16 Years Old and at Eurovision 2015

EUROVISION 2015 – THE CONTEST OF THE 16 YEAR OLDS

Since 1990, Eurovision Song Contest rules have stated that any contestant taking part in Europe’s favourite music competition must be at least 16 years old. And let’s face it, with recent participants like the UK’s Engelbert Humperdink (76 years old) Switzerland’s Emil Ramsauer (95) and Russia’s Buranovskiye Babushki (with a combined age of over 500!!), no one was ever really in danger of breaking this rule!

Eurovision 2015, however, is shaping up to have a much younger line-up. So far this year, 4 contestants from 3 countries are only just old enough to take part. Want to know more about the fresh-faced young talents heading to Vienna? Read on!

IRELAND – MOLLY STERLING: ‘PLAYING WITH NUMBERS’

Molly first came to the music world’s attention in November 2011 when she won the Tipp Teen Idol contest at the age of just 12. Since then, she’s gone on to score highly in several other Irish music competitions and even supported indie band Runaway GO at one of their concerts – not bad when you remember she only turned 16 in January! Can she reverse Ireland’s recent misfortunes at Eurovision? We certainly think she can!

ISRAEL – NADAV GUEDJ: ‘GOLDEN BOY’

Parisian born Nadav won the 2nd series of Israeli singing show HaKokhav HaBa, which also gave him the right to represent Israel in Vienna. Although only the title of his song has so far been unveiled, it’s been described as an “up-tempo Mediterranean song,” that also enters the record books for being Israel’s first ever Eurovision song sung entirely in English – clearly new young talent has convinced Israel’s broadcaster to try things a little differently!

SAN MARINO – MICHELE PERNIOLA & ANITA SIMONCINI: SONG TBC

Two for the price of one! Not only are both of these Sammarinese singers just 16, they are also both Junior Eurovision veterans. Michele sung for the tiny republic in 2013, while Anita sung the following year in Malta. Anita will become the first artist in history to represent a country at Junior Eurovision and then at the Eurovision Song Contest the following year. Can they get San Marino a spot in the final for a second year running?

Michele:

Anita:

For these talented bright young stars, no doubt Eurovision will be just the beginning of highly successful careers! With a few countries still deciding, do you think we’ll see even more young singers taking the stage in Austria? Is this the beginning of a new Eurovision trend? And is there a potential winner amongst the acts listed here?

Let us know what you think!

Author : James Scanlan

Source : Eurovision Ireland