ALL THE EUROVISION PERFORMERS THAT WERE VOTING SPOKESPERSONS (lead acts only): Andorra: 2007 – Marian van de Wal (2005) Armenia: 2007, 2009 – Sirusho (2008), 2013 – André (2006), 2017 – Iveta Mukuchyan (2016), 2019 - Aram MP3 (2014) Azerbaijan: 2011, 2012 – Safura (2010), 2014 – Sabina Babayeva (2012), 2021 – Ell & Nikki (2011) Belarus: 2012 – Dmitry Koldun (2007), 2014, 2017 – Alyona Lanskaya (2013), 2015 – TEO (2014), 2016 – Uzari (2015), 2018 – Naviband (2017) Bosnia & Herzegovina: 2004 - Mija Martina (2003), 2009, 2012 – Laka (2008) Bulgaria: 2009, 2013, 2018, 2021 – Yoanna Dragneva (2008) Cyprus: 2006 – Constantinos Christoforou (1996, 2002, 2005), 2010 – Christina Metaxas (2009), 2017 – John Karayannis (2015), 2018, 2019 – Hovig (2017) Denmark: 1999 – Kirsten Siggaard (1984, 1985, 1988), 2000 – Michael Teschl (1999), 2001, 2005 – Gry Johansen (1983), 2002 - Signe Svendsen (2001), 2007 – Susanne Georgi (Andorra 2009), 2015 – Basim (2014), Rasmussen (2018) Estonia: 2000, 2006 – Evelin Samuel (1999), 2003 – Ines (2000), 2004, 2005 – Maarija-Liis Ilus (1996, 1997), 2007, 2009 - Laura Polvedere (2005, 2017), 2008 – Sahlene (2002), 2011 – Piret Jarvis (Switzerland 2005), 2012 – Getter Jaani (2011), 2015 – Tanja (2014), 2017 – Juri Pootsman (2016) Finland: 2002 - Marion Rung (1962, 1973), 2005, 2009 – Jari Sillanpää (2004), 2007 – Laura Voutilainen (2002), 2011 – Susan Aho (2010), 2012 – Mr. Lordi (2006), 2015 – Krista Siegfrieds (2013) France: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005 – Marie Myriam (1977), 2001 – Corinne Hermès (Luxembourg 1983), 2003 – Sandrine François (2002), 2012 – Amaury Vassili (2011), 2021 – Carla (j2019) Georgia: 2011 – Sofia Nizharadze (2010), 2012 – Sopho Toroshelidze (2011), 2014 – Nodi & Sophie (2013), 2016 – Nina Sublatti (2015), 2017 – Nika Kocharov (2016), 2018 – Tamar Gachechiladze (2017), 2019 – Gaga Abashidze (2018), 2021 – Oto Nemsadze (2019) Germany: 2013 – Lena (2010, 2011) Greece: 2015 – Helena Paparizou (2001, 2005), 2016, 2017 - Constantinos Christoforou (Cyprus 1996, 2002, 2005) Iceland: 2010 – Yohanna (2009), 2012 – Matthias Matthiason (2011), 2017 – Bo Halldorsson (1995) Ireland: 2004 – Johnny Logan (1980, 1987), 2005 – Dana (1970), 2006 – Eimear Quinn (1996), 2007 – Linda Martin (1984, 1992), 2008 – Niamh Kavanagh (1993, 2010), 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 – Nicky Byrne (2016), 2021 – Ryan O’Shaughnessy (2018) Israel: 2019 – Izhar Cohen (1978, 1985) Latvia: 2000, 2004 – Lauris Reiniks (2003), 2001 – Renars Kaupers (2000), 2005 – Marie N. (2002), 2006 – Martins Freimanis (2003), 2007 - Janis Sipkevics (2006), 2009 – Roberto Meloni (2007, 2008), 2010 – Karlis Bumeisters (2005), 2011 – Aisha (2010), 2012 – Valters Fridenbergs (2005), 2013 – Anmary (2012), 2014 – Ralfs Eilands (2013), 2017, 2021 – Aminata (2015), 2019 – Laura Rizzotto (2018) Lithuania: 2021 – Andrius Mamontovas (2006) Malta: 2010 - Chiara (1998, 2005, 2009), 2015 - Julie Zahra (2004) Moldova: 2011 – Geta Burlacu (2008), 2021 – Sergei Stepanov (2010, 2017) Montenegro: 2015 – Andrea Demirovic (2009), 2016 – Danijel Alibalic (Sérvia & Montenegro 2005) Netherlands: 1996 – Marcha (1987), 1997 – Corry Brokken (1956, 1957, 1958), 1998 – Conny Vandenbos (1965 “a long time ago”), 1999, 2007 – Edsilia Rombley (1998, 2007, 2015), 2000, 2001, 2003 – Marlayne (1999), 2004, 2008 – Esther Hart (2003), 2011 – Mandy Huydts (1986), 2016 – Trijntje Oosterhuis (2015), 2017 – Douwe Bob (2016), 2018 – O’G3NE (j2007, 2017) North Macedonia: 2005 – Karolina Goceva (2002, 2007), 2006 – Martin Vucic (2005), 2007 – Elena Rinetska (2006) Norway: 2013 – Tooji (2012), 2016 – Elisabeth Andreasson (1985, 1994, 1996, Suécia 1982), 2018 – Alexander Walmann & JOWST (2017), 2019 – Alexander Rybak (2009, 2018) Portugal: 1998 - Lúcia Moniz (1996), 2008 - Sabrina (2007), 2015 - Suzy (2014), 2021 - Elisa (2020) Romania: 2012 - Paula Seling (2010, 2014), 2018 - Ilinca (2017) Russia: 2011 – Dima Bilan (2006, 2008), 2013, 2014, 2018 – Alsou (2000), 2021 – Polina Gargarina (2015) San Marino: 2011 – Nicola Della Valle (2008), 2014 – Michele Perniola (j2013, 2015), 2015 – Valentina Monetta (2012, 2013, 2014, 2017) Serbia: 2017 - Sanja Vucic (2016, 2020, 2021) Slovenia: 2002 – Nusa Derenda (2001), 2015 - Tinkara Kovac (2014), 2016 – Marjteka Vovk (2015), 2018 – Maja Keuc (2011), 2019 – Lea Sirk (2018) Sweden: 2010, 2019 - Eric Saade (2011), 2021 - Carola (1983, 1991, 2006) Switzerland: 1994 -Sandra Simó (1991), 2016 – Sebalter (2014), 2017 – Luca Hänni (2019), 2019 – Sinplus (2012) Ukraine: 2011 – Ruslana (2004), 2014, 2017 – Zlata Ognevich (2013), 2016 – Verka Serduchka (2007) United Kingdom: 2005 – Cheryl Baker (1978, 1981), 2008 – Carrie Grant (1983), 2009 – Duncan James (2011), 2017 – Katrina Leskanich (1997) Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy and Poland have yet to select a former Eurovision performer as their voting spokesperson.
18 years today since Turkey's first and only win, with Sertab! 2003 is one of my favourite years, think I know almost every song by heart!
tATu, Jemini, Brigitta, Beth, Lou, Fame, the discount Sakis Rouvas from Cyprus, Ukraine's muted debut, the first moving scoreboard, the final year without semifinals.
2003 is the year that started the modern Eurovision for me. The Latvians did an amazing job with the organization, and that stage still looks impressive and modern almost 20 years later. Sertab is also such an iconic winner, single handedly jumpstarting the "ethnic but make it bop" style that keeps on giving since.
Eurovision 1999 in Jerusalem was 22 years ago. To this day, it remains the contest that was held the furthest down the year (2010 final was also on May 29 but there were the semifinals before). It was the year where the language rule was dropped which everyone rightfully interpreted as "We can sing in English now!" and the orchestra was ditched, not forgetting Dana International's iconic tumble. The show ended with the contestants and the dancers on stage singing 1979 winning song Hallelujah lead by Charlotte Nilsson-Perelli and her backup singers. It could have been a great moment a la Rainmaker 2014 was yet another mess, with everybody crammed up and the directing realizing too late that they needed to show the other singers on camera. And that's how Jenny Frost was in some of the last frames of 90's Eurovision.
1999 will always remain a disliked Contest for me since it is the one that ditched the orchestra, for budget reasons no less....
I still think Take me to your heaven is so cheap, it should have never won. Iceland was really robbed that year.
Dddd Iceland is one of the cheapest ever 2nd placers to me... those awful lyrics with bad rhymes and the music/vocals wouldn't be out of place in JESC. While I wouldn't argue Sweden is not cheap, I find it an interesting word to use to distinguish versus Iceland. I'm defo #teamTMTYH
I know this was a favourite to win but judging by the performance alone it's obvious why it didn't do better. The vocals are pitchy and inconsistent, the wardrobe terrible and uninspired, and the dance moves distracting. The song itself is fine but everything around it was just one bad choice after another.
I'm watching Eurovision 2013 for the first time (I don't know why I didn't bother with it that year ddd) and it's kinda good. Finland was amazing!
2013 is a great Eurovision year. Some of my all-time favourites are from it, the biggest one being: And my heart still breaks for these immensely underrated songs which didn't even make it to the final:
