As we are feigning off another round of PED (Post Eurovision Depression), let’s take a look back at the iconic song at the centre of the Eurovision offering this year. Katrina and The Waves – ‘Love, Shine a Light’ is such an iconic Eurovision anthem, synonymous with the very core of what Eurovision represents, that its name-sake was rightfully chosen for the tribute to the competition this year, in place of the cancelled contest intended to be held in Rotterdam.
The song was the UK’s last win at Eurovision back in 1997 performed by Katrina Leskanich, an American musician, author and lead singer of ‘Katrina and the Waves’. You might also recognise their other biggest hit: ‘Walking on Sunshine’ released in 1985. ‘Love, Shine a light ‘ made it to number 3 in the UK chart and featured on Top of the Pops 4 times! Katrina has returned to perform the song many times over the years as it still holds a special place in our hearts. See her rendition of it at ‘Eurovision : You Decide’ in 2016.
Being such an iconic song, it has been sung at many Eurovision events over the years, including on our very own EuroStarz stage; in 2017 by two-time winner Anne Marie David, Maltese favourite Kurt Calleja and Anjeza Shahini from Albania.
Then again in 2019 by Axel Hirsoux from Belgium, Finnish favourite Krista Siegfrids, Glen Vella from Malta and friend of the show Martin Fitch. We just can’t get enough of it!
A quirky rendition of the song you may not have seen is UK drag act, Jade Justine, this year’s winner of the ‘Eurovision Drag Content’. Check out her winning entry, raising money for a fantastic cause:
The show also featured another familiar face from the EuroStarz stage, the one and only Nicki French singing her Eurovision hit.
We can’t not acknowledge the effort made by Eurovision to put on a show this year and, even though it wasn’t our beloved contest, we enjoyed a slice of Eurovision goodness. If you want to relive the moment once more, check out collaboration where took part in a live blog with ESC Bubble on their website.
The show also brought us two very special versions of our favourite song; first up a beautiful orchestral arrangement from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra with a breath-taking video entitled ‘Buildings in the spotlight’ showcased stunning architecture from across Europe:
Finally, as a tribute to the acts of 2020, some of whom will sadly never get that unique chance to perform on the Eurovision stage, they all came together for a poignant version of the iconic song:
Keep an eye on EuroStarz News in the coming weeks as we will be shining a spotlight on the 2020 artists who have been announced to proudly represent their countries in 2021.
Check out the article about the Ukrainian entry, Go_A, in the EuroStarz News Feed.