Introduction

• Participant(s): Gjon's Tears
• Song: Répondez-moi
  
• Writer(s): Gjon Muharremaj, Alizé Oswald, Xavier Michel & Jeroen Swinnen
• Composer(s): Gjon Muharremaj, Alizé Oswald, Xavier Michel & Jeroen Swinnen
• Broadcaster: SRG RTS SSR 
• Social media:     
  
• Team review: 

Like last year Switzerland made an internal choice. The Swiss broadcaster SRG seems to trust its own selection committee more than the public taste. Last year Luca Hänni has been really successful, after a long period of bad luck, with “She Got Me” Luca could not only reach the Grand Final of Tel Aviv, he also made the 4th place!

This year the choice felt to Gjon’s Tears, a 22-years-old singer, who is born in Greyerbezirk in the French speaking part of Switzerland. His parents come from Albania and Kosovo and he is very interested in his heritage. This also reflects the meaning of his song “Répondez-moi”, as there are many questions like where do we come from? Who are we? Where do we go? It’s a beautiful ballad sung in French, the first time since 10 years that Switzerland has decided to send a French song to Eurovision.

The unusual stage name Gjon’s Tears is a result of Gjon’s experience with his grandfather who was singing Elvis Presley’s song “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, where Gjon started to cry. Gjon Muharremaj found out is passion for music at an early age. He learned to play the piano. And his grandfather also registered him to take part at “Albania’s Got Talent”, where Gjon made the third place. In the French version of “The Voice Switzerland” he could reach the semi final.

The Swiss broadcaster SRG has announced that Gjon’s Tears has been selected to represent Switzerland at the ESC 2020, which has been cancelled regrettably. Luckily, shortly after the cancellation SRG has emphasized that Gjon’s Tears will have the chance to start in 2021 for Switzerland.

History

• Debut: 1956
• Participations: 62
• Victories: 2
• Finals: 50 (5 since 2004)
• Top 10: 28
• Chances for Top 10: 45%
• Chances for Final: 29%

Switzerland is not only one of the founding members of this event it has even won the first contest in history with “Refrain” by Lys Assia in 1956. Regrettably, Lys Assia passed away in 2018, she has been a guest of honour in almost every ESC.

Switzerland has missed out two years 1999 and 2001 due to bad placing in previous years, when the rules were a little bit different and country had to pause for a year. So this would have been the 62nd time to watch Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest this year, which does not take place.

Since the Semi Finals have been introduced in 2004, Swiss entries were struggling with the qualification for the Grand Finals. Only five times Switzerland has passed the qualification round since 2004. Out of 62 participations, Switzerland could only be in the Grand Final for 50 times. And 28 times Switzerland reached the Top10, so there is a statistically chance of 45% reaching the Top10 and 29% to reach the Grand Final since 2004.

The Swiss entries have mostly been sung in French and German language, very seldom in Italian or Romansch, but nowadays as well in English. Last year in Tel Aviv, Switzerland was able to break its losing streak, with Luca Hänni and “She Got Me” a wonderful 4th place in the Grand Final could be achieved. It seems that the enthusiasm in Switzerland is not as high as in other countries and the recent national finals did not bring the desired success.

Probably the most prominent name in the ESC next to ABBA is Céline Dion, she has been representing Switzerland in 1988 with “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi”. The Franco-Canadian singer has won for with only one point ahead to the UK. At that time Céline was an absolute newcomer and she started a world career one year after, when she opened the 1989 ESC in Lausanne with “Where Does My Heart Beat Now”. Nowadays she has her own show in Las Vegas, sells millions of albums and is one of the biggest stars in the world. She is often being taken as role model for young singers.

Biggest successes

• 2x 1st place
  “Refrain” |Lys Assia (Lugano 1956)
  “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi” |Céline Dion (Dublin 1988)
• 4x 2nd place
  “Das Alte Karussell” | Lys Assia (Lugano 1956)
  “Giorgio” |Lys Assia (Hilversum 1958)
  “T'en Va Pas” | Esther Ofarim (London 1963)
  “Pas Pour Moi” |Daniela Simons (Bergen 1986)
• 3x 3rd place
  “Nous Aurons Demain” | Franca di Rienzo (Cannes 1961)
  “Amour On T'aime” |Arlette Zola (Harrogate 1982)
  “Moi, Tout Simplement” | Annie Cotton (Millstreet 1993)

Video Nostalgia

• “Bonjour, Bonjour” | Paola del Medico
  Rank 5, Madrid 1969
  
  
• “Swiss Lady” | Pepe Lienhard Band
  Rank 6, London 1977
  
  
• “Piano Piano” | Mariella Farré and Pino Gasparini
  Rank 12, Gothenburg 1985