It's promising to be a colourful, crazy, magically musical time (as usual!) at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
This year, the contest is being held in the home of the Beatles. Liverpool was chosen to host on behalf of the Urkraine, following Kalush Orchestra's vistory for Ukraine in Turin last year. Fittingly, Liverpool this year also celebrates the 65th year of it's twin-city relationship with the Ukrainian city of Odesa.
As always, there's a huge range of songs, styles and staging coming our way during two semi-finals and the electrifying grand final.
Here are the 37 acts that will be taking to the stage, including our own Voyager and Cyprus' Australian-Cypriot rep, Andrew Lambrou.
Albania: Albina & Familja Kelmendi
Expect to see the colours of Albania - red and black - featuring prominently as the nation's entry, a family affair, takes to the Eurovision stage. Albina Kelmendi has become a star of Albanian pop scene with her fierce vocal talent. The talented vocalist grew up in a house of professional musicians, and now two generations of the Kelmendis are joining voices to perform in Liverpool. Albina’s mother Albana, her father Bujar, her brother Albin and sisters Vesa and Sidorela will all be taking to the Eurovision stage. Their song Duje is about the role of love in the family, and overcoming the challenges that life throws up.
Armenia: Brunette
This Armenian singer-songwriter has been belting out a tune since the age of 4. At 15, she penned her first song, and by 18 she had released her debut single, Love The Way You Feel. Along with her solo hits, Brunette is also a member of girl group En Aghjiknery (ThoseGirlz), and she can also be found performing with Project12, a live band based in Yerevan known for smashing out epic covers with slick dance moves. Her song Future Lover is about what she's looking for in love - including someone who likes to explore old bookstores.
Australia: Voyager
The dream has come true for these massive Eurovision fans! The Perth based quintet, who have been performing together since 1999, have become the first band chosen to represent Australia. The synth-metal band has been throwing their hat in the ring for the Eurovision Song Contest since Australia announced its participation back in 2015, and now they are set to bring their soaring melodies, masterful riffs, keytar solos and powerhouse rhythms to the LIverpool stage. Voyager includes Danny Estrin (vocals, keytar); Simone Dow (guitar); Scott Kay (guitar); Alex Vanion (bass); and Ash Doodkorte (drums). Their song Promise is an epic, progressive pop metal track.
Austria: Teya & Salena
When two singers have the same dream, this is what can happen. According to their Eurovision bio, the duo met while competing in the Austrian talent show Starmania 21, "bonding over their love for the Eurovision Song Contest. When they later put their heads together at a songwriting camp, their dream took hold and they united specifically to enter Eurovision." Both artists have come close to Eurovision stardom before: Salena came second in Austria’s 2019 pre-selection, where PÆNDA beat her to the draw; and Teya had a similar experience, losing out to Vincent Bueno in 2020. The pair apparently wrote the satirical Who The Hell Is Edgar? by drawing on their experiences as female songwriters in an industry that all too often doesn’t give women enough credit for their hard work and expertise.
Azerbaijan: TuralTuranX
Perhaps being twins will give this duo double the luck? They certainly have a unique path to the Eurovision stage! It’s not often that an artist can say their first big gig was the Eurovision Song Contest, but It's the case for twins Tural and Turan Baghmanov. The boys have always loved music, and influenced from a young age by their father, they decided to start a band - The Red Jungle. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic it proved tough to find gigs at first, and so the brothers decided to make the world their stage. They headed to the squares and parks of Baku, performing on the streets and drawing in their own audiences. Inspired by ‘60s and ‘70s music and styles, the boys applied to represent Azerbaijan at Eurovision “simply to try, as fortune favours the brave.” It certainly does. The twins were chosen with their song Tell Me More, which they co-wrote with friends Nihad Aliyev and Tunar Taghiyev. You can read more about why a lot of their music has a cool vintage vibe here.
Belgium: Gustaph
Belgium's entry is no stranger to Eurovision: Gustaph provided backing vocals for two previous Belgian entries: Hooverphonic in 2021 and Sennek in 2018. But this year, he's taking centre stage (and from the rehearsals, it looks like he'll be bringing some serious satorial style to the stage!). Gustaph's song, the '90s-inspired Because of You, was written with a very specific message: he told the Eurovision Song Podcast (hear the interview with him here), "We wrote it with the idea of the chosen family ...as queer people we have our own little bond of friends that help us and lift us up. And we wanted to create a song that says, ‘I’m here, I’m so glad I’m where I am right now, I’m alive and I owe it to you people who lift me up. That’s really the message of the song.”
Croatia: Let 3
We're on standby for surprises from this group, who are known for shocking audiences! Let 3 come from Rijeka, the birthplace of Croatia's punk scene, where they quickly gained a reputation for merging energetic performances with live art, social commentary, over-the-top theatrics and outlandish costumes. The group have released 10 albums, one of which, Nečuveno (Unheard), quickly sold out despite the record being completely blank. According to reports from Contest rehearsal, they are continuing the tradition of shaking things up. As for their song, well, there's definitely a message, and they have fun with the garb too.
Cyprus: Andrew Lambrou
There will no doubt be plenty of Australian support for Cyprus' entry! Last year, along with fellow Aussie participants Voyager, Lambrou competed in Eurovision - Australia Decides with his song 'Electrify'. His performance clearly impressed beyond Aussie shores: This year he’ll be representing Cyprus - his parents’ homeland - on the Eurovision stage. Lambrou has been watching Eurovision with his family his whole life, and has spoken to SBS of how proud he is of his Greek and Cypriot heritage. We can't wait to see him take to the stage with his His Eurovision entry, the powerful ballad Break A Broken Heart.
Czechia: Vesna
Vesna is an all-female band led by acclaimed singer and songwriter Patricia Kaňok. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vesna used the lock-down time to record a new album called Anima, which solidified their position on the pop scene while at the same time allowing them to retain their distinctive folk soul and dreaminess. In February 2022, Vesna joined other Czechian artists at a charity concert in Wenceslas Square to show their support for Ukraine. The band, which has been performing together for six years, shares its name with the Slavic Goddess of Spring, and folklore is a big part of the band's vibe. Their song for the contest is called My Sister's Crown.
Denmark: Reiley
Social media star Reiley released his debut single 'Let It Ring' in 2021; a pop hit that sampled the default iPhone ringtone. The song was so successful that Reiley found fandom in the South Korean charts, and now, after a string of hit singles, he’s heading to Liverpool. Born and raised on the remote Faroe Islands, the youthful-looking 25-year old has proven he’s able to connect with fans wherever they are, amassing nearly 11 million followers on TikTok - and he’ll be urging every one of them to vote for Breaking My Heart.
Estonia: Alika
This contestant is not just a singer - she's also a talented breakdancer, rapper and boxer, Alika's first three singles all reached the top of the radio charts in Estonia, solidifying her popularity in her home country. She’s heading to the Contest with Bridges, which she wrote with Wouter Hardy, who co-wrote Duncan Laurence’s Eurovision winning song Arcade.
Finland: Käärijä
Rapper, singer, and songwriter Käärijä has a reputation for energetic, shirtless performances described by the man himself as: ‘It’s crazy, it’s party!’ Hailing from Vantaa in Finland, Käärijä has been making music since 2014 - he released his debut album Fantastista in 2020. For the experimental rapper, it’s all about defying genres. In his Eurovision entry 'Cha Cha Cha, he fuses rap, electronic music, metal, and schlager, with a performance that incorporates ballroom dancing, a neon green bolero jacket, and lots and lots of wooden pallets.
France: La Zarra
"A self-taught musician, this chanteuse channels the style of Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, with a healthy dose of Édith Piaf’s sense of tragedy. Also added for good measure is a sprinkling of Lady Gaga’s postmodernism. The result? A timeless Parisian disco queen," says the official Eurovision profile of the entrant from France. La Zarra penned her Eurovision entry 'Évidemment' alongside writer Benny Adam, with legendary producers Banx & Ranx who have been responsible for mega hits performed by the likes of David Guetta, Dua Lipa and Ellie Goulding. So we're expecting big things when she takes to the stage.
Georgia: Iru
Iru has already had a taste of Eurovision vistory, winning Junior Eurovision in 2011, at the age of 11, with her band Candy. Born and raised in Georgia’s capital city, Tbilisi, 22-year-old Iru won the right to represent her nation at this year's Eurovison Song Contest via her performance in The Voice Georgia with a touching rendition of Loreen’s 'Euphoria', complete with an actual snowstorm.
Germany: Lord of the Lost
This genre-fluid band from Hamburg are big news in Germany where they’ve built a considerable fanbase. Formed in 2009, Lord of the Lost is made up of singer Chris Harms, guitarist Pi Stoffers, bassist Klaas Helmecke, multi-instrumentalist Gared Dirge and drummer Niklas Kahl. Eurovision isn't the only big thing on their to-do list right now - after the contest ends, they will be hitting the road to support Iron Maiden on tour. With a sound described as "somewhere between rock, metal, glam, wave and pop", the band saw their latest album hit number one in the German charts in January. Can they have similar success at Eurvision with their song, Blood & Glitter?
Greece: Victor Vernicos
Greece's youngest-ever representative at 16 years, Vernicos nonetheless has been working hard on his skills - and not just the musical ones, it seems. According to the Eurovision website, he's not only a multi-talented musician, but has also mastered the art of baking connamon rolls: "The singer comes from a very musical family, with a Greek mother who plays the piano and a Danish father, who plays the trumpet, and Victor himself is proud of both his Greek and Scandinavian heritage. Though a talented pianist and guitarist, Victor’s ‘pièce de résistance’ are his exceptional cinnamon rolls, a bake he feels he’s perfected." His Eurovision entry is the heartfelt What They Say.
Iceland: Diljá
A physiotherapy student, Diljá burst onto the Icelandic music scene at the beginning of 2023 with her 'Söngvakeppnin' (Iceland’s national final) entry 'Power'. She quickly became a fan favourite with her message of self-improvement and taking back her own power resonating strongly with the Icelandic people. Her entry Power, which has strong message of self-empowerment, was written and produced by a big name in Icelandic pop, Pálmi Ragnar Ásgeirsson, who was also behind María Ólafs’ Eurovision 2015 entry Unbroken.
Ireland: Wild Youth
Formed in Dublin in 2016, this band of four friends combine rock with catchy pop harmonies. The band is made up of frontman Conor O’Donohoe (vocals) who also pens most of the band’s songs; David Whelan (keyboard); Edward Porter (guitar); and Callum McAdam (drums). The lyrics of their entry We Are One include the line "we might be different, we might be unique" - how very Eurovision! Can they also be triumphant, and continue Ireland's impressive record of seven wins at the Contest?
Israel: Noa Kirel
Israel's entrant has an impressive CV! An actress as well as a singer, she is also a judge on two TV music shows. She released her debut single at just 14, and has since won a swag of awards. And her nation recognises her talent - apparently the Israeli Eurovision selection committee announced her participation eight months before the official deadline for entries. Fittingly for a competition where anything can happen, her entry is called Unicorn.
Italy: Marco Mengoni
If you think you've seen that name linked with Eurovision before, you're not imaging it - Mengoni has impressed on the Eurovision stage before. In 2013 the Italian singer-songwriter, who's had multiple number one hits in Italy, finished seventh at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö with his entry L'essenziale, This year he's back with Due Vite, a soaring ballad that showcases his voice and presence. (One fan commented on the song on YouTube: "those vocals, that presence, that melody. Everything’s perfect.") Can he follow on from the triumph of Italian band Måneskin in 2021?
Latvia: Sudden LIghts
Latvia's 2023 entry is catchy - but also heartfelt, inspired by the band members' feelings about trouble in the world, including the Russian invasiona of Urkarine. The band, made up of Andrejs Reinis Zitmanis (lead vocals); Kārlis Vārtiņš (bass); Kārlis Matīss Zitmanis (guitar) and Mārtiņš Matīss Zemītis (drums), came together in 2012 when they were at music school. Today, Sudden Lights is now one of the most streamed acts in Latvia. Their moving entry is sung in English because they say they wanted to extend comfort to a wider audience (watch a deeper dive into what it's all about here). Latvia's competition to select their Eurovision entry is called Supernova. Can this quartet of friends go 'supernova' in Liverpool and score what would be the second Eurovision Song Contest win for Latvia (which won back in 2002)?
Lithuania: Monika Linkytė
Monika Linkytė is another aiming to make it second time lucky, after competing at Eurovision in 2015 alongside Vaidas Baumila with the song 'This Time'. In 2023, she's singing solo, bringing her soaring entry Stay to Liverpool. Accordinng to her Eurovision profile, the song is grounded in local folklore, with the lyrics "Čiūto Tūto" often used in Lithuanian folk dances as magical incantations.
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Malta: The Busker
The Busker is not one but three - though the band apparently did start out busking on the streets. Jean Paul Borg, Sean Meachen and David 'Dav Jr' Meilak make up the indi-pop band who are aiming to claim Malta's first win at the Eurovision Song Contest. Their song Dance (Our Own Party) explores social anxiety and, more specifically, leaving a party to spend time with friends in a more comfortable setting.
Moldova: Pasha Parfeli
Modolva has nover won the Eurovision Song Contest, although it has had some memorable performaces, including 'Epic Sax Guy' Sergey Stepanov, from the band SunStroke Project. This year, the countries hopes are resting on the shoulders of a competitor who's very familiar with Eurovision. Parfeni represented Modova in 2012, finishing 11th, and joined forces with his wife Yuliana Scutaru to compose Moldova’s entry O Mie for Aliona Moon for the 2013 contest (and accompanied Aliona on stage on piano). Scutaru wrote the lyrics of Pasha Parfeni's 2023 entry, the folklore-inspired Soarele și Luna.
Netherlands: Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper
This pair have a strong link to Eurovision: they were both spotted by Arcade singer and Eurovision 2019 winner Duncan Laurence and his partner, songwriter Jordan Garfield, who brought the pair together. The four worked together on the song that saw the duo chosen to represent the Netherlands.
Norway: Alessandra
This Norwegian-Italian singer-songwriter's Eurovision entry was also her debut single - but it's been garnering plenty of attention after she claimed victory at the Norwegian national final Melodi Grand Prix. The song, 'Queen of Kings' is about self-love and empowerment. Norway has a mixed record at the contenst - it has finished last 11 times, but it's also had the biggest margin of victory ever, when it claimed the prize in 2009. Alessandra will be aiming to make it win number four for Norway with Queen of Kings, co-written by Alessandra herself, Norwegian composer Henning Olerud, globe-trotting ghostwriter Linda Dale, and writer-producer Stanley Fernandez, who has released tracks with Eurovision 2021 stars TIX and Flo Rida.
Poland: Blanka
A singer, dancer and occasional DJ, half-Polish, half-Bulgarian artist Blanka released her first song at 14, while living in Poland, and then spent 4 years in the US honing her performance skills. Blanka's entry Solo talks about a love that turns out to be different to what it seemed at first. The official Eurovision Live Blog, watching her in rehearsals, described her song "a huge summer MOOD from start to finish" so we're expecting some tropical vibes from the Polish performer.
Portugal: Mimicat
Mimicat - aka Marisa Mena - has a glam-sassy presence that will do doubt bring a pile of style to the Liverpool stage. Singing and recording since the age of 9, she released her debut album in 2014. While her style is all her own, she is apparently inspired by the great voices of soul, and by pop hits from the '80s and '90s. Her Eurovision profile confirms, for those who wonder, that indeed, she does own a cat and its name is Brownie. (And we kid you not here - the first time we clicked through to watch her official video on YouTube, the ad that sprang up was for... cat food.)
Romania: Theodor Andrei
Bucharest-born Theodor Andrei is a singer, composer, and actor, with an impressively long list of theatre and voice-acting credits. Now he's bringng his distinctive rock vocals to Liverpool with his song D.G.T. (Off And On). Romania hasn't won the contest before, although it has finished top 5 on three occasions. The country will no doubt be hoping to see Andrei turn it ON.
San Marino: Piqued Jacks
Small but mighty San Marino has made the grand final three times since they debuted in 2008. This year, the country's hopes are carried by an alt-rock foursome who may hail from a small Tuscan village, but know how to go big - accoring to their Eurovision profile, the band celebrated the release of their latest album Synchronizer by skydiving from 4300 metres in the stratosphere and then playing the full album track list once they’d landed on the airstrip. That's promising for some impressive staging as they deliver their song Like An Animal.
Serbia: Luke Black
Impressive experimentation and clever crossovers are what make Serbia's entrant so fascinating. His official Eurovision profile captures it well: "Luke’s unique brand of indie-techno-pop has won him the title of the ‘Serbian pop alchemist’ in the eyes of his domestic media, and internationally he’s proving to be one of his country’s most sought after exports. In the last 12 months he’s performed both a sold-out tour in China and created a techno-opera style show in Berlin’s Berghain, the world’s most famous nightclub for electronic music. Creating fresh crossover melodies, Luke uses classic pop influences as his canvas which he then paints over with experimental, electronic and indie sounds." Clever, and sure to bring someting all his own to the Liverpool stage.
Slovenia: Joker Out
While Slovenia has not won Eurivision, it did win sister competition Eurovision Choir of the Year in 2017. This year, hopes are pinned on one of the nation's most successful groups. Joker Out, made up of Bojan, Jure, Kris, Jan and Nace, describe their sound as "shagadelic rock ‘n’ roll". We're keen to see how that translates to the Eurovision stage as they deliver their song Carpe Diem.
Spain: Blanca Paloma
Spain has a long and proud history at the ESC, as the country that has participated more times consecutively since debut than any other, and with many Grand Final appearances, plus two victories (in 1968 and 1969). And this year we're told we can expect some distinctively Spanish sounds: "Eaea is a song rich in flamenco-inspired sounds and syncopated beats, which is in keeping with Blanca’s trademark style of mixing the traditional with the avant-garde and modern pop." And you'll quickly see what they mean about that mix of tradition and pop when you watch the video.
Sweden: Loreen
A winner returns! Loreen claimed victory in 2012 and now she's back to fly Sweden's flag on stage again, with her song Tattoo. Sweden is one of the most successful nations at Eurovision, having six wins so far (including the first and most famous with ABBA in 1974).
Switzerland: Remo Forrer
Well this sounds idyllic! "After a childhood of playing traditional folk music on the accordion in his little Swiss village of Hemberg (surrounded by picturesque hills and green meadows), Remo moved onto the piano," reads his official profile, "but it was his singing it was his singing that landed him victory at The Voice of Switzerland 2020. He also triumphed in the German version of the music game show I Can See Your Voice." There's depth here too though. His song has a message - "We are currently faced with global crises and war. And we must live with the consequences of decisions we didn't make. But I still hope we can change things." he says of the song Watergun.
Ukraine: TVORCHI
Ukraine has been one of the most successful contries in the Eurovision Song Content, making the grand final every year since they first entered in 2003 and winning three times, including last year's victory by Kalush orchestra (who will be playing during this year's Eurovision). The 2023 entry, duo TVORCHI, is made up of friends Andrii Hutsuliak and Jeffrey Kenny (aka Jimoh Augustus Kehinde), who originally met at university. The pair have released four albums together, all of them reaching number one on the Ukraine charts. Fittingly, their song Heart of Steel is about bravery, freedom and pushing on no matter how tough things are.
United Kingdom: Mae Muller
The UK's song is called... I Wrote A Song. Clearly Mae Muller has a sense of humor as well as muscial talent. The 25-year-old singer and songwriter from London co-wrote her Eurovision entry with Brit Award nominated songwriter Lewis Thompson and Karen Poole, who has written for the likes of Kylie Minogue, Lily Allen and David Guetta. Nominated for MTV awards in 2002, she's now bringing her sassy pop to the Eurovision stage.
These profiles have drawn on the participant profiles and other information published by the official Eurovison Song Contest website. See more about all the artists here. You can now stream, download and playlist all 37 #Eurovision2023 songs here.
#Eurovision2023
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