Black singers at the Eurovision Song Contests

Imaani from the UK singing "Where Are You?"
Black singers at the Eurovision Song Contests. The Eurovision Song is the annual song contest of the European Broadcasting Union and member states of Europe.

Numerous black singers have competed at the contest. And one black singer won the contest in 2001. Dave Benton won the the contest with Estonian rock singer Tanel. The first black singer was probably Milly Scott from the Netherlands who sang at the contest in 1966. In this year’s contest singer Matador competed for France, he finished 12th place.

The competition has been broadcast throughout Europe, but also in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand and the United States, even though these countries do not participate. See the website of Eurovision Song Contest here.

Below a list of some of the entries of the Estonia, UK, The Netherlands, France, Portugal and Israel. The ranking is based on a final of 25 countries.

Estonia

Winner of Eurovision copenhagen 2001

Dave benton & Tanel - "Everybody" - 2001



In 2001 Dave benton performed with budding Estonian rock singer Tanel Padar and boyband 2XL to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 with their song "Everybody". Benton was born on the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba.

UK

Jade Ewen - "It's My Time" - 2009



The United Kingdom was a part of the "Big Four", so the song was entered directly into the final of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, held on 16 May 2009 in Moscow. The show received an average of 7.8 million viewers. She finished in 5th place.

Andy Abraham - "Even If" - 2008



According to betting site PaddyPower.com, the odds for the song to win the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 were 100/1. In the end, the song reached last place at 25th, with 14 points. The last place triggerd a response from Terry Wogan, he blamed "racist" Eastern Europeans for Britain's dismal showing in the Eurovision Song Contest. Read full story here.

Imaani - "Where Are You?" - 1998



"Where Are You?" was the United Kingdom entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1998, held in Birmingham, United Kingdom. It was sung by Imaani Saleem (Melanie Crosdale), the first black singer for the UK. She almost won. The song received 166 points, placing second in a field of 25. Imaani was born in Nottingham. Interesting detail is that she is one of the regular singers of the famous London Acid Jazz band Incognito.

The Netherlands

Glennis Grace Netherlands – “My Impossible Dream” - 2005



Glennis Grace (born in Amsterdam) won the national contest in the Netherlands for the Eurovision song contest 2005, but didn’t make in to final. She had to leave the contest in the semi-final.

Edsilia Rombley - "Hemel en Aarde" ("Heaven and Earth") - 1998



Edsilia Rombley pulled the Netherlands out of semi-finals to the finals. Only the low ranking countries of the previous year had to compete in the semi-finals. In the finals she came in fourth place in a tele voting contest with the song “Hemel en aarde" ("Heaven and earth"). It was the best placing the Netherlands had seen since their last win in 1975. Edisila was born in Amsterdam and is of Dutch Caribbean descent.

Maxine and Franklin Brown- "De Eerste Keer" ("The first time" - 1996



Maxine & Franklin Brown represented the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. Their song “De eerste keel” (“The First Time”) came 7th with 78 points.

Ruth Jacott - "Vrede" ("Peace") - 1993



In 1993 Ruth Jacott was the second black female singer for the Netherland. She came in sixth place with the “song “Vrede" ("Peace"). Ruth Jaccot is of Surinamese descent.

Humphrey Campbell "Wijs Me de Weg" ("Show Me the Way") - 1992



Humphrey Campbell performing "Wijs Me de Weg" ("Show Me the Way"), the Dutch entry at the 1992 Eurovision Song Contest. He finished 9th place. Campbell is of Surinamese origins.

Milly Scott - "Fernando en Filippo" - 1966



Milly Scott was the first black singer for the Netherlands in 1966. She finished 15th place. Scott is of Surinamese descent.

France

Matador - "Allez Ola Olé" (2010)



Matador, born Jessy Kimbangi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represented France this year. Matador mixes zouk, dancehall, reggae, and hiphop, building on American, African and Caribbean influences. France finished 12th place.


Joëlle Ursull - "White and Black Blues" - 1990



France's entry in the 1990 Eurovision Song Contest "White and Black Blues" by Joëlle Ursull who got the 2nd place. Usull is of Guadeloupean origins.

France is one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest and has entered the competition fifty-two times since their debut at the very first contest in 1956. However, in recent years, the French results have been somewhat disappointing. Since 1998, when the televoting was invented, France has almost always been in the bottom-10 countries in the final. (Wikipedia.)

Portugal

Sara Tavares – “Chamar a música” -1994



Tavares won the Portuguese selection for the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. With the song Chamar a música (Call my music), She achieved an eighth position in Dublin, which is still one of the best Portuguese results in the contest ever. After her appearance in the contest, she went on to become a famous artist in her country, and later on in Europe.

Sweden

Afro-Dite - "Never let you go" - 2002



Afro-dite is a Swedish pop group made up of three pop singers. The group consists of Blossom Tainton-Lindquist, Gladys del Pilar and Kayo Shekoni. Afro-dite reached the 8th place

Israel

Eddie Butler - "Together We Are One" - 2006



Eddie Butler was the Israeli entry for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, with soul ballad "Together We Are One". He finished 23th place.

Butler was born in the Negev Israel. Butler's parents are Americans, and members of the Black Hebrews African-American community that believes they are a lost tribe of Israel. His mother and father came to Israel for a visit 37 years ago and decided to stay.


Black singers Eurovision Song Contest overview

1966 - Ned: Milly Scott - "Fernando en Filippo" (15th)
1990 - Fr: Joëlle Ursull - "White and Black Blues" (2nd)
1992 - Ned: Humphrey Campbell "Wijs Me de Weg" ("Show Me the Way") (9th)
1993 - Ned: Ruth Jacott - "Vrede" ("Peace") - 1993 (6th)
1994 - Por: Sara Tavares – “Chamar a música” (8th)
1996 - Ned: Maxine and Franklin Brown- "De Eerste Keer" ("The first time") (7th)
1998 - Ned: - Edsilia Rombley - "Hemel en Aarde" ("Heaven and Earth") 1998 (4th)
1998 - UK: Imaani - "Where Are You?" (2nd)
2001 - Esto: Dave benton & Tanel - "Everybody" (1st)
2002 - SWE: Afro-Dite - "Never let you go" (8th)
2005 - Ned: Glennis Grace Netherlands – “My Impossible Dream” (semi-final)
2006 - Isr: Eddie Butler - "Together We Are One" (23th)
2008 - UK: Andy Abraham - "Even If" (23th)
2009 - UK: Jade Ewen - "It's My Time" - 2009 (5th)
2010 - Fr: Matador - "Allez Ola Olé" - 2010 (12th)

This may not be the complete list of singers