Belarus - Forever - Alekseev

New version DRI

15 - 65 pts in semi 1

Alekseev is the winner of the Belorussian National Final held on Februari 16.
His song Forever is written by Kyrylo Pavlov and Evhen Matyushenko.

Forever was released as a digital single on January 10.
The Russian version of the song Навсегда was released on November 10 2017.
The January version is labelled 'Eurovision version' but a new version (for Eurovision) was released on March 28.
This is the one on the official Lisbon 2018 album.

The Forever EP
A digital EP was released on April 23. The physical edition of this EP is one of the promotional items for Alekseev used in Lisbon.
It has 4 tracks:
1. Forever (it's the new version, used at the ESC)
2. Drunken Sun (English version of 2015 song Пьяное Солнце)

3. Навсегда (Russian version of Forever, original long version)
4. Forever - Kraynov remix (Anton Kraynov)

The Forever EP DRI

2019 album Моя Звезда

Alekseev's 2019 album Moya zvezda / Моя Звезда includes a second Russian version named the Russian Paino Cover. It's sung in Russian with piano but it's not really a cover though. The album is issued by Sony but has no label numbers.

Ukrainian version

Назавжди 2023
A Ukrainian version  Назавжди Nazavzhdy was released as a digital single in 2023 on November 17.

Ukrainian Nikita Alekseev (Микита Алєксєєв) was a semi finalist in Voice Of Ukraine in 2014 and went on to release one album, one EP  and eight singles. All digital releases only.
His biggest hit in Ukraine and Russia was Пьяное солнце  (Pyanoye solntse, Drunken sun) from 2015.

Versions
Forever - new(est) version (3:00)
- the one performed at the contest
Forever - 'Eurovision' version (3:08)
Навсегда - Russian version (3:45)
Forever - Kraynov remix
- digital releases

Digital release image

Навсегда - Russian piano cover version 

- 2019 CD Moya zvezda / Моя Звезда (Sony)

Назавжди (Ukrainian)

- digital release 17-11-2023
Forever - karaoke (of newest version)
- digital on the official karaoke album

Russian version digital release image

Links and sources
Alekseev:  Facebook, VKontakte, Instagram
BT (ByTV) Eurovision pages
The youngest entries of Belarus: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Croatia - Crazy - Franka

Digital release image

17 - 63 pts in semi 1

Franka participated in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest for Croatia.
Her song Crazy is written by Branimir Mihaljević with lyrics by Franka (Franka Batelić) herself.
A digital single is released on March 9 along with the instrumental version.
Watch and listen here

An acoustic version subtitled Midnight Session was released on April 25.
Remixes were released on may 4.
See full list of versions below.

No cdsingle or promo cd was issued.
A USB stick with audio's, video, bio's and photos was used for promotion in Lisbon.

A cool item is a small gatefold video card which plays (the video) when opened. Works on battery's.

S Tobom
On December 8 Franka released her album S Tobom. (Karpo Media CD 10181202)
It includes Crazy and the Midnight version of the song.
I've seen the CD available at a few Croatian online stores like Cedeterija and Dancing Bear but I have no experience with buying (internationally) from these sources.
I bought mine through http://karpomedia.com/, after asking Franka's management but it is complex (they send you a bill first) and took two months to arrive.
And there's always digital.

CD S Tobom

Live at Cmc

A live album was released (digital) of a 2021 concert. It includes a live version of Crazy. (Croatia records)

Franka tried to get to Eurovision before. In 2009 she performed Pjesma Za Kraj (The final song) in the Croatian selection Dora and finished 7th.
In 2010 she ended 7th again in Dora with Na Tvojim Rukama (In your arms).
In 2011 she recorded one of the early versions that eventually became Celebrate (by Daria Kinzer). HRT shared this one to the public through soundcloud two years ago. Listen to it here.

Midnight session DRI

Songwriter Branimir Mihaljević co-wrote the 2010 Croatian entry Lako Je Sve by Feminnem.
This one didn't make it to the final ending 13th in the 2nd semi.

Versions
Crazy - single version
- Lisbon 2CD, CD S Tobom
Crazy - instrumental
- digital release, the official karaoke album has the same instrumental
Crazy - Midnight session
- single version and Midnight session on CD S Tobom
Crazy - Blacksoul & Mark De Line Remix

Crazy - Blacksoul & Mark De Line Dub Mix

Crazy - Blacksoul & Mark Instrumental mix

Crazy - Blacksoul & Mark De Line Radio Mix

- Remixes are digital releases (Karpo Media)

Crazy - live 2021

- digital album Live at Cmc (Croatia records)

Picture from Franka's Facebook

Remixes DRI

Links and sources:
Franka: Website,  Facebook, Instagram
Eurosong.hr
Croatia's songs from the past few years: 2017 -  2016 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009

Albania - Mall - Eugent Bushpepa

Digital release image

11 - 184 pts, 8 - 162 pts in semi 1

Mall by Eugent Bushpepa is the winner of the 56th Festivali i Këngës, the Albanian music contest that also serves as the selection for Eurovision.

Mall (Desire) is a song in Albanian.
The song remained in Albanian for the contest and a new version was revealed on March 16.
Watch and listen here. It was released as a digital single on April 6.

The Eurovision version was produced by Jim Lowe, known for his work with the Stereophonics and Dandy Warhols.

In Lisbon Eugent Bushpepa is joined by Greta Radovani and Erinda Agolli on backing vocals

and instrumentalists Denis Hima, Besnik Nikolli and Gerti Himado.

A Live Night

On June 25 Eugent Bushpepa released a digital EP A Live Night with Mall as the first track Live at A Live Night TAR (don't know what the TAR stands for though)

It's a live recording but no audience is heard. 

RTSH uploaded videoclips with studio recordings of all FiK songs prior to the Festivali.
Here's the Mall original. (Youtube)

Versions
Mall - Eurovision version
- digital release, promo
Mall - Eurovision karaoke
- digital release on the official karaoke album, promo
Mall - Original version
- RTSH website, promo
Mall - Eurovision instrumental
- promo

Mall - Live at A Live Night Tar

- digital EP A Live Night (2022)

Promo info
RTSH have published details on the promo set Eugent will be talking with him to Lisbon.

Photo taken from RTSH 

The CD includes the original Festivali i Këngës version, the Eurovision version and instrumental and karaoke of the Eurovision version. It has the same four tracks twice.
The DVD features info, lyrics, photos and videos.
The English title Yearning is used but there is no English version.

Links and sources:
Thanks to Nigel, Thanks to Rick
Eugent Bushpepa: Facebook, Instagram
RTSH: FiK pages, Mall original clip
Albania's recent Eurovision history: 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009
Festivali i Këngës at Wikipedia


The old Festivali's

* The Festivali I Këngës (FiK) has been used as the selection for the Eurovision Song Contest ever since Albania entered with Anjeza Shahini's The Image Of You in 2004. But the Festivali i Këngës already started in 1962 and is of course an acclaimed music festival in its own right.
Check your Wiki's and see the end of this post for some FiK history.
In 2016 RTSH released most old Festival i Këngës entries through digital shops (Amazon ,iTunes) and Spotify.

I made a spotify playlist (below) with all the Albanian Festivali I Këngës winners up to 2015  (so you don't have to). It starts in 1962.

The 1967 winner is missing and some songs are in versions by the second (non winning) singer. (up to 1984 most songs were performed twice by different singers).

It's a magnificent trip through Albania's amazing and sometimes grim Festival history. 

A special thanks to Thomas!

-------
note: I know Spotify can be a bit crappy. Sometimes it plays the playlist in a mixed order, or mixes it with other songs, don't blame me, I did my best.
I just think Spotify can be a handy tool to preview some music and do some vault-digging.
And in the end it's buying music that supports your artists (or in this case, RTSH), not streaming.