The week of Junior Eurovision 2023 has started! In just seven days, we will already know the new owner of the crystal mycrophone. This year we’ll see a debuting country Estonia, and another 15 that have already competed in previous editions. Germany is back after a year of absence, and Kazakhstan and Serbia have withdrawn from the contest.
Continue reading to get to know the 2023 contestants and listen to the songs!
🇦🇱 Albania: Viola Gjyzeli – Bota Ime
Viola Gjyzeli was chosen to represent Albania at Junior Eurovision through an open selection process that included a national final. The final of Junior Fest featured 15 contestants performing original songs with the winner selected by a professional jury panel. ‘Bota Ime’ (My world) was composed by Enis Mullaj and written by Eriona Rushiti, who also wrote the lyrics of the ESC 2019 and 2023 entries.
🇦🇲 Armenia: Yan Girls – Do It My Way
Yan Girls is a girl band made up of Nane, Nensi, Kamilla, Syuzana and Aida, who are between 9 and 11 years of age. Both their style and song are influenced by K-pop artists. They were selected internally by AMPTV and will perform the song ‘Do it my way’, composed by tokionine and written by JESC 2021 winner Maléna and Vahram Petrosyan.
🇪🇪 Estonia: ARHANNA – Hoiame Kokku
11-year-old ARHANNA has become the first-ever Estonian entrant at the Junior Eurovision. She won the 2022 edition of Tähtede Lava talent show and was selected internally by ERR. The young singer will perform the ballad ‘Hoiame Kokku’ (Let’s stick together), composed by Arhanna herself and Karl-Ander Reismann with lyrics by Rael Laikre and Leelo Tungal. She has already delivered the song live.
🇫🇷 France: Zoé Clauzure – Cœur
Zoé Clauzure (13) will represent her country on home soil after being internally selected by France Télévisions. She’s a pianist from Montrouge and has performed with Amir (ESC France 2016). In 2020, she took part in The Voice Kids (France) where she reached the semifinals and enjoys writing her songs and recording covers for TikTok. Zoé will perform ‘Cœur’ (Heart), composed by Julien Comblat and Jérémy Chapron, and written by Noée Francheteau.
🇬🇪 Georgia: Anastasia & Ranina – Over The Sky
Anastasia Vasadze (11) was selected to represent Georgia at Junior Eurovision from the talent show Ranina, which was made up of different rounds and where a professional jury panel rated the acts according to the live voice, acting, artistic performance and collaborative skills. She will be joined on stage by former finalists Nikoloz Kharati and Oto Bazerashvili, who will perform as Ranina. The trio will sing ‘Over The Sky’, composed by Betkho and Mebo Nutsubidze, who also wrote the lyrics.
🇩🇪 Germany: FIA – Ohne Worte
Germany is back to Junior Eurovision after a year of absence with FIA (12) and the song ‘Ohne Worte’ (Without words). The young singer was selected through a national selection process that featured five finalists performing original songs. Not only did FIA get the highest score in the online voting, which allowed the audience to have a say in the final result, but also from the expert panel. In the final clip, she performed her song using sign language inspired by her deaf sister, just like she did at The Voice Kids (Germany). ‘Ohne Worte’ was composed and written by Martin Fliegenschmidt, Sascha Seelemann and David Jürgens.
🇮🇪 Ireland: Jessica McKean – Aisling
10-year-old Jessica McKean will represent Ireland at Junior Eurovision 2023 after winning the country’s national selection. TG4’s show for Nice consisted of different episodes featuring performances of cover versions. For the first time, the winner of Junior Eurovision Éire was selected by the public! On November 26th, Jessica will perform ‘Aisling’ (Dream), composed by Niall Mooney, Ken McHugh and Will Weeks with the lyrics written by Niall Mooney, Fiona Mooney, Niamh Mooney and last year’s Irish entrant Sophie Lennon.
🇮🇹 Italy: Melissa & Ranya – Un Mondo Giusto
The duo Melissa & Ranya will wave the Italian flag in Nice following their participation in the first edition of The Voice Kids (Italy) ever held in the country, which was won by Melissa. Both girls became good friends at the show and will be living a lifetime experience together. They will perform the song ‘Un Mondo Giusto’ (A fair world) composed and written by Franco Fasano and Marco Iardella.
🇲🇹 Malta: Yulan – Stronger
After a few attempts, 14-year-old Yulan will finally represent Malta at Junior Eurovision. She was selected by the audience and a professional expert panel to represent her country in a national final process that featured performances of cover songs. She was a finalist on the inaugural Malta’s Got Talent in 2020 before finishing as the runner-up on The Voice Kids (Malta). Yulan will perform ‘Stronger’, a song composed by herself along with Swedish authors John-Emil Johansson, Sandra Wikström, Isak Alvedahl and Elise Hedengren.
🇳🇱 Netherlands: Sep & Jasmijn – Holding On To You
Sep (13) & Jasmijn (14) won the 20th edition of the Dutch show Junior Songfestival with the song ‘Holding On To You’. After the audition phase of the national selection, they were paired to compete as a duo as the experts noticed their voices matched very well. They were selected to represent The Netherlands in Nice by the public, kids and professional juries. ‘Holding On To You’ was written and composed by Robert Dorn.
🇲🇰 North Macedonia: Tamara Grujeska – Kazi Mi, Kazi Mi Koj
13-year-old Tamara Grujeska was chosen internally to represent North Macedonia at Junior Eurovision. She has already achieved some prizes in her short life: an accolade from the prestigious Ezerski Biseri Festival in Struga, the highest Grand Prix award from Zvezdichki in Prilep, and a Grand Prix award from Angel Voice International 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. The young performer will sing ‘Kazi Mi, Kazi Mi Koj’ (Tell me, tell me who), composed by Robert Bilbilov and co-written by Kosta Petrov.
🇵🇱 Poland: Maja Krzyżewska – I Just Need A Friend
Maja Krzyżewska (13) won the ticket to Junior Eurovision at the Polish national selection Szansa na Sukces. The young performer competed in the final of the show with the original song ‘I Just Need A Friend’, composed by Carla Fernandes, Dominic Buczkowski-Wojtaszek, Patryk Kumor and Piotr Zborowski with lyrics by Patryk Kumor, Carla Fernandes and Marissa. Earlier this year, Maja took part in The Voice Kids (Poland), where she was coached by Cleo (Eurovision 2014).
🇵🇹 Portugal: Júlia Machado – Where I Belong
13-year-old Júlia Machado was selected to represent Portugal following her victory at the country’s version of The Voice Kids. She was born and lives in New Jersey (USA) and crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search of music success. Little did she know that she would not only live a unique experience but two! Júlia will sing ‘Where I Belong’, composed by Aurora Pinto, Fernando Daniel, João Direitinho and written by themselves alongside Luís “Twins” Pereira.
🇪🇸 Spain: Sandra Valero – Loviu
Sandra Valero (12) from Valencia was chosen by RTVE from an internal selection process that featured 100 candidates and a final live audition. She had already taken part in other talent shows, like The Voice Kids (Spain) and Idol Kids. Apart from singing, Sandra enjoys modelling and acting, having played a role in the musical tour El Guardaespaldas. The young artist will perform the song ‘Loviu’ (I love you), written and composed by Luis Vicente Ramiro, David Parejo, Alejandro Martinez and Diego José Cantero.
🇺🇦 Ukraine: Anastasia Dymyd – Kvitka
At only 9 years old, Anastasia Dymyd will represent Ukraine at Junior Eurovision 2023. The little singer from Ivano-Frankivsk was selected to wave her country’s flag from a national final that featured a total of five acts. The winner of the Ukrainian final was determined by an equal combination of votes from the public and a jury panel. The song Anastasia will sing in Nice is called ‘Kvitka’ (Flower) and was composed by Svitlana Tarabarova.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: STAND UNIQU3 – Back To Life
The trio STAND UNIQU3, made up of Hayla from Liverpool (12), Maisie from Essex (13) and Yazmin from Newcastle (12), will represent the United Kingdom at Junior Eurovision in Nice. The girls were selected internally by BBC to follow Freya Skye’s footsteps in the contest. It’s ‘Back to Life’, written by Sky Adams, Jakke Erixson and Jack Hawitt, the song the trio will perform on November 26.
