Imaani - UK 1998 - Wayne Ralph

Where are you now Imaani? The UK’s robbed queen from the Eurovision Song Contest in 1998 (well she did finish second to Dana International so no shame there really), Imaani, sang Where Are You.

Let just start with this was some kind of song, still one of my favourites.

Where Are You had moderate UK chart success after Eurovision and reached No. 15 in May 1998.

Unfortunately, 2nd place at Eurovision didn’t lead to any immediate success for Imaani. A follow-up single got cancelled by her record label.

In 1996, Imaani made her first of many appearances with the British acid jazz band, Incognito. Incognito began in 1979 and with various turnover of band members has remained current with their latest release in 2019. Imaani maintains this connection and features on 11 of their albums including Beneath The Surface, Bees & Things & Flowers and Amplified Soul.

Imaani’s vocals were featured in Tru Faith and Dub Conspiracy’s cover of Freak Like Me. The song reached No. 12 in the UK charts in 2000.

Imaani has produced two solo albums. In 2014, an album called Standing Tall had a single called Struggling which had some minor success.

While also a vocal tutor at The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in the UK, Imaani seems mainly to have made a career as a session singer recording with many artists including Chaka Khan, UB40 and Gloria Gaynor.

Here she is with Incognito in 2010: https://youtu.be/P-ddZRvOAj0

Lucia Moniz - Portugal 1996 - Vincent Colaguiri

Lúcia Moniz was only nineteen when she represented Portugal at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Her bright and charming performance of O meu coração não tem cor achieved sixth place, Portugal’s best result until their win in 2017. Since the ESC, she has become a truly multi-faceted singer, actress, performer and author.

Lúcia’s acting career started in Portuguese TV soap operas in 1997 and she has continued to appear on television in movies, dramas and series right up till 2020. Her fame as a TV actress in Portugal led to her being cast in the 2003 international hit film Love Actually, playing opposite Colin Firth. Lúcia has appeared in a further sixteen films since then including the big-budget Fátima, released last year.

Of course Lúcia has been as a recording artist, with several singles and five solo albums to her credit.

Lúcia Moniz has appeared in several major roles in Portuguese theatrical productions. In 2006 she played Maria in Música no coração (The Sound of Music) and in 2008 the role of Anita in Amor Sem Barreiras (West Side Story). Coincidentally, in both musicals she alternated in both roles with Anabela Braz Pires, who represented Portugal in the 1993 ESC. In 2010 she appeared as Blanche in Um Eléctrico chamado desejo (A Steetcar Named Desire). In 2016 she played Diana in the musical Quase Normal (Next To Normal) and in 2017 appeared in Shakespeare’s Ricardo II.

Evridiki - Cyprus 1992 - Kieran Hegarty

Evridiki was no stranger to the Greek music scene before her first Eurovision participation in 1992; she already had several collaborations with established artists, a solo album and three Eurovision experiences as a backing singer before heading off to Malmö. It was after her performance of "Teriazoume," however, that she was catapulted into superstardom with the release of her 1993 album Misise Me.

Much of Evridiki's career in the 1990s stemmed from her collaborations with Cypriot songwriter Giorgos Theofanous, who composed both "Teriazoume" and her 1994 Eurovision song "Ime Anthropos Ki Ego," as well as Evridiki's first nine studio albums. The two were also involved romantically, marrying in 1994 and having a child in 1996.

After her split with Theofanous in 2000, Evridiki began turning her interest towards more alternative styles of music. She released many covers of well known rock songs, and with the release of Oso Fevgo Gyrizo in 2003, featuring some original compositions, she easily established herself as an icon of rock music in the Greekophone world. Her 2000s genre shift was supported by many compositions from musician Dimitris Korgialas, who she was also married to for a time.

In addition to many of her albums, Korgialas composed "Comme ci, comme ça," the entry she performed in her return to Eurovision in 2007. Despite its relatively poor result, Evridiki remains one of the most famous, well-respected and best-selling artists in the Greek and Cypriot music industry, with 16 albums, over 50 music videos, and constant appearances on Greek Television. As such, it may only be a matter of time before we in the Eurovision world hear from Evridiki again.

Doris - Croatia 1999 - Luis Omar Chong Lopez

Dorotea Dragović, born in Split, had been the lead singer of the group More (Sea) for several years before going solo in 1986 with her breakthrough hit, 'Željo moja'. The entry at the Eurovision Song Contest that year, where she came 13th. The opener on the follow up 'Budi se dan' ('The day awakes', 1989) 'Ja noćas umirem' ('I'm dying tonight') is a fusion of Balkan folk music and pop. Over the years she had several hits such as 'Sedam mora sedam gora', Selim ti ja' and 'Malo mi za sricu triba'.

In 1999, rapidly became the honorary mother of the nation, 'Marija Magdalena', was  the entry for the 1999 Eurovision. Less than a week before the contest took place, an official complaint was laid against the song by the Norwegian delegation, alleging that  the song had broken Eurovision rules by adding synthesised vocals in the background, despite of that  Doris got an amazing 4th place in Jerusalem.

In 2000, Doris released 'Lice' an album of electronic dance songs. The 2002 album 'Malo mi za sricu triba'   was more a return to her old form with the Dalmatian ballads that have made her name.

In the period from 2001 to 2016 with a break of 8  years (2001 – 20029) Doris recorded albums “20 years of love”and “I need a Little luck, “The platinum collection” and  “I believe “ and compilation of  hits and songs from luve peroformances released in 2010, 2014 & 2016.

Philipp Kirkorov - Russia 1995 - Ilya Marin

The name Philipp Kirkorov will ring a bell to most Eurovision fans. He is the Russian pop rock megastar, known for his eccentric personality, lavish stage shows, and extravagant fashion choices. He has been referred to as “The king of Russian pop” as well as “Mister Eurovision”. But how did he get this title? Let’s start from the beginning.

In 1995, Kirkorov represented Russia at the Eurovision in Dublin, with the song Kolybelnaya dlya vulkana (Lullaby for the volcano), finishing in 17th place. He was already a well-known artist in Russia at the time, but his popularity has grown dramatically in the years since, earning him the "Best Selling Russian Artist" title at the World Music Awards on five different occasions.

Besides performing on the Eurovision stage himself, Kirkorov has composed entries for many other Eurovision artists, including Angelica Agurbash - “I Love Belarus”, Dmitry Koldun - “Work Your Magic”, Ani Lorak - “Shady Lady”, the Tolmachevy Twins - “Shine”, DoReDos - “My Lucky Day”, Aisel – "X My Heart", and most notably Sergey Lazarev - “You Are the Only One” and “Scream”. These acts came to life alongside Kirorov’s long-time collaborators, composer Dimitris Kontopoulos and creative director Ilias Kokotos…  the so-called “Dream Team”. This same dream team is also behind Moldova’s upcoming Eurovision 2021 act.

But Kirkorov’s ties with the Eurovision world don’t just end there. Throughout his career, Philipp has covered a gazillion of Eurovision songs (in Russian). Among his long repertoire of ESC covers are Maria Magdalena (Croatia 1999), Diva (Israel 1999), and La Voix (Sweden 2009). Interesting fact: in the “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” movie, the character of the eccentric and ultra-wealthy Russian vocalist, Alexander Lemtov, is actually loosely inspired by Kirkorov.

Philipp Kirkorov has enjoyed continued success in Russia, releasing 20 studio albums. He frequently appears on Russian television, as a TV show host and judge of reality competitions. He has dominated Forbes Russia’s list of the highest-paid pop stars in recent years. He has two children, daughter Alla Victoria (9) and son Martin (8), both born via a surrogate mother. 

Aylin Vatankoş - Turkey 1992 - Alper Yurtseven

Aylin Vatankoş

Aylin Vatankoş represented Turkey in ESC 1992 held in Malmö, Sweden with her song “Yaz Bitti” (Summer is over). She finished the contest with 17 points ranking 19th among 23 songs.

She is a graduate of Istanbul Technical University State Conservatory and worked as a contracted artist for the Turkish Radio Television (TRT). She performed in the Classical Turkish Music Choir of TRT. In 1995, she published her first album called “Çözemedim” (I could not solve). Later she married guitarist Engin Şenyaylar, whom she met while working on this album. She took a break from creating her own music until 2006. During that period she performed vocals in many artists’ albums and had voice acting parts in various TV series. She took part with two of her songs in an album called “Turkish Music - Unforgettable Golden Songs” in 2006. In 2010, she published another nine-track album called “Yeniden” (Again) consisting of neoclassical Turkish songs.

After ESC, she primarily focused on traditional classic Turkish music with modern tones rather than pop music. She is still actively singing and enjoying her modest work.

Here is a link to a recent example of her work from 2020:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soVhfR7nMs8

Dina - Portugal 1992 - James Lindley

Dina was born on June 18th 1956, in Carregal do Sal.

She started writing music during the early 70s and in 1975 joins the group “Quinteto Angola”. But it is in 1980 that she becomes known when she enters Festival da Canção (FDC) with the song “Guardado em mim”. She gets the ticket to the final after achieving second place in the semi-final but then places second last, among 9 entries. Nevertheless, she wins the prize for best newcomer.

During the 80s, she releases a few albums, with considerable success and enters FDC again in 1982. It is also in 1982 that she sings one of the main themes of “Vila Faia” the first Portuguese soap opera. The song was written by Rosa Lobato-Faria with whom she would start a close collaboration writing and releasing new songs.

This collaboration has its peak in 1992, when Dina enters FDC, once again, to win with the catchy “Amor de Água Fresca”. She gets the ticket to Malmö and on the big night places 17th with 26 points.

After that, Dina keeps writing and releasing new music, not only for herself, but also for TV series and other shows.

On September 26th 2009 she celebrates the 30th anniversary of her career, with a show in the São Luiz theater, Lisbon, but at this time she is already suffering from a serious health problem, and by 2016 she

decides to end her musical career.

April 11th 2019 Dina, sadly, passes away.

Marie Bergman and Roger Pontare - Sweden 1994 - Davis Webster

Marie Bergman and Roger Pontare teamed up in 1994 to represent Sweden with their entry, “Stjärnorna,” finishing dead middle of the pack.

For Bergman, this performance would represent her third and final time gracing the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest. She continued her already prolific music career, releasing several more albums, including a handful of jazz compositions, before being invited to be a guest professor at Jydsk Music Conservatory in Aarhus, Denmark.

There, she developed creative techniques for teaching voice lessons, including incorporating painting and meditative practices to help students reach their full potential. From Aarhus she moved first to the Copenhagen Royal Music Conservatory, then the Royal Stockholm Music Conservatory, before ultimately starting her own academy, called BergmanVoice.

For Pontare, this duet represented his first of two appearances on the Eurovsion stage. In 2000, he came seventh, representing Sweden with his song “When Spirits are Calling my Name.” Not one to be deterred, he competed in Melodifestivalen once again in 2006, making it to the Andra Chansen round before being eliminated. (Ironically, Eurovision icon Carola won that year, tying Marie Bergman’s record for the person who represented Sweden the most times at Eurovision. If Pontare had won, he would’ve shared the record with his former stagemate.) Most recently, Pontare competed once again in Melodifestivalen in 2017, but was eliminated in the second semifinal.

Arzu Ece - Turkey 1995 - Sevket Yigit

Arzu Ece represented Turkey in 1995 in Dublin with a powerful ballad “ Sev” which means “Love” in Turkish. This was the 40th Eurovision Song Contest and she finished with a respectable 16th placement out of 23 countries with 21 points. Arzu Ece was not new to ESC at that time. She had had five appearances in Turkish preselections between 1987 -1995 and also had represented Turkey in 1989 as a member of group Pan with a song named “Bana bana”, which was quite a different flavor for Eurovision standards at the time.

After Eurovision, she did not have a very active music career although she published two albums in her music life.

Sadly in 2009, she was diagnosed with leukemia and underwent a series of treatments. She recorded a single titled “ Kemo Aga” (Master Chemo) in 2012 where she shared her experiences and also her hair loss due to chemotherapy. Her courage and resilience expressed with an upbeat song was quite impressive especially if you remember her big beautiful black hair in 1995. She currently lives in Boca Raton Florida and actively participating in Turkish community events.

Here is her 2012 video-Master Chemo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK-2JprBgAQ

Sevket Yigit

Michael Ball - UK 1992 - Mike Whalley

Possibly one of Eurovision’s most successful 2nd placers, Michael Ball (Uk, 1992, One Step Out Of Time) was already a well-known West End Musical Theatre star (with #1s in the UK charts) prior to his Eurovision entry, having starred in Aspects of Love, Les Mis and Phantom of the Opera. While OSOOT only reached #20 in the Uk singles charts, the ‘Michael Ball’ album hit #1 on the album charts that year. 

As a 29 year old, he still had the world/stage at his feet when he lost out to Linda Martin (Why Me?, Ireland) in Malmö and has been almost continuously on stage/TV since. 

Later in his Eurovision year, he met Cathy McGowan, and they have been long-term partners since. In 2000, she reportedly saved his life by dragging him out of a house fire. 

Ball has taken part in major musicals on the (London) West End stage, and (New York’s) Broadway, winning him multiple Laurence Olivier Awards. He’s also had a few presenting jobs, and been a reality show judge. He’s hosted multiple BBC radio shows too!

Michael Ball is a concert artist, touring the US, UK and Australia in his own right, and is often the ‘go-to’ UK musicals artist for TV events, such as a 50th birthday concert in 1998 for Andrew Lloyd Webber (himself a veteran of the Eurovision stage of course!) and in a concert performance of Les Mis for the Queen at Windsor Castle in 2004.

In 2015 he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to musical theatre.

In the past five years or so, he’s been best known for his collaboration with Alfie Boe, with multiple albums since 2016 reaching #1 or #2 in the charts. In April 2020 he recorded a duet with 99 year old Captain Tom Moore (who raised millions for the UK NHS by doing laps of his garden during lockdown) which reached number one in the UK singles chart - Ball’s first ever chart-topping single at the age of 57.

Selma - Iceland 1999 - Chris Zeiher

Say hello to Selma!

SO, WHAT’S ICELAND’S SELMA BJÖRNSDÓTTIR BEEN UP TO LATELY?

By Chris Zeiher (twitter @chriszeiher, Instagram @chriszeihertravel)

Stunning Selma Björnsdóttir (aka Selma Björns, aka Selma) entered the 1999 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with many firsts to her name. She was the first Icelandic entrant to head into the competition as the pre-contest favourite and her song All Out of Luck was the first from Iceland not to be sung entirely in Icelandic. Selma went on to secure second spot in Jerusalem landing Iceland their best result in the competition to date (alongside Yohanna in 2009).

Selma returned to the Eurovision stage in 2005 at the contest in Kyiv, where again she was heralded as a potential winner pre-contest. However, Selma’s If I Had Your Love crashed out at the semi-final stage shocking fans and creating one of that year’s biggest contest controversies. Notoriously Selma grabbed another second place for Iceland that year by ranking in the number 2 spot for the Barbara Dex Award for the worst dressed at the contest.

In 2009 Selma joined the judging panel for Iceland’s fourth instalment of their version of Pop Idol (Idol stjörnuleit). During the contest both of her Eurovision songs were performed by contestants. In 2017 Selma co-directed the stage show The Heart of Robin Hood, described as a rom-com with acrobatics, which premiered in Los Angeles in December of that year.

In 2017 Selma joined fellow Icelandic representatives Yohanna and Svala in a version of carpool karaoke where the three delivered some stunning renditions of their Eurovision entries (check it out here - https://bit.ly/2MyCXhM).

A constant on the Icelandic music scene Selma’s All Out of Luck has cemented itself as a Eurovision classic with the lady herself recreating the magic of her 1999 performance (hair knots and all) on a local Icelandic light entertainment show in May of 2020. Check it out here - https://bit.ly/3oqpuG4

Nina Morato – France 1994 - Fernando Cigala

Nina Morato – France 1994 - "Je suis un vrai garçon"

Her real name is Stéphanie Morato and not only did she represent France in ESC 1994, but she is also an actress. That same year she appeared in the film “La separation” sharing credits with Oscar nominee Isabelle Huppert.

Her 2nd album titled “L'allumeuse” was released in 1996, with most of the tracks written by her it was received with a very poor response from the people.

After the lack of success of her 2nd album she vanishes from the public eye for a bit until the release of her 3rd (and last) album “Moderato” which was influenced by the tragic death of her 11-year-old daughter Julia. Who tragically drowns in the family bathtub while in custody with her father (French singer David Christie).

She continued her acting career from 2004 till recent days, appearing in films like “Ma vie en l'air” alongside Oscar winner actress Marion Cotillard.

Azúcar Moreno - Spain 1990 - Rodrigo Ezequiel Stoessel

Azúcar Moreno: A not so sweet present

It was 1990 in Zagreb - the then FRY -, the first edition of Eurovision held in a Balkan city. Spain's "Bandido", started with a technical glitch in the backing track. It was the beginning of a disrupted career of the two sisters Ecarna y Toñi Salazar.

The international success of the duo "c" after Eurovision wasn't a prediction of the present time. During the 90s, the Gipsy duo became famous with their songs "Devórame Otra Vez", "Sólo Se Vive Una Vez", among other hits. Even though they did not always have a good relationship as sisters, they had masses of people at their concerts.

In 2006, their candidature for Eurovision was eclipsed by "Las Ketchup". One year later, Encarna was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the last straw that broke the camel's back: "Azúcar Moreno would withdraw from the music scene until further notice".

Six years later, they got together again in "Tu Cara Me Suena" where they confessed, "all this time we had not spoken to each other". Encarna had made a full recovery in her health, and she had a family drama with one of her nephews, who gave in adoption.

In 2014, they both returned to the music scene with a new album and singles. Their economic bankrupt made them participate in the TV Reality "Supervivientes" in 2019, earning one more debt for not complied to the basic rules. After that, Toñi received complaints of theft, coercion and threats by her ex-husband in 2020.

At present, their latest album entitled "El Secreto" cannot achieve the desired success, despite efforts to keep its essence.

Christer Björkman - Sweden 1992 - Dennis W Flores

Christer Björkman is probably best-known by Eurovision fans as the man behind the popular Sweden National Final Melodifestivalen and not as a competing artist representing Sweden in 1992 when he finished second to last back when he was known as “the singing hairdresser.” His placing was one of Sweden’s worst finishes in recent Eurovision history.

Ten years after his participation in Eurovision, he made his comeback and was named as the supervisor for Medlodifestivalen. During his tenure as supervisor of Melodifestivalen, he has made numerous lasting changes to Sweden’s national selection. From the introduction of the Semi-Final rounds, making the show a travelling show (with each heat being hosted in a different city around Sweden), and the inclusion of an international jury, Christer Björkman has evolved to the show that many Eurofans enjoy every February and March.

Of course when it was Sweden’s time to host the contest, Björkman was a producer for both the 2013 and 2016 editions.

In 2017, he released an autobiography titled Generalen (translation: The General), where Björkman talked about his own Eurovision experience and then taking on Melodifestivalen and his relationship with the broadcaster SVT.

Björkman is also busy working on the US-spinoff of Eurovision, the American Song Contest along with some other Eurovision/Melodifestivalen veterans. Melodifestivalen 2021, marks the last year with Christer Björkman’s involvement with the national selection, his twentieth season. He will be the main host for all six shows this year.

Fazla - Bosnia i Herzigovina 1993 - Evan Stewart

When Muhamed Fazlagic (also known as Fazla) and his band took the stage during Eurovision 1993 in

Millstreet, it was a momentous occasion. Not only were they the first representatives from the newly

independent Bosnia & Herzegovina, but they took the stage during the middle of the Bosnian War. Their

mere presence, having battled sniper fire just to escape Sarajevo and be present at Eurovision, provided

European audiences with a face to the conflict, conveyed a sense (through song) of the grief of the

Bosnian people, and announced that the young republic was a legitimate European nation like any other

in the contest.

Fazla’s song told the story of a man writing his girlfriend who had fled the country—a story very similar

to that of Fazla and his girlfriend Sanda, who was living in Sweden during the conflict. The two married

just prior to Eurovision; the trip to Ireland was effectively their honeymoon. Following Eurovision and

the standing ovation his band received from the audience, Fazla returned home to the Balkans with his

new bride, using his new fame to raise money for humanitarian causes.

After the war, Fazla moved to the United States to study applied sociology. He ended up in Kentucky,

where he taught local university courses, founded a local soccer academy, and raised his and Sanda’s

daughter Sarah. He has continued to perform occasionally, with several singles posted to his YouTube

channel. After two decades in the US, he recently returned to Sarajevo, where he has become involved

in Gradjanski Savez, a new political party focused on social justice and an end to ethno-nationalism in

Bosnia.

Danijela Martinovic - Croatia 1995 and 1998 - Kyle Woods

Danijela Martinovic, represented Croatia at Eurovision on two occasions. In 1995, she performed as lead singer for the established Croatian musical group Magazin. Shortly after this, she left the group to start her own solo career. Danijela represented Croatia again on her own in 1998 with the song “Neka me ne Svane” and achieved 5th place. At the time of her second Eurovision entry, Danijela was a well-established solo performer in Croatia.

Following her time at Eurovision, Danijela has continued to have a successful and productive musical career within Croatia. In the years immediately following Eurovision 1998, Danijela was one of the most popular musicians in Croatia and Slovenia and other surrounding countries that were part of the former Yugoslavia. She continued to record, achieving the most success with her 2001 album Plesi sa Mnom (dance with me). Danijela remained a major musical figure in Croatia and participated in Dora (the Croatian eurovision national selection) in 2005 and 2006.

Aside from music, Danijela has branched into other ventures, such as releasing her own perfume “La La” in 2006. She participated on the Croatian edition of Dancing with the Stars in 2007 (taking 5th place), and has also started a career as a writer. Danijela has published books for children and for adults and is currently working on a trilogy of motivational poetry anthologies called “Salabahter Zivota” (roughly translated as “A crib sheet of life”), of which she published her second volume in 2019. Danijela also released a related album titled “Neopisivo” (indescribable) in 2020.

In addition to her endeavors as a singer and author, Danijela maintains a Youtube series titled “Danijela bez filtera” (Danijela without filters) on which she occasionally documents her adventures and discusses various topics including music, cosmetic treatments, and other items. She remains active and is involved in media events and hosting as well as holding occasional concerts. Danijela remains a well-known name in Croatia even though more than 20 years have passed since her days at Eurovision.

Arvingarna - Sweden 1993 - Alex White

Few acts across the Eurovision universe have been actively seeking the ESC crown across three decades. However, Swedish dansband Arvingarna has done exactly that and are continuing to do so!

Overall, Arvingarna has made five appearances in the Swedish Eurovision final, Melodifestivalen, and are scheduled to make their sixth appearance in 2021 with "Tänker inte alls gå hem (I don’t want to go home)." The group’s last appearance came in 2019 with their hit “I do” which qualified for the final. However, their Eurovision claim to fame though comes from their 1993 Melodifestivalen (“Melfest”) winner “Eloise” which earned 7th place in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest.

Despite not earning the big win with “Eloise,” the song proved to be a big domestic top 10 hit and a favorite for fans who continue to flock to the band’s tours and schlager festival appearances. Taking only a short break early in the last decade, the dansband lads have continued their families’ legacies (the band’s names translates to “The Heirs,” a reference to their parents’ dansband careers) and have steadily been releasing music and performing. In fact, the group recently released a full album and Christmas EP to tide their fans over between their Melfest appearances.

Thanks to bands like Arvingarna, dansband and schlager music has maintained a strong level of popularity in Sweden. This is likely due to their music being spread along generations much like how they themselves picked up the dansband tradition from their families.

Anabela - Portugal 1993 - Luis Braga

Anabela was born in Almada in 1976. She started singing at the age of 8 and released her first single, when she was 11 years old.

In 1989 she represented Portugal at the UNICEF International Festival, in the Netherlands, and placed second being awarded also the best interpreter prize. 1989 was a great year for Anabela, as she also won the “Grande Noite do Fado”, an annual competition dedicated to the Fado music.

In 1993 she went to Millstreet, Ireland, to represent Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest with “A cidade (até ser dia)”. At 16 years old, she achieved the second TOP10 for Portugal since 1980, placing 10th with 60 points.

Anabela kept releasing albums (worth mention is the CD “Encontro” (2006) where she covers classics from the Portuguese music as duets with Carlos Guilherme, a Portuguese tenor) and embraced a musical theater career, mostly in the Portuguese adaptations of well know musicals, by La Féria.

In 2018, Anabela returns to Festival da Canção (FDC) with “Para te dar Abrigo” in an effort to represent Portugal on home soil at the ESC 2018. Composed by Fernando Tordo (ESC1973) with lyrics by Tiago Torres da Silva, “Para te dar Abrigo” is a great song with some sort of a Brazilian flavour, which Anabela delivers with the happiness and joy we got used after watching her in Millstreet. She placed 4th in SF 1 of FDC and then, on March 4th 2018, she placed 6th in the grand final. Enjoy!

Sonia - UK 1993 - Niall Drennan

Sonia represented the United Kingdom in 1993 with her song Better The Devil You Know and almost won Eurovision. She was narrowly beaten by Ireland’s Niamh Kavanagh with the song In Your Eyes.

Prior to entering Eurovision, Sonia was already quite successful in the UK and was part of the Stock, Aitken & Waterman pop machine. In 1989 her song, You’ll Never Stop Me Loving You reached number one in the UK and Sonia became the first female UK artist to achieve five hit singles from one album. She had 11 top 30 hits between 1989 and 1993 including Listen To Your Heart, Counting Every Minute and Only Fools (Never Fall In Love).

After appearing in Eurovision, Sonia went on to have a varied career on stage, TV and continued to release new music. In 1994 she performed in a West End musical as Sandy in Grease. This was followed by some new song releases which unfortunately did not have the same success as her earlier releases and most of which didn’t make it into the top 100.

In 2003, Sonia appeared in a reality TV show called Reborn In The USA alongside other pop stars and also featured fellow Eurovision alumni, Gina G. The show saw the artists touring the USA and performing a show with one artist being eliminated each week. Sonia came 6th out if nine participants (Gina G finished in 8th place).

Between 2007 and 2011 she starred in various pantomines in the UK such as Jack & The Beanstalk and Cinderella.

In December 2012, she performed at the Stock, Aitken, Waterman Hit Factory reunion concert at London’s O2 Arena along with other former SAW acts such as Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley and Bananarama. In 2015, Sonia returned to TV appearing in a children’s comedy sketch show called Hacker Time

In 2019, Sonia turned 48 and announced that she had signed a new record deal with Energise records and released a single called A Night That’s Never Ending.

After the cancellation of Eurovision in 2020, Sonia posted to Twitter to reminisce about her time in the competition and also responded to the official Eurovision Twitter account that asked the public to get involved with the virtual edition of the show to say that she had “already done hers and sent it in”.

Katri Helena - Finland 1993 - Aaron Paraiso

Katri Helena, whose real name is Katri Helena Kalaoja, is a Finnish singer born in the town of Tohmajärvi in the eastern region of Karelia in 1945. She has represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest twice: In 1979 with 'Katson Sineen Taivaan', then in 1993 with 'Tule Luo'.

Despite not being very successful in either attempt, it certainly did not discourage her from performing, nor did it hinder her career at all. To date, she has released a total of around 500 songs and more than 50 albums and collections. She also holds the title of being the number 1 selling Finnish female artist of all time. In fact, 'Katson Sineen Taivaan' is frequently heard at Finnish karaoke bars to this day:)

Since both of her Eurovision performances, she has been very active, with both new music and many live concerts. One of which, was the Muistathan Gaala held in Tampere in the Spring of 2006. I had the pleasure of seeing her perform there. At that concert, many previous Finnish Eurovision acts of the past performed their songs, as well as the current representative at the time - Lordi. The public voted on their favourite to win the favourite Finnish act of all time.

She has been married three times, all three of her children with the second husband. Tragically, her son died of a sudden illness in 2009. She seems not to have been very active the last few years, however, since she took a break in the Summer of 2018 due to a thyroid deficiency.

Nowadays she lives in Askola, near the capital Helsinki. She is currently in a relationship with her manager, Tommi Liimatainen. There had been rumours that the two were dating for years, until 2013 when Liimatainen confirmed it in an interview for the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.

I hope to hear more from her in the future. She really has become a Finnish musical icon throughout the decades.