Ahead of the First Semi-Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, get to know our 15 artists a little better.

You know the songs, you’ve had a glimpse at the staging, and you’ve seen snaps of the outfits. But there’s more to the Eurovision 2023 Semi-Finalists than banging tunes. Let’s go behind the scenes to meet the artists taking Liverpool by storm in the First Semi-Final, and find out a little bit more about them, and the secrets behind their songs.

🇳🇴 Norway | Alessandra - Queen of Kings

For Alessandra’s very first singing competition, she sang ABBA’s Dancing Queen. So perhaps it’s fitting that her all-time favourite Eurovision song is Waterloo — even if she can’t always remember the lyrics. We forgive you, Alessandra!

🇲🇹 Malta | The Busker - Dance (Our Own Party)

It’s no surprise that The Busker started out by making music on the streets of Malta, and they reckon they get through a lot of sunscreen on 8 hour singing shifts. At one Christmas charity busk, they managed to rake in a whopping €1,300.

🇷🇸 Serbia | Luke Black - Samo Mi Se Spava

Luke Black might be from a tiny town in central Serbia, but he lives in London after studying music in the UK at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. He’s taken inspiration from all around him, fusing Serbian pop and UK influences like Queen and Elton John. And of course, Samo Mi Se Spava also has a big dose of surrealism from his Salvador Dalí inspiration.

🇱🇻 Latvia | Sudden Lights - Aijā

For anyone not fluent in Latvian, the title of Sudden Lights’ song Aijā is a soothing word used in lullabies. When they were thinking about everything going on in the world, the band wanted to find the best way to demonstrate love through music, and they settled on what they describe as the greatest love imaginable — a mother’s love for a child. Sweet dreams, little Eurovision fans.

🇵🇹 Portugal | Mimicat - Ai Coração

Mimicat actually wrote Ai Coração around ten years ago (and if she’d entered it then, she’d have been competing against Emmelie de Forest’s Only Teardrops at Eurovision 2013). It sat in her pile of songs for a decade, as the original jazzy version didn’t fit her style. Mimicat even considered giving the song to another artist — and we’re so glad she didn’t! Finally, she submitted the song to Portugal’s National Final for 2023, and once it was accepted she got to work on a new arrangement, which she’s clearly thrown her heart into.

🇮🇪 Ireland | Wild Youth - We Are One

Wild Youth lead singer ​​Conor O’Donohoe is also the band’s main songwriter, and he’s certainly in demand. When he’s not writing new Wild Youth hits he’s collaborating with the likes of The Script, JP Cooper and Moncrieff. And of course he penned We Are One, alongside the band’s guitarist Ed Porter and Grammy Award nominated Jörgen Elofsson, who’s written for a couple of artists even casual music fans will know. Ever heard of Britney Spears?

🇭🇷 Croatia | Let 3 - Mama ŠČ!

Anyone who’s seen Let 3 perform Mama ŠČ! won’t be surprised to know that the band is known for big, theatrical stunts. Take their album Jedina (The Only One), of which only one copy was made, and which they refused to sell. At their next concert, Let 3 took that one copy and dramatically destroyed it.

🇨🇭 Switzerland | Remo Forrer - Watergun

Remo Forrer has music running through his veins. He not only sings, but also plays the piano, guitar, and accordion — although he thinks his skills might be a bit rusty on that last instrument. It seems like Remo can turn his hand to any instrument he sets his sights on. As a Eurovision treat, he gave us an insight into his guitar skills in a duet with Luca Hänni, as they covered She Got Me .

🇮🇱 Israel | Noa Kirel - Unicorn

Noa Kirel might be an Israeli superstar, but she still got some advice ahead of her Eurovision performance. Eurovision 1998 winner Dana International told Noa to stay calm and focus on the performance and herself, without worrying about the background noises. And Noa likes to think she channels Dana International’s energy, by being a “good diva” - leading the team around her and staying focused.

🇲🇩 Moldova | Pasha Parfeni - Soarele şi Luna

Pasha Parfeni’s Eurovision journey has been a long one. And when it came to writing Soarele şi Luna, he was inspired by something surprising — techno. After going to a techno festival, Pasha knew exactly what kind of song he wanted to send to Eurovision 2023.

🇸🇪 Sweden | Loreen - Tattoo

Loreen has a few tattoos herself, and her favourite is a quotation in Arabic, which translates as “You suffer, you learn, you change.” She says she lives by this phrase, which is tattooed on her side.

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | TuralTuranX - Tell Me More

TuralTuranX began their music career as buskers, and their favourite spot was Fountain Square in Baku. A lot of people passed through this spot, but more importantly they would stop and listen, giving the pair an engaged audience, out in the wild.

🇨🇿 Czechia | Vesna - My Sister's Crown

When Covid lockdowns hit in 2020, Vesna used the time wisely. They spent their days recording a new album, Anima, which brought in their distinctive dreamy, folk feel. There were probably a few Zoom calls and banana bread bakes as well. Once the lockdowns were lifted, they got straight on the road and started an acoustic tour.

🇳🇱 Netherlands | Mia Nicolai & Dion Cooper - Burning Daylight

Mia and Dion were both separately working with Eurovision 2019 winner Duncan Lawrence, when he introduced them in a bid to make more Eurovision magic. And Duncan isn’t only one of the Burning Daylight songwriters, he’s also a big part of the creative team and helps send Mia and Dion in the right direction. He knows exactly what it feels like to step onto the Eurovision stage, and Mia says he always says the right thing.

🇫🇮 Finland | Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha

When Käärijä heard the first version of Cha Cha Cha, he and his producers had the idea to send it to the Eurovision Song Contest. They sent it on to his label, who agreed that it was Eurovision material. After a few more revisions, Cha Cha Cha set sail for Liverpool.