. Brauer, an Austrian-Israeli singer-songwriter, comes from a famous artistic family. Her father is artist Arik Brauer. She was known for blending jazz and world music elements in her performances.
1987 – Gary Lux – Nur noch Gefühl
Canadian-born singer Gary Lux returned to Austria in Eurovision 1987 with the song “Nur noch Gefühl” (“Only Feelings”). This gentle mid-tempo pop ballad was composed by Kenneth Westmore with lyrics by Austrian artist Stefanie Werger. On the night of the final in Brussels, Lux earned 8 points, placing 20th out of 22 entries. Gary Lux was already a Eurovision veteran. He had represented Austria multiple times in the 1980s, including as a solo act in 1985 and as part of the group Westend in 1983. His experience and smooth vocals made him a familiar name on the Eurovision stage, even though the 1987 entry did not score high.
1988 – Wilfried – Lisa, Mona Lisa
Wilfried (Wilfried Scheutz) represented Austria in Eurovision 1988 with the song “Lisa, Mona Lisa”. This entry is a moody pop-rock number. It was co-written by Wilfried along with Klaus Kofler and Ronnie Herbolzheimer. In the Eurovision final held in Dublin, it unfortunately received nul points, finishing 21st (last) among the contenders. Wilfried was a prominent figure in Austropop: he had been one of the pioneers of Austrian pop/rock music since the 1970s. He even briefly served as lead singer of the band Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung (EAV) before pursuing a solo career. Despite his domestic success and unique vocal style, “Lisa, Mona Lisa” did not manage to score with the international juries.
1989 – Thomas Forstner – Nur ein Lied
Nineteen-year-old Thomas Forstner represented Austria at Eurovision 1989 with the power ballad “Nur ein Lied” (“Only a Song”). German pop producer Dieter Bohlen composed the music, while Joachim Horn-Bernges wrote the lyrics. The song carries an uplifting message of hope and peace. Forstner delivered one of Austria’s strongest Eurovision performances. Austria finished 5th out of 22 countries and scored 97 points, the nation’s best result since its 1966 victory.
The success turned Forstner into a national pop star. “Nur ein Lied” climbed to #1 on the Austrian charts and strengthened his position in the local music scene. His breakthrough in Lausanne helped revive Austria’s Eurovision presence at the end of the 1980s and remains a key moment in the country’s contest history.
1990 – Simone – Keine Mauern mehr
Austria’s 1990 entry was the inspirational pop ballad “Keine Mauern mehr” (“No Walls Anymore”), performed by Simone Stelzer. Marc Berry and Nanna Berry composed the music, and Mario Botazzi wrote the lyrics. The song promotes unity and the removal of barriers, echoing the atmosphere after the fall of the Berlin Wall. In the Eurovision final in Zagreb, Simone finished 10th out of 22 countries and earned 58 points for Austria.
The national selection brought drama. During the live final, the duo Duett first won the competition, but their female singer fainted on stage while performing “Das Beste”. The song still topped the vote, yet officials later disqualified it because it had appeared in a 1988 German national final. As the runner-up, Simone took the Eurovision ticket and delivered a strong top-ten result for Austria.
1991 – Thomas Forstner – Venedig im Regen
Thomas Forstner returned to represent Austria in Eurovision 1991 with “Venedig im Regen” (“Venice in the Rain”). Robby Musenbichler, Hubert Moser, and Wolfgang Eltner wrote this romantic ballad. The song was chosen out of 10. Also Anita Spanner (Eurovision 1984) was among the contestants. “Venedig im Regen” aimed to match Forstner’s strong 1989 result. The contest in Rome brought a very different outcome. Forstner scored 0 points, a sharp contrast to the 5th place he earned two years earlier. The song offers a smooth melody and heartfelt lyrics about a brief meeting in rainy Venice, yet international juries did not connect with it. This setback created one of the most striking turns in Austria’s Eurovision history, as Forstner became one of the rare artists to follow a top-five finish with a nul-points result.
