With one day left to the grand final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, all 26 finalists are finally known. The two semi-finals, on May 9 and May 11, saw participants from 36 countries, but only 20 qualified for the final. The other six participants escaped competing and pre qualified for the final show — Ukraine as the winner of the last year’s Eurovision, and the so-called “Big Five” (Italy, Spain, UK, Germany and France) as co-founders of the contest.
The winners of each semi-final, as well as of the grand final, are being selected in a 50/50 vote of the jury and the TV audience. The TV audience votes after the televised performance. The grand final will start on May 13 at 10 p. m. Kyiv time.
Country: Ukraine
Contestant: O. Torvald
Names: lead singer Zhenya Halych, guitarist Denys Miziuk, drummer Oleksandr Solokha, bass guitarist Mykyta Vasyliev, DJ and pianist Mykola Raida.
Age: 33, 35, 30, 28, –
Song: “Time”
Interesting fact: The name “O. Torvald” was inspired by all the mischief that the rock stars got in. In Russian, “otorvatsia” means “to party hard” and the made-up name “O. Torvald” sounds similar.
Country: Italy
Contestant: Francesco Gabbani
Age: 34
Song: “Occidentali’s Karma”
Interesting fact: Francesco Gabbani is the only artist who won an award at the most popular Italian song contest and awards Sanremo Music Festival two years in a row.
Country: United Kingdom
Contestant: Lucie Jones
Age: 25
Song: “Never Give Up On You”
Interesting fact: Lucie Jones is not only a singer but also an award winning actress who has worked in theatre for the last seven years. She’s toured the world with huge shows including Les Miserables, Ghost The Musical, Legally Blonde.
Country: Spain
Contestant: Manel Navarro
Age: 21
Song: “Do It For Your Lover”
Interesting fact: Manel Navarro became a star being a teenager. He published videos of covers on famous songs on YouTube and was signed to Sony Music Spain after winning the Spanish competition Teen Star.
Country: Germany
Contestant: Levina
Name: Isabella Levina Lueen
Age: 26
Song: “Perfect Life”
Interesting fact: Levina realized what her true passion is pretty early. She has started taking music classes in the age of nine and since then has never quit singing.
Country: France
Contestant: Alma
Name: Alexandra Maquet
Age: 28
Song: “Requiem”
Interesting fact: Alma speaks four languages – English, Italian, Portuguese and French – due to living in the different countries – United States, Italy, Brazil, Belgium and France.
Country: Sweden
Contestant: Robin Bengtsson
Age: 27
Song: “I Can’t Go On’
Interesting fact: Robin Bengtsson is a happy father of a 3-year-old son William. One of his main goals in life is to be the best friends with his kid.
Country: Australia
Contestant: Isaiah
Name: Isaiah Firebrace
Age: 17
Song: “Don’t Come Easy”
Interesting fact: Isaiah is only 17 but he’s already won The X Factor Australia and released a debut single, “It’s Gotta Be You”, that charted all over the world.
Country: Belgium
Contestant: Blanche
Name: Ellie Delvaux
Age: 17
Song: “City Lights”
Interesting fact: Blanche didn’t plan to take part in Eurovision. She received an invitation to participate in Belgium selection while having a class. She made a decision to agree and her candidacy was approved the same day.
Country: Azerbaijan
Contestant: Dihaj
Name: Diana Hajiyeva
Age: 27
Song: “Skeletons”
Interesting fact: Dihaj was born in Mariupol, a town in eastern Ukraine. She participated in Azerbaijan selection to represent the country in Eurovision 2011 but didn’t make it to the final.
Country: Portugal
Contestant: Salvador Sobral
Age: 27
Song: “Amar Pelos Dois” (“Love For Two”)
Interesting fact: The song Salvador Sobral will perform was written by his elder sister Luisa. She is considered as one of the most important songwriters and singers of the new generation of Portuguese musicians.
Country: Poland
Contestant: Kasia Moś
Age: 30
Song: “Flashlight”
Interesting fact: Kasia Mos was born in an artistic family, which determined her life. Her father Marek is a conductor, violinist, and director of the chamber orchestra AUKSO. Her mother Joanna also plays the violin. Her brother Mateusz is a violinist and composer, who has a debut album.
Country: Moldova
Contestant: Sunstroke Project
Names: lead singer Sergey Ialovitsky, saxophonist Segey Stepanov, violinist Anton Ragoza.
Age: 30, 32, 31
Song: “Hey Mamma”
Interesting fact: The band represented Moldova in Eurovision 2010 along with the singer Olia Tira. After that saxophonist Sergey Stepanov became a YouTube star better known as Epic Sax Guy. The video of him dancing and playing the sax during the performance has reached over 20 million views.
Country: Greece
Contestant: Demy
Name: Dimitra Papadea
Age: 25
Song: “This is Love”
Interesting fact: Demy was a little music genius in the childhood. She started taking piano classes in the age of five before even going to school. She continues taking piano lessons in the adult life.
Country: Cyprus
Contestant: Hovig
Name: Hovig Demirjian
Age: 28
Song: “Gravity”
Interesting fact: Hovig participated in Cyprus selection for Eurovision 2010. He made it to the final but eventually lost to the band Giorgos Alkaios & Friends, who took the eighth place in the grand final of the song contest.
Country: Armenia
Contestant: Artsvik
Name: Artsvik Harutyunyan
Age: 32
Song: “Fly With Me”
Interesting fact: Artsvik studied speech therapy and psychology at Moscow State Pedagogical University. Her participation in the Russian version of The Voice made her famous and determined the future as a professional singer.
Country: Bulgaria
Contestant: Kristian Kostov
Age: 17
Song: “Beautiful Mess”
Interesting fact: Kristian Kostov was born in Russia, where he also made his first steps as a professional musician. He participated in the Russian version of The Voice Kids and reached the final. Kostov took the fourth place in the vocal competition X Factor in Bulgaria.
Country: Belarus
Contestant: Naviband
Names: guitarist Arciom Lukjanienka, vocalist Ksenia Zhuk
Age: 24, 25
Song: “Story of My Life”
Interesting fact: It is the first time when an entry in the Eurovision Song Contest will be performed in Belarusian language, which was defined by UNESCO as an endangered one – meaning it tends to disappear. The band wants to share with Europe their culture and the beauty of their national language.
Country: Croatia
Contestant: Jacques Houdek
Age: 36
Song: “My Friend”
Interesting fact: Jacques Houdek is one of the most successful singers among this year’s contestants. He is the mentor on The Voice of Croatia. He has released 13 albums which have been certified silver (five times), gold, platinum and diamond.
Country: Hungary
Contestant: Joci Pápai
Age: 35
Song: “Origo”
Interesting fact: Joci Papai’s music is a mixture of authentic Hungarian and gypsy styles, modern pop and electronic beats. He inherited the love to gypsy music from his father, who was the leader of a big gypsy orchestra.
Country: Denmark
Contestant: Anja
Name: Anja Nissen
Age: 21
Song: “Where I Am”
Interesting fact: Anja was born and raised in Australia. She won the third season of The Voice Australia in 2014. Anja has always dreamed to represent Denmark in Eurovision as she is Danish as well as her parents and relatives.
Country: Romania
Contestant: Ilinca ft. Alex Florea
Names: Maria Ilinca Băcilă, Alexandru Ionuț Florea
Age: 18, 25
Song: “Yodel It!”
Interesting fact: Ilinca, who was told as a child that singing was not for her, learned yodeling completely on her own in just a week after she saw an inspiring yodeling performance on “America’s Got Talent.”
Country: Israel
Contestant: IMRI
Name: Imri Ziv
Age: 25
Song: “I Feel Alive”
Interesting fact: Imri has loved music since the very young age. When he was two, Imri has already known the lyrics to Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and sang it in front of his family and friends on every possible occasion.
Country: Norway
Contestant: JOWST
Names: vocalist Aleksander Walmann, sound engineer Joakim With Steen
Age: 31, 27
Song: “Grab the Moment”
Interesting fact: JOWST were considered to be the biggest underdogs in the national Norwegian selection and eventually won the competition. Bookies predict the band to reach the 25th place but the musicians enjoy being the dark horse again.
Country: The Netherlands
Contestant: OG3NE
Names: Lisa, Amy and Shelley Vol
Age: 22, 21, 21
Song: “Lights and Shadows”
Interesting fact: All three members of the band are sisters. Amy and Shelley are twins. The name OG3NE represents their mother’s blood type O and the genes that tie the three sisters together.
Country: Austria
Contestant: Nathan Trent
Age: 25
Song: “Running On Air”
Interesting fact: Nathan Trent started writing lyrics and music at the age of 11 and since then worked on improving his talent. He writes, composes and arranges his own songs, including his entry for the Eurovision 2017, “Running On Air”.