Eurovision Ireland are here in Malta to cover the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Valetta. The rehearsals begin on Tuesday 15th November and run for 4 days. So in advance of that and in a similar vein to articles published for the main Eurovision I am going to look at each participating country and highlight their entry this year and look back at their history in JESC. There are 17 countries competing in JESC 2016 and I will look at each country in a brief series of 4 articles in the coming few days. This article will look at Georgia, Serbia, Australia, Ireland and Malta. You can check out the other articles in this JESC series on the Eurovision Ireland website

GEORGIA

Georgia are making their tenth appearance at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. They have won the contest on two occasions in 2008 and 2011 but have so far never hosted it. This year Georgia are represented by Miriam Mamadashvili who is only 10 years old. Miriam has lived in the US since 2015. Her song is called Mzeo.

“FROM THE SKY HAPPINESS IS FALLING

WINTER IS NO LONGER COLD

THE SUN IS OURS”

So we also take a look back at one of the winners for Georgia. The year was 2008 and Bzikebi sang the song Bzz… in an imaginary language.

SERBIA

Now Serbia are taking part in their eighth Junior Eurovision and have finished in 3rd place twice in 2007 and 2010. This year they are represented by Dunja Jeličić who is 13 years old and was born in Belgrade. Her song is called U la la la.

“BLACK AND WHITE ARE BOTH THE SAME

WHO MAKES A DIFFERENCE LOST THE GAME!”

So back in 2007 Serbia was represented by Nevena Božović who sang the song titled Piši mi which came 3rd.

AUSTRALIA

Now this is Australia’s second appearance in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest having made their debut last year and finishing 8th. This year they are represented by Alexa Curtis who is 12 years old and lives in Brisbane after her family moved from Auckland in New Zealand. Her song is called We Are.

“COS WE’RE QUEENS OF THE WORLD,

DON’T NEED A CROWN

WE’RE CHAMPIONS JUST SCREAM IT OUT –

WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE”

So we only have one other entry to look back at for Australia so we will take a look at Bella Paige who came 8th last year with the song My Girls.

IRELAND

Ireland are making only their second appearance in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Last year they finished in 12th place in their debut year. This year Ireland are represented by Zena Donnelly who is 14. Her song is called Brice Ar Bhrice.

“ITS HARD TO FIGHT

WITH FEELINGS THAT HURT YOU INSIDE

BUT YOU KEEP GOING

HOPING…..THAT PEOPLE WITH REALISE!”

So we also take a look back at the debut entry for Ireland from last year. Aimee Banks came 12th with the song Réalta na mara.

MALTA

Finally we move onto this years hosts Malta who are making their twelfth appearance in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. They have not only won the contest twice in 2013 and 2015 but now also hosted it twice too. This year they are represented by Christina who is 13 years old. Her song is called Parachute.

“WE’LL MAKE IT THROUGH THE STORMS

LIGHT FIRE WHEN IT’S COLD

THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR, AFTER ALL”

So we take a look back at one of Malta’s previous entries which won the contest. In 2015 Destiny won with the song Not My Soul.

So there we have it folks, my final look at some of this years countries participating in

Junior Eurovision 2016 in Valletta.

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Author: Andrew Main

Source: Eurovision Ireland