We’ve been here in the Press Centre for two days now, with the first rough rehearsals coming across our screen.  Before the Semifinals next week, let’s take a quick look at who we’ll all see on stage this year and how they got there!

Who’ll be performing?

• Solo Male (8): Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary, Montenegro, Norway, Switzerland
  
• Solo Female (15): Albania, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, (FYR) Macedonia, Moldova, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom
• Gender Illusionist (1): Austria
• Duets (4): Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia
• Groups/Collaborations (9) : Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Malta

How were the songs chosen?

• Internal Selections (11): Armenia, Austria, Georgia, Italy, (FYR) Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, San Marino, United Kingdom
• National Final Winners (24): Albania, Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine
• Internal Artist Selection, Public Song Choice (1): Israel
  
• Public Artist Selection, Internal Song Choice (1): Azerbaijan

Songs changed/modified from original winner/announcement/release?:

• Albania: Albanian language version, “Zemërimi i nje natë“, was translated into the English-language “One Night’s Anger”.
• Belarus: Lyric changed from “Google Maps” to “all the maps” in order to comply with EBU regulations.
• Denmark: Lyric changed from “f*cking cliché” to “another cliché” in order to comply with EBU regulations.
• Iceland: The Icelandic “Enga fordóma” was translated into the all-English “No Prejudice”.
• Malta: Various lyrics and arrangement changed.
• Poland: The all-Polish “My Słowianie” has been revamped and turned into a bilingual version, called “My Słowianie – We Are Slavic” or “Slavic Girls”
• Ukraine: Various lyrics and arrangement changed.

What language will the songs be performed in?

• English (28): Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, (FYR) Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom
• No English (3): Italy, Montenegro, Portugal
• Bilingual (4): Israel, Poland, Slovenia, Spain
• Primarily in one language with a few phrases in another (2): France (primarily in French, with phrases in English and Spanish), Latvia (primarily in English, with a few phrases in Latvian)

• Out of the 28 songs that are being performed entirely in English, 6 have alternate versions in other languages: Albania, Azerbaijan, Iceland, (FYR) Macedonia (in Macedonian and Serbian), Russia, San Marino

How many are returning to Eurovision?

• (FYR) Macedonia: Tamara Todevska (backing vocals) (2008)
• Montenegro: Martina Majerle (backing vocals) (2009 as lead, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 as backing)
• Romania: Paula Seling and Ovi (2010)
• Russia: Masha and Nastya Tolmachevy (JESC 2006)
• San Marino: Valentina Monetta (2012, 2013)

How many had previously performed in a National Final (not counting their 2014 victory)?

• Albania: 4 times (FiK 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012)
• Austria: 1 time (2012)
• Azerbaijan: 2 times (2008 as a member of Unformal, 2010 as a member of Milk and Kisses)
• Belarus: 1 time (2009)
• Estonia: 2 times (2002, 2003)
• Hungary: 2 times (2012, 2013)
• Ireland: 1 time (2013)
• Italy: 2 times (San Remo 2011, 2012)
• Latvia: 1 time (2008, as Jöran & Axlina)
• Lithuania: 1 time (2005)
• (FYR) Macedonia: 1 time (2006)
• Malta: The Mics – 3 times (2003, 2004, 2005), Richard Edwards – 5 times (2010, 2011, 2012, and two entries in 2013), Wayne Micallef/Wayne William – 4 times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014)
• Moldova: 2 times (2011, 2013)
• Romania: 2010 (as a duo), 2009 (Ovi)
• Slovenia: 3 times (1997, 1999, 2001)
• Sweden: 6 times (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011)
• Ukraine: 1 time (2013)

How many had taken part in vocal talent shows (not including National Finals)?

• Austria – “Starmania” (2007, 2nd place, as Tom Neuwirth), “Die große Chance” (2011, 6th place, as Conchita Wurst)
• Azerbaijan – “The Voice of Ukraine” (currently participating)
• Belgium – “Star Academy” and “The Voice Belgique” (2013, made it to Battle Rounds)
• Denmark – “The X-Factor” (2008, 4th place)
• Hungary – “Megasztár” (2011, 4th place)
• Israel – “Kokhav Nolad” (2009, 3rd place)
• Italy – “Popstars” (2003, winner) “Amici di Maria De Filippi” (2009, winner)
• Lithuania – “Kelias į žvaigždes” (2005, 2nd place)
• Malta (Richard Edwards) – “The X-Factor” (UK, made to jury house)
• Poland (Cleo) – “The X-Factor” (2011)
• San Marino – “Popstars” (2001)
• Spain – “The X-Factor (UK, 2008, 5th place)
• Ukraine – “The Voice of Ukraine” (2012, 4th place)

Who are the youngest artists this year?

• Finland: Eero Keskinen (bass) – 18, Tuomo Alarinta (drums) – 18, Ossi Mäkelä – (guitars, synth) – 17.
• Greece: RiskyKidd – 19
• Russia: Masha & Nastya Tomlachevy – 17

Who wasn’t born in the country they’ll be representing?

• Estonia – Tanja was born in Kaliningrad, Russia.
• Germany – Lead singer Elżbieta Steinmetz was born in Ukraine.
• Greece – RiskyKidd was born in London.
• Hungary – András Kállay-Saunders was born in New York.
• Latvia – Lead singer Jöran Steinhauer is from Bochum, Germany.