Introduction

• Participant(s): Vasil
• Song: Here I Stand
  
• Writer(s): Vasil Garvanliev
  
• Composer(s): Vasil Garvanliev, Davor Jordanovski, Borche Kuzmanovski
• Broadcaster: MKRTV
  
• Social media:       
  
• Team review: 

Like many other singers from last year, Vasil is one of the lucky ones, having the chance to perform this year as well. The North Macedonian singer Vasil has been very sad that the ESC last year has been cancelled. But all his hope is bundled in his new song “Here I Stand”.

The singer Vasil is no stranger to the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2019 he has performed as background singer, when Tamara made the best place ever for the country – the 7th rank in the Grand Final of Tel Aviv! Vasil has been selected to represent North Macedonia in Rotterdam with the song “Here I Stand”.

Vasil was born in a small city called Strumica in the south east of the country in 1984. Thanks to his singing talent he has been celebrated as the Macedonian prodigy child. In the age of ten he performed "Marionka"  during the annual Macedonian children's song festival Zlatno Slavejče.
With his family he moved to the USA as refugees during the Balkan war. Vasil has made an enormous career in all kinds of music: classical music, opera, soul, jazz and pop music. He was a member of the Chicago’s children choir and performed as backing vocalist with artists like Julie Andrews, Celine Dion, Nick Carter, New Kids on the Block, Nelly Furtado and Enrique Iglesias. In Toronto, Canada he made his diploma in opera singing. When he moved back to his home country he participated in the national final with “Pomogni mi”. By now he is following his career both in pop and classical music.

This year’s song from Vasil is called “Here I Stand”. It’s totally different from last year. And it sounds like a song from a musical with a lot of emotions and depth. There is a great climax accompanied by a choir. The video clip is filmed in a historic building, having an orchestra it’s very well accomplished.

The song is about to believe in oneself, looking back to one’s childhood, embrace and encourage yourself that everything will be good, just wait and see:

There are times when I remember back
Wish to hug the child about to crack
I’ll tell’him: “wait it won’t be long
Trust your heart and just stay strong”
Cuz baby, they all tried to break us

The lyrics are beautiful, the melody is touching, so everything seems to be good. But like other singers, Vasil also received bad criticism, regarding a Bulgarian flag in the video-clip and is open gay life and support to LGBTQ+. Maybe the words “They all tried to break us” can be taken literally and should calm the antagonists. Good luck Vasil!

History

• Debut: 1998
• Participations: 20
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 9 (6 since 2004)
• Top 10: 0
• Chances for Top 10: 5%
• Chances for Final: 35%

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) now called North Macedonia is celebrating its 20th anniversary in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam.

The debut entry “Ne Zori, Zoro” by Vlado Janevski in 1998 came 19th in the final in Birmingham. It was great to see that the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has joined the Eurovision family as well. The first attempt to enter the contest was back in 1996, when Kaliopi with “Samo Ti”  did not pass the international qualification round. Various countries like Germany, Denmark and Israel had to pause that year.

The former Yugoslavia took part 27 times and the debut was made in 1961 and there was one victory in 1989 with the group Riva and “Rock Me”.

In the first years from 2004 the former FYR Macedonia always qualified for the final. This was also due to the fact that the neighbour countries (in this case “Balkan Voting”) helped with their votes. But this has changed, since 2008 the former FYR Macedonia did not make it to the final anymore, but the lovely singer Kaliopi could change this in 2012. She was the first one to reach the final again with “Crno I Belo”, she even reached the 13th place in the Grand Final in Baku. The reason for the non-qualifying years had probably more to do with songs which were not preliminary made for an international audience and therefore did not met the European taste. Unfortunately, the former FYR Macedonia has been struggling with the qualification for the Grand Final since 2013 – six years in a row no Grand Final was possible. But last year in Tel Aviv, Tamara could change it all, with her superb song “Proud” she bewitched the juries and at the end she reached the best place ever - #7. This is the way North Macedonia should continue in the next years. 

Biggest successes

• 1x 7th place
  “Proud” |Tamara (Tel Aviv 2019)
• 1x 12th place
  “Ninanajna” |Elena Risteska (Athens 2006)

Video Nostalgia

• “Ne Zori, Zoro” | Vlado Janevski
  Rank 19, Birmingham 1998
• “Od Nas Zavisi” | Karolina
  Rank 19, Tallinn 2002
• “Crno I Belo” | Kaliopi
  Rank 13, Baku 2012