All songs for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 have been selected. During the weeks between the national final season and the actual Eurovision Song Contest, we will introduce all 39 entries in random order. Part seven of the series is dedicated to the Swiss entry.

Basic information

Performer:	Michael von der Heide
Song:	Il pleut de l'or (It is raining gold)
Language:	French
Music:	Michael von der Heide, Pele Loriano
Lyrics:	Michael von der Heide, Heike Kospach, André Grüter
Draw:	5th in the second semi final

The song

Il pleut de l'or is an up-tempo pop song performed in French. The lyrics are a declaration of love using the metaphore of golden rain:

Les nuits d'été Sommeil oublié Grâce à ton parfum Je retrouve mon chemin Il pleut de l'or Chaque fois que tu me parles d'amour Il pleut de l'or Ensemble partons pour faire le grand tour Sous la voûte étoilée Les destins sont dorés Il pleut de l'or

The summer nights Forgotten weariness Thanks to your perfume I find my way again It is raining gold Every time you speak to me about love It is raining gold Let's leave together for the big journey Under the starry firmament The destinations are golden It is raining gold

The performer

Michael von der Heide competed in the talent search Musicshow Schweiz in in 1990, which marked the beginning of his career as a singer. In 1995, he won the Schweizer KleinKunstPreis (Swiss cabaret award) and the year after, he released his eponymous debut album. It did not manage to enter the charts, but his album 30°, which was released in 1998, was his first commercial success peaking at number 18 and staying in the Swiss album charts for 14 weeks. In 1999, he competed in the German national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. He was chosen as a "Swiss wildcard" as Switzerland was relegated that year. With his song Bye-Bye-Bar, he finished fifth among the eleven contestants.

In 2000, his third album Tourist would become his most successful one to date peaking at number five in Switzerland. He recorded more albums over the following years and went on tour throughout Switzerland various times. In 2008, Freie Sicht was his first album to be released outside Switzerland and it was his most successful one since Tourist. The album was co-produced by the team behind German duo Ich+Ich.

Michael von der Heide was chosen internally to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Il pleut de l'or, which is also expected to be released in English and German. Among his backing singers in Oslo will be Amanda NikoliÄ�, Freda Goodlett and Sybille Fässler. Last year, he was a member of the Swiss jury.

The songwriters

Michael von der Heide co-wrote the song with Pele Loriano (music), Heike Kospach (lyrics) and André Grüter (lyrics). Pele Loriano is the guitarist in the band of Daniel Kandlbauer, runner-up in the second season of the talent search MusicStar. He also co-wrote and/or produced many of his most recent songs. He has also written songs with singer Sina, among them is one of her biggest hits called Wenn nit jetzt wänn dä. He has also worked with Claudia D'Addio, who represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the group Six4One. Heike Kospach has mainly written songs in German so far. She has collaborated with many successful acts including 2raumwohnung, Max Herre and Yvonne Caterfeld. She co-wrote many of the songs on Cassandra Steen's second album including the two hits Stadt and Darum leben wir. She has also co-written all lyrics on Michael von der Heide's album Freie Sicht. André Grüter co-wrote the song Tout un été on that album.

The national selection

For the sixth year in a row, the Swiss entry in the Eurovision Song Contest was chosen internally. Again, the broadcaster had demanded that the entrants have to be experienced musicians with success on the charts. The song was officially presented during the SwissAwards in January.

Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest

Switzerland took part in the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1956 and has never deliebrately missed an edition since, but was relegated in 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2003. Lys Assia won in 1956 on homeground and it would take another 33 years until Céline Dion managed to bring the victory to Switzerland again. Since 1993, when the country achieved its last top three placing to date, they were in the top ten only once. The last three years, Switzerland was eliminated in the semi finals.

Wir wünschen der Schweiz und Michael von der Heide viel Glück und eine gute Platzierung in Oslo!
Nous souhaitons bonne chance à la Suisse et à Michael von der Heide. Marquez un bon résultat à Oslo!
Auguriamo alla Svizzera e a Michael von der Heide buona fortuna ed un buon risultato a Oslo!
Nus giavüschains a la Svizra ed al Michael von der Heide bgera furtüna ed ün bun resultat a Oslo!

Videos

The song presentation:

The preview video:

Michael von der Heide performing the song Immer wenn du denkst (2008):

Michael von der Heide in the German national final 1999 with Bye-Bye-Bar:

Tomorrow, we will take a look at the FYR Macedonian entry.

Previous parts of this series:

1. Ireland
2. Belarus
3. Albania
4. Denmark
5. Russia
6. Bulgaria