Spain - Blanca Paloma - Eaea

17 - 100 pts, not in semi

Spain's new set up, the Benidorm Fest*, delivered a 3rd place with Chanel last year and they hoped to do the same with this year's winner Eaea by Blanca Paloma.

Blanca won the Benidorm final on February 4.

The song, described as "new Flamenco" was written by Blanca Paloma Ramos Baeza herself with Jose Pablo Polo and Alvaro Tato.

The digital single was released on December 20.

The version used at the contest is the same as the one on the official Liverpool album. But it has a slight difference compared to the original version. (Almost as small as the French one)

The difference is around the 2:15 mark - on the compilation album version the backing fades to silence for a while here while on the original version background music is heard throughout. The karaoke version matches the version on the compilation album.

Thanks to Krzysztof  for spotting that and letting us know. (see comments)

Like last year, a promo CD with all Benidorm songs was issued by TVE.

Blanca Paloma also participated in the 2022 Benidorm Fest. Then she ended 5th with Secreto De Agua.

* The Benidorm Fest isn't new but only since 2022 it provides the Eurovision entry.

Versions:

Eaea - ESC version

- on the official album (2CD/3LP/digital)

Eaea - single version

- digital 20-12-2022, TEV Benidorm promo

Eaea - karaoke of ESC version

- On the official karaoke album (digital)

backside of sleeve to non-existent record

Links and sources:

Blanca Paloma Insta, Linktree 

Spain 2023 at ESC History

Ruth Lorenzo and Pastora Soler both made it to the top 10 but my recent Spanish favorite is Barei.

Poland - Blanka - Solo

19 - 93 pts / 3 - 124 pts in semi 2

single release image

Blanka is the winner of Tu bije serce Europy! 2023 and will represent Poland with the song Solo. The 25th Polish entry to grace the Eurovision stage. The 26th song selected, if you count the Rotterdam contest that never was. 

Christmas 2022

Solo was released on September 23 and there are already some versions out there, including a Christmas one. (see versions below)

A new version for Eurovision is made with an added break beat bit and the karaoke of that is out on April 14 on the official karaoke album.

The version with the he break-bit is not on the official album. It has escaped to the Tube though.

The SMYLES remix was released on May 5.

A promo is spotted, details (version?) wanted. Thanks Torsten.

The song is written by Blanka Stajkow herself, Maciej Puchalski, Mikołaj Trybulec, Bartłomiej Rzeczycki, Marcin Górecki, Maria Broberg and Julia Sundberg. We know Broberg from co-writing Moldova 2019. Trybulec co-wrote Ochman's River.

Blanka Stajkow recorded her first songs when she was 13, participated in Poland's Top Model and already had a reasonable hit with the Eurovision song Solo.

All songs from Tu bije serce Europy! 2023 have been released as digital singles. Alicja Szemplińska, who was to sing in the cancelled 2020  contest finished 6th with New Home.

audiosoulz remix

Versions:
Solo - Eurovision version

- 15-5 premiere, to be released, Youtube

Solo - original
- digital 23-9, on the Liverpool 2CD
Solo - Christmas bell version, live
- digital 15-12
Solo - Audiosoulz remix
- digital 20-12

- a longer version is released through DJ services
Solo - Acoustic live
- digital 3-1 

Solo - SMYLES remix

- digital 5-5

Solo - karaoke (= mostly instrumental, a few vocal effects

- On the official karaoke album

Solo - Sped-Up version

- digital 11-5

Charts

Ireland top 100 (IRMA): 85, -

Finland top 50 (IFPI): 24, 31, 37, 39, 41, 42, 42, 42, 45, 50, -

U.K. top 100 (OCC): 56, -

January 2023 acoustic

Links and sources:
Blanka FB, Insta

Poland 2023 at ESC History

Eurowizija TVP pages

Remember Ochman, Donatan Cleo, Michał Szpak or personal fave Tulia. 

alternate single image

Serbia - Luke Black - Samo Mi Se Spava

24 - 30 pts / 10 - 37 pts in semi 1

Serbia's preselection Pesma za Euroviziju 2023 is won by Luke Black with the song Samo Mi Se Spava (Само ми се спава, I'm only sleepy).

The song was released on February 2 and is sung in a mix of English and Serbian.

Two remixes were released on April 21, see versions below.

A 5 track promo cds has been issued.

1 - Same me se spava

2 - karaoke

3 - acoustic

4 - Shurk remix

5 - TEEN remix

Thanks Torsten!

The below picture is nicked from e-bay where you can already spend a small fortune for it. Or wait a bit....

The acoustic version got a digital release on June 16.

Luke Black (Luka Ivanović, Лука Ивановић) wrote the song himself with Majed Kfoury.

He has been active since 2014 and released a number of singles and EP's through Universal and later self released.

remixes

Versions:

Samo Mi Se Spava - single version

- digital 2-2

Samo Mi Se Spava - TEEN remix

Samo Mi Se Spava - Shurk remix

- remixes digital releases 21-4

Samo Mi Se Spava - acosutic

- promo cds, digital 16-6

Samo Mi Se Spava - karaoke

- On the official karaoke album

Charts

Finland top 50 (IFPI): 50

Links and sources:

Luke Back Website,  FB, Insta, Shop
Pesma za Evroviziju 2023 at ESC History

At the 2021 jury final I was sitting so close to Hurricane that I could look straight into their cellphones. Gotta love' em. And Konstrakta was something else. In a marvelous way of course.