Joining host Steve Holden for this first episode are Norway's 2019 participants KEiiNO, the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest Martin Österdahl and Icelandic podcaster and culture writer Júlía Margrét Einarsdóttir.
A special episode from the Amsterdam pre-party! Hosts Steve Holden and Samya Hafsaoui hang out with S10 from the Netherlands, Brooke from Ireland, The Rasmus from Finland, Citi Zēni from Latvia, Monika Liu from Lithuania, We Are Domi from Czech Republic and Ochman from Poland. Plus, Dutch podcaster GJ Koojiman talks us through the Dutch Eurovision renaissance.
Host Steve Holden speaks to Vladana from Montenegro and Rosa Linn from Armenia, as well as Systur from Iceland. Croatian radio presenter Monika Lelas tells us what it's like to announce her country's 12 points on the Grand Final night, and Denis and José from ESC Plus talk about the high hopes for Spain this year.
Steve Holden and Samya Hafsaoui speaks to Eurovision's Head of Contest Twan van de Nieuwenhuijzen, the man who helps put together the shows' running order and tells acts what they can and can't do on stage. We're also chatting to Andrea from North Macedonia, Marius Bear from Switzerland and Andromache, who's representing Cyprus. And Natalia Anderson from Tuneful TV talks about how to run a YouTube reaction channel.
The United Kingdom's 2021 act James Newman joins host Steve Holden to discuss his 'nil points' at the Contest in Rotterdam. From the class of 2022, we're also hearing from Malik Harris from Germany, MARO from Portugal and this year's youngest competitors, LPS from Slovenia. Plus, Christoph and Daniela from German podcast ESC Schnack talk about their country's hits and misses, and Samantha Ross from 12 Points From America has loads of Eurovision facts.
We've arrived in Turin! Joining the podcast after their first rehearsals are Ronela from Albania, Kalush Orchestra from Ukraine, Intelligent Music Project from Bulgaria and Roman from Zdob și Zdub, who are representing Moldova with the Advahov Brothers. And Stefan from Estonia drops in to have a chat too.
The rehearsals are in full swing and host Rob Lilley catches up WRS from Romania, Jérémie Makiese from Belgium and Cornelia Jakobs from Sweden. LUM!X & Pia Maria, representing Austria, drop in for a chat too. Rob also explores the arena's stage and finds out what puts the green in the green room.
As we get a first glimpse of the Big 5, host Steve Holden catches up with Spain's Chanel. He also chats to Serbia's Konstrakta, Malta's Emma Muscat and Israel's Michael Ben David. Rob Lilley also hangs out with Georgia's Circus Mircus and Denmark's Reddi as Samya Hafsaoui gives her view from the Eurovision stage. The Contest's walking encyclopedia - Sam Ross - also has more brilliant, geeky trivia.
Some of the team behind Norway's Subwoolfer join host Steve Holden to talk about the Contest's infamous yellow wolves, San Marino's Achille Lauro chats about his song Stripper and - more importantly - his mechanical bull, Roberta. France's Alvan & Ahez discuss bringing Breton to the Eurovision stage and Rob Lilley catches up with Sheldon Riley from Australia. And Corinne Cumming, one of Eurovision's official photographers, tells us about her amazing job behind the scenes.
It's been 10 years since Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest with Euphoria. In this special episode of the podcast, the singer chats to host Steve Holden to discuss her memories of that winning night in Baku when she came first for Sweden. She talks about the iconic performance, the legacy of the song and the doors it opened for her.
The United Kingdom's Sam Ryder chats to host Steve Holden about performing Space Man. At the Opening Ceremony of the Contest, Mahmood and Blanco speak about representing their home country of Italy and Greece's Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord stops for a chat too. Rob Lilley speaks to Croatia's Mia Dimšić and Nadir Rustamli from Azerbaijan. And creative specialists Dan Shipton and Marvin Dietmann reveal how they put together the staging for six of this year's acts.
Presenter Steve Holden gets exclusive reaction chats with all 10 qualifiers from Semi Final 1. He speaks to Amanda from Greece, Systur from Iceland, Monika Liu from Lithuania, MARO from Portugal, S10 from the Netherlands, Roman from Moldova's Zdob și Zdub, Rosa Linn from Armenia, Marius Bear from Switzerland, plus the delegation heads of Norway and Ukraine. Eurovision YouTuber Alesia Michelle and blogger Madlen Tutelian share their thoughts and the qualifiers and non-qualifiers. Also joining Steve is Portugal's Head of Delegation - Carla Bugalho - who was one of the organisers of the Lisbon Contest in 2018.
We now have all 25 acts confirmed for the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final and host Steve Holden gets some instant reaction from all 10 qualifiers of Semi Final 2. He speaks to Emppu and Aki from Finland's The Rasmus, Sheldon Riley from Australia, Cornelia Jakobs from Sweden, WRS from Romania, Konstrakta from Serbia, Stefan from Estonia, Nadir Rustamli from Azerbaijan, Jérémie Makiese from Belgium, Ochman from Poland and We Are Domi from the Czech Republic. Eurovision YouTuber Alesia Michelle and blogger Madlen Tutelian are back to share their thoughts on the qualifiers and non-qualifiers. And Steve chats to Rosa Linn's manager Tamar Kaprelian, an Armenian-American singer who represented Armenia herself in 2015.
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final has arrived and presenter Steve Holden hosts a massive episode of the podcast. He's joined by 2011 champion Eldar Gasimov, 2021 Swiss entry Gjon's Tears, Swedish commentator Edward af Sillén, Ukraine's Head of Delegation Oksana Sybinska and Denmark's 2022 entry REDDI. Choreographer Kyle Hanagami discusses creating Chanel's routine to Slo-Mo and British DJ Zoe London talks about Måneskin's influence with her best friend - BBC Radio 1 host Jack Saunders. Previous Eurovision stars Cesár Sampson (Austria), Hovig (Cyprus), The Roop (Lithuania), SuRie (United Kingdom) and Lake Malawi (Czech Republic) remember the one hour before they went on stage for the final. Steve also catches up with Eurovision Backstage host Samya Hafsaoui and Eurovision's walking encyclopedia Samantha Ross for one final time.
Steve Holden chats to the reigning Eurovision Song Contest champions Måneskin about their amazing year since winning for Italy. Damiano, Victoria, Thomas and Ethan discuss memories of the night they won in Rotterdam, their travels around the world and supporting the Rolling Stones. They're returning to the Eurovision stage to perform their new single Supermodel at the Grand Final.
Ukraine has won the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Kalush Orchestra and their song Stefania came in first place, with the United Kingdom and Spain in 2nd and 3rd places. Steve Holden chats to Ukraine's Head of Delegation, Oksana Skybinska, just a few moments after her country's win. She explains what the victory means to Ukraine, and her hopes for the Contest in 2023.
W're back! Three of this year's Grand Finalists join presenter Steve Holden to discuss their experience at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Sweden's Cornelia Jakobs reflects on her fourth place position with Hold Me Closer, and being 'in the right place at the right time'. Czech Republic's We Are Domi are back in Prague after opening the show with Lights Off. And Iceland's Systur reveal their love for Sam Ryder and their massive personal link to the Eurovision movie. Plus, Eurovision encyclopedia Sam Ross crunches the numbers on this year's Contest.
Welcome to the official Eurovision Song Contest podcast. 40 countries will compete in Turin... but who will win? Our official podcast will take you behind the scenes in the run-up to the event in Turin and will offer exclusive backstage access. We'll be hearing from this year's contestants, the people putting on the show and speaking to some Eurovision legends. Join music reporter and presenter Steve Holden as he guides you through this year's Contest.
The Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast is back for season 2! Host Steve Holden has been on a mini tour of Europe to meet some of your favourite Eurovision artists of recent times. Konstrakta (Serbia, 2022) tells us how her life has changed since storming to 5th place in Turin. Malik Harris (Germany, 2022) gives us a lesson in positivity after coming last at the 2022 Contest. Stefania (Greece, 2021) explains what it's like to compete at Junior AND Senior Eurovision. Cesar Sampson (Austria 2018) explains how another country could have given him a VERY different Eurovision career.
It's a winner's special as we take you backstage at Amsterdam's Het Grote Songfestivalfeest, where dozens of Eurovision acts performed their greatest hits. Duncan Laurence chats about the power of Arcade, duetting with Rosa Linn and his involvement with the 2023 Dutch act. Lordi's lead singer Mr Lordi discusses rubber, rock and miconceptions about his band. Netta talks about her songwriting process and the legacy of Toy. There's also an in-depth chat with Katrina from Katrina & The Waves, who reflects on 25 years since winning for the United Kingdom with Love Shine A Light. And Måns Zelmerlöw plays Eurovision: On The Spot.
We're looking ahead to the Junior Eurovision Song Contest which is taking place in Yerevan, Armenia. Joining us are David Tserunyan, Executive Producer of JESC 2022 and Anna Ohanyan, Communications Supervisor at JESC 2022. We also chat to two previous winners of Junior: Ralf Mackenbach (The Netherlands, 2009) and Mariam Mamadashvili (Georgia, 2016). Tomaž Milhelič from Sestre (Slovenia, 2002) talks about being part of the first drag queen group to sing at the Eurovision Song Contest. And Senhit brings some Adrenalina to Eurovision On The Spot.
Gustaph from Belgium becomes the first act of 2023 to appear on the podcast, as he finally gets to be front and centre at Eurovision. UK TV presenter, commentator and Eurovision superfan Rylan Clark discusses his love of the contest and being involved for the BBC. Ukraine's Head of Delegation Oksana Skybinska returns to talk about preparation for Liverpool and putting on Ukrainian selection show Vidbir from a bomb shelter in Kyiv. And sisters OG3NE (Netherlands, 2017) play Eurovision On The Spot.
On this episode, we're joined by Subwoolfer's Ben Adams and Gaute Ormåsen as they tell us about their amazing year after FINALLY being revealed as Space Wolves 'Keith and Jim'. Georgia's representative Iru won Junior Eurovision in 2011 with girl group Candy, and is now ready to make her mark on the main competition. Plus, Georgia's Head of Delegation Natia Mshvenieradze talks about trying to turn around her country's fortunes. We get to know Slovenia's entry Joker Out after revealing their song Carpe Diem. Folloiwing the Spanish and Irish selections, Spanish commentator Victor Escudero and Irish journalist Emma Kelly discuss how they're feeling about their countries' chances. And Gjon's Tears plays Eurovision On The Spot.
On this episode, Ukraine's TVORCHI discuss Heart of Steel and they were brought together by a random meeting on the street. US Olympic figure skater, and the host of Eurovision in the States, Johnny Weir talks about his love of the contest and his favourite Eurovision songs to ice-skate to. Albina Kelmendi drops in to talk about representing Albania with Duje, and Latvia's Sudden Lights are here to dicsuss Aija. To speak about Estonia's ups and downs - and Verona's non-qualification!!! - we hear from Estonian journalist Getter Trumsi. And Sheldon Riley play Eurovision On The Spot.
On this episode, Finland's Käärijä cha-cha-chats rap and Rammstein. Monika Lynkyte from Lithuania gets a surprise message from a familiar name. Estonia's Alika reflects on bad moods and a lifelong love of rock. Plus, Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson drops by, and co-founder of Aussievision, Dale Roberts, gives us a deep dive into Australia at Eurovision. And Dutch legend Edsilia Rombley plays Eurovision On The Spot.
It's a dream job, but being a Head of Delegation at the Eurovision Song Contest is never easy. From managing mega-stars, to airlines losing luggage, to potentially crashing out in the semis - a HoD has so much to deal with. So with the Grand Final less than two months away, we go behind the scenes at the Heads of Delegation meeting in Liverpool. Four heads of delegation share their secrets and stories: Felix Bergsson (Iceland), Mariangela Borneo (Italy), Birgit Simal (Belgium) and Mario Haxhiymeri (Albania). Ana Maria Bordas and Eva Mora speak about Spain's new energy following Chanel's success. Fresh from the Melodifestivalen final, Sweden's Lotta Furebäck discusses bringing a Eurovision champion back to the Contest. We also chat to the Contest's Managing Director Martin Green about putting on the show.
We're in Barcelona for the first pre-party of the Eurovision season! We get to know Spain's Blanca Paloma, Dilja from Iceland and Wild Youth from Ireland. Gustaph from Belgium and Georgia's Iru return to the podcast, and we catch up with Destiny (Malta, 2021) as she reflects on her Eurovision experience.
Para celebrar las dos mayores fiestas de Eurovisión en España - BCN Eurovisión Party y PrePartyES (Madrid, 7 y 8 de abril) - el podcast oficial de Eurovisión presenta un episodio exclusivo en español. Hemos estado en la PreParty de Barcelona donde hemos conocido a muchos de los artistas de este año, así como a algunas leyendas de la historia de Eurovisión. Presentado por Víctor Escudero que habla con Blanca Paloma de España, Mimicat de Portugal y Bojan Cvjetićanin de Joker Out, de Eslovenia. También habla con Barei (España, 2016) y Rosa López (España, 2002), dos leyendas españolas de Eurovisión.
On this episode, we hear from one of Eurovision's most famous creative directors, Sacha Jean-Baptiste. She's worked with loads of countries to create the staging for iconic performances such as Fuego, Tout L'Univers and Beautiful Mess. Andrew Lambrou, representing Cyprus, talks about Break A Broken Heart and Remo Forrer joins from Switzerland to chat about Watergun. Latvia's Sudden Lights, Lithuania's Monika Linkytė and SuRie & Victor Escudero give us the pre-party gossip. And Bulgaria's Poli Genova plays Eurovision On The Spot.
The first of two episodes from the London Eurovision Party featuring Sweden's Loreen on coming back to the contest, 11 years after winning. We challenge Austria's Teya & Salena to show us their Edgar Allen Poe knowledge as they play 'Poe Or No?'. Portugal's Mimicat chats musicals, Festival da Canção and her musical family. The Busker from Malta meet us after a wild night to give us the lowdown on saxophones and sweaters.
It's our second episode from the London Eurovision Party. Käärijä from Finland returns to the podcast to talk about his new-found fame. Serbia's Luke Black explains how he learnt English from Lara Croft, and does a deep dive into his love of video games. Alessandra, representing Norway, talks about her own favourite Queen, although things get a little lost in translation. Czechia's Vesna showcase their diverse musical tastes... and one of them admits to being a massive Taylor Swift fan. And Romania's Theodor Andrei explains everything you might have missed about his Eurovision entry.
The United Kingdom's Mae Muller joins us to talk about performing at a home Eurovision with her entry I Wrote A Song, as well as testing her Class of 2023 knowledge. We speak to this year's youngest competitor, 16-year-old Victor Vernicos, on representing Greece. Chris Harms, the frontman of Germany's glam metal rock band Lord Of The Lost, completes a lifelong dream by competing at the Contest. And Brunette comes out of her shell as she sings for Armenia.
On this episode, Australia's Voyager join us from a basement dressing room at a recent gig. Noa Kirel from Israel explains why she's keeping Unicorn a secret. Find out what connects Blanka from Poland with Lady Gaga. We're also rewinding 10 years and speaking to 2013's winner Emmelie de Forest, who represented Denmark with Only Teardrops, and Norway's Margaret Berger, who came fourth with I Feed You My Love.
On this special episode, we're inviting you to listen in to a conversation between Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA and Martin Österdahl, the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest. It's nearly 50 years since ABBA won with Waterloo, so how does Björn think the contest has changed, and what does he think of it now? The pair discuss the values of Eurovision and its importance for democracy in Europe. They also chat about success stories like Måneskin and Rosa Linn, and Björn reflects on his own memories of Eurovision.
The first rehearsals have begun in Liverpool for the acts of this year's Eurovision Song Contest! We take you backstage to catch up with Latvia's Sudden Lights, Serbia's Luke Black, Portugal's Mimicat, Ireland's Wild Youth, Vesna representing Czechia, Sweden's Loreen and Andrew Lambrou who is singing for Cyprus. Also, Reiley from Denmark joins the podcast for the first time, and Norway's head of delegation Stig Karlsen reflects on the first day.
We're taking you behind the scenes at the Eurovision Song Contest as we chat to the Head of Show, Lee Smithurst. We go to Monika Linkytė's soundcheck for Lithuania and bump into Slovenia's Joker Out. Greece's Victor Vernicos, Austria's Teya & Salena and Poland's Blanka show us round backstage. And we meet El Waller, responsible for the pyro and effects at the show.
Käärijä's Cha Cha Cha dancers join the podcast to talk about representing Finland and the iconic Käärijä 'Piggy Train'. Gustaph from Belgium drops by to introduce his amazing team. Steve also has a surreal chat about teleportation with Let 3 from Croatia, hangs out with Moldova's Pasha Parfeni and finally tracks down Piqued Jacks, representing San Marino.
Donatella Versace, Harry Styles and The Beatles all get a mention on today's episode. Italy's Marco Mengoni joins us to discuss his return to the Eurovision Song Contest. Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper talk about Duncan Laurence bringing them together for the Netherlands. We visit TuralTuranX who are representing Azerbaijan, and catch up with their friends from Malta's The Busker. Corinne Cumming discusses what it's been like to photograph all of this year's acts and Alasdair Rendall gives us the lowdown on the EuroClub.
We're on the Turquoise Carpet to officially open this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool! Hear from the representatives from Norway, Malta, France, Serbia, Latvia, Switzerland, Israel, Moldova, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Germany, Armenia, Estonia, Iceland, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, Albania and the United Kingdom.
Rosa Linn's Snap became one of 2022's biggest hits. It started its life on the Eurovision stage when Rosa sang for Armenia in Turin. It placed 20th - but went on to become a global sensation. A year on, we catch up with Rosa on her incredible 12 months.
France's La Zarra becomes the 37th and final act to join Steve on the podcast. We also catch up with last year's Ukrainian Eurovision Song Contest winners Kalush Orchestra as they prepare to return to the stage in the Grand Final. Australian commentators Myf Warhurst and Joel Creasy share their stories from Eurovisions past, and dancer Yves Cueni discusses what it's like to appear in all three of this year's live shows.
Steve gets the first reactions from all ten qualifiers from the first semi-final. We hear from Vesna representing Czechia, Mimicat from Portugal, Serbia's Luke Black, Norway's Alessandra, Remo Forrer from Switzerland, Let 3 from Croatia, Moldova's Pasha Parfeni, Noa Kirel from Israel, Sweden's Loreen and Käärijä from Finland. Eurovision fans and bloggers Samantha Ross and Madlen Tutelian also share their thoughts and offer analysis on the qualifiers and non-qualifiers.
2018 champion Netta teases her appearance during the Grand Final interval in the Liverpool Songbook. Star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Tia Kofi shows off her Eurovision expertise. Iceland's commentator Gísli Marteinn Baldursson explains why Iceland is a Eurovision-obsessed nation. And Eurovision's Lead Creative Director Dan Shipton tells us how much work has gone into creating this year's contest.
Steve gets reaction from all ten qualifiers from the second semi-final. We hear from Belgium's Gustaph, Andrew Lambrou from Cyprus, Brunette from Armenia, Albina & Familja Kelmendi representing Albania, Monika Linketė from Lithuania, Teya and Salena from Austria, Slovenia's Joker Out, Voyager from Australia, Poland's Blanka and Alika from Estonia. Eurovision fans and bloggers Samantha Ross and Madlen Tutelian also share their thoughts and offer analysis on the qualifiers and non-qualifiers.
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final is here! Joining Steve to look ahead is the Ukrainian host of the Contest, Julia Sanina. We also catch up with Eurovision legends Daði Freyr, Cornelia Jakobs and Mahmood. And Ukrainian commentator Timur Miroshnychenko joins to reflect on a year since Kalush Orchestra won.
Hear Loreen's EXCLUSIVE first interview after winning the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden with Tattoo. She makes history by becoming the first woman to win the Contest twice.
It's the final episode of the 2023 season so who better to chat to than some of the artists who made this year's Eurovision Song Contest so special. Hear from Gustaph (Belgium), Monika Linkytė (Lithuania), Patricie from Vesna (Czechia) and Voyager (Australia) to find out what they made of their Eurovision journey. Also joining us is Finland's Assistant Head of Delegation Matti Myllyaho who was one of Käärijä's Cha Cha Cha dancers to discuss the country's incredible second place.
Multi award-winning popstar SIGRID is one of Norway's biggest singers and is a huge Eurovision fan. She joins us on the Official Eurovision Song Contest podcast to discuss her love of the show, her favourite entries of all time and her connections to past Eurovision participants - including Sam Ryder and Subwoolfer.
It's the Junior Eurovision Song Contest final in Nice! Steve is joined by the reigning Junior champion Lissandro (and his mum). He won for France last year with Oh Maman! We're also talking to Viki Gabor, who helped Poland achieve back-to-back victories when she sang Superhero in 2019.
Steve heads to Amsterdam for Het Grote Songfestivalfeest, where dozens of Eurovision acts get together for a huge party in the Ziggo Dome. From the class of 2023, we catch up with three top-ten finalists: Käärijä from Finland, Norway's Alessandra, and Alika from Estonia. Plus - from Turin 2022, - we find out exactly how Andrei from Romania (formerly known as WRS) created his iconic Hola Mi Bebebe moment.
Our guest is the one of the hosts of the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam 2021... the one and only Nikkie de Jager (AKA NikkieTutorials). Nikkie shares her secrets of hosting the show, make-up with Måneskin, her favourite Eurovision songs... and much more.
On this episode, Steve chats to Raiven, who's representing Slovenia with her dramatic ballad Veronika. They discuss her opera background, meet her pet macaw Georgie and talk about how the song is going to transfer to the Malmö stage. Also dropping in to surprise Raiven is Joker Out's lead singer Bojan Cvjetićanin, who represented Slovenia in Liverpool last year.
On this episode, Steve is joined by two of this year’s Eurovision stars: Aiko and Silia Kapsis. Aiko is singing Pedestal for Czechia and she talks about the making of the song, her friendship with Teya (from Teya & Salena) and the unusual form of exercise that keeps her strong. We then hear from Silia Kapsis, who’s representing Cyprus. The teenager is busy finalising the choreography for her song Liar. She tells us about her Cypriot roots, her love of Whitney Houston, and the famous neighbour who lives near her back home in Sydney.
Steve welcomes Finland's Windows95Man and vocalist Henri Piispanen to the podcast. The pair stormed to victory in the Finnish national final, UMK, with their 90s-inspired club hit No Rules. They chat about the epic performance which featured a denim egg, pyrotechnics... and a special pair of denim shorts. They also discuss the impact of Käärijä's success in Finland, and the advice he's given them.
We’re saying hello to Mustii, the singer and Drag Race judge who’s representing Belgium with his epic track Before The Party’s Over. Steve chats to Mustii about his Eurovision plans, his love of Madonna and David Bowie, and how he’s getting loads of support from all his friends on Drag Race Belgium. Last year’s Belgian entrant Gustaph drops in to offer his support… and find out Mustii’s weird choice of song when he’s out at karaoke.
Joining Steve this week is Silvester Belt, who’s representing Lithuania with Luktelk. He talks about his life since winning the Lithuanian national final and the advice he’s received from both Monika Linkytė and Monika Liu. He speaks about the beauty of the Lithuanian language and why he’s looking forward to meeting the UK’s Olly Alexander in Malmö.
In this episode, Steve heads to a dance studio at a secret location to meet Kaleen, who's representing Austria with We Will Rave. As we find out, the singer is no stranger to the Eurovision Song Contest as she's previously stood in for artists including Eleni Fouriera. She talks about the plans for the staging of her song, the making of the music video and her dancing prowess.
SABA will be taking the bridge from Copenhagen to Malmö to represent Denmark with her song Sand. The singer tells host Steve Holden about her unlikely journey to the Eurovision Song Contest via musical theatre and her talents as a footballer. She also discusses the special bond with her identical twin sister.
Steve catches up with Ireland's Bambie Thug as they prepare to bring their witchy brand of goth pop to Malmö. They chat about their pride at representing their country, their hatred of tap dance and how they brought some Mean Girls inspiration to the video for Doomsday Blue.
This episode comes from the first pre-party of the season… in Madrid! First up is Nemo, who’s representing Switzerland with The Code. They talk about the song, weird breakfasts and losing their luggage. There’s also a special guest appearance from one of their best friends… who happens to be Teya (of Teya and Salena fame)! Then Steve catches up with LADANIVA who are representing Armenia. The duo are singer Jaklin and instrumentalist Louis who are taking their song Jako to Malmö. All we’ll say is that you should keep listening for the best impression of a chicken you will ever hear. Big thanks to Eurovision Spain for hosting us at the PrePartyES 2024.
El podcast oficial del Festival de Eurovisión os llega desde la PrePartyES 2024 en Madrid. Víctor Escudero presenta este episodio en español y habla con algunas de las fantásticas candidaturas de este año. Charla con Nebulossa de España para conocer el vínculo especial que existe entre este dúo de marido y mujer. Después de competir en el Benidorm Fest, Megara se dirigió a San Marino y ahora representan al microestado con su canción 11:11. Desde Portugal nos acompaña Iolanda, que cantará Grito en Malmö. Y la copresentadora de Víctor en la PrePartyES, Melani, nos habla de cómo fue representar a España en Eurovisión Junior en 2019 y de sus futuras metas.
Joining Steve on this week’s episode are Georgia’s Nutsa Buzaladze and Serbia’s Teya Dora. Nutsa is taking her song Firefighter to Malmö. She speaks about her experience on the finals of American Idol, singing with Kylie Minogue and tells us about the joys of one of Georgia’s delicious national dishes - khachapuri! Teya Dora will sing the ethereal ballad Ramonda in Sweden. She speaks about winning the Serbian national final and getting the support of Konstrakta and Luke Black. She also discusses her gigantic viral hit Džanum, which has had billions of views and streams around the world.
For this week’s episode, Marcus & Martinus sit down with Steve to talk about representing this year’s host country… Sweden! The twins are taking their song Unforgettable to Malmö, where they’ll be first to perform in the Grand Final on May 11. The soccer-crazy brothers discuss which one of them is the better footballer, their embarrassing historic haircuts and how Loreen is their ‘Eurovision Mother’.
It’s a very special episode of the podcast recorded in front of a LIVE audience at the London Eurovision Party. Steve welcomes Conchita on stage to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their iconic win in Copenhagen. They discuss the impact of Rise Like A Phoenix, working on the Eurovision movie and the perils of skiing. Gustaph (Belgium, 2023) and Keiino (Norway, 2019) also share their Eurovision memories and stories. From the Class of 2024, Malta’s Sarah Bonnici, Ireland’s Bambie Thug, Austria’s Kaleen and Belgium’s Mustii drop in too. Thank you to the London Eurovision Party for hosting us.
Hej from Malmö! Joining us straight from their first rehearsals are Ukraine's alyona alyona and Jerry Heil, who are singing Teresa & Maria. The pair discuss their long journey to Sweden, their performance and alyona alyonna demonstrates her incredible rap skills. Poland's LUNA is bringing The Tower to the contest. She talks about her musical influences and her ambitious staging. Before that, Steve finally meets Silia Kapsis face-to-face, who's performing Liar for Cyprus and chats about a potential Eurovision supergroup.
Croatia’s Baby Lasagna has had crowds going wild for his anthem Rim Tim Dagi Dim. The singer, whose real name is Marko, talks to Steve about his love of cats and the reception he receives in his home town. He also answers the big question… how much does he actually love lasagna?
Steve catches up with two more acts who have arrived at the podcast fresh off stage from their first rehearsals in Malmö. First up is Malta’s Sarah Bonnici, who talks about the complicated choreo for Loop as well as putting her original career on hold to chase the Eurovision dream. We also catch up with Switzerland’s Nemo. They have revealed their elaborate staging for The Code. They also discuss hitch-hiking to Malmö from Zurich, and making friends with the Class of ‘24. If you heard them on the podcast previously, you can also find out if they were ever reunited with their missing luggage.
Three Eurovision queens join Steve on the latest episode from Malmö. Portugal’s Iolanda speaks about Grito, tracking down the best Portuguese tart in Sweden and reveals her favourite pop bangers of all time. After representing Iceland in 2010, Hera Björk is back for a second time with Scared Of Heights. She talks about the love in the Eurovision community, her powerlifting preparation and whether she is actually scared of heights! Albania’s BESA is performing Titans in Sweden. She chats about her passion for rescuing dogs (she has six of them!) and reveals the singer who messages the most in the Eurovision What’sApp chat.
Steve is joined in the delegation bubble for a gossip by Swedish radio and TV presenter Tina Mehrafzoon, who’s commentating for her home country at this year’s contest. Dons is singing Hollow for Latvia. As one of his country’s biggest singers, he talks about his idol Freddie Mercury, voicing a Disney icon… and the best way to cook an egg. Norway’s Gåte are bringing ethereal drama with their anthem Ulveham. Singer Gunnhild Sundli and guitarist Magnus Børmark discuss their staging, Gunnhild’s incredible voice and why the midnight sun isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Steve is joined by Greece's Marina Satti, who has already had a huge hit in her home country with her Eurovision entry Zari. She talks about her musical style, the song, her unique music video and the love for the 2005 Greek Eurovision champion Helena Paparizou. Azerbaijani singer FAHREE has teamed up with Ilkin Dovaltov to sing the powerful anthem Özünlə Apar. The pair speak about their partnership, FAHREE’s special spoon (honestly!) and how Ilkin might just have the best moustache in Malmö.
Germany’s ISAAK brings the anthemic Always On The Run to the Eurovision stage. He joins Steve for a chat about his career so far, his unusual musical talent and why translating songs into German isn’t always that straightforward. Eden Golan is singing Hurricane for Israel and discusses her musical idols, her Eurovision heroes and the love of her life… her 15-year-old chihuahua Leo.
Steve speaks to the brains behind Europapa! Joost Klein is representing the Netherlands with his happy hardcore bittersweet hit. He talks about the message behind the song and what happens inside his creative mind. Zaachariaha and Michael are Electric Fields, who are singing One Milkali (One Blood) for Australia. They discuss their love of Janet Jackson, the song's meaning and their long-standing friendship. 5MIINUST are one of Estonia’s most successful bands and joined up with duo Puuluup for their Eurovision entry which is called (nendest) markootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi. Joining Steve are Marko from Puuluup and Kohver from 5MIINUST to chat about their collaboration, bonding in the sauna and learning choreography for Eurovision.
Petra Mede is back to host the Eurovision Song Contest for the third time, and is joined on the podcast by her best friend - and this year’s writer and director - Edward af Sillén. They talk to Steve Holden about their friendship, their love of Abba and the legacy of their 2106 interval act Love Love Peace Peace.
Swedish superstar Benjamin Ingrosso joins Steve for a chat about his career, new music and his many connections to the Eurovision Song Contest. In Malmö, Benjamin is performing a medley of songs in the interval of the first semi-final. In this episode, he talks about his appearance for Sweden in the 2018 Contest, when he came seventh with Dance You Off. He also discusses his personal links to Sweden’s Eurovision winners, working with Björn Ulveaus from ABBA and why Melodifestivalen is responsible for his entire existence!
Pour la première fois, le podcast officiel du concours Eurovision de la Chanson vous est dévoilé en français! L’animateur, Rémi entame la discussion avec Slimane, le représentant français, qui a été le premier artiste à être dévoilé pour l'édition 2024. Il partage ses réflexions sur sa chanson Mon Amour, exprimant ses sentiments à l'idée de représenter son pays et évoquant les liens qu'il a tissés avec d'autres participants cette année. La conversation se poursuit avec Mustii, le représentant de la Belgique, interprétant Before The Party’s Over. Il dévoile les nuances de son titre, expliquant ce qu'il représente et signifie pour lui, tout en soulignant l'influence de la scène drag dans son expression artistique et sa mise en scène. Ensuite, le duo arménien LADANIVA, basé entre Lille et Paris, interprétant Jako à Malmö, partage ses inspirations musicales et raconte leur rencontre singulière.
Olly Alexander is representing the United Kingdom with his song Dizzy! He joins the podcast to talk about the mind-melting staging for his performance and his preparations for Malmö. The singer also discusses his appearance in UK soap Eastenders, his cats Fanta & Sprite and the friendships he’s made in the build up to the Contest. Steve also talks to Slovenia's Raiven, Serbia's Teya Dora, Cyprus' Silia Kapsis and Portugal's Iolanda after they qualified for the Grand Final. Also joining for a debrief is music journalist and Swedish commentator Tina Mehrafzoon to offer her thoughts on the ten qualifiers.
After becoming one of Italy’s breakout stars of 2023, Angelina Mango is representing her country with La Noia at the Eurovision Song Contest. She talks to Steve about the meaning behind the song, her win at the Sanremo Music Festival and her incredible musical roots.
Reigning champion Loreen returns to the podcast, one year after she won the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time. She discusses the crazy year she’s had since winning with Tattoo, her famous nails, her new single Forever and her upcoming tour. Steve also speaks to Georgia’s Nutsa, Magnus from Norwegian band Gåte, Austria’s Kaleen and Latvia’s Dons after they qualified for the Grand Final. Joining once again is music journalist and Swedish commentator Tina Mehrafzoon to offer her thoughts on the ten qualifiers. And Sarah Dawn Finer (AKA Linda Woodruff) gatecrashes the interview after taking part in the Swedish interval song - We Just Love Eurovision Too Much.
It's here! The Grand Final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Malmō. On this episode, Steve catches up with brothers Marcus & Martinus, who are opening the show for Sweden. Also, dropping by are drag superstars Nicky Doll and Courtney Act, as well as Serbian Eurovision legends Bojana Stemanov (2015) and Konstrakta (2022). After Käärijä almost won for Finland last year, we pay a visit to the country's commentator Mikko Silvennoinen. In a year of amazing choreography, Meshach Henry explains how he’s created the mind-melting dancing for the UK’s Olly Alexander.
Nemo has won this year's Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland. Their song, The Code, received 591 points to finish in first place, ahead of Croatia and Ukraine. They speak to Steve, just moments after receiving the coveted trophy to discuss what the win means to them.
Basel has been announced as the host city of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025! To celebrate, Steve’s been speaking to some of the people who were in the room when Nemo wrote The Code, bringing the contest back to Switzerland. At a songwriting camp in Malta, he chats to Nemo’s bestie Teya (Austria 2023), as well as the song’s co-writers Linda Dale and Benji Alasu. He also catches up with some of Malta’s previous Eurovision entries - Destiny (2021), The Busker (2023), Sarah Bonnici (2024) and Christabelle (2018).
We’re celebrating the 2024 Junior Eurovision Song Contest final in Madrid! Steve is joined by the three Spanish hosts of this year’s final: Ruth Lorenzo, Marc Clotet and Melani Garcia. Ruth talks about her own experience at Eurovision after she came 10th in 2014 with her song Dancing In The Rain. Marc is a well known actor and model in his home country and Melani returns to Junior as the co-host, after placing 3rd in the 2019 contest as a contestant, with her entry Marte. We also catch up with the defending champion of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, Zoé Clauzure, who won for France in 2023 with her song Cœur.
We’ve been chatting to some of your Eurovision favourites in Amsterdam at Het Grote Songfestivalfeest, where dozens of acts come together for a huge party in the Ziggo Dome. From the class of 2024, we catch up with Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil from Ukraine, and Ireland’s Bambie Thug. Steve also welcomes Australia’s Guy Sebastian to the podcast, as he reveals what it was like to be Australia’s very first representative.
The legendary Tia Kofi is the first guest on a brand new season of the Official Eurovision Song Contest! Tia is a drag icon, singer, podcaster and a WINNER of RuPaul’s Drag Race vs The World. As we get ready for this year’s competition in Basel, Tia joins Steve for a chat about her love of the contest, her ambition to sing at the event, her love of San Marino and her history of putting on her own Eurovision-themed events.
Erika Vikman will represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest with her song Ich Komme, and becomes the first act of 2025 to appear on our official podcast! Steve caught up with her the morning after winning the Finnish national final UMK (Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu) in her home city of Tampere. She talks about her amazing stage performance, her friendship with Käärijä and how she has become the talk of Finland’s biggest social scene - the sauna!
EMMY is going to represent Ireland at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with her song Laika Party. It’s a tribute to Laika the dog, who was one of the first animals to go into space. Steve caught up the Norwegian singer to hear how she’s feeling about singing for Ireland,, learning Irish traditions and find out whether Jedward or Subwoolfer might make a cameo in Switzerland.
Red Sebastian is living his childhood dream by representing Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest. He’s singing Strobe Lights and speaks to Steve about making the club banger he is taking to Basel. He also talks about how the Little Mermaid shaped his life, his love of Whitney, Christina and Gaga, and how Belgium’s 2023 entry Gustaph taught him to sing!
Norway’s Kyle Alessandro has been a Eurovision Song Contest fan since he sang Dami Im, Barei and Jamala in a karaoke bar at the age of 10! He chats to Steve about the meaning of his entry Lighter, his Spanish and Norwegian influences, his friendship with Queen of Kings Alessandra, and how he’s the Norwegian Will Ferrell.
Gabry Ponte is one of the world’s most successful DJs but he is now taking on a huge new challenge as he competes at the Eurovision Song Contest. His entry Tutta L’Italia was used as part of the Italian Sanremo Music Festival, but it’s now been chosen to represent San Marino in Basel. Gabry chats to Steve about the journey of his anthem and his excitement about competing in Switzerland. He also talks about his time in Eiffel 65, when he created one of the biggest dance tracks of all time: Blue (Da Ba Dee).
We’re saying a big hello to Australia’s Milkshake Man… Go-Jo! The singer is preparing to bring his colourful style, his moustache and his love of broccoli to the contest. He chats to Steve about his ultimate milkshakes, his lifelong love of music, and how a mystic predicted his journey to Basel.
Sissal is representing Denmark this year with her EDM banger Hallucination! The singer was born in the Faroe Islands and lives in Copenhagen. She joins Steve to talk about how she’s switching things up for her performance in Basel, her raucous 30th birthday celebrations and her love of Swedish singer Robyn.
Adonxs is representing Czechia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with his powerful entry Kiss Kiss Goodbye. The singer joins Steve to talk about his pop star dreams as a child, nailing the song’s epic dance break, channeling Queen and Prince, and he reveals the other Eurovision stars that were in his class at university.
Laura Thorn is hoping she can generate a sixth win for Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest with her song La Poupée Monte Le Son. She tells us about honouring her country’s history and how she’s juggling two jobs, as a music teacher as well as Luxembourg’s Eurovision entry.
Remember Monday are three lifelong friends who will be representing the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest. With a background in musical theatre, Charlotte, Holly-Anne and Lauren are no strangers to the big stage. They talk about their entry, What The Hell Just Happened?, chat about their favourite musicals and tell us why you can never go wrong with a spaghetti bolognese
We catch up with Switzerland’s Zoë Më at PrePartyES 2025 in Madrid as she gets ready to welcome everyone to her home city of Basel! The singer talks about her friendship with Gjon’s Tears, becoming KAJ’s fourth member and the meaning of her song Voyage.
Volvemos a la PrePartyES de Madrid para otro episodio en español del Podcast Oficial de Eurovision! Una vez más, el presentador Víctor Escudero ha charlado con algunos artistas geniales. Por ejemplo, habla con la diva española Melody para saber cómo se está preparando para Basilea y qué le ha parecido la experiencia eurovisiva hasta ahora. Kyle Alessandro representa a Noruega con “Lighter”, pero tiene una conexión especial con España a través de su padre. Habla con Víctor sobre su canción y sobre sus orígenes españoles. Saara Aalto subió al escenario en representación de Finlandia en 2018. Ha sido co-presentadora de la PrePartyES y está encantada de hablar en español, y eso que sólo lleva 3 años aprendiendo el idioma. Por último, Anabel Conde, que sigue teniendo el mejor resultado de España en el festival desde el triunfo de 1969. Quedó 2ª en 1995 con el icónico “Vuelve Conmigo” y nos habla de su legado eurovisivo.
Representing Greece, Klavdia will be bringing the starry-eyed beauty of her song, Asteromata, to the Eurovision stage in Basel. She talks to Steve about her lifelong Eurovision dreams, her iconic glasses and the strong relationship she has with her Eurovision ‘mother’ Helena Paparizou
It’s a very special episode of the podcast, recorded in front of a live audience at the London Eurovision Party! Joining Steve on stage are the United Kingdom’s Remember Monday, Australia’s Go-Jo and Austria’s 2024 entry Kaleen. Next up it’s Iceland’s Væb, Malta’s Miriana Conte and Slovenia’s Klemen, before they passed the microphones to Sweden’s KAJ, Sissal from Denmark and Croatia’s Marjo Bošnjak.
We have two HUGE singers for the price of one on today’s episode of the podcast. First up is Serbia’s long-haired Princ who’s bringing his epic song Mila to Basel. He talks about his cat (also called Mila), his former life as a karate champion, and the unusual third language he speaks. Armenia’s PARG is here to talk about his powerful anthem Survivor. The singer tells Steve about the meaning of the song, what we can expect from him in Switzerland, and his special connection to Rosa Linn.
The rehearsals in Basel have begun and we're speaking to three acts who performed on stage on day one of the Contest - Væb, Justyna Steczkowska & NAPA! First up, it's Icelandic duo Væb who are opening the whole event with their ocean-inspired anthem RÓA. Brothers Matthías and Hálfdán talk about their rehearsals, whale watching, and their fame in Iceland. Next, it’s Justyna Steczkowska, representing Poland with the epic GAJA. Justyna is returning to the Eurovision Song Contest after first performing 30 years ago... in 1995! Steve also talks to singer Guilherme & drummer João from Portugal's NAPA. They discuss the message behind their beautiful entry, Deslocado and the love of their home island, Madeira and its legendary drink Poncha.
Estonia’s Coffee King Tommy Cash and Slovenia’s TV presenter-turned-Eurovision star Klemen join Steve on today’s episode of the podcast. First up, Tommy Cash takes part in his first EVER podcast to discuss the creation of Espresso Macchiato, his friendship with Charli XCX and the famous names backing him for Eurovision victory. Next, Klemen brings his personal story to the stage in Basel with his ballad How Much Time Do We Have Left?. He tells Steve about the heartfelt ode to his wife, and his background as one of Slovenia’s best known impressionists.
It’s a triple threat as Croatia’s Marko Bosnjak, Albania’s Shkodra Elektronike and Theo Evan from Cyprus visit the podcast. First up, Marko Bošnjak has been baking his Poison Cake for the Eurovision stage. Albanian powerhouse duo Shkodra Elektronike tell Steve all about the famous legend inspiring their song Zjerm. And finally, please be quiet as Cyprus’ Theo Evan tells us all about his entry Shh, a performance which channels Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous Vitruvian Man.
On today’s podcast, we say a big hello to Claude from the Netherlands and Montenegro’s Nina Žižić. Claude is bringing his feelgood anthem C’est La Vie to the stage. He tells us about his road to Basel, his musical heroes, and why everyone’s going to be hearing his mother at the Contest. Nina Žižić first represented Montenegro back in 2013 as the singer with rap duo Who See. She;s now flying solo and brings her country back to the contest after a three-year absence with her dramatic ballad Dobrodošli.
The artists from Austria and Latvia drop by for the latest episode of the podcast! Austrian opera star JJ is ready to bring drama to his Wasted Love performance. He talks about bonding with Conchita, working with 2023 contestant Teya, and his ‘choatic’ friendship with Denmark’s Sissal. Then, all six members of Latvian folk-pop group Tatumeitas tell us about their song Bur Man Laimi and their love of Eurovision ethno-divas.
It's finally sauna time as Swedish representatives join the podcast, along with Ukraine's Ziferblat. KAJ (Kevin, Axel and Jakob) talk about their sauna anthem Bara Bada Bastu, their thoughts on being one of the favourites this year, and why Finland's Lordi left a lasting impression (literally) on the band. Next up, twin brothers Daniil & Valentyn from Ukraine discuss Bird of Pray, their love of Kate Bush, and why they'll be channeling Roger Federer in the semi-final.
On this episode, Steve speaks to German representatives Abor & Tynna, as well as Israeli singer Yuval Raphael. First up, brother and sister duo Abor & Tynna chat about their energetic song, Baller, which is the first German entry in the German language for nearly 20 years. Next, it’s Yuval Raphael, representing Israel with the stirring ballad New Day Will Rise. She talks about her childhood in Switzerland and her favourite karaoke tracks… and there's a cameo appearance from her mum!
Some of the biggest creative brains at the Eurovision Song Contest join a special episode of the podcast, recorded in front of a live audience at the Novartis Pavilion in Basel. Joining Steve is Teya, Ralf Mackenbach, Ace Bowerman, Jorge Antonio Fujizaki and Melanie Wehbe. Teya represented Austria in 2023 with Who The Hell Is Edgar? and is now the creative director and co-writer for JJ’s entry Wasted Love. Ralf Mackenbach won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, but switched his career to his other passion… and is now a leading physicist! Creative director Ace Bowerman and choreographer Jorge Antonio Fujizaki are the brains behind the staging for this year’s United Kingdom and Azerbaijan entries. Melanie Wehbe has worked on four Eurovision Song Contest entries, including Sissal’s Hallucination, where she’s also a backing vocalist. Also joining Steve are two ‘Novartists’ - Gustavo Prack & Anisah Alyahya - who talk about balancing their careers at Novartis
The representatives from France and Georgia speak about their Eurovision journeys. French singer Louane tells us about her poignant ballad Maman, which features her daughter, as well as that huge reveal at the Stade de France in Paris. Next, Georgia’s Mariam Shengelia tells us about her song Freedom, representing her country, and the love of her life… her five-month old puppy.
It's time to get the know the hosts of this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Basel! TV host and singer Sandra Studer and comedian Hazel Brugger are presenting the live finals together. The pair sit down with Steve to talk about hosting the best show on earth, some secrets behind the production and whether they've heard anything from Celine Dion.
Get ready to serve and run with Malta's Miriana Conte and Azerbaijan's Mamagama! First up, Miriana tells us about her journey to Basel, the pride in representing her country with Serving, and how she's exhausted her country's supply of exercise balls! Next, singing for Azerbaijan with Run with U, it's Mamagama. Asaf, Hasan and Arif tell us about their roots in Baku and all the advice former Eurovision winner Eldar has been giving them.
Your ten qualifiers from the first semi-final are right here! The artists representing Iceland, Norway, Albania, Sweden, The Netherlands, San Marino, Portugal, Estonia, Ukraine and Poland give their reaction after making it through to Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. We also catch up with three members of the Class of 2024: Marina Satti from Greece, iolanda from Portugal and Jerry Heil from Ukraine. They came together to sing Celine Dion’s 1988 winning entry Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.
Italy’s Lucio Corsi is bringing his poetic song Volevo Essere Un Duro to the Eurovision stage in Basel. He sits down with Steve (and his friend & translator Francis) to discuss his love of the quiet life in Tuscany, the meaning behind his song and his pet parrot.
Your ten qualifiers from the second semi-final are right here! The artists representing Denmark, Latvia, Israel, Austria, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Greece, Armenia and Malta give their reaction after making it through to Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final. Gjon’s Tears also joins us to chat about what he’s been up to since his third-placed finish for Switzerland in 2021. We hear about his involvement in this year’s show and some secrets from the Rotterdam Grand Final.
Prepare yourself.... as Irish Eurovision legends Jedward are finally on the podcast! Brothers John and Edward are two-time competitors, taking part in 2011 AND 2012 with Lipstick and Waterline for Ireland. They talk about their time in Basel, their love of the Eurovision Song Contest, and whether they would ever come back for a third time.
Two Eurovision legends join forces as Käärijä and Baby Lasagna team up for the Grand Final in Basel! The pair sit down with Steve to discuss their much anticipated collab #eurodab! They talk about finally meeting in real life for the first time, their experiences as iconic runners-up in Liverpool 2023 and Malmö 2024 and what happens when they join forces on the Eurovision stage.
It's a victory for Austria! Hear from JJ, just minutes after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with his operatic Wasted Love. He achieved 436 points in the Grand Final.