Here are the 30 entries in the HCSC 2015 presented.
The presentation order is the same as the running order, that has been decided completely by draw! The number indicates that there are several songs representing that same country. You can listen to them when you go to ”SONGS” in the menu.
Song nr 1: UNITED KINGDOM 2
“Heavy Of Heart”
Performed by: Vulnerable
Music by: Ray Holt & Martin Faulkner
Lyrics by: Ray Holt
The band members Ray Holt, Martin Faulkner and Andrew Donaldson have been entering the Home Composed Song Contest for many years. They started making music together when they were at school and are still doing so more than two decades later. They still get together for a Vulnerable recording session whenever they can. “If you look back at HCSC history, there’s probably a general thread of misery running through our lyrics, but we would say that “Heavy Of Heart” is also about finding hope in a hopeless situation” says Vulnerable. “Musically, we’ve certainly learned since we were teenagers that you can express “heaviness” without simply being heavy in the sense of loud, fast guitars! That’s inspired us to try and take some more interesting directions with song arrangements, without destroying the personality of the original song.”
Welcome back to the contest guys, and good luck!
Song nr 2: BELARUS
”Davai Sputnik”
Performed by: Space Boys
Music and lyrics by: Space Boys (Dimitri Kushnikov, Natan Glamatovic, Janar Kinski)
”The song is about the space satellite Sputnik. It’s very inspiring for us, that mankind took itself a step further to space travel” says the Space Boys, a band that was founded already in 1997. When asked about what inspired them they say: ”The view in space made us feel this groovey tune. So we used old synthesizers and drum machines to make it sound like old machines.”The Space Boys are big fans of Eurovision Song Contest and feel it is an honor to be competiting for Belarus in the HCSC. The song was recorded in a studio during time pressure: ”We only had money for one studio day, so we improvised and played it live together. But it makes it feel real”.
HCSC calling Spaceboys – The best of luck to you!
Song nr 3: GERMANY 1
“Bald schon wirst du sehen”
Performed by: Jan Wehner
Music, lyrics by: Jan Wehner
Jan Wehner is 20 years old and enter the Home Composed Song Contest for the third time. “Since Germany’s Eurovision victory in 2010, I’ve got a fascination for the ESC – as well as ESC-like competitions – and furthermore an interest for music in its diversity. For those reasons I’m attracted to the Home Composed Song Contest since 2013” says Jan. His song this year is about a life in pure ecstasy that comes suddenly to an end leading to a life in emptiness where only memories reminding of the best times of a person’s life are left. Jan tells the story behind the song: “The lyrics of the song came to my mind last year at Christmas when the end of school came closer. I still don’t know what my lyrics have to do with that but they came to my mind and are now my inspiration behind the song. The lyrics came suddenly to my mind and after 15 minutes the lyrics and the song structure were finished. Also the creation of the melody ran quite quickly. Although the lyrics are quite senseless, I’m positively surprised by the result despite the fact that my song was just recorded in my room with my laptop and my keyboard.”
Enjoy the contest Jan! Best of luck in the competition!
Song nr 4: SWEDEN 2
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
”Lullaby”
Performed by: Bigsister (Anika Nordström)
Music by: Anika Nordström
Anika describes herself as a young lady, wife and mother. Her little sister also have a song in the competition. “We agreed on being fair in our voting”, says Anika. The song Lullaby was inspired by her daughter and Anika wrote the song on her keyboard.
Good luck to bigsister Anika!
Song nr 5: SPAIN 2
”When I Die”
Performed by: Kristin
Music, lyrics by: Hakan Urquijo
Hakan is a Spanish songwriter who write songs from a wide range of genres; from soul to EDM. ”Therefore I tend to mix up styles and end up with something different”, he says. He describes his song as an introspective song, not necessary a sad song despite the title. ”The song is about that moment when you think: Who will remember me when I die? Have I done something that has helped anyone in my life?. It’s a song that portrays all the questions that come up when you imagine what will happen after your death”. Hakan wrote the song quite fast. He was playing the piano and came up with this anthem-like chord progression and the melody. The real issue was the recording: ”It wasn’t difficult, it was an Odyssey” he says. ”I finally found Kristin, an incredibly talented singer, who at that time wasn’t in Spain, and she recorded it in just one day from her home!”
Website: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.urquijo.3591
Long distance songwriting! Good luck Hakan and Kristin!
Song nr 6: SAN MARINO
“Teddy bear (Toys)”
Performed by: Donkey’s Stars
Music, lyrics by: Alberto Flego
Alberto is a fan of Eurovision Song Contest. His song tells about a man who discovers a teddy bear from the childhood in a big box, a teddy bear that was his best friend ever. What was the inspiration behind the song? “Toys of childhood’s times” says Alberto. “Teddy bears are better than modern videogames. Fantasy is stronger than a Play Station”. Alberto wrote the song on his accordion and he also got help from a friend with the base.
Do you still have your childhood toys somewhere? Best of luck to San Marino and Alberto!
Song nr 7: ITALY
“America”
Performed by: Fabrizio Piccolo
Music, lyrics by Fabrizio Piccolo
Fabrizio is a singer living in Italy. He made his entry for the contest on is guitar. “The song tells about a place where you would want to return”, he says.
Sometimes we dream of other places, like Fabrizio do. Good luck in HCSC!
Song nr 8: DENMARK 2
Disqualified because of suspicious involvement in other entries. (20.11.2015)
“Ska´ vi danse?”
Performed by: Tony Immanuel
Music, lyrics by: Tony Immanuel Søgaard Olsen
Tony Immanuel Søgaard Olsen, 43, is competing for the 13th time and the song is actually his 19th entry in the contest! “I just love this contest, and always enjoy listening to the songs, and feel the excitement, when the voting starts. 4 times I have won, for which I am very proud and thankful!” says Tony. Tony loves to sing and play music and has tried different styles in the competition. “ Last year I took part in the HCSC with my nephew, which was very fun” he says. This year he is on his own again and wants to take the listeners back to the 80’s with his entry. This is how he describes the song: “It’s a really danish eurovison-entry, like in the good old days. The song is about a guy who enjoys the summerday. He meets a girl and fall in love. I sat at my keyboard, and started playing, and then the song was there. I recorded it, and now you have the chance to hear it. I hope you like this little swinging song!”
So, put your dancing shoes on! Good luck Tony!
Song nr 9: GERMANY 4
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
”Happy”
Performed by: Alan Holm
Music by: Alan Holm
Alan describes himself as a happy guy and loves spending time with his friends. The inspiration came to him during a holiday: “I was on holiday in Spain in the summer of 2014. I wrote it on my accordion. I also play guitar.”
Happy holidays- happy songs! Good luck in the contest!
Song nr 10: RUSSIA
”Dance All Night”
Performed by: Turdy
Music by: Turdy (Erik O’Maill)
Turdy is a Russian DJ and he joins the HCSC with his first dance track. ”It is made for the dancefloor” says Turdy. ”Just forget everything, and dance!” Turdy spent two days searching for the right sounds for the song that he made on his own computer.
Good luck to Turdy who wants us all to dance!
Song nr 11: GERMANY 2
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“ Ein Schöner Tag”
Performed by: Michael U
Music by: Michael Udtge
Michael Udtge, who is studying art, tries the HCSC for the first time this year. When he talks about his song, he says: “ It is just a melody about being happy and enjoying life and I got the inspiration for the music the day I finally got my car.”
Drive safely and good luck to Michael!
Song nr 12: GERMANY 5
”Bananenboot ”
Performed by: Lauchmann
Music by: Klaus Weltuh
Lyrics by: Jens Wu.
”We are some crazy dudes” says the songwriters about themselves. ”We just needed one night to write the song.” They describe their entry as a song about dancing on a bananaboat at night.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Die-Welt-von-Weltuh-573867609425475/
So let’s go bananas! Good luck to Klaus and Jens!
Song nr 13: SWEDEN 5
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
”A little song”
Performed by: Erika Jarnek
Music by: Erika Jarnek
Erika is a student, 27 years old, and study drama and dance. She heard about the contest and wrote a song for it. The song has a peace-message: “The inspiration behind the song is all the troubles in the world. We really need peace and to be nice to each other” says Erika.
Song nr 14: DENMARK 1
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“The night of Halloween”
Performed by: Kim
Music by: Kim Jensen
Kim Jensen is 25 years old and love scary movies. His song is about Halloween and Kim says: “Imagine you sit in a church alone. No one is there, and suddenly the organ starts to play.”
Good luck Kim and keep watching those movies!
Song nr 15: ALBANIA
“Nga marrëzia (From madness)”
Performed by: Ainhoa Feal
Music, lyrics by: Ainhoa Feal
Ainhoa lives in Tirana (Albania) and is a translator of the English/French/Albanian language into Spanish. “I love singing and I have participed in HCSC representing Albania since 2011” says Ainhoa. The song is about the reborn of someone after having a big love. From love, passing through sadness and despair to the “madness” of living your life again without that person. When asked about the song Ainhoa explains: “A rock song like this year’s entry was perfect with sad lyrics, plus the strength of getting rid of the past. I was planning to write the lyrics in English, like the last Albanian entries, in order to be easier to understand, but I considered that the power of Albanian language would be better for this song”.
A lot of emotions in this years song from Ainhoa. Good luck!
Song nr 16: ICELAND
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“I think you are the only one, and you make me feel happy today”
Performed by: M. Robertsson
Music by: Mathias Robertsson
Mathias describes himself as a young guy that like to swim, dance and listen to music. He is 21 years old an is studying drama and art. “I can´t sing, but I like to make melodies, and I am sure my entry has the longest title” he says. The song is about his girlfriend and she also inspired him to write the song.
Congratulations to the longest title this year and good luck in the HCSC!
Song nr 17: SPAIN 1
“Still Remember”
Performed by: Alfonso Daniel
Music, lyrics by: Alfonso Daniel
This is Alfonso’s fifth time in Home Composed Song Contest, having entered every year since 2011. Formerly he was a member of the band Discordant Keys and of the group, Alal. “The song is about love, speaking about the right moment when someone, totally nervous, confess his/hers love, remembering that other moment, when he met the loved person” says Alfonso. The inspiration behind the song is love. Alfonso wrote the song on the piano: “I spend a lot of time sitting at the piano, because it makes me feel relaxed. This song is the result of one of those times”.
Website: http://otranochealpiano.blogspot.com.es/
Love is a popular theme for many songs, aslo for Alfonso. Good luck in the competition!
Song nr 18: PORTUGAL
”Destiny”
Performed by: Rajah & Sapphire (Helder Paulo & Leticia Abreu)
Music by: Ricardo Rodrigues
Lyrics by: Rogerio Afonso/Filipe Ramos
Rogerio Afonso comes from Lisbon, Portugal. He likes writing songs as a hobby. “Unfortunately, I don’t have as much free time as I would like to have”, he says.
Good luck to Rogerio and the co-writers!
Song nr 19: DENMARK 3
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“Dinner is ready”
Performed by: Erik Nielsen
Music by: Erik Nielsen
Erik is a Eurovision fan who got his inspiration for the song during a dinner. “I wanted to make music and used a spoon, a pot and a lid” he explains.
Nice to find inspiration in the everyday life. Good luck to Erik!
Song nr 20: GERMANY 3
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“Feel the rhythm”
Performed by: Markus Marc
Music by: Markus Marc
Markus, 25, describes himself as half german/half Danish student who likes to swim an play football. But he also likes to play and record music. About his entry he says: It’s all about rhythm and having fun – I think you want to dance when you listen to it. My family and friends inspired me. They support me in all my projects”.
Good to have support and best of luck Markus!
Song nr 21: SWEDEN 3
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
”Whatever Happens”
Performed by: Littlesister (Anna Nordström)
Music by: Anna Nordström
“I am a girl full of life and like to play on my keyboard”, says Anna. This is her first competition. Her sister is also taking part. “We promise to be fair in our voting” Anna promise. The song is a lullaby, a little melody about hope;
– whatever happens it will be alright.
Good luck in your first HCSC Anna!
Song nr 22: NORWAY
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“Why?”
Performed by: Kristian Dahl
Music by: Kristian Dahl
Kristian is a student. “I like to swim, dance and play music” he says. His friends inspired him to write the song and he wrote it alone on his keyboard. “It’s just a little melody that you can listen to when you walk down the street” Kristian explains.
Welcome to the contest and good luck!
Song nr 23: GREECE
“The Winter Fire”
Performed by musicians
Music by: Giannis Papadopoulos
Giannis Papadopoulos, 45, lives in the small town of Serres in Central Macedonia of Greece. Last year he was a participant in the HCSC 2014 with the song “Hellas in time”. This is how he describes this year’s entry: “It’s an instrumental love story, with passion, indignation, and relief from a fantastic person who is telling us his own love story”. He uses his computer to write the scores and then he call musicians to perform the song.
Website: www.youtube.com/user/johnnyjrserres
Good luck to Giannis in this years contest!
Song nr 24: SPAIN 3
”Almohadas”
Performed by: Victoria
Music, lyrics by: Victoria Álvarez
Victoria is an 11 year old Spanish girl who wants to become a singer when she grows up. ”I love singing and dancing and sometimes I write songs also” she says. She is very excited to take part in the contest with this song, since it is the first song she ever wrote. ”Almohadas” means pillows in Spanish and she wrote it one night when the neighbour’s baby was crying and she couldn’t sleep. ”First, the melody line came to my mind and I went to the piano and started playing chords and then I recorded the voice – the sleepy voice was intended! Then, the next day I mixed all together on the computer, and during the year, I worked on the drums and strings” she explains.
The best of luck to young Victoria in this years contest!
Song nr 25: GERMANY 6
”Erdbeer-Schokolade”
Performed by: Matthias
Music , lyrics by: Matthias Pohl
Matthias lives in Berlin and is looking forward to the contest. When asked about his song he says: “This is a summer song! It is important in everyday life to enjoy small breaks. For example, eating a delicious ice cream.” And that is what the song is about: enjoying life and a strawberry-chocolate ice cream.
Ice ice baby! Good luck to Matthias!
Song nr 26: SWEDEN 1
“Relda’s doubts”
Performed by: Martin Kahnberg
Music, lyrics by: Martin Kahnberg
“I’m a former computer programmer who recently turned church musician” says Martin about himself. He is participating in HCSC for the 7th time, having a 2nd place as his best result in the past, a song he co-wrote with Annika Jansson. “The song is supposed to be sung by a girl (9-12 years old). It’s intended as the final song of the first part of a musical that I’ve been working on from time to time the last 17 years. The little girl (called Relda) is going to bed in the little house she shares with her old teacher, having left her parents a year earlier. She misses her parents and is unsure why she’s studying with the old man, but yet she’s thrilled by the stories he’s telling her and curious of what he might be able to teach her” Martin describes. The inspiration behind the song might be Martins interests in musicals and fantasy books. He realised that are no ( or not many) fantasybased musicals, so he wanted to try writing one. The lyrics to the musical he wrote an evening back in December 1998, when he was supposed to study to a math exam. The music to the song was written in 2006 and the recording was made in 2014.
Hope you passed the math exam Martin! Good luck in this years competition!
Song nr 27: UNITED KINGDOM 1
“Not Alone”
Performed by: Jimmy Andrews’ Midlife Crisis
Music by: Jim Brook & Andy Mendelson
Lyrics by: Jim Brook
Jimmy Andrews’ Midlife Crisis is made up of two wannabe rock stars and soccer teammates, Jim Brook and Andy Mendelson. They made their HCSC debut last year with a back-bedroom recording entitled “Heart on the Line”, but this year’s entry was studio-produced, thanks to the encouragement and generosity of Jim’s brother, the 2010 HCSC winner Andy Brook (Londonvision). At the current rate of progress, the band’s first album (“One Hell of a Gestation Period”) will be completed sometime around 2025. “This is a song of hope. Painful mistakes are made in life and love, but however bad things may seem, there is always hope. Life and love is the inspiration behind the song” says the band. The first element that came to Jim was “I’m sad to say, I lost my way”, around Christmas time 2014, after seeing an ad on TV. The chords and lyrics grew gradually over the following months until a rough acoustic guitar/vocal draft was ready. Andy then worked his magic, adding the electric guitar and bass, and also enriching the acoustic sound. “Once in the studio, we decided that the acoustic guitar was percussive enough for the song not to need a drum track”.
Waiting for that album. Good luck in the competition!
Song nr 28: SWEDEN 4
Disqualified because of unfair and suspicious voting behavior. (20.11.2015)
“Silent night”
Performed by: Sebastian Jarnek
Music by: Sebastian Jarnek
Sebastian is a 29 year old guy from Malmö living in Copenhagen and works as a seller. When asked about the song he says: “It’s a song that makes you relax. I was stressed, the song came to me and I just wrote it”.
So, relax and enjoy your participation in the contest. Good luck!
Song nr 29: FINLAND
“The One”
Performed by: Snowclone
Music, lyrics by: Tero Aalto
Snowclone is a Finnish duo that produces pop music with a strong Nordic flavor. The band has been active since 2007. It consists of Anna Sipilä, a vocalist whose unique voice grants Snowclone its signature sound, and Tero Aalto, who takes care of all the rest. This is Snowclone’s fifth participation in Home Composed, having entered every year since 2011. Snowclone won the contest in 2012 with the song “Olen” which brought Finland its first ever victory in the contest. Snowclone have released two albums, ”Blunder of the First Water” (2008) and ”Radical Simplified Yellow” (2011). Their third album, ”Crash Blossom”, is in the works. Back in early 2008, when Snowclone’s first three songs had been recorded, Tero asked Anna if she had any topic she’d like him to write a song about. Without much thinking, she said ”polyamory”. The inspiration didn’t strike at that time, but the idea was never completely forgotten, either, starting to take form four years later. Tero had written a song he considered the catchiest yet and needed lyrics that would be simple enough but have an interesting twist, and The One was born.
When asked about the lyrics Tero explains: “The One is the story of a beginning of a relationship where the circumstances are slightly out of the traditional. Namely, the protagonist is already in at least one relationship with somebody else and wants to inform her new love interest about this upfront in order to avoid misunderstandings.”
Website: http://en.snowclone.fi/
Good luck with the new album and all the best with your entry!
Song nr 30: SERBIA
“Lavirint” (“Labyrinth”)
Performed by: NIDEJ
Music, lyrics by: NIDEJ (Nikola Radunović, Dejan Nikodijević)
NIDEJ is a songwriting duo from Serbia. They have been working together for several years and this is their 6th participation in the contest. “We are inspired by greek mythology and it tells about the secrets of life” they say.
Don’t get lost in the labyrinth and the best of luck in the contest!