Introduction

• Participant(s): Sandro
  
• Song: Running
  
• Writer(s): Alfie Arcuri, Sebastian Rickards, Octavian Rasinariu & Sandro
  
• Composer(s): Alfie Arcuri, Sebastian Rickards, Octavian Rasinariu, Sandro & Teo DK
  
• Broadcaster: CYBC
  
• Social media:  
• Team review: 

Cyprus has made an internal selection, like the years before. This concept has been working quite well, since 2015 all Cypriot entries made it into the Grand Finals. And “Fuego” by Eleni Foueira in 2018 has been very close to victory. This year it’s a man again. The Cypriot broadcaster PIK has chosen Sandro to represent Cyprus in Rotterdam.

Unfortunately, the Corona pandemic has destroyed the hopes for Sandro. It’s still not decided if Sandro has the right to do it again 2021 like other performers from this year.

Sandro, whose real name is Alessandro Rütten was born in Heinsberg, Germany in 1996. He has a very international background, a Greek mother and an American father and grew up in Germany. Early at age Sandro began to develop his talent for making music, he learned drums, guitar and the piano. At the age of 15 he started to compose is own songs. His favourite music styles are Pop, Rock and R’n B. Sandro made his way to several shows like “Das Supertalent” and “The Voice Germany”  where he made it to the sing offs. In 2019 he represented the USA in the New Wave Song Festival in Sotchi, where he could achieve the 6th place.

Have a look at Sandro’s performances in Sotchi:

The song “Running” is modern pop song with a very well made video clip. The song is about the storms in life, we need to keep running through difficult times. The stage show has been planned by the Austrian Marvin Dietmann, who has produced the stage show of Conchita Wurst in Copenhagen 2014. Judging by the video clip and his live performances in Sotchi, Sandro would have had good chances for the Grand Final. It’s definitely a smooth and easy listening song. But would this have been enough to be remembered at the end? We will never know.

History

• Debut: 1981
• Participations: 37
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 30 (9 since 2004)
• Top 10: 10
• Chances for Top 10: 27%
• Chances for Final: 56%

Cyprus joined the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981, seven years later than the neighbour country Greece. This year it would have been the 37th time for the sunny island of Cyprus in the ESC. With the first Cypriot song “Monika” by the group Island, Cyprus could reach the 6th rank, which is not too bad for a debut year. Since then Cyprus is participating on a regular basis in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1988 the entry was disqualified in advance as the song has been published before the official deadline. In 2001 Cyprus had to pause and returned the year afters, due EBU regulations at that time.

Music from Cyprus has always been warm-hearted. There have been either ballads or rhythmic songs, but all entries have showed huge enthusiasm of the composers and singers. Of course the music taste is similar to the neighbour country Greece. Sometimes the singers are well known in both countries and the singers could perform either for Cyprus or Greece Anna Vissi or Elpida. Both countries are always being criticised that they have been too generous with their yearly honour of 12 points to each other. But this phenomenon can also be noticed in the Balkan or Scandinavian countries. Greece is mostly set in the other Semi Final to avoid vote exchanges, but in some years it could be that both countries have to compete in the same semi final, it depends on the allotment.

In the past years Cyprus utilizes the free choice of language, Evridiki has once tried to sing in French with “Comme ci comme ca” and did not qualify for the Grand Final in Helsinki 2007. Every year Cyprus has to get through the qualification process, since the Semi Finals have been introduced in 2004. Cyprus took part in the Grand Final for 30 times and could reach the Top10 ten times. The chances for a Top10 placing is approximately 27% and the chances for a qualification for the Grand Final is at 56%. Last year, the Greek singer Tamta started for Cyprus with “Replay” and could make a 13th place in the Grand Final. Eleni Foureira’s “Fuego” has been the best placing ever for Cyprus - #2!

Biggest successes

• 1x 2nd place
  “Fuego” | Eleni Foueria (Lisbon 2018)

• 3x 5th place
  “Mono I Agapi” |Anna Vishy (Harrogate 1982)
  “Mana Mou” |Chara & Andreas Konstantinou (Dublin 1997)
  “Stronger Every Minute“|Lisa Andreas (Istanbul 2004)

Video Nostalgia

• “Monika” | Island
  Rank 6, Dublin 1981
  
  
• “Teriazoume”| Evridiki
  Rank 11, Dublin 1994
  
  
• “Sti Fotia”| Alexandros Panayi
  Rank 9, Dublin 1995