Norway - KEiiNO - Spirit In The Sky

6 - 331 pts / 7 - 210 pts in semi 2

Club mix DRI

Trio KEiiNO represented Norway in the Tel Aviv Eurovision Song Contest.

The won the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix held on March 2.

KEiiNO are Fred Buljo, Alexandra Rotan and Tom Hugo and they wrote their song, Spirit In The Sky, with Henrik Tala and Alex Olsson.

The song is sung in English with a few bits of Sámi thrown in by Buljo.

Spirit was released as a digital single on January 25, an extended Club mix followed on February 8.
The acoustic version was released on April 12.

No physical release or promo was issued but Spirit In The Sky was released on the CD OKTA (see below)

In 2021 a new remix was released. The KAUTOBAHN remix was released on May 20.

In 2022 a ridiculous sped up version was released to satisfy the Tik Tokkers with an attention span of a gnat.

KEiiNO went on to win the televote in the final.

Here's a bit from their bio: "KEiiNO is a Norwegian-Sámi-Finnish lovechild born in late summer 2018. With a goal of creating arctic pop-bangers they mix Sámi joik, Nordic folk and camp pop in a synth heavy sound". That sums up the sound of Spirit nicely.

OKTA
On May 15 2020 the band release their long awaited debut album.
The album has 10 tracks of which six have already been released as digital singles (including Spirit In The Sky). You can buy the CD from the KEiiNO website
(Hugoworld HW 2003)
OKTA TRACKS:

01 Take me home

02 Black leather - feat. Charlotte Qamaniq (Inuit singer from Canada)

03 Would I lie - feat. Electric Fields*
* Electric Fields were the runners-up in the 2019 Australian Eurovision selection (Australia Decides) with the song 2000 And Whatever.
04 Spirit in the Sky

05 Dancing in the Smoke

06 Roar like a Lion - feat. Te Hau Tawhiti (Māori vocal group)
07 Praying

08 Colours

09 Louder - feat Drezus (Indigenous singer from Saskatchewan, Canada)

10 Bed with the wolf

A new edition OKTA Guokte with more tracks is released in 2022.

It comes in a deluxe booklet version, only 2000 copies available.

Shopping links here at the KEiiNO website.

The new tracklist

1. MONUMENT
2. UNBREAKABLE
3. Take me Home
4. Black Leather (feat Charlotte Qamaniq)
5. Would I Lie (feat. Electric Fields)
6. Spirit in the sky
7. Dancing in the smoke
8. Roar like a lion (feat Te Hau Tawhiti)
9. Praying
10. Colours
11. Louder (feat. Drezus)
12. Shallow
13. Summer of my life
14. Bed with the wolf
15. VENUS
16. End of Time
17. Transarctic Lover (feat. Sordal)
18. ADDJAS
19. A New Beginning (feat. Peder Elias)

Acoustic version DRI

Who is KEiiNO band?
The KEiiNO members were brought together with the Melodi Grand Prix and Eurovision in mind but we met Alexandra Rotas already in the 2018 MGP where You Got Me, a duet with Stella Mwangi, ended 3rd. Before that she was in the superfinal of the Junior MGP in 2010 with Det Vi Vil (What we want).
Singer and Songwriter Tom Hugo (Hermansen) also has a bit of MGP history. In 2013 he entered with Det Er Di (That's you) but he got stuck in the first semi. In 2018 his I Like I Like I Like didn't make it to the final four.
He's also a prolific songwriter and wrote several hits for Asian boybands like EXO, SHINEE or TVXQ.

Sámi Rapper/Joiker/Producer Fred Buljo (Fred-René Øvergård Buljo) was a member of Sámi rap outfit Duolva Duottar who released their only album Dá lea Duolva Duottar in 2011. They're still active and you can listen to their music through your Spotify and the like. Check out their most recent single Markanstallu!

10 songs were in the running to represent Norway in the 2019 contest.
You can listen to them through this NRK page. All songs are also available through digital sources.

Versions
Spirit In The Sky
- Tel Aviv 2CD. CD OKTA
Spirit In The Sky - Extended Club mix
Spirit In The Sky - Instrumental mix (= karaoke)
Spirit In The Sky - Acoustic

Spirit In The Sky - KAUTOBAHN remix 2021

Spirit In The Sky - Sped Up (2022)
- all digital releases

Charts
Norway VG lista top 40: 3, 3, 6, 12, 25, 25, 33, -, 1, 3, 6, 11, 17, 18, 25, 33, 34, 36, 36, 37, 39, -
Sweden top 100: 33, 77, -
Ireland top 100: 84, -
Netherlands top 100: 59, -
Switzerland top 100: 7, 35, -
Suisse Romande top 20: 5, -

U.K. top 100 (Official charts company): 61, -
Scottish singles top 100 (OCC): 7, 62, -
Austria top 75: 61
France top 200 (IFOP): 23, 161, -

Original Digital release image

Links and sources
Norway 2018 has the links to all Norwegian entries from 2009 to 2018.
NRK MGP pages
KEiiNO Website,  FB
Tom Hugo Website
Duolva Duottar Website
Alexandra Rotan FB
Thanks to Krzysztof

San Marino - Serhat - Say Na Na Na

Digital release image

19 - 77 pts / 8 - 150 pts in semi 1
A sigh of relief* was felt across Europe when SMTV announced Serhat would be the Tel Aviv representative for San Marino.

The song is titled Say Na Na Na and is released as a digital maxi with 10 versions (see below).
The track was released on March 7.
Here's the official video.

A cdsingle is made and is available to the public in limited quantities.
The promo kit has the same cds and also includes a promo version of the Serhat album That's How I Feel (in card sleeve). and some paper stuff.
A USB card was also handed out. It includes the cdsingle tracks as mp3, mp3 snippets of the album tracks plus photos and bios.

Sing Na Na Na / Di Na Na Na
On July 19 A German version was released. Sing Na Na Na comes in 6 mixes (see versions below)

German version DRI

On October 16 2020 a Spanish version was released. Di Na Na Na

That's How I Feel
And then there's the album we have all been waiting for. That's How I Feel is out now through digital sources. Promo versions in cardsleeve were made.

The album includes Say Na Na Na and three versions of I Didn't Know and most of Serhat's singles.
It has both versions of Total Disguise, one with Helena Paparizou and one with Viktor Laszlo.
See full tracklist below.

In June 2022 a 2LP version of the album was released in Turkey with extra tracks. (CAP Music 6787593).

Say Na Na Na's included are marked + in the versions list below.

Full tracklists at the end of this page.

The 2LP version also includes three versions of I Didn't Know, Serhat's 2016 Sammarinese Eurovision entry.

- I Didn't Know feat. Martha Wash

- I Didn't Know - Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Remix

- I Didn't Know - Richard Cutmore Club Remix

Sorry I can't find a shop that sells it internationally. (do you know of one?)

Here's a Turkish shop that sells it, and This One sells to other countries. (Thanks Jean-François)

A 2CD version with 28 tracks is released out now and available throught the German Cap Sounds website (here) It has five Say Na Na Na's but all versions we already know from the cdsingle. (marked $ in the versions list).

Also has five versions of I Didn't Know, Serhat's 2016 entry.

Serhat (Hacıpaşalıoğlu) participated for San Marino in 2016 with I Did't Know but failed to reach the final. But Serhat has become a bit of a cult hero in Eurovision circles and we love him.
When he re-recorded his Eurovision entry with Weather Girl Martha Wash he scored a hit in the USA Billboard dance charts. Anyway, read all about Serhat's first adventure here at the Stockholm Collection.

Versions
Say Na Na Na - ESC version +/$
- Tel Aviv 2CD
Say Na Na Na - Wideboys radio edit
Say Na Na Na - Rico Bernasconi radio edit
Say Na Na Na - Kon Cept Euro remix $
Say Na Na Na - Mark Voss Radio edit
Say Na Na Na - Extended Mix $
Say Na Na Na - Wideboys Feel The Rainbow remix +/$
Say Na Na Na - Rico Bernasconi remix
Say Na Na Na - Mark Voss remix +/$
Say Na Na Na - Sing Yourself Karaoke Version
- all on cdsingle and digital
Sing Na Na Na - German single versions
Sing Na Na Na - Mark Voss Radio edit
Sing Na Na Na - Rico Bernasconi radio edit
Sing Na Na Na - DJ Maxi version
Sing Na Na Na - Rico Bernasconi remix
Sing Na Na Na - Mark Voss remix
- German versions digital releases
Di Na Na Na - Spanish

- digital release 2020

Links and sources

Thàt Serhat and Martha cdsingle

San Marino 2018 has the links to all Sammarinese entries from 2011 to 2018
San Marino 2016 has everything about Serhat's first attempt You Didn't Know (or knew already)
Serhat website and FB
Serhat at BeaRecords
Serhat's Youtube channel.
Thanks to Nigel and to Manfred at Cap sounds.

* It was heavily rumoured that the Human Ken Doll was going to represent San Marino, but Serhat came to the rescue.

That's How I Feel tracklist (digital/promoCD)

1. Je m'adore

2. I Didn't Know (feat. Martha Wash)

3. Say Na Na Na

4. Chocolate Flavour

5. Home Is Where We Belong

6. Total Disguise (feat. Helena Paparizou)

7. Devotion

8. There Must Be a Way

9. Hey You

10. Just for You

11. La La La

12. Non ero io (Italian version of I Didn't know)

13. Total Disguise (feat. Viktor Lazlo)

14. I Didn't Know (Esc Version)

2022 2LP version

LP 1
Side A
1. Je M'Adore
2. I Didn't Know feat. Martha Wash
3. Say Na Na Na
4. Chocolate Flavour
5. There Must Be A Way
Side B
1. Total Disguise feat. Helena Paparizou
2. Home Is Where We Belong
3. Devotion
4. Just For You
5. La La La
 
LP 2
Side A
1. Chocolate Flavour - Rishi Rich Remix
2. I Didn't Know - Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Remix
3. Say Na Na Na - Wideboys Feel The Rainnow Remix
4. Je M'Adore - Play Pause Remix
Side B
1. I Didn't Know - Richard Cutmore Club Remix
2. Say Na Na Na - Mark Voss Remix
3. Chocolate Flavour - Markus Adler Remix
4. Je M'Adore - Rico Bernasconi Remix