Israel - Noa Kirel - Unicorn

3 - 362 pts / 3 - 127 pts in semi 1

One of the earliest announcements for Liverpool was Noa Kirel (נועה קירל) who went on to sing for Israel.

Her song Unicorn was revealed on March 8, here's the video. 

A remix was released on March 20 and another one on May 12 (see versions below)

The song is written by Doron Medalie, May Sfadia, Yinon Yahel and Noa Kirel herself.

Unicorn is sung in English with two lines in Hebrew added for good measure.

Hope Version

On November 19 a ballad version of the song: Unicorn, the HOPE version was released as a digital track.

AVOID: A cdsingle including unofficial remixes is spotted but I'm pretty sure it's not official.

AVOID: A cdsingle (they even call it promo) with remixes available on e-bay is not official and has low audio quality mostly unofficial versions.

It appears to come from the same source as the similar counterfeits of Sweden, U.K. and Norway.

digital single image, remixed

Israel first met her when she appeared in a Toddlers & Tiaras style show Pushers about parent “supporting” their kids to make it big. And she did, via kids TV, make up commercials and a live theatre she signed a record deal and ended up causing a commotion at the EMA awards.

Noa has been releasing songs since she was 14. Since 2017 several of her songs, in Hebrew as well as English,  have charted in various Israeli charts.

Her 15 minutes of international fame started when she wore an outfit at the EMA awards (2022) with Kanye's (or Ye, or Yesus or whatever his name is nowadays) face all over it to make a statement against his antisemitism. Not everyone got it so she had some explaining to do. Let's hope she can make it past those 15 minutes with her Eurovision adventure.

Songwriters

Doron Medalie is a seasoned Eurovision composer. He wrote or co-wrote the Israeli entries of 2015, 2016, 2018 winner Toy and 2020 never happened entry Feker Libi.

Yinon Yahel co-wrote the 2015 entry Golden Boy (with Medalie).

Noa Kirel's single is Gone.

Tel Aviv is a special place for the Dutchies

Versions:

Unicorn - single version

- digital 8-3

Unicorn - Sagi Kariv & Itay Galo remix

- digital 20-3

Unicorn - Rotem Mansano remix

- digital 12-5

Unicorn - Hope version

- digital 19-10

Unicorn - karaoke (= instrumental, just some vocal effects)

- On the official karaoke album

Oddly Deezer has a version which appears to be taken from the video off Eurovision.tv, including the heartbeats at the start.

Sagi Kariv also provided remixes for Hovi Star and Netta.

Charts:

Swedish top 100 (Topplistan): 27, 68

Ireland top 100 (IRMA): 37

Finland top 50 (IFPI): 10, 25

Netherlands top 100: 74

U.K. top 100 (OCC): 45

Norway top 40 (VG Lista): 30

Switzerland top 100 (Hitprade.ch): 46

Austria top 75: 43

Links and sources:
Noa Kirel Website, FB, Insta, Shop

Estonia - Alika - Bridges

8 - 168 pts / 10 - 74 pts in semi 2

Bridges by Alika (Alika Milova) is the winner of Eesti Laul 2023 and is the entry for Estonia in Liverpool.

The digital single of Bridges was released on December 2, 2022.

Alika wrote Bridges with Wouter Hardy and Nina Sampermans.

digital single image

Songwriters

We know Wouter Hardy from co-writing the 2019 Eurovision winner Arcade by Duncan Laurence.

Nina Sampermans a.k.a. Ravvel wrote Would You (Belgium 2012) 

Hardy and Sampermans both co-wrote the Swiss 2021 entry Tout L'Univers for Gjon's Tears which ended 3rd in the Rotterdam final.

Versions:
Bridges - single version

- digital 2-12-2022
Bridiges - karaoke
- On the official karaoke album (digital)

ALIKA LP/CD

Alika's debut album simply titled Alika is out on November 24.

It includes Bridges and recent singles like You, C'est La Vie and the latest Õde ütles. 

LP (red vinyl) and CD versions are available here through Alika's Website.

(CD currently sold out, Thanks Torsten)

Links and sources:
Alika Website, FB, Insta

Eesti Laul at ESC History

Eesti Laul FB

All Eesti Laul 2023 songs are here (player on the right) 
Remember Stefan, Koit ja Laura, Elina & Stig and Ott, how could we forget him...

Finland - Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha

2 - 526 pts / 1 - 177 pts in semi 1

Finland chose Cha Cha Cha by Käärijä to represent the country in Liverpool. Käärijä (Finnish word for Wrapper) won the 7-song UMK with a huge margin. (UMK = Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu, New Music Competition)

Cha Cha Cha won the (televote only) semi and the televote in the final so it's safe to say the public loved Käärijä.

Cha Cha Cha, a song in Finnish, was written by 

Jere Pöyhönen (Käärijä), 

Johannes Naukkarinen, 

Aleksi Nurmi and 

Jukka Sorsa.

Cha Cha Cha was released as a digital single on January 17. All songs from the UMK contest were released through your favorite digital sources.

It is released on a CD EP titled Cha Cha Cha Mixtape on the 5th of May. I ordered it here at Recordshop X. Thanks for the tip Immo!

It contains 6 tracks, mostly previously released singles.:
1 Cha Cha Cha
2 Klo23
3 Viulunkieli
4 Välikuolema
5 Morgan bonus track
6 Kovis bonus track

(Warner/Monsp 5054197641107)

A Vinyl green 12" inch version will be released on August 11. It has the same tracks.

Strictly Limited to 1000 (upped to) 2000 copies and 200 copies come signed with a poster. (update the signed/poster edition is sold out already)

pre-orderable here at recordshopx.

Thanks again Immo! 

pre-release image

A remix by Faustix was released on April 14.

The YES YES remix was released on May 5.

The Reggae mix, released as a digital track on May 9, was released as a video performance on April 14.

On May 19 another remix was released, the Future Bounce remix by Mr. Silker but I'm not sure if this is official as it is not released by Warner (and all the other versions are).

The Alan Walker remix was released on June 9.

An odd spatial mix called 8D Suomi or something like that appeared on official sources on 22-4 but it is unofficial and has been removed. (except from Youtube)

Lord Of The Lost of Blood & Glitter fame have released their tribute to Käärijä, a coverversion of Cha Cha Cha, on May 5.
It can also be found on LOTL's 2CD Weapons Of Mass Seduction out on December 29, 2023. 

Note: only on the 2CD & Napalm exclusive 3CD edition, NOT on the 1CD, LP or cassette editions.

Another great coverversion is released by Stuðlabandið, read more about that (and their other Eurovision covers) here at Eurocovers

Versions:
Cha Cha Cha - original single version
- digital 17-1, Cha Cha Cha mixtape CD
Cha Cha Cha - Faustix remix
- digital 14-4
Cha Cha Cha - YES YES remix
- digital 5-5
Cha Cha Cha - Reggae mix
- digital 9-5
Cha Cha Cha - Future Bounce remix by Mr Silker
- digital 19-5

Cha Cha Cha - Alan Walker remix

- digital 9-6
Cha Cha Cha - karaoke (=instrumental)
- on the official karaoke album (digital)


Charts:

Cha Cha Cha entered the Finnish top 20 straight after release, as did four other UMK 2023 songs. It went to #1 after the UMK victory. Kuuma's Ylivoimainen spent two weeks at #1 before the UMK final. Their song is also released on their CD Hyvikset Ja Pahikset (Vinyl in June).

Finland top 20/50 (IFPI): 2, 2, 4, 5, 4, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, / 3, 3, 4, 5, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1* 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 2, 3, 7, 11, 15, 17, 25, 21, 23, 26, 27, 36, 40, 42, 42, 35, 20, 28, 38, - re: 11, 41, 38, 40, 48, -, 33, 36, 37, 45, - re (ESC 2024): 37, -(1-58)

*Due to a technical error the charts of week 24 were changed a few days after publishing so Käärijä is not at #1 but at #2 that week. 

Cha Cha Cha The Alan Walker remix  charted seperately: 12, 24, 44, -
Sweden top 100 (Topplistan): 82, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 14, 15, 19, 16, 26, 29, 38, 45, 62, 71, 69, 88, 99, - (1-20)
Ireland top 100 (IRMA): 7, 12, 34, 55, 78, -
Italy top 100 (FIMI): 85, -
Germany top 100: 18, 40, -
Netherlands Top 100: 13, 34, 78, -
U.K. top 100 (OCC): 6, 15, 47, 78, -
Norway top 40 (VG Lista): 3, 3, 5, 10, 15, 22, 26, 31, 38, -

Switzerland top 100 (Hitparade.ch): 8, 26, -

Belgium (Ultratop Flemish): 17, 9, 24, 35, 43, -

Portugal top 200: 43, 107, - 

Bulgaria top 40: 35, -

Austria top 75: 7, 14, 45, -

Denmark top 40 (Tracklisten): 32, -

Spain top 100: 46, 85, -


Links and sources:
Käärijä: at Warner Website, Insta, his FB doesn't seem to be updated much.
UMK: Website in Finnish, English
UMK 2023 at ESC History
Remember The Rasmus, Blind Channel, Krista Siegfrids
Or have a flashback to the Finweeks at Eurocovers (2007)

Croatia - Let 3 - Mama ŠČ!

13 - 123 pts / 8 - 76 pts in semi 1

Croatia's "modern rock band" Let 3 sang for their country Liverpool with the song Mama ŠČ! (Mama No!).

Let 3 members Damir Martinović and  Zoran Prodanović wrote the song themselves, it was released on January 20 as a digital single.

cdsingle artwork

A remix by Beni Ducent (a.k.a Marin Gospić) was released on March 1.

Another remix by Denis Goldin was released on March 31. It's called extended but it's still only 3 minutes.

see versions for more details.

A  cdsingle has been issued with 7 versions of Mama ŠČ! . 

Dallas' Shop sells it now here. Thanks Immo.

The versions included are

- original

- Beni Ducent remix (3:42)

- Denis Goldin remix (2:11)

- Sasha Welles SHCH Moron mix

- Element 33 Nona Dub

- Acapella by Klapa Luka

- karaoke

(Dallas Records Dallas 971)

The karaoke is different from the one on the official karaoke album (has more vocals).

See versions below

In July another remix was released, The Čemer Trap Remix (digital, July 7)

On September 30 a collection of 9 versions was released including a new one subtitled Pt. 2. All versions are marked @ in the versions list below

(digital Dallas records)

digital single image

The song's lyrics are riddled with references to Putin. For example the tractor mentioned was a birthday gift from Lukachenko. Boris Johnson referred to Putin as a Crocodile.

And no points for guessing who the psychopath is.

Let 3 are Damir Martinović, Zoran Prodanović, Ivan Bojčić, Dražen Baljak and Matej Zec but since their inception in the mid 80's they have shed another 15 members or so.

They are not without controversy, they are obsessed with porn, sexual acts and genitalia even naming their albums after them. You'll have to find out for yourself as I don't want a Rated R certification for this blog. 

The 2006 line-up of Let3 featured in the video of Severina's Eurovision entry Moja Štikla, but they were not on stage with her. In 2024 Severina helped Let3 out with the performance of their DORA entry Babaroga.

Another fun fact. Let3's 1997 CD Nečuveno (unheard of) had nothing on it, no music or anything else. It's art.

That one is not available through digital sources.

Goldin remix

Versions:

# = on cdsingle  @ = 30 september EP

Mama ŠČ! - single version # @

- digital 20-1

Mama ŠČ! - Beni Ducent remix (5:19) 

- digital March 1, Spotify etc @

Mama ŠČ! - Beni Ducent remix (3:42) #

- on Deezer and here on Dallas Records Youtube

Mama ŠČ! - Denis Goldin remix extended (3:03) 

- digital 31-3, Spotify etc @

Mama ŠČ! - Denis Goldin remix (2:11) #

- also on Dallas Records Youtube (thanks Krzysztof)

Mama ŠČ! - Sasha Welles SHCH Moron mix #

- also on Dallas Records Youtube, digital 26-1 @

Mama ŠČ! - Element 33 Nona Dub #

- digital 10-5 @

Mama ŠČ! - Acapella by Klapa Luka # @

Mama ŠČ! - karaoke (with more vocals than the one below) #

Mama ŠČ! - Marino Finessa club remix @

- digital 26-5 

Mama ŠČ!  - Čemer Trap Remix

- digital - 7-7 @

Mama ŠČ! - Pt. 2

- digital 30-9 on @

Mama ŠČ! - karaoke (with less vocals than on cds)

- On the official karaoke album (digital)

Ducent remix

Links and sources:
Let 3 FB, Insta, Shop

DORA at ESC History

Remember Mia's Guilty Pleasure, Damir Kedžo (who didn't get to go) and Nina Kraljić.

DORA 2023

It appears there is no CD this year but Croatia Records share these image so you can make your own.

The album is released through your favorite digital outlets