Mahmood is an old acquaintance for most Eurovision fans: in 2019 the Italian singer also participated. Then he became soldier second. This year he will be there again, but this time with singer Blanco. How special is it that an artist returns to the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest?
Mahmood did not necessarily want to participate again, he already told NU.nl: the singer has a successful career, tours Europe and can do what makes him happy. But he knew singer Blanco, who wanted nothing more than to stand on that stage and needed his help with that. And so Mahmood is back.
When you’ve finished as high as Mahmood, it’s quite a risk to compete again: you can hardly outdo yourself. Look at Waylon, who came second in 2014 with Ilse Delange as The Common Linnets, but four years later on his own with Outlaw In ‘Em got no further than eighteenth place.
Waylon is not the exception to the rule: Edsilia Rombley competed twice. Of Heaven and earth she was fourth, but nine years later in 2007 she managed with On Top Of The World didn’t even make it to the final.
You can win twice
Even if you have already won the Eurovision Song Contest, you can just try it again: Alexander Rybak won in 2009 with his song fairytalebut finished only 15th in 2018 when he competed with That’s How You Write a Song†
Johnny Logan or ‘Mr Eurovision’ is proof that a comeback can work: he won in 1980 with What’s Another Year and seven years later just again with Hold Me Now† By the way, he has won even more often as a lyricist: he also wrote why me?, the song Linda Martin sang in 1992.
Participants from Moldova and Ukraine also look familiar
This year Mahmood is perhaps the most famous to return, but the group from Moldova is also no stranger: Zdob si Zdub was even the very first to represent the country in 2005. In that year the group became sixth. Zdob si Zdub re-entered in 2011 and then became with so lucky twelfth.
One of the band members from Ukraine may also look familiar: Ihor Didenchuk is also a member of GO_A, the band that participated last year on behalf of Ukraine. The chance that you recognize him this time is very small: he is one of the band members who are covered from head to toe in rags.