Artist: Kaliopi
Song Title: Dona
Participating Year: 2016
Show: Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Semi-final 2 (1st Half)

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About Kaliopi

In a career that spans more than 30 years, Kaliopi has fronted bands, established herself as a solo artist, released nine albums, won awards, acted as a judge on country’s version of Idol and represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest. And now, in 2016, she’s representing her country at Eurovision once again.

Kaliopi’s first experiences with the Eurovision Song Contest came back in 1996 when she competed in FYR Macedonia’s national selection process, Skopje Fest. Her song Samo ti won the night, coming first with the competition’s jury and audience. But sadly, that’s as far as it went for Samo ti and for Kaliopi that year. 1996 saw a sudden increase in the number of countries wanting to compete at Eurovision, and so a non-televised pre-qualification round was held, during which seven countries would be eliminated. FYR Macedonia was one of that seven, finishing 26th out of 29. Also eliminated that night was Romania’s Monica Anghel, who would return to the contest in 2002, when it was held in Tallinn.

Two years on, in 1998, Kaliopi competed at Skopje Fest once more, this time finishing in 9th position. And, after another eight years, in 2006, Kaliopi competed for a third time in FYR Macedonia’s selection process, this time finishing 6th.

But despite these disappointments and setbacks, Kaliopi’s music career flourished. She continued to release music, both in FYR Macedonia and in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. And she worked with many big names, including Rambo Amadeus, who represented Montenegro at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, and Tamara Todevska, who represented FYR Macedonia in 2008.

Finally, in 2012, Kaliopi got her chance at the Eurovision Song Contest. Her participation was at the invitation of the country’s national broadcaster, MRT. It was decided Kaliopi would sing Crno i belo, a song she herself had written along with her ex-husband and long-term collaborator, Romeo Grill. Kaliopi qualified for the grand final of the competition, and was the first act to do so in four years for the nation. And at that grand final, she finished in 13th place. It was FYR Macedonia’s best ever result since 2006, when Elena Risteska finished in 12th place with her song Ninanajna.

In the three years since then, FYR Macedonia has failed to qualify again for the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest.

But on 24 November 2015, MRT announced that Kaliopi would once more represent FYR Macedonia, this time at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.

About the song Dona