Introduction
Recently, there is no national final in Switzerland anymore. Instead the Swiss broadcaster SRG makes an internal choice. Since Luca Hänni has made a wonderful 4th place in Tel Aviv with “She Got Me”, it might be seen that an internal choice is more trustfully than the public taste. Last year Gjon’s Tears has been chosen internally as well. Due to the fact that the ESC 2020 has been cancelled, Gjon’s Tears has received another chance with a new song this year.
Gjon’s Tears, is a 23-years-old singer, who is born in Broc, Canton Fribourg, the French speaking part of Switzerland. His parents come from Albania and Kosovo and he is very interested in his heritage. The unusual artist 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”, and the grandfather started to cry, so Gjon has been inspired to name himself Gjon’s Tears. 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. Gjon said “I want to use my music to move people in all sorts of ways, whether it’s joy, sadness or melancholy”.
The new song “Tout L’Univers” (All The Universe) is another ballad, even one of the strongest of this year. 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 song is being seen as a top favourite to win this year’s ESC. Indeed the song is a lot stronger than last year and has more depth. Gjon’s beautiful voice, combined with the soft piano and a dramatic finish is perfect for a contest like the ESC.
This is a love song, where the love has come to an end and two hearts are buried under the earth and find together again. The video-clip is telling a different story, when Gjon’s Tears has a car accident and is almost dying, at the end he saves his own life. That’s very impressing and touching. But will this be transferred on the Eurovision stage in an equal way? With this entry, Switzerland would be able to win the ESC again, that would be the third victory with 62 years of participation.
History
Switzerland is not only one of the founding members of the Eurovision Song Contest 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 afterwards.
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 is going to be the 62nd time to watch Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest this year.
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 that. 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. 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.
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 time 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.
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. Other famous singers were Esther Ofarim, Paola and DJ Bobo.
Biggest successes
Video Nostalgia
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