March, a month of contrasts: between spring and the start of pre-party season, it is full of beginnings. But between the events of the Ides of March and the end of National Final season, it also is full of endings. And, of course, the month is full of lots of new music as well! In this round-up of the best and biggest new Eurovision music related releases: Albums, experiments, and people going solo.
The 2022 entries
MARO – “em porta trancada”, “juro que vi flores” ft. Sílvia Perez Cruz, “há-de sarar”, “something bout tomorrow”, “tens morada em mim”
MARO just can’t stop releasing music! Last month, the Portuguese singer-songwriter already treated us to four new songs that will be on her upcoming album “hortelã” (mint), set to release April 7. And this month, she is back with more.
“em porta trancada” is a gentle, acoustic guitar driven song in which MARO sings about love, hope, and fear. “juro que vi flores” (i swear i saw flowers) sees Maro team up with Sílvia Perez Cruz, a singer from Catalonia who has won a Goya award for her song in the film “Blancanieves”. The song is the only track on the album with a feature, and what a feature it is. MARO writes on Instagram about the song and Sílvia: “when i wrote this song, i dreamt of, one day, recording it with one of my favorite voices in the whole world & it finally happened.”
“há-de sarar” (will heal) picks up the pace a little, with the acoustic guitars fluttering in your ears as MARO contemplates time, healing, and pain. But it is not all Portuguese this month, as “something bout tomorrow” has MARO singing in English and tackling procrastination: “And though we know it’s nothing but an excuse to leave it all / We keep on holding on to this idea that tomorrow will change it all / That tomorrow we’ll find a way”
Finally, the second-to-last song of the album is “tens morada em mim” (you have a home in me). The (presented here translated to English) chorus says everything about the song much better than I could: “I want to show you all the colors I see / Show what the world is strange and what I take around / I want to sing, tell you that you are more than desire / That I am a homeless house and that you have a home in me
Konstrakta – “EVO, OBEĆAVAM”
Konstrakta is back! “EVO, OBEĆAVAM” (HERE, I PROMISE) sees the artist race through different genres in a characteristically experimental and meaningful song. The track is divided in three parts: “I am depressed”, “I am anxious”, and finally “Promise me”. Like the song, the music video is split into the same three parts, with each part of the video written and directed by a different director. Lyrically, Konstrakta deals with topics such as mental health, how people are unwilling or unable to help, and how much the mere promise of safety and a future can already mean.
Zdob și Zdub – “Floarea soarelui”, CUIBUL feat. Zdob și Zdub “Doina Rock’n’Roll”
Eurovision icons Zdob și Zdub are back with their first new track since January. “Floarea soarelui” (Sunflower) is a fairly slow, sweeping track that transports the listener across Moldova. As the band write on YouTube, the song is about “the energetic soul of our land, found in people, in music, in language, in tradition, in life itself. The sun is the source of vitality and energy, and the sunflower symbolizes it entirely.”
But that was not all for this month, as they also reature on the new track by Moldovan funk/fusion/rock’n’roll band CUIBUL. “Doina Rock’n’Roll” is exactly as loud, chaotic, and mesmerizing as you might expect from such a collab. The music video I have embedded premieres on the night of March 31st to April 1 in Moldova, so if you catch this article early, why not wait for the premiere and be the first to watch it?
Systur – “Furðuverur”
Systur debuted their percussive driven new single at Söngvakeppnin, and it is out for streaming now. “Furðuverur” (Strange creatures) is Systur at their fastest since Eurovision, an excellent track that stomps ahead powerfully while the trio sing beautifully over the music.
Jerry Heil x Ochman – “BRONIA”
Jerry Heil, who Eurovision fans will know from Vidbir or from this round-up, and Ochman, who represented Poland with “River”, have teamed up for new song “BRONIA”. The song, in which they sing in Ukrainian and Polish, is Jerry Heil’s way of “thanking Poland and saying: “Your arms are my weapons””, as per her Instagram.
Sam Ryder – “You’ve Got The Love”
“You Got The Love” is a song with literal decades of chart success. From the original 1986 house version by Source featuring Candi Staton, then remixes of that track in ’91 and ’97 to the version that I know best: Florence and the Machine’s cover from 2009 that retitled the track to “You’ve Got The Love”. The latest person to cover this British classic is Sam Ryder. Sam leans most heavily on the Florence version here, as the title might suggest. But his version also brings back some of the house elements from the earlier versions.
SIVVA & Nadir Rustamli – “Əbədi Sevgi”
The 2022 Azerbaijani Eurovision representative is out with new music, working with singer and composer SIVVA on her new track “Əbədi Sevgi” (Endless Love). The song is both drenched in romance and pain, which obviously make Nadir’s voice a perfect fit for the track.
Andromache – “Pes Tis”
2022 Cypriot representative Andromache has released new single “Pes Tis” (Tell Her). The song sees the singer continue with her mix of modern pop and traditional Greek music. The song was written and composed by Leonidas Sozos and is Andromache’s first solo release since Eurovision last year.
Citi Zēni – “Vecumdienas”
Everyone’s favourite vegetable-lovers took a short break a few months ago as lead vocalist Jānis Pētersons competed on the Latvian version of Dancing with the Stars, where he managed to finish second. Now, however, Citi Zēni are back with new music. “Vecumdienas” (Old age) is a groovy track about growing older and everything it entails.
Circus Mircus – “Pin-Drop Mind”
I just love Circus Mircus, so any new song of theirs is always an event for me. “Pin-Drop Mind” sees them at their most Britpop yet, with a sound that is reminiscent of Oasis with a lo-fi vibe drizzled over it. The fourth single of their upcoming debut album, “Pin Drop Mind” sees Circus Mircus present a track about trying to move on from one’s struggles.
We Are Domi – “FU”
It’s an expletive-laden new single by We Are Domi this month, just as the title “FU” implies. Musically, the song is a bit slower and more restrained than most of their previous releases, but both the production and Dominika’s vocals are unmistakably We Are Domi. A music video is set to be released in April.
Lum!x, Des3ett, Georgia Meek – “Take Me Higher”
A month has passed, and that can mean only one thing: Lum!x has released a new song! This month he teamed up with Italian DJ Des3ett and British alt-pop singer Georgia Meek for “Take Me Higher”. Joining the three in the writing process was Giacomo Uber, who has worked with both DJs before and also others such as Sigala and Gabry Ponte. Musically the song gives more of a late night vibe than Lum!x’s other songs, a vibe that is enhanced by Georgia singing that “your energy has got me on my knees”.
Rosa Linn – “Never Be Mine”
Ahead of her performance at the legendary Lollapalooza festival in Chicago this August, Rosa Linn is areleasing new songs. Her latest track is “Never Be Mine,” a piano driven ballad on which Rosa Linn’s voice sounds better than ever. Musically, as the title already suggests, the song is about her (still) loving someone who no longer loves her.
Next page: New releases from Eurovision Winners
