Lithuania - Monika Linkytė - Stay

11 - 127 pts / 4 - 110 pts in semi 2

Stay by Monika Linkytė is the winner of Pabandom Iš Naujo! 2023 and is the entry for Lithuania in Liverpool.

The song is written by Monika Linkytė and Krists Indrišonoks.

digital release image

Stay was released as a digital single on February 14 (Creative Industries).

A new version, Stay (Čiūto Tūto!) with alternate choir, was released on March 2 (Čiūto Tūto can be loosely translated as I'm Sorry or I Repent even, in a chant kind of way).

This is the version for Eurovision.

Monika releases a mini album/ EP on May 11 titled Healing.

A creamy white vinyl 12"inch is issued (and a digital version).

The Eurovision version of Stay (Čiūto Tūto) is included.

(Creative industries) You can order now at Monika's shop

UPDATE: There are two versions of the vinyl. One has the tracks spread accross both sides, the other is one sided.

Tracklist vinyl

Side One

1 Spells (Intro)

2 Stay (Čiūto Tūto) +

3 Home

4 Sometimes Love Give You Up - with Chris Noah

Side two

5 Oda (Demo)

6 Song to myself +

It comes with a luxurious booklet with lyrics and photos from Monika's trip to Nepal.

(Creative Industries, no numbers)

+ The digital version is split into 8 tracks but it has the same content as the 12"inch.

Eurovision fans already know Monika Linkytė from the 2015 Lithuanian entry This Time, a duet with Vaidas Baumila. They finished 18th in the final in Vienna.

Before that Linkytė entered every Lithuanian selection from 2010 to 2015 but this year was the first time since This Time.

2010 Give Away (6th)

2011 Days Go By (4th)

2012 Happy (3rd)

2013 Baby Boy (won the heat but withdrew)

2014 Breakaway (4th)

2015 Flying / Skęstu  Monika performed this (self co-written) song in an early heat but in a later stage it was sung my Mia Pilibaitytė.

2015 This Time (1st, then 18th in Eurovision)

In the Lithuanian 2015 preselection This Time was performed three times by different singers, Mia, Monika Linkytė and Vaidas Baumila. It was later decided internally that it was going to be a duet. Poor Mia.

This Time was co-written by Monika Liubinaitė better known as Monika Liu of Sentimentai fame.

Versions:

Stay (Čiūto Tūto)

- digital 2-3, 12" EP Healing

Stay - original

- digital 14-2

Stay - karaoke

- On the official karaoke album (digital)

Links and sources:

Monika Linkytė: FB, Insta

Pabandom Iš Naujo! 2023 at ESC History

Remember The Roop x2, Donny Montell x2 and of cource Monika's first entry.

2015 cdsingle

Archive: From the days when we still had these lovely CDsingles with all these wonderful versions in languages. I miss that.

Norway - Alessandra - Queen Of Kings

5 - 268 pts / 6 - 102 pts in semi 1

Alessandra won the final of the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix with the song Queen Of Kings written by Written by Linda Dale, Henning Olerud, Stanley Ferdinandez and Alessandra Mele herself.

The song was released as a digital single on January 9 (Starlab/Universal).

With 2:28 on the clock, Queen Of Kings appears to be the shortest song in this year's contest. But the video version (with an intro in Italian) is longer than the single version so we'll have to see what is performed in Liverpool.

Update: She performed the version with the (prerecorded) intro, so far only released as videoclip.

The Da Tweekaz x Tungevaag remix was released on April 6. (see versions below for more details)

An acoustic version is released on April 13.

An Italian version is released on April 21, this does have the Italian intro that is also in the video version.

On May 19 the Billen Ted remix was released.

A digital set of versions was released on June 1st as Queen Of Kings (Complete). 

It includes all the versions marked # in the versions list. Still no Eurovision version though. So it's not really complete. See comments, thanks Krzysztof)

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 Israel.

Rock cover

When I heard Queen Of The Kings I thought it would make a great symphonic rock tune. Lo and behold, I got my wish. A coverversion in that style was released by Pagefire (digital 11-5).

2020 singer Ulrikke finished second in this year's MGP.

All songs from the 2023 MGP have been released as digital singles.

Versions:

remix image

Queen Of Kings - Video version (also see comments)

- Youtube, not released as audio. 

Queen Of Kings - single version (2:28) #

- digital 9-1

Queen Of Kings - Da Tweekaz x Tungevaag remix (2:25) #

- digital 6-4

Queen Of Kings - extended mix (4:00)

Queen Of Kings - Da Tweekaz x Tungevaag extended (2:53)

- both extended versions available through DJ services (digtracks, Beatport)

Queen Of Kings - Acoustic #

- digital 13-4

Queen Of Kings - Italian version #

- digital 21-3

Queen Of Kings - Billen Ted remix #

- digital 19-5, also exists as instrumental (see comments)

Queen Of Kings - Gabry Ponte remix #

- digital 1-6

Queen Of Kings - Redfield remix #

- digital 1-6

Queen Of Kings - Instrumental #

- digital 1-6

Queen Of Kings - karaoke

- on the official karaoke album (digital)

Queen Of Kings - sped up #

- digital 1-6

Remixes by Stormby have also popped up, but so far they're not officially released.

Charts:

Norway VG Lista top 40: 15, 11, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, 12, 25, 26, 22, 14, 5, 7, 13, 16, 19, 24, 25, 33, 39,

Sweden topplistan top 100: 52, 35, 39, 68, 78, 55, 47, 60, 79, 94, -, re: 69, 7, 10, 17, 23, 46, 51, 85, 59, 76, 81, 87, 87, 90, 94, 95

Finland top 20/50* (IFPI): 20, -, 20, /* 26, 40, 43, - re: 19, 4, 3, 7, 13, 13, 19, 15, 21, 29, 34, 44, 45, 50, -

*IFPI is publishing the Finnish top 50 from week 13

Netherlands top 100: 72, 12, 24, 56, 79, -

Ireland top 100 (IRMA): 18, 30, 60, -

Italy top 100 (FIMI): 33, 81, -

Germany top 100: 19, 32, 88, -

U.K. top 100 (OCC): 10, 23, 56, 88, -

Switzerland top 100 (Hitparade.ch): 5, 16, 36, 52, 92, -

Belgium (Ultratop Flemish): 21, 31, 26, 20, 34, -

France top 200 (SNEP): 152, -

Austria top 75: 8, 13, 30, 44, 69, -

Spain top 100: 59, -

Portugal top 200: 70, 144, -

The Oslo Collection

Links and sources:

Alessandra FB, Insta
MGP at ESC History
NRK MGP pages
Remember KEiiNO, Tix, Alexander Rybak and we still don't know what Mørland did.

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.

Denmark - Reiley - Breaking my heart

digital single image

14 - 6 pts in semi 2

Reiley's Breaking My Heart is the winner of 2023 Danish Melodi Grand Prix and will represent Denmark in Liverpool.

Reiley wrote the song himself with Sivert Hjeltnes Hagtvet, Hilda Stenmalm and Bård Mathias Bonsaksen.

Breaking My Heart was released as a digital single on January 19.

A slightly altered version with a new intro added was released on March 6 and it replaced the original one on streaming services.

And he's a tiktok phenomenon so a (godawful) sped up version had to be released (on April 10).

The acoustic version was released on April 28

Life Of Reiley

Reiley (Rani Petersen) is the first ever artist from the Faroe Islands to participate in Eurovision. He is kid from the Tik Tok generation, his popularity (10.7 million followers) attracted the attention of Atlantic records who signed him and a handful of single releases followed.

Many of his followers are from Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Even though he was born, like, just yesterday*, he had some controversy already. He was accused and campaigned against for being an industry planted fake lying about his age to please the tiktok crowd.

*Various wiki's had different ages for the guy but now it appears to be agreed on 1997, although several sites still have 2002.

When he performed in South Korea he had allegedly already performed his Eurovision entry before the date allowed according to Eurovision rules.

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen

Versions:

Breaking My Heart - new single version

- digital release 6-3

Breaking My Heart - original single version

- digital release 19-1

Breaking My Heart - Acoustic

- digital 28-4

Breaking My Heart - karaoke

- On the official karaoke album (digital)

Breaking My Heart - sped up version

- digital 10-4

Charts:

Denmark top 40 (DK Tracklisten): 31, -

Links and sources: 

Reiley Website, FB, Insta, linktree

DMGP 2023 at ESC History

Melodi Grand Prix at DR TV

Thanks to Marek.

Remember Emmelie de Forest, Fyr og Flamme and Rasmussen

Georgia - Iru - Echo

12 - 33 pts in semi 2

Iru (Irina) Khechanovi (ირუ ხეჩანოვი) will represent Georgia in Eurovision 2023. She won her ticket to Liverpool by winning The Voice Georgia. The Eurovision song was selected internally.

She's not a stranger to winning as Iru was a member of the group Candy who won the 2011 Junior Eurovision with Candy Music. Little kids grow up.
She has released a new single იდეა (Idea) in January 2023.

The Eurovision song, Echo, was revealed on March 16. Here's the video

Echo is written by 

Giorgi Kukhianidze (who wrote several Georgian Junior Eurovision songs), 

Beni Kadagidze (wrote last year's Junior song with Kukhianidze) and 

Iru Khechanovi

The digital single was released March 17, but it was temporary removed from all digital sources a few days later. It came back on on March 24 and nothing appears to have changed. 

On Spotify, Apple (and other services ???) you can find her music under the name IRU except for Echo which appears under Iru.

A remix by Nikusha Shxiani was released as a digital single on 24-4 (although it appeared earlier on Youtube, see comments)

Versions:

Echo - original

- digital 16-3

Echo - remix (by N. Shkhiani)

- digital 24-4

Another remix by Temo Datuashvili is now on Youtube 

Echo - karaoke

- On the official karaoke album (digital) This has a piano following the vocal line.

Echo - Instrumental (= 2nd karaoke, without the piano)

- Youtube, 26-5

Links and sources:
Iru Khechanovi FB, Insta

Armenia - Brunette - Future Lover

14 - 122 pts / 6 - 99 pts in semi 2

digital single image

Brunette is the singer for Armenia. Her song Future Lover was revealed on March 15. Here is the video.

The song is sung in English with a small part in Armenian at the end.

Future Lover was released on March 20 through the digital shops and streamers. (see comments, thanks Ben)

An alternate version with Kami Friends was released on April 14 or 17.

There is an issue with the lyrics, a part of them are an exact copy of an older quote (2013?) published on tumblr and other social media. (here).

Another part is largely derived from a 2016 quote (here on Pinterest) with the near café's as neat café's.

And there's more. 

It's not unusual to have quotes in a Eurovision song but I guess in this case it would justify some songwriting credits.

Let's wait and see what happens, probably nothing.

Brunette (real name Elen Yeremyan,  Էլեն Երեմյան) has been releasing several singles since 2014. Bac Kapuyt Achqerd (in Armenian) is the latest.

Versions:
Future Lover - single version
- digital 15-3
Future Lover - karaoke
- On the official karaoke album (digital)
Future Lover (Առաջին Ստուդիա) - with Kami Friends
- digital 14-4*
Spotify says 14-4 but I’m pretty sure it appeared later.
 

Links and sources:
Brunette Insta
Remember Rosa Linn? She's still in the charts you know.

Netherlands - Mia Nicolaï and Dion Cooper - Burning Daylight

13 - 7 pts in semi 1

vinyl single sleeve

Mia Nicolaï and Dion Cooper represented the Netherlands in Liverpool.

The song, Burning Daylight,
was revealed and released as a digital single on March 1. It is written by Mia, Dion, Jordan Garfield, LUKAZ and 2019 Eurovision winner Duncan Laurence.

Here's the video

digital release

A vinyl single was released on May 12. It's here (NL only) or here (NL, BE, DE only)

It has the instrumental on the b-side.

(Universal 0602455518316)

A remix is on the official Eurovision Youtube (here), said to be released later.

Dutch Female/Male duo's have done well in the past, so let's have a list (below)

Mia Nicolaï is also one of the songwriters of When Love's Real by Corina Ivanov, a song in this year's Moldovan final.

picture from AVROTROS

Rotterdam, Rotterdam, so good we had it twice.

Versions:

Burning Daylight - single version 

- digital 1-3, 7" inch vinyl

Burning Daylight - remix

- to be released?, video here

Burning Daylight - karaoke (= instrumental)

- On the official karaoke album (digital) and 7" inch vinyl

Charts

Netherlands top 100: 61, 62, 64, 68, 69, 66, 58, 67, 65, 42, 42, 83

Netherlands top 40: 28, 22, 21, 21, 23, 25, 28, 32, 32, 32, 40, -

Links and sources:
Mia Nicolaï FB, Linktree for other socials
Dion Cooper Website, FB, Insta, linktree

AVROTROS Eurovision pages

The History of the Dutch Female/Male duo's

1971 Saskia & Serge - Tijd (6th)

1972 Sandra & Andres - Als het om de liefde gaat (4th)

1974 Mouth & MacNeal - I see a star (3rd)

1996 Maxine & Franklin Brown - De eerste keer (7th)

2014 The Common Linnets - Calm after the storm (2nd)

2023 Mia Nicolaï and Dion Cooper - Burning Daylight (no final, 13th in semi)

back of vinyl single