Colé and her mates sing Eurovision tunes.

South African singer Colé Van Dais has been featured at Eurocovers before as she created several interesting coverversions of Eurovision tunes.

Now there’s a new album for all to enjoy. 

Colé and Friends collects ten Eurovision tunes old and young plus two national final gems. Colé's Friends include the mighty Katrina and Great Latvian Bake Off Joran from Aarzemnieki. 
Among the others are some well known African artists like Marc Rantseli of 80's hitsters MarcAlex and up and coming singer Sisana Kubheka.

Next to Afrikaans you get to hear some languages not often (never) associated with Eurovision: Tsonga, Thai, Xhosa, Yoruba and Zulu.

Colé and Friends is available from iTunes, Amazon and Spotify.

Here's a track-by-track of the album.

1. Love Shine A Light (Africa Version, in English) with Katrina Leskanich.

The 1997 Eurovision winner by Katrina and The Waves gets a sunshiny makeover and Katrina guests on her own classic. The pair met at the 80's Rewind Festival South Africa in 2015.
This track was already released as a digital single in 2016.

2. Kom Saam Met My (Come with me) with Righardt Greyling (in Afrikaans)

The original, Dziesma Par Laimi (Latvia 2004) gained fame for being released in nine languages by the originals artists Fomins and Kleins. 

3. Spirit Of The Night with Sergey Sysuev (English/Russian)

San Marino 2017 by Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson. Sergey is from Ukraine.

4. Op Die Dansvloer (On the dancefloor) with Lia Chabane (Afrikaans/Tsonga)

Glorious by Cascada (Germany 2013)

5. Dear Friend with Organ Prawang (English/Thai)

Nostalgia by Magazin and Lydija (Croatia 1995). Organ Prawang is a classical singer from Thailand.
Colé and Organ made a videoclip of this one.

6. One Gift Of Love with Keith McFarlane (English)

Runner up U.K. national final song by Dear John from 1995. Keith McFarlane was a member of Dear John when they entered the U.K. competition.

7. City Lights with Wendy Oldfield and Sisana Kubheka (English/Xhosa)

Belgium 2017 by Blanche, the biggest European hit of the Kyiv contest.

8. Molayo (I have joy) with Gbenga Adenuga from Nigeria (Afrikaans/Yoruba)

Solayo (Belarus 2013 by Alyona Lanskaya) This version was already released as a digital single in 2015. It apparently won The Voices for Charity Award for Best International Collaboration. (but I have no clue what that is...)

9. Ek’s So Lief Voor Jou (I'm in love with you) with actor Emmanuel Castis (Afrikaans)

U.K. 2015 Still In Love With You by Electro Velvet. This one didn’t fare too well at the contest but it's a typical guilty pleasure tune: You think it's not very good but when you hear it makes you happy. This could well be my favorite track on the album.

And Electro Velvet had a #1 hit on the physical singles chart in the U.K.. So there!.

10. Dinge Dong with Joran  (Afrikaans/Latvian)

Joran was the Cake Baking singer from Aarzemnieki who represented Latvia in 2014. But the tune is Ding A Dong, the Dutch 1975 winner by Teach In.

11. Peace Will Come with Marc Rantseli (English/Afrikaans/Zulu/Spanish)

Georgia’s entry by Diana Gurtskaya (2008). Colé also recorded a full Afrikaans version which can be heard here at Colé's Youtube channel.

12. Ware Vriend (True friend) with Yolundy Amanzi (Afrikaans)

Heaven by Contrazt, a 2015 song from the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix.

Links and sources

Thanks to Roy and to Colé.

Find out about more Colé van Dais Eurovision covers in these Eurocovers articles

Colé van Dais: Facebook, Youtube channel (updated links 2020)

Support the artists: buy Colé and Friends from iTunes or Amazon.

Some other Eurocovers by Colé van Dais are:

You Don't have To Say You Love Me is a coverversion of Dusty Springfields famous hit which is originally Io Che Non Vivo from the 1966 Sanremo contest. 

Wanneer Die Musiek Verdwyn is a cover of Azerbaijan 2012. (When The Music Dies by Sabina Babayeva) (digital single)
Dink Aan My is a coverversion of Haegt Og Hljot (Halla Margret, Iceland 1987) (Album Daai Tipe Meisie)
Glans Prinses (Shiny Princess) is Danish 2007 entry Drama Queen. (Album Daai Tipe Meisie)
Die Eiland (The island) is Aspro Mavro (Άσπρο-μαύρο), Cyprus 1987 entry by Alexia. (Album Daai Tipe Meisie)
Waar In My Wereld Is Jy (Where are you in my world) is the 2013 winner Only Teardrops by Emmelie De Forest. (Digital single)
The album Daai Tipe Meisie (That kind of girl) was released in 2013.

South Africa: Patricia Lewis, Jy's die één !!

Patricia Lewis is a Superstar from South Africa whose music ranges from Country to Pop and she has also proven she has a fine ear for a Eurovision tune.

She recorded several Eurovision songs since 1999 and especially the later choices look a bit further than just the big hits and winners.

Currently in the South African Trefferlyste, the top 20 for Afrikaans songs compiled by Daantjie Dinamiet, there's a duet Patricia Lewis sings with 14 year old Shaun Tait.
Shaun Tait is the winner of Supersterre 2006, a TV talent show hosted by Patricia Lewis.
The song, Sing 'n liedjie, is a cover version of the Danish Eurovision entry from 2004 Shame on you, the song that failed miserably in the semi-final despite some cool shoes with wheels (it must have been the red suit then). (sorry no audio found yet)

Après toi, the luxembourg 1972 winner, was the first Eurovision song covered by Lewis, but it already had a few lives in South Africa, most famously by legendary singers Gé Korsten and Bles Bridges.
-
-
-
LUXEMBOURG 1972 APRÈS TOI
Coverversions from South Africa

Bles Bridges - Glo in die lewe (Afrikaans)
------ Released on 1997 CD 'Die hart van myn moeder' (Vat 5 Musik, BMG) Bles Bridges & syn dogter Sunette * - Glo in die lewe (Afrikaans)
------ On Sunette Bridges CD 'Vrou alleen' & 2003 CD 'Opskop treffers en ander' Janita Claassen - Wie sal weet (Afrikaans)
------ On CD 'Wie sal weet'(1991) Patricia Lewis - Jy's die een (Lyrics Patricia Lewis)
------ On 1999 CD 'Jy's die één' (BMG)
Gé Korsten - Glo in die lewe (Afrikaans)
------ On CD 'Naby my / Sailing' & 3CD 'Afrikaanse Goue oues' Estee Strauss (French)
------ On CD 'Ritme van hoop'
Ons Eie 3 Soprane - Come what may (English)
'Ons eie drie soprane' are/were: Janita Claassen, Rina Hugo & Ella Kotze
------ On CD 'Ons eie drie soprane' (Select Music SELBCD 335) Bianca & Friends - Come what may (English)
Bianca & Friends are a gospel group who perform as a puppet show. ------ On CD 'Bianca And Friends' - (Brettian Productions, 2002)
Karlien Husselman - Come what may (English)
------ On CD 'Wees vir my'

PATRICIA LEWIS EUROCOVERS Après toi - Luxembourg 1972 winner - Vicky Leandros
= Jy's die een (You're the one) - sung in Afrikaans ------ On 1999 CD 'Jy's die één' (BMG)
------ Video clip is on DVD 'Patricia Lewis- Die DVD (BMG 2005)
ABBA Keurspel (medley incl. Waterloo & Ring Ring. (in English) ------ On CD 'Vir ewig en altyd' (2001, BMG)
Take me to your heaven - Sweden 1999 winner - Charlotte Nilsson (in English) ------ On CD 'Vir ewig en altyd' (2001, BMG)
My heart goes boom - Norway 2000 - Charmed (in English) ------ On CD 'Vir ewig en altyd' (2001, BMG)
Dans le jardin de mon âme - Switzerland 2002 - Francine Jordy
= Tuine van my siel (Gardens of my soul) - sung in Afrikaans
------ On CD 'N nuwe lewe' (BMG)
------ Video clip is on DVD 'Patricia Lewis- Die DVD -(BMG 2005)
Il faut du temps - France 2002 - Sandrine François = 'N nuwe lewe (A new life) - in Afrikaans
------ On CD 'N nuwe lewe' (BMG)
Never let it go - Sweden 2002 - Afro-Dite (in English) ------ On CD 'N nuwe lewe' (BMG)
Shame on you - Denmark 2004 - Thomas Thordarsson = Sing 'n liedjie (Sing a song) - Shaun tate & Patricia Lewis (in Afrikaans)
------ On Shaun Tait CD Shaun Tait (Sony BMG)


Kalahari is a South African music shop that sells worldwide. Postage costs are high though, but you can't buy too much CDs at one time as you will get a hefty import tax bill. They stock the Shaun Tait CD, and various albums by Patricia Lewis, Bles Bridges and Gé Korsten.

Patricia's own website is currently not available but you can find some info at the Supersterre site. She's a busy woman as she's also currently dancing with Marcel Vilonel in the South African version of Strictly Come Dancing With The Stars and the next season of Supersterre is underway.



HELP WANTED - I'm looking for a particular single from South Africa, either the record or the audio files in any form. It's a version of the 1973 Dutch entry by Ben Cramer - De oude muzikant and it's original b-side Kom Sylvia dans met mij from the preselection.
Marnie - Die oue musikant / Kom Sylvia dans met my - 7" single (Philips TOS 1010)

My Hart Het Klaar Besluit and more from South Africa

Here's the official videoclip of My Hart Het Klaar Besluit by David Fourie and Monique.
It's of course the Afrikaans coverversion of Running Scared, this years Eurovision winner by Ell and Nikki (Eldar and Nigar) who took the trophy for Azerbaijan.
The song is released on the forthcoming David Fourie compilation album Die Eerste Dekade (the first decade) and will also be on Moniques forthcoming album.
The duo is also said to have recorded a cover of the English version for release on the Tunes, but I have no further details on that.

David Fourie has recorded other coverversions of Eurovision songs: Germany 1989, Norway 2003, Estonia 2002 plus a host of National final songs.

Monique had a hit in South Africa with rapper Snotkop and their Afrikaans version of the Finnish 2009 entry Lose Control titled Ek Val Vir Jou.

Some more South African covers.
It's no secret South African singers have been recording many Eurovision songs in the past few years.
Here's a few you can actually listen to a full version of a song. (more to come?...)

Haba Haba
Arista Paxton has finished her new album including no less than eight Eurocovers.
You can listen to two of the songs: Haba Haba (Norway 2011) is here at reverbnation.
Laat My Leef is a cover of Moldova's 2010 entry Run Away (originally by Olia Tira and Sunstroke Project), and it's also at Arista's Reverbnation page.
I don't know anything about the title of the CD or it's availability yet, but it is released through the Cape Town based record company Southern Buzz. Hopefully more details later.
The album has tracks in English and Afrikaans but all Eurocovers are in Afrikaans.
Among the covers on the album there is a version cover favorite Sha La Lie (Netherlands 2010) and the 2011 winner from Azerbaijan which Arista recorded with Hugo Nieuwoudt.


Peace Please
Colé van Dais has recorded several Eurocovers on her album Dink Aan My (private pressing).
One interesting track is a 4-language coverversion of Peace Will Come, the corny peace-loving ditty the Georgians unleashed upon the unsuspecting masses back in 2008. Colé van Dais' version is a duet with Marc Rantseli and is sung in English, Afrikaans, Spanish and Zulu. You can Listen to the full version at Colé's Reverbnation, which also has some of her other songs.


Not So Stupid Cupid

So Henri Alant missed out on Believe Again, the Danish 2009 hit that became the most covered song of the year. (more here at Eurocovers) but I noticed a 2010 videoclip of Cupid, a coverversion of Once In A Lifetime by Ines.

OIAL is a crafty top pop song from the days when Estonia was still whipping out quality entries every year. It was #4 in the Stockholm contest in 2000.
Henri Alants version, in Afrikaans, is from the album also titled Cupid, but I haven't found any international online shop that sells it yet.
Anyway, You can watch the official full video of Cupid here at ye olde tube.

Love Shine A Light
André Huysamen recorded the 1997 Eurovision winner Love Shine A Light (Katrina and the Waves) for his album. The hymn about love is supported by a childrens choir courtesy of the Generaal Beyers primary school. It's Liefde Skyn 'N Lig in Afrikaans and can be found on the album Imperfek.
Title song Imperfek is a coverversion of Temple Of Love, Swedish pre-song by the fab pop trio BWO (Bodies Without Organs)
I didn't find any details on the album or its availability but you can listen to both songs in full at André's Reverbnation.

Home Is Where The Heart Is
Elizma Theron has released her second CD album Oppad Na Jou (On my way to you) which includes an Afrikaans version of the German 2008 entry Disappear (by No Angels). It's titled Maak My Hart Jou Huis (Make my heart your home) and you can listen here at the tube.
The CD is available at Kalahari.

Special Thanks to Roy.

Links and sources:
Read all about the 2011 Eurovision winner versions and releases here at the Düsseldorf Collection.
The 2012 edition: The Baku Collection is materializing here.
A new website for David Fourie will be launched here soon and you can already check out a picture of him with his shirt sort of off.
This video is uploaded through the Select Musiek Youtube channel.
The Fourie CD is available at Kalahari who ship internationally.
You can buy the digital version at iTunes, Amazon, Deezer and other sources.

A selection of Eurocovers posts about South African singers: Sunette Bridges, Andriette Norman and Heinz Winkler, Jay and Lianie (with video), Dewald Louw,  Jasmyn, Mariska and Rian Ungerer (with video), Monique and Snotkop (with video), Dominec, various 2009 releases.
And some from the olden days: Dana Valery, Jody Wayne.

12points TV party
New Eurovision website 12points.tv formerly known as 3minutes.me has been launched with a Eurovision party in Rotterdam.
On 7 October 12points.tv was kicked off officially with an all Eurovision evening in cafe Keerweer in downtown Rotterdam.
The new 12points.tv website is here.

Eurocovers South Africa - Leandie Lombaard

South Africa is the place to be for Eurocovers these days. Several artists have released albums with one or two coverversions of mostly recent Eurovision songs.

LEANDIE LOMBAARD takes it a bit further.
She is a sixteen year old singer who just released her debut CD Wees Net…. (Don't be….) which includes reworkings of six Eurovision songs.
It's a coherent collection of fresh pop and schlager songs which are well produced. Stand out track is Net Jy (Främling) which surely deserves some airplay on the Afrikaans radio stations and has the potential to be a smash hit in any year.

I need you (English) = I love you mi vida (Spain 2007 - d'Nash)
Duiselig (Afrikaans) = Vertigo (Malta 2007 - Olivia Lewis)
Net jy (Afrikaans) = Främling (Sweden 1983 - Carola)
Mxit (Afrikaans) = Danca Comigo (Portugal 2007 - Sabrina)
Die for you (English) original by Antique, Greece 2001
Dans met my (Afrikaans) = Ven a bailar comigo (Norway 2007 - Guri Schanke)
and as a bonus track there is My Hart Brand which is an Afrikaans version of I Love You Mi Vida

The CD also includes Swedish preselection songs Samba Sambero (as: Karjoedel Kar Jy, in Afrikaans) and Under Your Spell (as: Onthou Jy Nog, Afrikaans/English) and several other songs, 15 tracks in total.

Currently the CD is only available in South Africa only, mainly at Leandie's performances, but I'll see if I can get some more details soon.
UPDATE Now Leandie has her own website where you can listen to excerpts of the songs

Some other recent releases are tenor Jannie Moolmans CD Ek Kom Huistoe which includes Vandag (Le Grand Soir, Belgium 2005), Jaycee Crauses CD Ek Weet with Steeds Verlief (Everything, Greece 2006) and Waar Is Jy (Tornero, Romania 2006) and the earlier mentioned albums by Jennifer Zamudio and Patricia Lewis.

Jasmyn

Here’s a CD I received already a few weeks ago, but with all the hassle of the 2011 preselection madness I hadn’t come around to reviewing it yet.

(Singende) Jasmyn is a sweet voiced singer from South Africa, who recorded several Eurovision songs, so Eurocovers ears were pointed of course.

Jasmyns first album Jy Wens Jy Kon Sê is a collection of songs both in Afrikaans and English. Most songs are ballads and that’s just as well, as Jasmyn soothing voice really carries the slow songs beautifully.

The soft, sometimes spiritual music may not suit all hours of the day and the music surely demands attention from the listener. Jasmyn appears to be fully in control of her voice throughout the whole album and never needs to regress to vocal acrobatics or overstretching her voice.
When I heard a few of her songs a year or so ago I commented along the lines of 'Jasmyn sings like an angel' and that is true for most of her debut album.

The Eurocovers
One of the Eurovision songs Jasmyn recorded that ended up on the album is the 2010 Irish entry It's For You. 1993 winner Niamh Kavanagh returned to Eurovision in 2010 with the song written by Niall Mooney, Mårten Eriksson, Jonas Gladnikoff and Lina Eriksson. It’s this Eurocover that gets a remarkable Afrikaans makeover by Jasmyn.
The song is now titled Dit Is Vir Jou and is sung in Afrikaans with a part in Zulu. She is helped by vocal group Impulse whose imprint helps make it a wonderful spiritual song.

The second Eurovision song is an Afrikaans cover of I Don’t Wanna Leave, the Polish 2009 entry originally by Lidia Kopania. Now titled By Jou Will Ik Bly (I want to stay with you).

Tracklist Jy Wens Jy Kon Sê

1. Awaiting
2. Bly Staan
- The only more or less uptempo song written by Steve Hofmeyer
3. Sonder Jou - Wat Nou?
4. Brief Oor Die See
- A traditional folk song with a male choir
5. I Always Knew You
- Written by Afrikaans singer/songwriter Catherine Jones
6. Whisper Of Angels
- Sounds like a classical song, wonderful vocal arrangement with Voices+
7. Jy Wens Jy Kon Sê
- Wonderful song, highlight of the album.
8. Hy Is Daar
- The 2nd Catherine Jones song is an esoteric but uplifting religious hymn
9. I Will Pray For You
- I know this one by Katherine Jenkins, but I don’t know if it was written for her. The chorus melody is a bit Fairytale Of New York. Another album highlight for Jasmyn. With the help of vocal group Voices+
10. Dit Is Vir Jou
- The Irish Eurovision entry It’s For You
11. Letting Go
- A cover of Christian singer Nikki Leonti
12. By Jou Wil Ek Bly
- I Don’t Wanna Leave, the Polish 2009 entry
13. Celebrate Spring


You can listen to the songs at Jasmyns Reverbnation.
Also check out Jasmyns official website.

The CD Jy Wens Jy Kon Sê is available at Kalahari (who sell internationally) and also at several digital outlets like Amazon.

Jasmyn has also recorded the 1993 Belgian entry Iemand Zoals Jij (Iemand Soos Jy) and I Evighet (Norway 1996) as Tapeserie, but these haven't made it to the album. She's currently working on some other Eurovision songs for future releases.

Summertime bits and pieces part 1.

Eurocovers has not fully collapsed yet under the heat, but lazyness prevents indepth analysis of the high standards you are used to from yours truly. I didn't even tie in with the footie and the vuvuzela madness, for which you probably are thankful
But here's some found food and bits and pieces people have been sending.

Perla
Remember Perla? In this Eurocovers post (UPDATED in 2021) you can read all about the beautiful Brasilian pop singer and her covers of your favorite Eurovision songs. There was one version missing which now can be found in this YouTube. It's the Spanish language version of Mia Martini's 1977 entry Libera.
It's one of 90 Perla songs you can listen to on the Perla Radio Youtube channel. Thank you Perla Radio!

Leon Calvert
Easy listening blog Detour features an LP Captivation by Noel Trevlac including an instrumental version of Puppet On A String. Not only is this a must hear track because it is exceptionally good, it's also interesting because Mr. Trevlac is actually Leon Calvert, acclaimed British jazz trumpeteer who probably didn't want to have his name attached to some cheap covers LP. But the quality of the arrangement and the trumpetering betrays him. Thank You Detour Blog!

South Africa
Music news from South Africa is a bit slow at the moment. Several Eurocovers are on the brink of release (or not, as postponing is the word of the day). You can find one little teaser for a forthcoming release at the Jasmyn website.
You can hear a part of Iemand Soos Jy, a coverversion of the ill fated Barbara Dex song that ended last in 1993. Jasmyn will also have two other Eurocovers on her album, but there's not much info on her website yet.
Another anticipated but overdue album is Die Enigste Manier (The only way) by Lee Scott (of Hi-5). It includes Wonderland, an Afrikaans version of Fairytale, last years winner and Wens Ek Kon (2009 runner up Is It True? from Iceland). You can listen to excerpts from the album tracks including the Eurocovers at the Lee Scott website. update: There's also a cover of Chiara's Malta 2009 song titled Vandag.
Moniqe Foxx tackles the forgotten Malta entry Believe 'n' Peace by Times 3 (1999) as Ek Glo for her new album.(very short clip at the Moniqe Foxx website). The album will also include a version of Secret Combination (Greece 2008). The album will be out on Markon records.
Lea Le Roux covers the luscious Andorran 2009 entry La Teva Decisio (Susanna Georgi) as Ek Es Gereed on her album due in november. (small clip at Rea Le Roux website).

A lot of small excerpts which are of course useless to the Eurovers fan, so I'm pleased to end this shortlist of Afrikaans covers with two full versions:

It's Henk Grimsell with his interpretation of Soraya's La Noche Es Para Mi (Spain 2009). The song is titled Vanaand Is Net Vir My from his new album Dis Tyd (Southern Buzz records). And the girls love him!

South African Bachelor Of The Year Stefan Ludik also has an album out. Burn This Town is out on CD in South Africa and also digitally available at Play.com, We7 and MusicMe. It has one Eurocover, Lose Control, last years clubby Finnish entry by Waldo's People. It's in English and a bit louder than the original.
At MusicMe you can listen to the full tracks of the album.

Totally Off Topic Extra Bit Of Afrikaans Info 
Cooler As Ekke by Jack Sparow is heading for a massive hit in the Netherlands. It's a soft hippy hoppy track of which I don't understand a word (maybe just as well) but it can be considered quite cool in a Borat kind of way. It's the first Afrikaans language hit in the Netherlands since Thembi took a medley of discofied Afrikaans folksongs to the top 10 in 1976. (Take Me Back To The Old Transvaal)

2010 coverversions
Currently at #4 in the German charts is Schland O Schland by Uwu Lena. The football hymne to the tune of Lena's 2010 Eurovision winner Satellite was released on cdsingle after some initial hesitation. The number 4 is a lucky number for the Germans. #1 next week?. (update: erm, no , #5)
There's also a Finnish version of Satellite, it's called Kiertokuu by Charlotte Kero.
Read more about all the Satellite Eurocovers at Lena's page at the Oslo Collection. More news on the Keistad Street Organ CD (with a cover of the Dutch entry) can be found at the Oslo Collection Sieneke page.

More Mostly Off Topic Great News
Samantha 'Touch Me' Fox and Sabrina 'Boys Boys Boys' Salerno have teamed up for an ace coverversion of Blondie's Call Me (Youtube). Welcome back girls, the world just wasn't the same without you.
The cdsingle is only released in Italy so far, but the digital release is widely available. I bought my cdsingle at favorite shop Juno, who also stock a picture disc 12" inch.
Sam Fox's old band Sox once tried to go to Eurovision with Go For The Heart, but they ended 4th and Love City Groove went on to the contest somewhere in Ireland.

O Vento Mudou - UHF
After all that schlager and pop it's time for a bit of Rawk. Portuguese rockers UHF have recorded the Portuguese 1967 entry O Vento Mudou (Eduardo Nascimento) for their new album. And it's great!
You can listen to the song at the UHF MySpace . Thanks Ed!

Perdon Cariño Mio
Two versions of the Italian 1971 entry L'Amore è Un Attimo can be found at the website of Pino Lucciano. One in Spanish (Perdon...) and one in Italian. Eurocovers loves that song, so that's why it's here. There's also a version of Volare if you scroll down a bit on the site.
Another Tex Mex version of the song by Los Reyes Del Camino can be found in this Eurocovers post from 2007.

Sunette Bridges - Let The Music Play

Being the offspring of a celebrated superstar must be a daunting job. On the one hand people are interested in you because of your famous parent, on the other hand the press will scrutinize every move you make and compare it to your mom or dad. (and hope you fail...) 

Either if you want to go your own way, or follow in the footsteps of your ancestor, you can never really do it the right way (well, except Enrique maybe). There's always the accusations of capitalizing on the success of the ones that came before you.

Sunette Bridges is no exception. In the past she has been given a hard time in the South African tabloid press, who measured out every move she made, good or bad.

Sunette Bridges has to fill the shoes of her father Bles Bridges (1947-2000), who is one of the great legends in Afrikaans schlager / pop music history.

After an absence of almost six years Sunette is back with a vengeance.

She released her 6th album Let The Music Play and the album was well received by the critics of Afrikaans music.
It's a wonderful collection of songs; coverversions and a few self penned ones, that reflect a coming to terms, a coming of age even, for the South African singer.

Here are the tracks on Let The Music Play.
1. Girl Without Love
The album opens with a version of A Man Without Love. Not the U.K. 1966 Eurovision song, but a cover of the San Remo song Quando m'innamoro from 1968. But most people know it as the Engelbert Humperdinck's world hit.
2. I've Never Been To Me
Remember Charlene? Her original is one of the most unlikely Motown hits ever. It's raunchy and at the same time almost religious and one of the timeless pop classics. Sunette's version is an uptempo affair without losing the essence of the original song.
3. You Are
A duet with Xavier
4. Solitaire
5. Story Of A Life
6. Shallow
Shirley Clamp's Min Kärlek (from Melodifestivalen 2004) in an English version with lyrics written by Sunette herself.
7. Il Mondo
Another Italian classic, performed in Italain by Sunette
8. If I Give My Heart To You
A Petra Frey (Eurovision 1994) Song
You can watch this one at YouTube. With bits from her Let The Music Play Theatre tour.
9. Andante, Andante
Frida sang it on Abba's Super Trouper LP, a timeless song from Abba's 'lighter' collection.
10. Wanted
The Dooley's! remember them,? Wanted was a 1978 hit, #1 in Japan even. Sunette does a delightful pop version and for me one of the top tracks of the album.
11. L'amour Ca Fait Chanter La Vie
The only real Eurocover on this album is the #2 from 1978, Jean Vallée's song is the the typical 70's ballad only to be found at Eurovision. Sunette recorded it in French.
12. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
The Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond classic in an uptempo version.
13. A Mi Manera
Sinatra's My Way in Spanish and English
14. Mano
One of the hits by Maywood, the Dutch duo who failed to re-ignite their career with a miscalculated Eurovision appearance 10 years after Mano was a hit. Outside the Netherlands Maywood enjoyed some success in Spain, Germany and South Africa and just about every non-anglo country in the music world..
15. Broken Heart
Thomas G:Son written preselection song from Finland song Who Cares About A Broken Heart originally by Johanna.
16. Get The Party Started
At first I though it silly to end an album with a track about getting started, (The 1 Non Blonde Linda Perry penned Pink hit) but I was wrong. After getting all this out in the world, it's the dawning of a new era for Sunette.


Sunette Bridges album discography:
Vrou Alleen (2001)
- This includes the duet with her Father Bles Bridges Glo In Die Lewe, a coverversion of the 1972 Eurovision winner Après Toi. The original Afrikaans version was recorded by Bles Bridges in 1997.
Dit Is My Lewe (Vat Musiek 2001)
- Featuring Siek En Sat, a coverversion of Javiera's Varje Timma Var Minut, a hit from the 2000 Swedish national final. (Melodifestivalen)
Opskop Treffers En Ander (EMI 2003)
Kan Jy dans (EMI Capitol 2003)
Sprokie (Hartman 2004)
Let The Music Play (Markon 2009)

Sunette Bridges has also been working on Afrikaans versions of the Maltese and Albanian 2005 Eurovision entries, but they remain unreleased.

In 2007 Sunette issued the book Gister, Vandag en Môre (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) in which she recounts her life story .
How is it to be raised in the a family with a famous father, how she made her choices in life, both bad and good, and how she dealt with the media attention, wanted and unwanted.
The book is in Afrikaans and is still available at graffitibooks.co.za.

Let The Music Play is available at Kalahari who sell internationally.

2009: Believe Again Again Again and Again. (& Pippi)

There have been some interesting developments regarding the Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again, this years Danish Eurovision entry sung by (Niels) Brinck (13th in the final).
It turns out four South African singers have recorded the song, but it's Heinz Winckler (picture) who gets the clearance to release it.
Wincklers version, Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo (I can believe in love again), is released on his new album which is out on Selekt Musiek in September.
You can already see the video in the post below. The clip is also at Heinz Winckler MySpace where you can also listen to some earlier songs (in English).
Believe Again was written by Lars Jensen, Martin Larsson and Ronan Keating.

Heinz Winckler was the winner of the first Idols (Pop Idol) in South Africa in 2002. You probably have seen him on the (one off) international show World Idol in 2003, where he finished 4th performing Aerosmiths I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing. (The winner was Kurt Nilsen from Norway).
Winckler released three albums, all sung in English and the new one is the first with songs in Afrikaans (although five songs will be in English).
The first Afrikaans coverversion of Believe Again was recorded by Henri Alant. The track is called Ek Glo (I believe) and was planned to be on Alant's forthcoming CD (which seems unsure now).
Ek Glo is already issued on a 6-track advance promo CD Sal Jy by Artists Warehouse. (Some info in Afrikaans and pic sleeve is here)
Two other artists in the battle for Believe Again are Kobus Muller and Francois Marais.
Special Thanks to Roy.

2009: Moscows Eurocovers
You can read more on coverversions of 2009 Eurovision songs at The Moscow Collection, where you can find all details on the Moscow Eurovision versions, releases, charts and covers. Official Eurocovers so far are of the entries from Norway, Iceland*, U.K., Denmark, Germany, Spain, Ireland* and the Netherlands. A few less official covers are thrown in for good measure.
* = these are (co) composers demo versions.
Vacation in the Netherlands
Rein Mercha currently has a chart hit in the Netherlands with the summer track Vakantie (Vacation or Holidays). It's a coverversion of Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) which needs no further explanation.
He recorded it with the Gitano Kings, so it's no surprise the song is inspired by the famous Gipsy Kings version of the 1958 Eurovision song which was a worldwide hit in 1989.
Vakantie so far reached #66 in the Dutch sales top 100. You can watch the video here at YouTube.
The cdsingle is released by the NRGY label and is available at the TV Oranje website (sorry, NL only, limited payment options) and in the handful of Dutch shops that still sell singles.


RE: Jazzbox
The Jazzbox version of Dansevise (clip in this post) will be released on an EP (Also on Ituuns) including an extended version.
Source: A reply to the Jazzbox post by the artist himself at 3Minutes.me, recommended Eurovision blog.

MySpace YourSpace OuttaSpace, Pippi's Pappa
Speaking of Jazz, let's pay another visit to a MySpace page. This time it's Helena Eriksson, Swedish Jazz singer. And when you say Swedish Jazz, you think En Gång I Stockholm; The Swedish 1963 Eurovision song by Monica Zetterlund gets a relaxed makeover by Helena and her wonderful harmonica man Luciano Mosetti .
The track is from the album Helena Eriksson sjunger Zetterlund from 2007.
Check out Stockholm and some other great tracks at Helena's Myspace here.

I Didn't Know That...
I knew that the lyrics to En Gång I Stockholm were written by Beppe Wolgers (Bertil John Wolgers, 1928-1986) but I didn't know that he is the daddy of the most famous redhead ever to walk the globe, Pippi Långstrump, Pippi Longstocking, Pipi Duga Čarapa, پی‌پی جوراب‌بلنده (for more, see wiki).

That is to say, Beppe Wolgers, is Ephraim Långstrump, Pippi's Papa and Captain of the Hoppetossa in the 1969/70's TV series that made the Astrid Lindgren character and her adventures world famous. (or even more famouserer than they already were).
Ephraim is superstrong and megacool and all that, but of course he is no match for Pippi (played by Inger Nilsson). Everyone wanted to be Pippi, but I guess most of us were just Tommy or Annika.
Beppe Wolgers wrote many songs and Swedish lyrics to international (jazz) standards. He also wrote childrens books and became a kids favorite as a storyteller in Beppes Godnattstund (Beppe's Goodnighthour).
There's a MySpace dedicated to Beppe Wolgers here, where you can also listen to another version of En Gång I Stockholm. (by The Real Group, acapella stars).

Die Oue Musikant (Afrikaans) - Marnie

Oh well, the video is removed, but I'll leave the rest here anyway...

Someone uploaded this to the Tube and made me very happy.
It's the Afrikaans coverversion of the Dutch 1973 entry De Oude Muzikant by Ben Cramer.
This version was released on a single in 1974 (Philips TOS 1010, South Africa).
I'm quite sure this version uses the original backing track.

Marnie is an early artists name of Manuel Escorcio. Under his own name he (later) recorded coverversions of Volare, Piove, All Kind Of Everything, Halleluja, Ein Bisschen Frieden and Io Senza Te.
See full Eurocovers discography below.

Still looking for the b-side though (well, and the actual vinyl single). The b-track Sylvia Kom Dans Met My is a coverversion of one of Ben Cramers National Final songs that was also the flipside to his own releases.

Marnie / Manuel Escorcio Eurocovers Discography

Italy 1958 Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) - Domenico Modugno

- Volare (Portuguese) on CD Iets Vir Almal (Select SELBCD 154)

Italy 1959 Piove (Ciao Ciao Bambina) - Domenico Modugno

- Italian on CD Iets Vir Almal (Select SELBCD 154)

Ireland 1970 - All Kinds Of Everything - Dana

- Soveel Herinner My (Afrikaans) on LP Hei Monique

Netherlands 1973 - De Oude Muzikant - Ben Cramer

- as Marnie - Die Oue Musikant, single (Philips TOS 1010)

- Single also has Ben Cramer pre-song Kom Sylvia Dans Met My,
Israel 1979 - Halleluja - Milk And Honey
- on LP Manuel Escorcio With The Drakenberg Seunskoor (1984 Transistor CBK 7031)

Switzerland 1981 - Io Senza Te - Peter, Sue and Marc.

- Me Without You (English) on LP Musica (1983,Transistor  CBK 7011)
Germany 1982 - Ein Bisschen Frieden - Nicole

- A Little Peace (English) on LP Romance (Select SEL 106)

Links and Sources:
Manuel Escorcio website and Facebook
If you want to find out more about Eurocovers in Afrikaans, just follow this link and you'll get the posts with South African stars doing your favorite Eurovision tunes
Also check out our Facebook page and the Vienna Collection

Eurocovers South Africa: George Meiring Competition, Win His Latest CD!

EUROCOVERS SUPERSTAR
George Meiring shot to fame in South Africa with Supersterre, the TV talent show hosted by Patricia Lewis* and Brendan October. (Sort of Idols South Africa.)
He now has released his CD Onthou Die Tye (Remember the times) on Sony BMG and it's a great album for Eurocovers fans, as well as many others.
George recorded coverversions of two Eurovision Songs on this CD.
Track 4 is a quite straightforward version of Every Song Is A Cry For Love, the Irish entry that ended 10th in 2006 by Brian Kennedy. If one thing, it shows again how good that song actually is.
The other Eurovision song is a real treat, the song Liedjie Vir Danella (Song for Danella, track 2) is a coverversion of the Norway 1994 entry Duett, which ended 6th and was performed by originally by Bobbysock Elisabeth Andreasson and the late Jan Werner Danielsen. In this version, sung in Afrikaans, George is accompanied by Supersterre host and a favorite of Eurocovers Patricia Lewis*.
The Afrikaans lyrics were written by Mariska Laas.

YOU RAISE ME UPBoth Eurovision songs come together in George Meirings version of You Raise Me Up. That song, written by Duett composer Rolf Løvland ** and Brendan Graham *** was a big hit in the UK and Ireland for Brian Kennedy as a tribute to George Best. In the US the song was a #1 for Josh Groban and Westlife scored a European hit with the song in 2005.
You Raise Me Up , inspired by the Irish traditional Danny Boy, was first recorded by Eurovision winners Secret Garden (Løvlands band) on their CD Once In A Red Moon (2001) and it has been covered over a 125 times in just 6 years.
And now it's George Meirings turn.
There are more interesting covers on the CD. Another big tune is Jy (Du), a big hit in many European countries in the early 70's for Peter Maffay. The CD closes with a medley of Africa songs like Pata Pata and The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
All in all Onthou Die Tye is a very good CD and George didn't fall into the trap of trying to show off he can do everything by recording a mish mash of songs. Onthou Die Tye is a well presented complete collection of songs, which makes the full CD very enjoyable in it's totality.


COMPETITION
And for the very first time in history there's a prize to win at Eurocovers. You can win the George Meiring CD Onthou Die Tye if you answer the following question (correctly) and send it to me in an e-mail. with your details.

What place did George Meiring finish in the South African Supersterre talent show (2006 edition)?.
Hint: You can find the answer is at George Meirings MySpace

Your name will go in the big hat with the ones of the of the other website running this competition and 2 lucky winners will be drawn and will get the CD at their doormat.
This competition is in co-operation with OGAE Rest Of The World, Roy van der Merwe and ESCkaz.com.
COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

LINKS and Stuff
- George Meirings MySpace, listen to four songs from Onthou Die Tye.
- Sony/BMG South Africa - Use the artists search to read more about George Meiring (in Afrikaans)
* Find more about Patricia Lewis and other Afrikaans Eurocovers in this Eurocovers Post.
** Rolf Løvland of course wrote also both Norwegian Eurovision winners to date. La det Swinge (1985) and Nocturne (1995 text Petter Skavlan) and the 1987 entry Mitt Liv (co written with the other Bobbysock Hanne Krogh)
Nocturne is the most covered Eurovision song since 1982's winner Ein Bisschen Frieden.
*** Brendan Graham also wrote two Eurovision winners: the Irish Eurovision entries of 1994 (Rock'n'Roll Kids) and 1996 (The Voice) plus the Irish entries of 1976 (When) and 1985 (Wait Until The Weekend Comes)
- It's the first coverversion for both Duett & Every Song Is A Cry For Love in the 10.000 coverversions project list.
- You Raise Me Up at Wiki. The song was also recorded by artists like Kenny G., Il Divo, Russell Watson, Daniel O'Donell, Sissel Kyrkjebø, Michael Ball (Eurovision 1992), Sanna Nielsen (MF regular), Samantha Mumba with the Celtic Tenors and Britain Got Talent sensation Paul Potts.
- The new series of Supersterre starts tonight (07-09-07) on SABC2

Release news South Africa: Andriette, Heinz Winckler, Patricia & The Hoff

Andriette
South African singer Andriette (Norman) has just released her new album Dink Aan My (Think of me).
Dink Aan My is her second album, after last years Diamant.
There's one Eurovision cover on it and that's Düm Tek Tek, this years Turkish entry by Hadise. (4th place in Moscow).
Hadise's Düm Tek Tek already enjoyed some success in Japanese charts and it's Andriettes turn to make the song a hit in South Africa. It will be the next radiosingle of the Dink Aan My CD.

The album is a joyous mix of rock and pop and there's a beautiful version of Fleetwood Mac's Songbird on the 13 track CD.

The album is available at many digital sources like Virginmedia and itunes and the CD is available in South African (web) shops.
Andriette homepage (in Afrikaans)

Heinz Winckler
Heinz Wincklers CD Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo is also out this week. You have already seen the video of his coverversion of Believe Again (Denmark 2009). There's another track of Eurovision interest, Jy Gee My Butterflies. This is an Afrikaans version of Butterflies by Tone Damli Aaberge, the #2in this years Norwegian selection and a #2 hit in the Nowegian charts (Kept off the #1 spot by eventual winner Fairytaile).
As expected, Ek Kan Weer In Liefde Glo is a collection of solid pop rock songs, mostly original compositions and a few coverversions thrown in for good measure. The songs are in English and in Afrikaans.
The 16 track CD closes with a coverversion of Alphaville's Forever Young.

You can hear a collage of the album at Heinz' Youtube channel, where you can also find the video to the albums title track / Eurocover.
Heinz Winckler Homepage - Heinz at Eurocovers


Patricia and The Hoff
The third much talked about coverversion of this years contest, German entry Miss Kiss Kiss Bang by Patricia Lewis and David Hasselhoff is also out now. The song, originally by Oscar Loya and Alex Christensen (Alex Swings Oscar Sings) ended 20th, but hey, it was on Oprah so they actually won anyway.

LISTEN HERE

The Afrikaans coverversion can be found on the re-issued Patricia Lewis CD Net Soos In Drome, which also includes the other song Lewis recorded with Hasselhoff: As I Am.

Charlotte Perelli's Hero (Sweden 2008) and Swedish preselection songs Cara Mia (Måns Zelmerlow), Empty Room (Sanna Nielsen) and Live Forever (Magnus Carlsson) complete the tracks of Eurocovers interest.
As a bonus there are three videoclips on the CD including Hero, Miss Kiss Kiss Bang and Gee My Nog 'n Kans. The CD is released on Sony and is available internationally through Kalahari.
The Hoffnews - This is where you read it first .

More to come: Keep checking Eurocovers for more news on South African releases like the long awaited return of Sunette Bridges, the even longer awaited debut album of Dominec and new releases by Jeandre Odendaal and Eurocovers favorite heartthrob Tobi Jooste.

Eurocovers releases roundup: South Africa

I'm currently working on an updated version of the South Africa coverversions list, as it has been a few years since I last published that (actually pre-Eurocovers blog). It'll take some time, but I hope it's here in a few weeks. (it's here now)
For now: you'll have to do with an update on the Eurocovers that have been released in South Africa fairly recently.

Steven Sterling III
Steven Sterling has released his 3rd album Steven Sterling 3. (Sterling Musiek STERCD002)
There's one new Eurocover of interest there and it's the opening track Mama Afrika. This is a great Afrikaans version of Mama Corsica, the French entry of 1993 by Patrick Fiori.
The album also includes a re-recording of Lief Vir Alles Hier (Für Alle, Germany 1985), which Sterling recorded for his Debut CD.
Third song of Eurocovers interest is Glimlag (Smile), a coverversion of Under Your Spell (Sweden 2006 pre-selection - Evan)
The album is for sale at Kalahari*.
Lief Vir Alles Hier (In love with everything here) is technically an André Schwartz ♫ cover, who was the one who made the song hugely popular in South Africa.

Casanova Shaun Tait
Shaun Tait's second album Ek Se Kom Ons Doen Dit (I say let's do this) is out now and features the first South African coverversion for Andorra. He recorded Casanova (2008 - Gisela). The album also features two popular pre-selection songs.
Gee Jou Hart Vir My (Give your heart to me) is Lay Your Love On Me (BWO, Melodifestivalen 2008) and Viva La Musica was Man Meadow's song for the Polish 2008 selection.
Title track Ek Se Kom Ons Doen Dit is a cover of Charlotte Perrelli's Bullet, her follow up single to Eurovision hit Hero (CD Out now on Sony SA) (Kalahari)
On his debut CD Shaun Tait recorded Sing 'n liedjie (Sing a song) as a duet with Patricia Lewis, Queen Of South African Eurovision Covers. It's Shame On You (Denmark 2004 - Thomas Thordarsson)

Let's Rage At The Club Kung FuCharl Smit's last CD Lekker Jol (Great party, Ramkat RAMCD001) features two tracks of Estonian origin.

Kom Ons Raas (Let's rage) is a coverversion of Estonian entry Let's Get Loud by Suntribe. Even better (imho) is the title track, Lekker Jol. It's Club Kung Fu, a pre-selection song from 2003 that was originally by Estonian superstars Vanilla Ninja. That song was the audience favorite, but their vote only counted for like 10% or so. The professional jury hated it, but Vanilla Ninja did quite well for themselves, especially in Germany. They were invited to represent Switserland in 2005 and with Cool Vibes they ended 9th.
Charl Smit's version of the song is about traffic. Smit is currently working on his new CD which will have some more Eurocovers surprises.
The album is available at Kalahari*. The track Lekker Jol was also released on the VA compilation Kuier In Afrikaans (Ramkat RAMCD004)

Another version of Club Kung Fu was recorded by Nicholis Louw: Welkom By My Party can be found on his CD Hier Naby Jou (Close to you).

I noticed a download site where you can preview the tracks (Rhythm Online)*. They sell legal mp3's internationally and are currently working on an easy payment system (it's too complicated now for my liking)
http://www.nicholislouw.co.za/

Juanita ForeverJuanita Du Plessis celebrates her career with a double CD of her best hits and new tracks. Opening track of CD1 is 'n Ewigheid, (An eternity) a new coverversion of Carola's 2006 entry Invincible (Sweden). It's already the 2nd Afrikaans version of this track, after the boys of Hi-5 recorded it on their CD Versoeking.

Juanita's 2cd 10 jaar Platinum Treffers is also available at Kalahari*. You can listen to all songs at her homepage (here) http://www.juanita.co.za/

Juanita's 1997 album Young Hearts included a coverversion of Gina G.'s Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit (U.K. 1996) in a hits medley

Moet My Nie Vergeet Nie

Rian Ungerer's CD Moet My Nie Vergeet Nie (Don't forget me) features the track Agter Moes Laat (Had to leave behind), which is a coverversion of Vukovi Umiru Sami (Croatia 2005 - Boris Novkovic)
Girl band Shine 4 have split up, but they have released a best CD with some new tracks. One of these is Je t'Adore (Belgium 2006, Kate Ryan) which is sung in Afrikaans.
Leandie Lombaard. I mentioned her CD here. Now she has her own website where you can listen to excerpts of the songs.
Some other recent releases are tenor Jannie Moolmans CD Ek Kom Huistoe (I'm coming home) which includes Vandag (Today) (Le Grand Soir, Belgium 2005), Jaycee Crauses CD Ek Weet with Steeds Verlief (Everything, Greece 2006) and Waar Is Jy (Tornero, Romania 2006) and the previously mentioned albums by Jennifer Zamudio and Patricia Lewis.

Special Thanks to Roy and to Juan.
*Please note: I haven't tried any of the shops mentioned recently and I advise you contact them first about postage, payment and delivery information if you're interested in buying any of the CDs.
If you want to hear Mama Corsica in Lithuanian check this Eurocovers post.
All South-Africa related posts at Eurocovers are here. The Document is here.

Eurovision 2009 - The Moscow Collection

The Amsterdam Eurovision 2009 Concert.

If Moscow is too far, the crisis hit your bank balance or you were planning a long overdue trip to Amsterdam anyway this is the 2009 event for you:

On April 18, Marcanti Amsterdam will host a concert with many Eurovision Stars of the 2009 contest. Already a very impressive list of artists have confirmed: The entrants of Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Iceland, Lithuania, Cyprus, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Slovenia, Poland, Moldova and Armenia will attend, more artsist to be confirmed. The show is hosted by Marga Bult and Maggie MacNeal. TICKETS, Video promo. More Info