Eva Boto is an anagram of "above to" which is probably just about the most she can hope for if the 16 year old makes the final. Distinctive for a distinctly flowery frock, this is a power Molitva-like ballard that ticks quite a lot of the necessary boxes. A nation on the edges of the Balkan bloc, Slovenia have historically suffered from being lost in mittel Europa. At least this time they have a half decent song to represent them and for this reason alone I see it qualifying, but after that I fear it may be lost. Still, a positive entry from one of the previously forgettable Eurosong nations.
Eva Boto is just 16 years old, but managed to ward off competition from 31 other acts to secure her place as Slovenia's entrant in Baku with the powerful Verjamem.
Eva Boto was born on December 1st, 1995. She lives in the small town of Šentjanž pri Dravogradu. She is now a second-year student attending the Ravne na Koroškem High School, but she is already thinking about continuing her studies in Graz, Austria, or London where she would like to study soloist singing.
She won a landslide number of votes with the song Verjamem (I Believe), one of the three she sang on the final night of Mission EMA 2012.
 
 
Pastora Soler (or "Sunny Field" in English) is an honest to goodness redhead with a full set of teeth and a full vocabulary of eth's. She was invited to participate by TVE, and the public chose the only ballard from the three songs on offer. Her natural state does not seem to lend itself to slow, and it's not long before she's belting out the notes with fiery gusto.
So I think Ms Soler will drag Spain up the leaderboard by it's greasy hair, and a solid mid-table finish awaits.
Pastora Soler (33) is a well-known Spanish singer, famous for combining diverse musical styles like copla, flamenco and "Canción Española" with pop. She is considered one of the best voices of the Spanish music scene.
Pastora Soler was born in Seville in 1978. She is a precocious artist who started singing songs from her birth land before the age of eight, and has professionally performed for more that eighteen years now.With nine studio albums and a greatest hits record on the market, Pastora has gained three platinum certifications and four gold ones. She now embraces with enthusiasm the chance to represent Spain at the ESC in Baku.
 
 

Look no further. Loreen (pronounced Lore-a-ann") has been bookies favourite since day one, even with some backlash from the damp fans. I can only presume it's because they don't want to invest their tears & £k's of tourist dollars on a sure thing. I'm convinced "Euphoria" is just that. It's a basic club track, but sometimes that is all is required. She's a memorable figure is our Loreen, a mass of Winkelman black hair and kabuki gestures to a stark backdrop. Add into the mix a ballet walloper, snow and gale force 6 winds, and you a recipe for success. We have many excited Swedes and a Eurosong anthem on our hands Takk.
It came as no surprise when Loreen won Melodifestivalen, but she did it with record figures; more than 670,000 of four million viewers voted for her now platinum song Euphoria. Loreen (28) was raised outside Stockholm, in a family of Moroccan-Berber origin. She describes herself: ”Somewhat a loner, a seeker that steers away from the information overload of today. I have no TV set. I have a laptop but I only use it for e-mails and music programs".
Her general aim? ”To unite people in the thought that there is much more to life than the materialistic aspects. I know that it may sound hippieish and overblown. But is that really a reason to give up on this ambition? I'm certain the answer to that is no!”
 
 
It's a bit fishy this one. With pronunciation straight from a pished Billy Idol, the lead snigger of the pop rock band Sinplus seems to have a mild form of rhotacism and a Gary Numan fetish. He repeats "swim against the stream" but there's more than one "w" included. The half decent song certainly isn't improved by the lywics.
An immutable law of Eurosong is that all things being equal, Switzerland won't qualify for the Final. And yet I have it down as sneaking through and finishing dead last in the Final. Which is reasonable.
Sinplus consists of the two brothers Ivan and Gabriel Broggini. In December 2011, they were chosen by the Swiss TV public to represent their country in Baku.
In 2009 the brothers wrote Shoot, a track that became one of the official anthems of the World Hockey Championships.
On December 10th 2011 Sinplus were elected to represent Switzerland in the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Baku with the single Unbreakable. The duo has just finished recording their first LP entitled DISINFORMATION, featuring eleven tracks, which will be released at the end of April 2012.
 
 
The word diaspora was created for Turkey in Eurosong. Every year the Turkish entrant can be guaranteed a good 50 points from homesick Ankarans trying to make their fortune in Western real estate rentals. But for the love of God/Allah, surely their urge to return to Eastern shores must be blunted by this. Can has a bit of the Baron Cohen's about him, but the likeness ends at the interview stage. He throws his arms about to this nautical-based shite, like it was something to get excited about. It's hard to summarise how much I dislike this inevitable top ten tripe. His cloth boat is passable though.
Can Bonomo is a DJ, producer and musician who after a successful first album is now to take the stage for Turkey in Baku with his catchy number Love Me Back.
Can Bonomo, who is a native of Izmir, has been involved with music since his secondary school and high school years. At the age of 17; Bonomo decided to move to Istanbul and entered into the music business as a sound engineer. Bonomo studied at the Department of Film and Television in Bilgi University, during which he dj’d at Radyo Klas, Number One FM and Radio N101. Can Bonomo's music changed dimension when he wrapped up his demo cd into the cover page of a book and sent it to Can Saban.
 
 
The BBC downplayed it this year, offering the great unwashed not even a sniff of influence on the national decision. Gamely they've plumped for a plump 76 year old prolific dartsman from Leicester who will make a plucky stab at a mid-range ballard.
Don't be fooled by the paltry odds, the UK have absolutely no chance to hit the top ten, hampered as he is by being first up, and also by the quality yet forgettable material. It may secure some reputational votes amongst elders, but it is sadly due for a disappointing night. All said it's a relief and joy to have a national song to cheer for,. Come on Eng.

Engelbert Humperdinck has over sold 150 million records worldwide, 4 Grammy nominations, 63 gold & 24 platinum records and has a star on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Las Vegas Walk of Fame. He was born Arnold George Dorsey, one of ten siblings in Leicester. His father served in the British military, and his mother was an opera singer. After a life-threatening bout of Tuberculosis at the start of his career, he needed a big comeback and changed his name. During his heyday in the late '60s and '70s, Humperdinck cultivated the image of a mysterious heartthrob, sporting shaggy sideburns and a flamboyant wardrobe that, when coupled with his rich, silky crooning, drove female fans wild.

 
 

The always popular bombastic Ukraine have linked Eurosong to their co-hosting of the European Football Championships. How dare they!. Red Card! To be fair though, channeling their naturally dominant characteristics into a song about football may lessen the chance of plastic chairs being hurled into a street come June. The song is performed by Gaitana, of Ukrainian/Congolese background. Rare!
Ruslana horns, synchronised waving, key change, and a catchy refrain, this has typical scent of a Ukrainian success. You can still get 100/1, which may be the best value punt of the year. Get on Gaitana. It's wild.
Gaitana, who has been one of the most popular singers in Ukraine for more than ten years now, will represent her country in Baku with Be My Guest, the music and lyrics of which she has written herself.
Gaitana is a Ukrainian singer and composer, who has recorded and released five albums and more than 20 music videos within ten years of career.
Over the past year Gaitana became "Official Friend of UEFA Euro 2012", and started working on a set of creative sports and social projects. Among others she wrote the song You Are The Champion for the Klitschko Brothers Foundation, an "anthem of a social project for orphan children".