🎶 Eurovision music round-up: May 2023

The Winners

Jamala – “Qırım” (LP)

2016 winner Jamala brings music from across Crimea on her new album “Qırım”. Each song on this 15 track effort was, according to the singer-songwriter “found in a particular city or village in Crimea,” with the album bringing together “more than 80 musicians to showcase the beauty and greatness of Crimean Tatar culture.” The album is full of beautiful, often symphonic versions of the traditional folk songs Jamala mentioned, all topped off with her beautiful voice of course (except for the music-only outro).

Céline Dion – “Love Again” (LP)

Remember the whole song and dance I did about “Love Again” (The Film) and “Love Again” (The Soundtrack) coming out when I wrote about “Love Again” (The Single) last month? Well, rejoice, because all three are out now! There is not much for me to say that I didn’t already last month. Those who adore Céline will finds lots to love on this album, both old and new.

KALUSH & Jerry Heil – “Стіни”

KALUSH and Jerry Heil are both no strangers to this round-up, although this is the first time I get to write about both for one song. The 2023 winners team up with the Vidbir contestant for new track “Стіни” (The Walls). It’s a dark track with a fittingly somber video, and Jerry Heil writes on Instagram about the song: “Someone will return home from the war, someone will return only with a memory and a song. The purpose of this song is to remind that it is worth remembering every day, at what price the integrity of our nation is given to us.”

Netta – “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)”

I (mostly) had a great time during the Liverpool Songbook segment during the Grand Final. And (most) of the artists that participated in it have released full versions of the covers they performed! Netta and Duncan you’ll find here, for Cornelia and Daði you’ll have to check the next two pages of the article. That being said: Netta’s studiio version of Dead or Alive’s classic banger “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” is just as energetic and dancefloor ready as the original and her rendition in Liverpool.

Duncan Laurence – “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

“You’ll Never Walk Alone” might not be from Liverpool (it’s a showtune from 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel), but thanks to Liverpool group Gerry and the Pacemakers the song has become inexorably linked to Liverpool, and Liverpool F.C. in particular. While the studio version misses the amazing live atmosphere that only thousands of people singing along can bring, it still is a solid version of the track.

Eldar – “Break Free”

Eldar, one half of the duo who won in 2011, is back in the round-up for the first time since December. This time he is back with all new song “Break Free”. The track is an uplifting pop track, both musically and lyrically. Writing about the song on Instagram, the Azerbaijani singer notes that the song is for those who havce lost faith and strength, but also “Supposed to be self healing too.. cuz I’m tired and want to break free, too..”. The song was composed by Eldar, with Mado Salikh writing the lyrics.

Next page: New releases by the 2022 artists