This year, the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest featured a record breaking twenty languages. Eurovision Ireland will be looking at all the languages that have been performed at the Contest, since 1956, in our latest #AtoZ. Today, we continue the series with Styrian, Surzhyk, and Swahili.

Styrian

The Styrian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Lower Carniolan dialects are spoken in central and eastern Slovenian Styria and in the Lower Sava Valley and Central Sava Valley.

Styrian appeared in full, within “Weil der Mensch zählt”, the Austrian entry for the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest. Alf Poier performed “Weil der Mensch zählt”, finishing in 6th place with 101 points.

Surzhyk

Surzhyk is a mixture between Ukrainian and Russian languages, used in certain regions of Ukraine and the neighboring regions of Russia and Moldova.

Surzhyk appeared within lines of “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”, the Ukrainian entry for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest. Verka Serduchka performed “Dancing Lasha Tumbai”, finishing in 2nd place with 235 points.

Swahili

Swahili, also known as Kiswahili as it is referred to in the Swahili language, is a Bantu language originally spoken by the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. Estimates of the number of Swahili speakers, including both native and second-language speakers, vary widely. They generally range from 150 million to 200 million; with most of its native speakers residing in Tanzania and Kenya.

Swahili appeared within lines of “Haba Haba”, the Norwegian entry for the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest. Stella Mwangi performed “Haba Haba”, finishing in 17th place in the semi final, with 30 points.

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The Eurovision Community, which Eurovision Ireland are a part of, celebrates diversity through music. Please keep your comments respectful. We will not tolerate racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, body-shaming or any other derogatory or hostile language.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: Eurovision Ireland, Wikipedia & YouTube/ESC Stuff/EBU