Now That’s What I Call… The Extended Eurovision Universe
As Eurovision fans (and some who aren’t) know, Eurovision neither starts nor ends with the main contest. From National Final season introducing the world to new and exciting artists, to former Junior Eurovision artists, to the big- and small-name songwriters and producers that work behind the scenes, people from all over the music industry make Eurovision the amazing thing that it is. Here is some of the best new music by Eurovision-adjacent acts.
Sissi – “Gold”
Estonia’s Sissi is here with some absolute “Gold”. Grand yet personal, this gorgeously building song is a prime example of how Estonian pop feels broadly accessible without being derivative. A genuine highlight this month, go check it out!
Krylata – “НІДЕ ДІТИ”
The new song by Krylata, “НІДЕ ДІТИ” (NO CHILDREN) is a lyrically dark song where she wrestles with her memories over some excellent production dominated by an acoustic guitar and a very effective beat.
Yoly Saa – “Cuando menos lo esperabas”
The Yoly Saa album roll-out continues with chapter 4, “Cuando menos lo esperabas” (When you least expected it). While not quite as gorgeous as the first song of the album, this break-up song has much more mainstream appeal and is an excellent slice of modern pop music.
Joan Thiele – “Veleno”
2025 national final artist alert! Ahead of competing in Sanremo, Joan Thiele delights us with some new music. “Veleno” (Poison) feels like a neo-spaghetti western as Joan sings over shimmering, distorted guitars and more modern electronic production work. Absolutely mesmerizing.
Felicia Lu – “Bigger One”
With “Bigger One”, Felicia Lu now technically has released a full EP or about half an album’s worth of songs in recent times. Don’t take my word for it, take hers! The release of this music was marked by compiling her recent work into the “Bitter” EP, which is set to be the first half of her upcoming album, which is a fully independent release (although this song still got published through UMG? The music industry is weird). You can feel the accompanying attitude in the song and music video, which deals with Felicia’s disenchantment with the music industry and more.
Naomi Ayé – “Techno #1” (EP)
She was one of the Luxembourg 2024 hopefuls, and now she serves up an EP of techno but not really: it’s Naomi Ayé! All jokes aside, this EP is a very nice piece of electronica ranging from the contemplative to energetic.
Rūta MUR x Leon Somov – “Aš ir Tu”
Leon Somov and Rūta MUR continue collabing through “Aš ir Tu” (Me and You). This song, which is a laid back and relaxed track even by Rūta MUR’s standards, feels much more vaporwavey than her usual, although that of course means the distinctive 80s-but-not-really sound is still in full effect and expertly done as always.
Carrousel – “Saint-Alyre”
I definitely still am chasing the high that was “En Silence“, but Carrousel’s latest is still an excellent indie track that immediately feels like an old friend taking you by the hand to rediscover some places together. There is something so rich about the sound of this song, I can’t get enough of it.
Valeria Pasha – “SORCOVA”
If you are looking for something to add to your party playlist, have you considered this? “SORCOVA” (SORCERER) is an enchanting track by Valeria Pasha that will have you and your guests dancing in no time.
Jurga – “Tavo namai”
In the more loosely connected section of this round-up we kick things off with Jurga, who was one of the Lithuanian jury members for Eurovision 2018. “Tavo namai” (Your home) is a dreamy indie singer-songwriter affair that makes you feel like you are going on a journey. This is technically of last month’s album “Tik aš ir tu” (Just me and you) but it only crossed my path this month and something about this really felt like it deserved some time in the spotlight. Absolutely beautiful song more than worthy of your time, and the same is true of the album!
Pološywa – “Kulg”
So we all know Estonia’s Eesti Laul, but did you know there also is an Uus Laul (New Song)? Pološywa was a largely unknown performer in that contest, and now is out with some new music. “Kulg” (Progress) is a piano-powered track that feels mysterious and enchanting, a real surprise treat.
LUIZA – “LA CAPITAINE”
We end the monthly part of the round-up on something that is more connected to the contest than the previous two songs, although it also feels in some ways like it is less so. “LA CAPITAINE” (THE CAPTAIN) by LUIZA is a song produced and co-written by Louis Thomas of Ladaniva. The end result is a melding of indie, chanson, and other elements to create a somewhat eclectic yet instantly familiar mix of sounds. I somehow manage to both be reminded of SimCity 4’s OST and of Enya towards the end, just to name an example of the broad range of things my brain wants to connect to this song.
Next Page: That Eurovision Site looks at the best new music of 2024
Giwrgos Oiko