Belgium - A Matter Of Time - Sennek

Digital Release Image

12 - 91 pts in semi 1

Sennek a.k.a. Laura Groeseneken represented Belgium in the 2018 contest. This year it was the Flemish broadcaster VRT who took care of the Belgian Eurovision entry.
The song, A Matter Of Time was leaked before the official reveal.
Listen here at the VRT news site.

A Matter Of Time is written by Alex Callier (of Hooverphonic fame) and Maxime Tribeche.
A digital single was released on March 6.
An acoustic version was released on May 25.

No physical release or promo was made.

Here's a nice clip of Laura performing her (English) version of the 2017 winner Amar Pelos Dois on Flemish TV.

Versions
A matter Of Time - single version
- digital release
A Matter Of Time - acoustic
- digital release
A Matter Of Time - karaoke
- digital on the official karaoke album

Charts
Belgium top 50 (Flanders): 33, 26, 19, 23, 24, 24, 27, 23, 11, 13, 9, 46, -

Links and sources:
Laura Groeseneken/Sennek: Website, Facebook, Instagram
More Belgium in recent contests: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Slovenia - Hvala, Ne! - Lea Sirk

Promo cds

22 - 64 pts, 8 - 131 pts in semi 2

Lea Sirk won EMA 2018 and represented Slovenia in Lisbon with the song Hvala, Ne! (Thanks, No!).
The song is written by Lea Sirk, Anej Sirk and DJ Tomy DeClerque.
Watch and listen here at the EMA youtube channel.

All songs in the EMA were performed in Slovenian and Hvala, Ne! was performed in Slovenian in Lisbon.

A digital single was released on March 2.
A promo cds is made for Lisbon, it has the single version, karaoke and instrumental.

A jazzy version featuring the Tomi Purich Trio was released on May 14.

2018 CD
on 12-12-18 Lea Sirk released her CD album 2018. It includes Hvala, Ne and 9 other tracks (Sazas)

Slovenia selected the 2018 Eurovision entry through the 2 round EMA 2018.
16 in the first round from which eight proceded to the final on February 24.
The line up included previous Eurovision singers Tanja Ribič (1997) and ManuElla (2016)

Digital Release Image

Versions
Hvala, Ne! - single version
- digital release
Hvala, Ne! - Eurovision karaoke
- digital on the official karaoke album
Hvala, Ne! - Eurovision instrumental
- all on promo cds
Hvala, Ne! - TrapJazz version ft, Tomi Purich Trio
- digital release
The Eurovision version is different from any of the released versions. Obviously there's the break, but also the intro is cut and some beats are changed.

Picture from Lea Sirk's Facebook

Lea's EMA's
Lea Sirk attempted to get to Eurovision on three previous occasions but she didn't get very far:

2009 Znamenje Iz Sanj (Sign of dreams, 9th)

2010 Vampir Je Moj Poet (The vampire is my poet, 10th)

2017 Freedom (4th in semi final)

In 2014 Lea was a backing singer for Tinkara Kovač at the Copenhagen Eurovision.

So far Lea Sirk has released one album, Roža from 2014.

2014 CD Roža 

Links and sources:
Thanks to Marek.
Lea Sirk: Facebook, Website (new), Instagram
EMA Evrovizija Facebook
Slovenia in recent Eurovisions: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Australia - We Got Love - Jessica Mauboy

Cd single cover

20 - 99 pts, 4 - 212 in semi 2

Jessica Mauboy represented Australia in the 2018 contest. It was the 2nd time we saw her on the Eurovision stage: She performed her single Sea Of Flags in Copenhagen (2014) when she presented Australia in the interval of the 2nd Semifinal.

The song We Got Love is released as a digital single on March 10. (Sony)
A cdsingle is out now (May 11). The single version is longer than the Eurovision version. (see versions below).
The cdsingle is still available at BeaRecords
(Sony Music Australia 19075837742)

7th Heaven DRI

Four remixes were released (digital) on May 18, see versions below.
A Video edit of the 7th Heaven remix can be found here (video only)

We Got Love is written by David Musumeci and Anthony Egizii (both of DNA Music) with Jessica Mauboy herself.
Musumeci & Egizii also wrote the Australian songs of 2016 and 2017 so they're fast becoming the Ralph Siegel or Thomas G:Son of Australia.

Jessica Mauboy scored 25 times on the Australian charts (9 top 10 hits) since her debut in Australian Idol in 2006.
She currently stars in the TV series The Secret Daughter for which she also recorded two albums with music from the shows. The first Secret Daughter album reached No. 1 in the Australian album charts, the 2nd one got to No. 2. Both albums feature mostly coverversions of well known hits.(but no Eurovision tune in sight).

Tobtok remix DRI

Versions
We Got Love - Eurovision edit
- official Lisbon 2CD
We Got Love - single version (3:22)
- digital release, (forthcoming) cdsingle
We Got Love - 7th Heaven remix 
We Got Love - Tobtok remix
We Got Love - Glammstar remix
We Got Love - Country Club martini Crew remix
- remixes digital releases, all are radio edits
We Got Love - 7th Heaven remix *
We Got Love - Tobtok remix *
We Got Love - Glammstar remix *
- * these three remixes are the full mixes only distributed to DJ's
We Got Love - karaoke version
- digital on the official karaoke album
A Video edit of the 7th Heaven remix can be found here (video only)

Charts
Australian top 100 (Aria): 47, -, 31, -
Sweden top 100: 86, -
France top 200 (Ifop): 148, -
Spain Physical+Digital sales top 50: 44, -

Digital Release Image

Links and sources:
Thanks to Marsman and to Frederick
Jessica Mauboy: Website, Facebook, Instagram
More Australia: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - (2014)

You'll find details on all Eurovision remixes made by 7th Heaven at the end of the 2017 U.K. post about Lucie Jones

Denmark - Higher Ground - Rasmussen

Second DRI

9 - 226 pts, 5 - 204 in semi 2

Higher Ground by Rasmussen was the 2018 Eurovision entry for Denmark. The song is written by Niclas Arn and Karl Eurèn.
The song is sung in English but there's one line in Icelandic sung by the backing vocals: "Taka stökk til hærri jörð, taka" (Take a jump to the higher ground, take...)

Higher Ground has been released as a digital single along with instrumental and karaoke versions.
On May 9 the Acoustic version was released along with it's karaoke, instrumental and acapella.

Four remixes were released on May 15 under the tantalizing title of Higher Ground Remixes Vol. 1. (digital release, see versions below)

A counterfeit, fake, illegal cdsingle has been spotted, don't buy it. No physical release or promo was made.

Acoustic versions DRI

Jonas Flodager Rasmussen a.k.a. Bon Jonesy is the lead singer of rock cover band Hair Metal Heröes.

Versions

Higher Ground - single version

Higher Ground - karaoke

Higher Ground - instrumental

- first digital release.

Higher Ground - Acoustic

Higher Ground - Acoustic karaoke

Higher Ground - Acoustic instrumental

Higher Ground - Acoustic acapella
- Acoustics are digital releases (May 9)

Remixes Vol 1 DRI

Higher Ground - Renegade remix
Higher Ground - 5&Dime remix
Higher Ground - 5&Dime remix extended
Higher Ground - Dany Comaro remix
- above 4 remixes digital in Remixes Vol. 1 (May 15)
A Matt Pop remix and its instrumental have been made but have not been officially released. They have been on the tube but are gone now.
Charts
Danish Tracklisten top 40: 9, 15, 30, -, 10, 40
Sweden top 100: 29, 74, -
Germany top 100: 89, -
France top 200 (Ifop): 65, -
Switzerland top 100: 43, -
Austria top 75: 49, -
Spain Physical+Digital sales top 50: 50, -

DMGP
Denmark announced their list of hopefuls for the 2018 contest on January.
The songs are released on February 5, the final is on February 10.
It seems most are now available outside Denmark. Higher Ground is available worldwide, but the Sannie song isn't.

One of the contestants was Sannie, the artist formerly known as Whigfield. I have so many fond memories of her 1994 hit Saturday Night. She didn't make it to the final three.
The full list is here at DR.

1st Digital release image

Links and sources:
Thanks to Marek and to Marsman (see comments) and to Frank
Rasmussen: Hair Metal Heröes Facebook, Bon Jonesy Instagram
DR Eurovision / MGP pages
Denmarks recent entries: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

Moldova - My Lucky Day - DoReDoS

Digital Release Image

10 - 209 pts, 3 - 235 in semi 2

DoReDoS won the Moldovan  National Final O Melodie Pentru Europa on the 24th of February.
Their song My Lucky Day is written by Russian Eurovision star Philippe Kirkorov and Swedish songwriter/producer John Ballard.
Listen here at DoReDoS Youtube

A new version of the song was revealed on March 13. It's here.
The digital single was released on iTunes on March 23 and on Amazon on April 6.

The promo cd has nine versions, see versions below. It also has a bonus track Constantine and a video of MLD.

A Russian version is recorded (video) and a Romanian one may follow, watch this space.....
Remixes of the English and Russian version were released on May 11.
The Russian version was released as a digital single on May 18.

DoReDoS are Marina Djundiet, Eugeniu Andrianov, and Sergiu Mita.
They have two more Eurovision attempts to their name.
In 2015 they ended 6th in the Moldovan final with Maricica.
In 2016 they ended 4th with Funnyfolk

DoReDos composer and mentor Philippe Kirkorov is a bit of a Russian legend. He participated in the 1995 Eurovsision himself without much success but he has been involved with Eurovision on many occasions as songwriter, producer, jury and all round uncle. He co-wrote the Belorussian entry in 2007 (Work Your Magic by Koldun) and the 2008 entry for Ukraine (Ani Lorak's Shady Lady)
He also recorded many Eurocovers (coverversions of Eurovision songs), I'll see if I can get into that later....

John Ballard co-wrote several Eurovision entries: Azerbaijan 2013, Russia 2014, Russia 2016 and Greece 2017.
He also entered in the Swedish Melodifestival (as a singer) in 1983 and 1984.
In the 90's he wrote and produced several hits for Ace Of Base

Remix DRI

Versions
My Lucky Day - Eurovision version*
- On the Lisbon 2CD

My Lucky Day (a.k.a. Мой Счастливый День) - Russian version
- video
My Lucky Day - Shantel remix
- DoReDos youtube
My Lucky Day - Russian Shantel remix
My Lucky Day - Remix by Ra
My Lucky Day - DJ Katya Guseva remix*
My Lucky Day - DJ Katya Guseva remix (Russian)*
My Lucky Day - Shantel remix karaoke
My Lucky Day - Karaoke Instrumental *
- all above on promo cds, versions marked * have been released digitally
My Lucky Day - First version
- DoReDos youtube

Picture from DoReDos Facebook

Links and sources:
Thanks to DoReDos
DoReDos: Website, Facebook, Instagram
TRM
Moldova's greatest bits: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Lithuania - When We're Old - Ieva Zasimauskaitė

Digital Release Image

12 - 181 pts, 9 - 119 pts in semi 1

Ieva Zasimauskaitė represented Lithuania in the 2018 contest with the song When We're Old written by Vytautas Bikus.

Lithuania selected their entry for Lisbon through I don't know how many rounds. 48 songs and the final on March 11.

Ieva also recorded the song in Lithuanian as Kol Myliu.

Here's the videoclip (studioversion) and the Lithuanian version.

Both version were released (digital) on March 15. A remix by Jovani was released on April 19 (and revealed earlier on Ieva's facebook). The remix of the Lithuanian version was released on May 4.

A promo cdsingle is issued for Lisbon. see versions below.

Lithuanian version DRI

Ieva Zasimauskaitė participated in the Lithuanian selection a few times:

2013 I fall In Love (duet with Gabrielius Vagelis) 5th 

2014 As a singer, didn’t get to the stage with the participating songs.

2016 Life (Not That Beautiful) 4th

Versions
When We're Old - English version
Kol Myliu - Lithuanian version
- digital releases

When We're Old - Jovani remix
- digital release
Kol Myliu - Jovani remix (Lithuanian)
When We're Old - karaoke

- digital on the official karaoke album
- all except the Lithuanian remix are on the promo

At the contest Ieva sang one line in Lithuanian, this "version"was not released.

Remix DRI

Links and sources
Thanks to Frederick
Ieva Zasimauskaitė: Facebook, Instagram
LRT Eurovision pages
Lithuania's Eurovision attempts: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

Macedonia - Lost And Found - Eye Cue

Digital Release Image

18 - 24 pts in semi 1

Macedonia (F.Y.R.) entered the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Lost And Found by the band Eye Cue. The song is written by band member Bojan Trajkovski.
The song was revealed on March 11.
Watch and listen here.

A digital single has the Eurovision and karaoke versions. (Effective records).
A 1-track promo cd is issued.
A remix was released on May 11.

Eye Cue currently are Marija Ivanovska, Bojan Trajkovski with drummer Ivo Mitkovski (who is in the video but not on the release image).

Versions
Lost And Found - Eurovision version
- promo, Lisbon 2CD
Lost And Found - Going Deeper Remix
Lost And Found - Karaoke
- all digital releases

Pic from Eye Cue CD Само Сакав! from 2015

Links and sources:
Thanks to Krzysztof
Eye Cue: Facebook, Instagram
MRT announcement
Macedonia's Eurovision adventures of 2017 -  2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

Armenia - Qami - Sevak Khanagyan

Digital release image

15 - 79 pts in semi 1

Qami by Sevak Khanagyan is the winner Depi Evratesil, the Armenian selection for Eurovision.
Qami (Քամի, Wind) is written by Sevak Khanagyan himself with Anna Danielyan and Viktorya Maloyan.
You can listen to the first studio version here (youtube), the Eurovision version is here at Eurovision.tv's Youtube

The digital single was released on March 28.
A promo cds is issued.
A remix was released on May 7.

Sevak (or Seva) Khanagyan (Սևակ Խանաղյան) has been doing his talent shows: He participated in The Voice Of Russia, won X-Factor Ukraine and is now a judge/coach on The Voice Armenia.
In recent years he has been releasing several (digital) singles, some in Armenian, most in Russian.
His most recent release is Yesli Vdrug (Если вдруг, If suddenly).
His most popular song is probably Hayrenik (Հայրենիք, Homeland) from 2016.

Picture from Sevak's Facebook

20 songs were participating in this years Armenian selection Depi Evratesil (Դեպի Եվրատեսիլ) .

You can listen to all the songs here at Eurovision.am's Youtube channel.

Remix DRI

Versions
Qami - Eurovision version
- digital release
Qami - Remix
- digital release
Qami - Original version
- videoclip only
Qami - karaoke (= instrumental)
- digital on the official karaoke album

Links and sources:

Sevak Khanagyan: Facebook, VKontakte, Instagram
Eurovision.am

Armenia's recent Eurovision history: 2017 -  2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2011 - 2010 -

2009

The Netherlands - Outlaw In 'Em - Waylon

Digital release image

18 - 121 pts, 7 - 174 pts in semi 2

Waylon sang for the Netherlands in the Lisbon contest. His song Outlaw In 'Em was revealed on March 2.
The digital single was released on Spotify just ahead of the announcement and on in the digital stores a day later.
Outlaw In 'Em was written bij Waylon, Ilya Toshinsky and Jim Beavers.

Waylon's forthcoming album The World Can Wait includes his Eurovision entry in a longer version..
The album was released on CD on April 13 and LP on April 27.
See full tracklist at the end of this post.

So again no cdsingle from the Dutchies, but you can create your own Outlaw Poster here at Teamwaylon.nl as a consolation.

Eurovision fans of course know Waylon from his brief stint in the Common Linnets with Ilse De Lange. Their Calm After The Storm ended 2nd in the 2014 contest in Copenhagen, the Netherlands' best placing since 1975.
Waylon left the Linnets soon after the contest and has been focussing on his solo career.

Trivia fans: Outlaw In 'Em is the second Eurovision song to namedrop Mick Jagger. Do you remember the other one?

Versions
Outlaw In 'Em - single version
- digital release, Lisbon 2CD
Outlaw In 'Em - album version
- on CD/LP The World Can Wait
Outlaw In 'Em - karaoke

- digital on the official karaoke album

Waylon (Willem Bijkerk) has enjoyed eight chart hits and four top 10 albums.
He released two solo albums as Waylon Young, but got his big break after finishing second in Holland Got Talent (in 2008).

Eurovision anoraks may know him from his Dutch National Final attempt in 2005. With Rachel (Kramer) he sang Leven Als Een Beest (Living like an animal) but the song stranded in the semi rounds.
(Youtube, a studio solo version is here at YT)

Waylons most succesful album is Wicked Ways from 2009. Released on Motown (no less), the album reached #3 and spent 80 weeks on the Dutch album top 100. It also includes the single Wicked Way, his biggest chart hit (8/10).

In 2012 Waylon had a duet, You Are, on Lionel Ritchies country music project Tuskegee.
After the Linnets breakup he released the album Heaven After Midnight which spent one week at No. 1 in the Dutch album charts. Waylons previous album is Seeds from 2016.

Charts
After one early week in the charts Outlaw re-enters the charts the week after the contest.
Dutch top 100 (tracks): 84, - re: 40

Links and sources:
Waylon: Website, Facebook, Instagram
Waylon at BeaRecords,
Calm After The Storm in 2014
Calm After The Storm: Coverversions at Eurocovers. (updated)
AVROTROS Eurovision pages (in Dutch)
More Dutch entries: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Tracklist The World Can Wait

1. Back Together

2. Outlaw In 'Em

3. Shadows In The Dark

4. That's How She Goes

5. Home

6. Paperboy

7. Highway Of Heartache

8. She Just Wants To Play

9. Thanks, But No Thanks

10. The World Can Wait

- The LP version has two bonus tracks

11. Country Don't Hurt

12. Something Stronger

(CD: Warner Music 5419700416, LP: Warner Music 5419700417)

The digital version has the single version of Outlaw as a bonus track but the CD has not (Why?).

Serbia - Nova Deca - Sanja Ilić & Balkanika

Digital release image

19 - 133 pts, 9 - 117 in semi 2

Nova Deca by Sanja Ilić & Balkanika was the entry for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest.
Nova Deca (New kids) was written by Aleksandar Sanja Ilic, Darko Dimitrov, Danica Krstajic and Tatjana Karajanov

Watch the original live performance here at the RTS Youtube channel.

The digital single was released on April 11.
An English Reggae version New Children, with lyrics by Luke Black was recorded and can be heard on a YTvideo.

The promo cds has the Eurovision version, karaoke, unplugged and English versions plus three other songs.

2020 album Stand Up includes a version titled Nova Deca 2020 but the only difference I can hear is a tiny bit of rumble before/in the intro.

Also the credited songwriters have changed.

Stand Up is released on CD and LP through Croatia records

Serbia selected the entry for Lisbon in a National Final Beovizija on February 20.
17 songs were selected. Among the contestants was Rambo Amadeus (Montenegro 2012). He teamed up with 70's star Beti Đorđević but only ended 9th.
You can listen to all the songs here at RTS Beovizija Youtube channel.

Versions
Nova Deca - Eurovision version
- on the official Lisbon 2018 album
Nova Deca - unplugged
New Children - English (reggae) version
- videoclip
Nova Deca - Eurovision karaoke
- digital on the official karaoke album
- all above on promo cds
Nova Deca - Original version
- video only

Nova Deca 2020

- CD Stand Up 

Picture from Sanja Ilić & Balkanika Facebook

Links and sources
Sanja Ilić i Balkanika: Website, Facebook, Instagram
RTS Eurovision pages
The recent entries of Serbia are here: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009