OGAE REST OF THE WORLD
presents
South African Eurovision Covers

COMPETITION / КОНКУРС
TOBI JOOSTE

At the age of 24, TOBI JOOSTE can be called the KING OF EUROVISION in SOUTH AFRICA. With the release of his latest CD (the third), he has now done a total of 12 EUROVISION related songs - 6 ACTUAL entries and 6 selection songs. With this, he has overtaken BLES BRIDGES and GE KORSTEN who each did 10 - both these two SOUTH AFRICAN superstars tragically passed away a few years ago, so they cannot improve on their records and Tobi is set to just go ahead and do more.

This young singer with the looks of a JULIO IGLESIAS and a voice in that same mould is off to also persue a modeling career with a big international company.

On his first CD, Tobi recorded NETHERLANDS 1981 (HET IS EEN WONDER) in Afrikaans as well as the Dutch selection classic, VULCANO's EEN BEETJE VAN DIT in Afrikaans. On his second CD, SPREI JOU VLERKE (SPREAD YOUR WINGS) (catalog number LEOCD 110) you can find UKRAINE 2003 (HASTA LA VISTA in both AFRIKAANS and ENGLISH) plus 5 selection songs in AFRIKAANS - AUSTRIA's THIS NIGHT SHOULD NEVER END as DIE AAND IS ONS SIN, SWEDEN's LET YOUR SPIRIT FLY as SPREI JOU VLERKE and SWEDEN's WE ARE ALL THE WINNERS as JY IS DIE BESTE. Also two old Norwegian selection songs were covered, VINGER OVER EUROPA as PRINSES VAN MY HART and I EST I SCANDINAVIA as AS EK NET KON. These 5 selection songs have all been major hits in their original countries, doing better on the charts than the actual EUROVISION entries from those years.

Now his new CD was released called ONTHOU JY (DO YOU REMEMBER). It is available and can be ordered at artistw@mweb.co.za, catalog number LEOCD 146. This is a double CD for the price of a single CD. The first CD has 12 tracks of which 4 are EUROVISION songs. The second CD has 8 tracks, mainly covers of singers Tobi liked - the so called "crooners". The 4 Eurovision songs in Afrikaans are ICELAND 2004 HEAVEN which Tobi sings as KAAPSTAD (CAPE TOWN), MALTA 2005 ANGEL which Tobi sings as ENGEL (ANGEL), MALTA 2006 where Tobi kept the English title I DO but the song is mostly sung in AFRIKAANS and CELINE DION's 1988 Eurovision winner which Tobi sings as GLO IN JOU DROOM (BELIEVE IN YOUR DREAM).

You can find more information about Tobi as a person and his career on his website www.tobijooste.co.za

OGAE REST OF THE WORLD is going to draw 2 TOBY JOOSTE CD's ONTHOU JY between those who will send e-mail to ogae@esckaz.com with subject "Tobi Jooste". Original CDs will be delivered to the winners FREE OF CHARGE. Closing date for the competition is November 30.

This competition is in co-operation between OGAE Rest Of The World and Eurocovers.		 ТОБИ ЙООСТЕ

В возрасте 24х лет Тоби Йоосте можно назвать королем Евровидения в Южной Африке. С выпуском его нового диска (третьего в его карьере) на его счету стало 12 песен, связанных с Евровидением - 6 песен международных и 6 песен национальных финалов. Этим он обошел Блеса Бриджеса и Ге Корстена, на счету которых по 10 песен - обе эти южноафриканские звезды трагически погибли несколько лет назад, поэтому, к сожалению, они уже не смогут улучшить свой результат, а Тоби планирует продолжать работать в данном направлении.

Молодой певец внешностью и голосом напоминающий Хулио Иглесиаса также планирует подписать контракт в качестве модели с крупной международной компанией.

На своем первом диске Тоби выпустил ковер-версию песни Нидерландов 1981(HET IS EEN WONDER) на африкаанс, а также классику с голландского отбора песню группы VULCANO EEN BEETJE VAN DIT также на африкаанс. На втором его диске SPREI JOU VLERKE (Расправь свои крылья) (каталоговый номер) вы можете найти ковер версии Украины 2003 (HASTA LA VISTA в двух версиях - на африкаанс и на английском), а также 5 песен национальных отборов на африкаанс - австрийскую THIS NIGHT SHOULD NEVER END под названием DIE AAND IS ONS SIN, Шведскую LET YOUR SPIRIT FLY под названием SPREI JOU VLERKE и Шведскую WE ARE ALL THE WINNERS под названием JY IS DIE BESTE. Также в диск вошли две старые песни с норвежских отборов VINGER OVER EUROPA под названием PRINSES VAN MY HART и I EST I SCANDINAVIA как AS EK NET KON. Эти 5 песен национальных отборов были большими хитами в собственных странах, зачастую даже более успешными в чартах, нежели собственно песни Евровидения этих лет.

Сейчас вышел в продажу его новый диск ONTHOU JY (Помнишь ли ты). Его можно заказать по электронной почте artistw@mweb.co.za, указав каталожный номер LEOCD 146. Это двойной альбом, продаваемый по цене обычного. На первый диск вошли 12 треков, 4 из которых связаны с Евровидением. На втором диске 8 треков, в основном ковер версии любимых песен Тоби. 4 песни Евровидения, вошедшие на этот диск на африкаанс - это Исландия 2004 HEAVEN, которую Тоби назвал KAAPSTAD (Кейптаун), Мальта 2005 ANGEL под названием ENGEL (Ангел), Мальта 2006, которая сохранила свое оригинальное название I DO, хотя в основном она также исполняется на африкаанс и песня-победительница Евровидения 1988, исполненная в оригинале Селин Дион, которая в версии Тоби называется GLO IN JOU DROOM (Верь в свою мечту).

Дополнительную информацию о Тоби и его карьере вы можете найти на сайте www.tobijooste.co.za

ОГАЕ ОСТАЛЬНОЙ МИР разыграет 2 диска ТОБИ ЙООСТЕ ONTHOU JY между теми кто пошлет e-mail на адрес ogae@esckaz.com с заголовком "Tobi Jooste". Оригиналы дисков будут доставлены победителям БЕСПЛАТНО. Крайний срок участия в розыгрыше - 30 ноября.

Конкурс организован совместно ОГАЕ ОСТАЛЬНОЙ МИР и Eurocovers

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GEORGE THOMAS MEIRING was born in Hoopstad and currently spends his days living a busy life in Johannesburg.

When he turned five he sang in his very first competition - along with his brother Bertus and sister Anne - and was inspired to make singing his fulltime career. What he enjoys most about singing is that he has the power to affect the feelings of others.

George has done a lot of travelling around the world which has brought him contact with various diverse people. He loves wildlife photography and enjoys being surrounded by nature.

His favourite film is Pay It Forward and he has a weekly lineup of watching Lost, Survivor and 24. He adores listening to Josh Groban.

In November 2006 George took part in SuperSterre competition in South Africa (Idol type show). It was won by SHAUN TAIT, a 14 year old singer, released his first CD in April with one Eurovision song on, Danish 2004 entry in Afrikaans. Now the first CD GEORGE MEIRING has been released by SONY/BMG who asked OGAE REST OF THE WORLD to help them with song selection. This was very easy as George has a great voice and is very easy to market and promote. His CD contains 12 songs, 6 of them picked of the OGAE REST OF THE WORLD suggestions.

The CD entitled ONTHOU DIE TYE (REMEMBER THE TIMES) feature both English and Afrikaans songs. Two of the 12 songs are EUROVISION songs, Ireland's 2006 EVERY SONG IS A CRY FOR LOVE in ENGLISH and Norway's 1994 song DUETT in AFRIKAANS. George does it in duet form with PATRICIA LEWIS, the presenter of SuperSterre.The song is called LIEDJIE VIR DANELLE (song for Danielle). The title of the girl Danelle was made of the names of Jan Werner Danielsen and Elizabeth Andreassen, the original singers of DUETT.

George also does YOU RAISE ME UP, another ROLF LOVLAND song, however in doing this, he became the 12th local singer to cover this song! But the people love it and wanted it.

The 4 AFRIKAANS pitched by OGAE REST OF THE WORLD are GERMAN schlager songs composed by EUROVISION composers like MICHAEL KUNZE, BERND MEINUNGER, ALFONSO WEINDORF and CHRISTIAN BRUHN and were originally sung by people such as ANDY BORG and SEMINO ROSSI from AUSTRIA. This this, OGAE REST OF THE WORLD thanked AUSTRIA for returning to EUROVISION after a one year absence. EUROVISION : SOUTH AFRICA promised the AUSTRIAN TV people that should they return to EUROVISION again, we will continue to cover as many AUSTRIAN songs as possible in AFRIKAANS (even non EUROVISION songs).

More information on GEORGE and his CD can be found on the his MySpace profile.		 ДЖОРДЖ ТОМАС МЕЙРИНГ родился в Хупстаде, а в настоящее время живет в Йоханнесбурге. Когда ему исполнилось 5 лет он принял участие в своем первом конкурсе - вместе со своими братом Бертусом и сестрой Анне - и это вдохновило его на продолжение музыкальной карьеры. Больше всего в пении ему нравится то, что этим он может влиять на чувства окружающих.

Джордж много путешествовал по миру, он очень любит фотографировать и находиться на природе.

Его любимый фильм - Play It Forward, а также ежедневно он смотрит телесериалы Lost, Survivor и 24. Ему очень нравится слушать музыку Джоша Гробана.

В ноябре 2006 года Джордж принимает участие в конкурсе SuperSterre в Южной Африке (местный вариант Народного Артиста). Победителем шоу стал 14 летний ШОН ТАИТ, который в апреле выпустил свой дебютный диск, на который вошла кавер версия Датской песни с Евровидения 2004 на африкаанс. Сейчас пришло время выхода и первого диска ДЖОРДЖА МЕЙРИНГА, и компания SONY/BMG обратилась к ОГАЕ ОСТАЛЬНОЙ МИР за советом в выборе песен для этого альбома. Это было достаточно простой задачей, поскольку у Джорджа великолепный голос. В итоге на диск вошли 12 песен, из них 6 выбраны по предложению ОГАЕ ОСТАЛЬНОЙ МИР.

На диск, получивший название ONTHOU DIE TYE (Помни то время), вошли песни как на английском, так и на африкаанс. Две из песен - кавер версии композиций Евровидения - Ирландии 2006 - EVERY SONG IS A CRY FOR LOVE на английском и Норвегия 1994 - DUETT на африкаанс. Джордж исполняет ее в дуэте с ПАТРИСЕЙ ЛЬЮИС, ведущей SuperSterre. Песня получила название LIEDJIE VIR DANELLE (Песня для Даниелы). Имя Даниела было собрано из имен Яна Вернера Даниельсона и Элизабет Андреассен, оригинальными исполнитами DUETT.

Джордж также исполняет YOU RAISE ME UP, но он стал уже 12 южноафриканским исполнителем записавшим версию этой песни. Слушатели обожают ее и постоянно заказывают на радио и концертах.

4 песни на африкаанс предложенные ОГАЕ ОСТАЛЬНОЙ МИР - немецкие шлягер композиции, написанные участниками Евровидения Мишелем Кунце, Берндом Мейнунгером, Альфонсо Вейндорфом и Кристианом Брюном, в оригинале исполняемые австрийцами Энди Боргом и Семино Росси из Австрии. Этим ОГАЕ ОСТАЛЬНОЙ МИР благодарит Австрию за возвращение к участию в Евровидении после годового перерыва.

Дополнительная информация о Джордже и его альбоме доступна на его MySpace профиле.

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DEWALD LOUW

Relatively unknown in the rest of South Africa, besides his home town of BLOEMFONTEIN, Dewald shot to fame during the first AFRIKAANS IDOL show. He was crowned the winner towards the end of 2006 and Sony/BMG rushed to release a CD in time for the Christmas sales. The CD is called IN JOU OE (IN YOUR EYES), quite an appropriate title as Dewald has fairly striking eyes. Because he won as AFRIKAANS IDOL, the CD only contains AFRIKAANS songs. There are twelve tracks, most of them original compositions but it also feature a RALPH SIEGEL and BERND MEINUNGER song. These two have had more than 60 of their songs recorded in AFRIKAANS and most have been big hits. Dewald had a choice of several of their songs, but picked FRIENDS ARE FRIENDS, the song that came second in the 2003 ROMANIAN Eurovision selection for VALAHIA (featuring ROMANIAN 2006 Eurovision entrant MIHAI TRAISTARIU). During 2004, LOU from GERMANY recorded the song as well (after she was selected to represent Germany at the 2004 Eurovision). And then SIX4ONE also recorded it in 2006 (after they were selected to represent Switzerland at the 2006 Eurovision). All these versions were in ENGLISH, so it is great to finally have the song in another langauge, this time in AFRIKAANS. Dewald calls it JY'S MY VRIEND (YOU'RE MY FRIEND). It has beautiful lyrics written by Lourens Fourie. Another song on Dewald's CD was written by Dieter Bohlen (who composed Eurovision entries for Germany (Nino de Angelo) and Austria (Thomas Forstner) in 1989). For more information on Dewald, you can go to the following website www.dewaldlouw.com or www.sonybmg.co.za 		BALA BROTHERS

Ever since the BALA BROTHERS appeared on the most popular AFRIKAANS TV show, NOOT VIR NOOT, there has been a buzz about them. The Bala brothers are three brothers from the Transkei region of SOUTH AFRICA, all of them have studied at the famous DRAKENSBERG BOYS CHOIR, the youngest Phelo is still there. With his two older brothers, Loyiso and Zwai, they reently joined forced to form a unique vocal group. On Noot vir noot they sang VOLARE (Italy 1958 Eurovision entry). Volare came only 4th but became the biggest selling Eurovision song for years to come, and during Eurovision's 50th birthday in 2005, it was voted the second best Eurovision song of all time after ABBA's WATERLOO. Unfortunately VOLARE is not on the new CD from Sony/BMG but the chances are good it will appear on the next CD. This CD does have their version of YOU RAISE ME UP, the composition of ROLF LOVLAND of NORWAY who won Eurovision twice - in 1985 with LA DET SWINGE by BOBBYSOCKS and in 1995 with NOCTURNE by SECRET GARDEN - Secret garden did record the original of YOU RAISE ME UP together with BRIAN KENNEDY who sang for IRELAND in 2006 with EVERY SONG IS A CRY FOR LOVE (South African singer GEORGE MEIRING will record this song soon). On Bala brothers CD called B3, you will find 15 tracks, some in their native Xhoza language. You can find more information on Bala brothers on their website www.balabrothers.com as well as the website of Sony/BMG Africa www.sonybmg.co.za
ENDIA

A couple of years ago ENDIA REZGALE came from LATVIA to SOUTH AFRICA, having met a South African guy in AMERIKA. They got married and came to settle in SOUTH AFRICA. She released a CD in South Africa called KLASIKA with 15 songs on. She did one in her native language of Latvian as well as several songs in Afrikaans, one of the official languages of her new country. One of the Afrikaans songs is the EUROVISION classic, IK HOU VAN JOU which took part in the 1984 Eurovision for the Netherlands sung by MARIBELLE, the girl with the huge ribbon on her dress. The song did poorly, partly due to the fact that people focused on Maribelle's dress instead of realising the potential of the song. Ten years later, in 1994, Dana Winner from Belgium covered it and it became a huge hit. Dana did it in Flemish, English, French and German. The song has been covered in SOUTH AFRICA several times, the biggest succes had been with boy band EDEN. But Endia does a superb version in AFRIKAANS of EK HOU VAN JOU (the title meaning the same as the original Dutch). For someone who hardly knew Afrikaans by the time, this is very good. The full CD can be ordered from Niel Ferreira by sending an email to artistw@mweb.co.za . You can also write for more information on Endia to artistw@mweb.co.za of visit the website www.endia.co.za Endia is currently busy with negociations with a new record company who will release her seocnd CD towards the end of 2007. It is a given that several Eurovision songs will feature on the CD, at the moment the chances of NORWAY 2006 ALVEDANCEN (to be sung in both AFRIKAANS and ENGLISH as the song is only available in NORWEGIAN), SWEDEN 1996 (the song of ONE MORE TIME - to be sung in AFRIKAANS) and LATVIA 2003 (Endia wants to do a song from her country of birth and it will be done in AFRIKAANS, but maybe even also LATVIAN as the song was never done by F L Y in LATVIAN) are the best. But there are negociations with a few more Euro songs - the details will be made public later. Endia could become a unique star in SOUTH AFRICA, where first of all, there is a shortage of female singers and secondly a shortage of white singers singing in more than just AFRIKAANS or ENGLISH - with her ability to tackle several langauges, the CD most probably will reflect that. Endia already had a taste of Eurovision this year when a song composed by RAFAEL ARTESERO, a composer from ANDORRA called GET REAL was sung by ENDIA and entered into the Latvian Eurovision selection.		 To come:

KARLIEN HUSSELMAN, KARIEN FERREIRA, NEDINE BLOM, DAVID FOURIE, DOMINEC, JAYCEE, CHARL SMIT, HI 5, NICHOLIS LOUW, KURT DARREN, AMOR VITTONE, KAREN COX, SHAUN TAIT, PATRICIA LEWIS, JANNIE MOOLMAN & RINA HUGO, JENNIFER ZAMUDIO.

Full list of South African covers

 

Contact OGAE Rest of the World:
E-mail: ogae@esckaz.com, website www.esckaz.com
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