Eurovision 2021: Lithuania, Slovenia, Russia

TV Tonight commences its annual focus on the Eurovision Song Contest with the first of 3 entries in Semi Final 1 (Australia is an entrant in this Final):

Lithuania:
The Roop
“Discoteque”

The Roop are a Lithuanian pop/rock crossover band from Vilnius, with a distinctive party vibe and an eye for an iconic dance move or two. The group features singer Vaidotas Valiukevičius, drummer Robertas Baranauskas and guitarist Mantas Banišauskas, all adding their different tastes and life experiences to The Roop’s body of work. The band became widely known after participating in 2018’s Pabandom iš naujo! (‘Let’s Try Again!’, the Lithuanian Eurovision national final) with the song Yes, I Do. They finished the competition in third place.

Slovenia:
Ana Soklič
“Amen”
Ana Soklič began her music career at an early age; studying with Alenka Dernač-Bunta, the acclaimed Slovenian musician Darja Švajger (two-time Slovenian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest) and singing coach Nataša Nahtigal. Soklič has competed twice at EMA (Slovenia’s national selection show) and 3 times at the Slovenian Song Festival, where, in 2019, she won 2 jury awards for best interpretation and best song overall.

Russia:
Manizha
“Russian Woman”
Manizha’s style of art-pop mixes banging beats with social commentary and an uncompromising DIY ethos. The Tajikistan-born artist not only writes her own music and lyrics, she also films, directs and edits her videos, creates her own visual content and commands her own collaborations. The commitment to creating her own art began when she started producing short films for instagram, and has led to sold out concerts in Moscow and St Petersburg. As well as blending different languages (including her mother tongue, Tajik) in her songs, Manizha bakes in strong social messaging about self love and body positivity; women’s and children’s rights; as well as national, cultural and sexual identity; and above all else, tolerance.