Austria - Running on air - Nathan Trent

cdsingle

16 - 93 pts /7 - 147 pts in semi 2
Austria celebrated its 50th Eurovision with
Nathan Trent (Nathanaele Koll to his mum) who was internally selected by ORF to represent the country in Kyiv.

The song Running On Air was released as a digital single on february 26, a bit earlier than planned, as the official reveal was to be on February 28.

cdsingle
A cdsingle is available through the ORF shop and through BeaRecords.
It includes three versions of the song including a remix exclusive  to this release. (well, not anymore, see Remixes below)
(ORF E-CD0231)
The promo edition is the same cdsingle in an extra outer cardboard sleeve with a booklet and a sheet of removable tattoos.

Remix DRI

Remixes
The Topanga remix from the cdsingle is now also released as a digital track (although it was claimed to be exclusive to the cdsingle, but there you go)
A new remix, the Martin Van Lectro remix was released on May 5.

Fino a che volerò
Our nathan released an Italian version of his Eurovision song titled Fino A Che Volerò (Until I will fly) on June 20.
It's available through most digital stores and you can listen here at Nathans Tube,
A Spanish version Aire (Air) with a different arrangement is released on June 30. Spanish lyrics are written with Vincent Bueno.

Digital release image

Our Nathan is a contest veteran: At 11 years old he entered the Austrian Kiddy Contest, a long running TV show (since 1995) where kids sing and win prizes. His song Fussball (Football) didn’t make it to the final 3.

In 2011 he entered the German X-Factor with boyduo Boys II Hot and ended 11^th. (kicked out after performing the Bros classic When Will I Be Famous!)

In 2016 he released his solo debut single Like It Is.

Trent also was seleted in the the final 33 of  the 2017 German Eurovision selection, but chose to represent Austria.

Topanga remix DRI

Versions:
Running on air - Eurovision version / Single version
- Kyiv 2CD
Running on air - Topanga Rework
Running on air - Instrumental
- all on cdsingle

Running on air - Martin van Lectro remix
- digital release
Fino a che volerò - Italian version
- digital release
Aire - Spanish version
- digital release
Running on air - karaoke
- digital release
You can listen to another (unreleased) remix here at the Tube. It's made by Vincent Bueno of the Nathan Trent team in Kyiv. 

Charts:
Austria top 75: 72, 18
At the end of the 2014 Conchita post at the Copenhagen Collection you can find a list with all charts results of Austrian entries in the home charts. (1965 to 2017)

Promo sleeve

Italian version DRI

Links and sources:

Thanks to ORF
Nathan Trent: Website, Facebook

Nathan Trent at BeaRecords
ORF: Shop, 

More Austrian entries are here 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 

San Marino - Spirit of the night - Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson

18 - 1pt in semi 2

cdsingle

Valentina Monetta & Jimmie Wilson represented San Marino with the song Spirit Of The Night.
Ralph Siegel wrote the music, Steven Barnacle and Jutta Staudenmayer wrote the lyrics.

Here's the official video

Four versions of the song have been released so far. (digital release, Eurosong records)
A cdsingle features three versions and extra material like video, bio's, photos and lyrics.
It has an official Cat. No. (Sony 889854351120) and has been (is) available in  some online shops. You can buy your copy at Bearecords.
See versions for details.

Uh, Oh, it's Valentina
It's the 4th time we saw Valentina representing San Marino.
Since coming into our world with the Social Network Song a.k.a. The Facebook Song valentina has released two albums.
La Storia Di Valentina Monetta (a.k.a. Crisalide, 2013) and Sensibilità (2014).
Both albums include several versions and mixes of her Eurovision songs.
Check out all about those versions and mixes (and their are loads of them) through the links below.
2012 - The Social Network Song Oh Oh Uh Oh Oh

Digital release image

2013 - Crisalide (Vola)
2014 - Maybe (Forse)

Jimmie Wilson
Jimmie Wilson is an American singer currentlu working in Germany.
He is most known for his role as Barack Obama in the musical Hope, Das Obama Musical.
He released his debut album So Damn Beautiful on May 12. (But Spirit.. is not on it)

Versions
Spirit of the night - ESC version
- Kyiv 2CD
Spirit of the night - Radio version
Spirit of the night - Club Version
- above 3 on promo cds
Spirit of the night - karaoke of Radio version
- all digital releases
Spirit of the night - karaoke of ESC version (= instrumental)
- digital release (official karaoke album)

Coverversion

South African singer Colé van Dais teamed up with Ukrainian singer Sergey Sysuev and recorded a coverversion in English and Russian. It can be found on the 2018 album Colé and Friends.

Find out all about this album here at Eurocovers.

Ralph Siegel
For Ralph Siegel it's the 24th Eurovision entry, the first one was in 1974 with Ireen Sheer's Bye Bye I Love You. (4th Place for Luxembourg).
His most successful song was the 1982 winner Ein Bisschen Frieden by Nicole for Germany, but you already knew that.
He worked with several lyricists, but most notably Bernd Meinunger with whom he wrote 16 of the 24 entries. Some of his biggest successes:
1979 - Dschinghis Khan - Dschinghis Khan (Germany, 4th)
1980 - Theater - Katja Ebstein (Germany, 2nd)
1981 - Johnny Blue - Lena Valaitis (Germany, 2nd)
1987 - Lass die Sonne in dein Herz - Wind (Germany, 2nd)
1999 - Reise nach Jerusalem - Sürpriz (Germany 3rd)
in 2014 he helped Valentina Monetta get to the final, the first and only time San Marino achieved that.
For the list of all Siegel entries you can check this Wiki.

Valentina's Sensibilità (2014)

Links and sources
Valentina Monetta:  Facebook
Jimmie Wilson: Website, Facebook
Announcement and lyrics at SMTV
Recent Sammarinese Eurovision gems: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011
Serhat's 2016 Sammarinese entry flopped, even though it was utter brilliance. Let's see if they do better this time.

Albania - World - Lindita

promo set

14 - 76 pts in semi 1
Albania's selection for Eurovision*, the 55th Festivali I Këngës, already held before Christmas 2016, was won by Lindita Halimi with the song Botë.
Botë (World) is written by Klodian Qafoku and Gerald Xhari.
Watch the live version from the final here.
A studio version had also escaped and can be heard here.
The song underwent a makeover with a full orchestra  and was performed in English in Kyiv as World.

Here's the final version video

A promo CD/DVD set is issued.
The cd includes 10 tracks, but there is no tracklist. It appears the same five versions are included twice, but with a soundlevel (mastering?) difference.

1. ESC version

2. ESC version (instrumental)

3. ESC version (karaoke)

4. Botë

5. ESC version (different mix) [instrumental]

6. ESC version (different mix) [karaoke]

7. ESC version (different mix)

8. Jazz version

9. Botë (different mix)

10. Jazz version (different mix)
The DVD has the video, NF video, lyrics, bio and pictures.


Now!
Lindita has also just released a new single called Now. It's available at iTunes and other digital sources

Lindita ended 3rd in the 53rd FiK with the song S'të Fal.

In December 2009 she participated (as Linda) in the 48th FiK with Erti Hizmo, their song Nuk Të Dorëzohem (Don't give up) ended 12th.

She also entered American Idol in early 2016. She finished in the last 51 but didn't proceed to the final 24.

Picture taken from Lindita's Facebook

Versions
World - Eurovision version in English
- digital release, Kyiv 2CD
Botë - Original Albanian version
- Various youtubes.
World - Eurovision karaoke
- digital release
World - Instrumental
World - Jazz version
- all on promo cds (see above)

Links and sources
Special thanks to Nigel!
Lindita: Facebook, Website
RTSH: FiK pages,  Youtube channel
Find out more about these Albanian entries: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009
Festivali i Këngës at Wikipedia



The old festivali's

* The Festivali I Këngës (FiK) has been used as the selection for the Eurovision Song Contest ever since Albania entered with Anjeza Shahini's The Image Of You in 2004. But the Festivali i Këngës already started in 1962 and is of course an acclaimed music festival in its own right.
Check your Wiki's and see the end of this post for some FiK history.
A few months ago RTSH released most old Festival i Këngës entries through digital shops (Amazon has them and so does iTunes) and Spotify.

I made a spotify playlist (below) with all the Albanian Festivali I Këngës winners  (so you don't have to). It starts in 1962.

The 1967 winner is missing and some songs are in versions by the second (non winning) singer. (up to 1984 most songs were performed twice by different singers).

It's a magnificent trip through Albania's amazing and sometimes grim Festival history. 

A special thanks to Thomas!

The most recent edition isn't available yet.

-------
note: I know Spotify can be a bit crappy. Sometimes it plays the playlist in a mixed order, or mixes it with other songs, don't blame me, I did my best.
I just think Spotify can be a handy tool to preview some music and do some vault-digging.
And in the end it's buying music that supports your artists (or in this case, RTSH), not streaming. 

Russia - Flame is burning - Yulia Samoylova (Not in contest)

Russia had appointed Yulia Samoylova (Юлия Самойлова) to represent the country in Kyiv. Her song is Flame Is Burning.
The song is written by Leonid Gutkin, Netta Nimrodi and Ari Burshtein.

Ukraine's refusal to let Yulia into the country and Russia refusing any of the alternatives has resulted in Russia not participating in the 2017 contest.
A nasty political game played by Russia and Ukraine is not in the spirit of the contest. Bah.

The song is included on the official Kyiv album (2CD and digital) but has not been released as a single track or physical single.

Yulia (or Julia) didn't break and has moved on to the Lisbon Eurovision Song Contest (2018).
Find out all about her new entry here.

Yulia Samoylova is know from the talent show Faktor A (The X-Factor Russian style) where she finished second in 2013.
Leonid Gutkin also co-wrote the Russian entries of 2013 (Dina Garipova) and 2015 (Polina Gagarina)

Watch and listen here

Versions
Flame is burning - ESC version
- official Kyiv album only (digital & 2CD)
Flame is burning - karaoke
- digital release (official karaoke album)

Links and sources
Yulia Samylova: Website, Facebook, VK
Russia's Eurovision hits: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

Sweden - I Can't Go On - Robin Bengtsson

Digital release image

5 - 344 pts /3 - 227 pts in semi 1
Robin Bengtsson is the winner of Melodifestivalen 2017, the Swedish selection extravaganza for Eurovision.
His song I Can't Go On is written by David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah and former Eurovision singer

Robin Stjernberg.

The original version of I Can't Go On (on the MF CD) contained a few F-bombs, but a new version is released as a digital single (and on the Kyiv 2CD) replacing 'F**king' with 'Freaking'.

A promo cdsingle was issued by Capitol (ROBINPROMO1) and sent to radio stations and some were handed out in Kyiv.
It includes the Eurovision version, Live acoustic and one of the karaoke versions.
The Live Acoustic version  and a remix were released as digital tracks on June 9. For the remix the original explicit version was used.


The 2CD album Melodifestivalen 2017 with all 28 songs from the popular Swedish selection was released on Februari 26 (full tracklist below).

Robin Bengtsson's first Melodifestivalen was in 2016 when he ended 5th in the final with Contsellation Prize. It was a No. 2 hit in the Swedish top 100, 11 weeks on the chart.
In 2008 Bengtsson entered the Swedish version of Idol(s). He finished third and two of the songs he performed spent a week on the charts: Otis Redding's (Sitting on the) Dock Of The Bay and Michael Jackson's Black Or White.

Acoustic version DRI

Versions
I Can't Go On - Clean version (ESC version)
- digital release, Kyiv 2CD, promo
I Can't Go On - Original explicit version
- on 2CD Melodifestivalen 2017
I Can't Go On - Live acoustic
- promo cds, digital release
I Can't Go On - Remix (explicit)
- digital release
I Can't Go On - Clean version karaoke I
- digital release (single track)
I Can't Go On - Clean version karaoke II
- digital release (official karaoke album)
The first karaoke which came with the single release has more backing vocals (the "I can't go on" bits...) than the one that ended up on the official karaoke collection (digital release).

Charts
Swedish top 100: 15, 6, 3, 5, 9, 13, 18, 23, 34, 41, 50, 24, 52, 69, 71, 83, 92
Switzerland top 100: 83, -
France top 200: 130, -
Spain top 50: 27, -

Links and sources
Thanks to Eva at Capitol Music Sweden. Thanks to Krzysztof.
Robin Bengtsson: Website, Facebook
SVT Melodifestivalen pages
MF chart statistics at the end of the Frans post at the Stockholm Collection.
Swedens last eight: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Melodifestivalen 2017 tracklist

CD1

1. Boris René - Her Kiss
2. Adrijana - Amare
3. Dinah Nah - One More Night
4. De Vet Du - Road Trip
5. Charlotte Perrelli - Mitt Liv
6. Ace Wilder - Wild Child
7. Nano - Hold On
8. Mariette - A Million Years
9. Roger Pontare - Himmel Och Hav
10. Etzia - Up
11. Allyawan - Vart Har Du Vart
12. Dismissed - Hearts Align
13. Lisa Ajax - I Don’t Give A
14. Benjamin Ingrosso - Good Lovin’

CD2

1. Robin Bengtsson - I Can’t Go On (original)
2. Krista Siegfrids - Snurra Min Jord
3. Anton Hagman - Kiss You Goodbye
4. Jasmine Kara - Gravity
5. Owe Thörnqvist - Boogieman Blues
6. Bella & Filippa - Crucified
7. The Fooo Conspiracy - Gotta Thing
8. Jon Henrik Fjällgren Feat. Aninia - En Värld Full Av Strider

                       (Eatneme Gusnie Jeenh Dåaroeh)
9. Alice - Running With Lions

10. Les Gordons - Bound To Fall
11. Wiktoria - As I Lay Me Down
12. Axel Schylström - När Ingen Ser

13. Sara Varga Och Juha Mulari - Du Får Inte Ändra På Mig

14. Loreen - Statements

Poland - Flashlight - Kasia Moś

Digital release image

22 - 64 pts /9 - 199 pts in semi 1
Kasia Moś is the winner of the Polish preselection/National Final 'Krajowe Eliminacje' held on Februari 18. Her song Flashlight is the song for Kyiv, the 20th Eurovision entry for Poland.
Flashlight is written by Kasia Moś herself, Pete Baringger, Rickard Bonde Truumeel.

Watch the official video here

Flashlight is out now as a digital single through selected services.
A promo cds includes Flashlight, the karaoke version and another song Addicted.

In 2006 Kasia (as Katarzyna Moś) entered the Polish Eurovision selection with I Wanna Know and ended 10th. Last year she ended 6th in the Polish final with Addiction.
Kasia was a finalist in the 2012 edition of Polish talent show series 'Must Be the Music/ Tylko Muzyka' and ended 3rd.

She released her album Inspination in 2015 (including Addiction) 
Kasia is working on her new album which will undoubtedly include Flashlight.

Versions
Flashlight - ESC/single version
- Kyiv 2CD, promo
Flashlight - karaoke
- digital release, promo

Kasia's CD Inspination, pic from discogs

Links and sources
Kasia Moś: Website, Facebook
TVP Eurowizja pages
You'll remember these Polish entries: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

Azerbaijan - Skeletons - Dihaj

Digital Release Image

14 - 120 pts /8 - 150 pts in semi 1
Azerbaijan celebrated its 10th Eurovision in Kyiv with Dihaj a.k.a. Diana Hajiyeva (Diana Hacıyeva).
The song, Skeletons, was revealed on March 11.
Skeletons is written by Isa Melikov and Sandra Bjurman.

Watch the official video here at Eurovision.tv

Skeletons has been released as a digital single, along with its karaoke version. (Cap-Sounds)
A promo cds is issued with the Eurovision version and karaoke.

Dihaj's album End Of Sunrise is released on July 14 but Skeletons is not on it.

Diana already entered the casting for the Eurovision of 2011, but she stranded in one of the many pre-rounds (4th in round 6).
For 2017 the singer was selected internally by the broadcaster.
Diana is a member of DiHaj, an electronic music collective from Baku she founded in 2014.

Swedish songwriter Sandra Bjurman already co-wrote the Azerbaijani entries of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. Her name is also under Tick Tock (Ukraine 2014).

promo cds

Versions
Skeletons - Original version
- Kyiv 2CD, promo
Skeletons - karaoke
- digital releases, promo

Links and sources:
Thanks to Krzysztof and to Nigel.
Diana Hajiyeva Facebook
DiHaj: Facebook, Website
Azerbaijans nine entries: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 - 2008 

Ireland - Dying To Try - Brendan Murray

Digital Release Image

13 - 86 pts in semi 2
Brendan Murray represeneds Ireland in the 2017 Eurovision.
The Hometown member has been selected by the Irish broadcaster RTÉ to enter the contest as a solo artist.
The song, Dying To Try, is written by Jörgen Elofsson and James Newman (look into the future...).

Watch the official video here at RTÈ.
The song was released digitally on March 29.

No physical or release or promo was iussued.

Brendans former employer, Boyband Hometown mentored by Louis Walsh, scored two No. 1 hits in Ireland (Where I Belong and Cry For Help) and released their debut album Hometown in 2015. In December 2016 they announced to take a break, giving Brendan the opportunity to go ahead with Eurovision.

Versions
Dying to try - ESC/single version
- Kyiv 2CD
Dying to try - karaoke
- digital releases

Coverversion
A coverversion in Afrikaans was released by South African singer Karin Bekker.
Find out more here at Eurocovers.

Links and sources
Brendan Murray: Facebook
RTÉ
Hometown Website
For more Irish entries check: 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009