ITALY 🇮🇹
Umberto Antonio Tozzi is an Italian pop and rock singer and composer. Over the course of his career, he has sold over 70 million records in different languages internationally, and his biggest international hits are: “Claridad”, “Gloria”, “Tu” and “Ti Amo”.
GREECE 🇬🇷
In March 2004, Hellenic Radio and Television (ERT) announced that Rouvas would represent Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 after the selection process on the reality show EuroStar proved unsatisfactory. The show’s winner was expected to represent Greece, with Nikos Terzis writing the song entry; however, ERT changed its plans when the winner’s ability to perform under so much pressure was questionable and Rouvas expressed an interest in representing his country. In mid-March “Shake It”, with music by Terzis and lyrics by Nektarios Tyrakis, premiered on Greek radio. Originally, the song had Latin spirit and sound but Terzis changed it, combining the Greek traditional bouzouki sound with the Latin one to make it sound different from other Latin entries of the competition. At the third Arion Music Awards, he won Best Pop Singer for To Hrono Stamatao. In mid-April “Shake It” was released as a CD single, and Rouvas began a promotional tour of Europe for the contest; To Hrono Stamatao was reissued with a bonus “Shake It” single. The song remained number one on the Greek airplay charts for several weeks, and was number one on the IFPI Greece Top 50 singles chart for nine consecutive weeks.
ERT made an early announcement confirming that Rouvas would again be Greece’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. He performed his three songs (“Out of Control”, “Right on Time” and “This Is Our Night”, all composed by Dimitris Kontopoulos) at the Greek finals in February; the latter was the runaway winner with the jury and the viewers, winning 61 percent of the vote (the largest margin ever, and the most votes received by ERT in a national final). The song debuted at number one on the Greek Digital Singles chart, while Rouvas embarked on a promotional tour of Europe. He said publicly that he hoped to return the contest to Greece the following year. A win was widely anticipated by the Greek public, with the country being one of the three favorites among the Eurovision fans. However, Rouvas finished seventh in the final. The singer and the Greek public were disappointed with the result, and he issued a public apology for his loss. Rouvas received universal support from the public and the media, a first for a Greek Eurovision entrant regardless of result.
LITHUANIA 🇱🇹
Ieva Zasimauskaitė-Kiltinavičienė is a Lithuanian singer who represented Lithuania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with her song “When We’re Old”. She had previously participated in the Lithuanian national selection for the Eurovision in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017.
RUSSIA 🇷🇺
Mumiy Troll is a Russian rock group, founded in 1983 in Vladivostok by vocalist and songwriter Ilya Lagutenko (Илья Лагутенко). The band’s name translates as ‘The mummies’ troll’ and is a pun on Moomin Troll, the series of Finnish children’s books by Tove Jansson. In 2001, they represented Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest and took the 12th position. Time Out (London) wrote that they ‘stole the show’ by standing out as snakeskin heroes amongst all the taffeta and tuxedos.
SWEDEN 🇸🇪
Måns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw is a Swedish pop singer and television presenter. He took part in Idol 2005, eventually finishing fifth, won the first season of Let’s Dance, and scored a hit with his 2007 song “Cara Mia”, which was his entry in that year’s Melodifestivalen. Zelmerlöw was the host of Allsång på Skansen from 2011 to 2013. He participated in Melodifestivalen in 2007, 2009 and won in 2015. Zelmerlöw represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 with the song “Heroes”, winning the contest with 365 points. Zelmerlöw and Petra Mede co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 held in Stockholm.
SWEDEN 🇸🇪
Saade was born in Kattarp, a small village in Helsingborg Municipality, Scania, Sweden, to Marlene Jacobsson, a Swede, and Walid Saade, a Palestinian from Lebanon. After his parents divorced when he was four, he lived with his mother. Saade is the second of eight siblings and half-siblings. Saade began singing after seeing Michael Jackson on TV, and his other musical influences are Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams, the Backstreet Boys and Justin Timberlake.
