Lena Meyer-Landrut, the 19-year-old German winner of the 55th Eurovision Song Contest, is to defend her title at next year’s event – the first winner to do so since the Netherlands’ Corry Brokken in 1957/1958.
The surprise decision was announced in a statement by Stefan Raab, who wrote and produced several tracks on Lena’s debut studio set “My Cassette Player” (USFO/Universal) and produced the German TV show “Our Star For Oslo” in which the artist was chosen as Germany’s 2010 Eurovision entry. Raab is a popular TV host and comedian in Germany, as well as a musician/producer and songwriter.
Lena won the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Oslo’s Telenor arena, Saturday May 30, with the English-language pop number “Satellite” (Billboard.biz, May. 30).
“Next year we will be holding the Eurovision Song Contest here in Germany and I believe there can be nothing more natural than to have the winner defend her title in her own country,” said Rabb in a statement following Lena’s victory. An announcement regarding which German city will hold next year’s contest is yet to be made.
Prior to Lena’s victory in the 55th annual Eurovision song contest, “Satellite” — written by Danish songwriter/producer John Gordon and American singer-songwriter Julie Frost and published by Iceberg Publishing/EMI Music Publishing Germany — had spent 10 weeks on Billboard’s European Hot 100 Singles chart.
The song hit No. 1 in the artist’s native Germany earlier this year, followed by her domestic chart-topping debut studio set “My Cassette Player” (USFO/Universal).
According to Nielsen Music, prior to Lena’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest, “Satellite” had reached a Top 10 airplay chart position in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with further plays across Europe. In the week leading up to the artist’s performance on May 30 the track had received 2,500 plays across radio and television in Europe.
In the two days immediately following Eurovision, plays of “Satellite” spiked by nearly 50% with the track gaining 1,500 additional spins across Europe.
Universal will now roll out a continenet-wide campaign for Lena, says Universal Music Germany president and CEO Frank Briegmann, with “My Cassette Player” serviced to all European markets. Release dates for individual markets are yet to be announced. In the United Kingdom, Island Records/Universal will issue the album, although a release date is yet to be confirmed.
