Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson
Valentina is back! The jazz singer is representing San Marino in the Eurovision Song Contest for the fourth time, this time together with Jimmie Wilson, who has starred in the musicals Sisterella and Hope.Valentina Monetta is a jazz and funky singer and was born in 1975 in San Marino. She is very well known to followers of the Eurovision Song Contest having participated for San Marino in 2012, 2013 and 2014 where she qualified for the Grand Final. Valentina prefers to sing live with different musicians in Italy and in Europe to promote her music. Currently she’s performing with her band Myfunky Valentine and also collaborating with a jazz band called Live Tropical Fish.
Jimmie Wilson is a singer and songwriter, born in Detroit, Michigan. He came to Europe as the star of Michael Jackson’s musical Sisterella and now lives in Germany. In 2010, he starred as President Obama in the musical Hope. As a major highlight in his career he joins legendary producer Ralph Siegel and Valentina Monetta in the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest as part of Team San Marino with the song Spirit of the Night. His life’s motto is “life is a journey – enjoy the ride”. He recently released a brand new album, So Damn Beautiful.
Things you should know about Valentina Monetta and Jimmie Wilson
What are the three most interesting aspects about your entry?
Valentina: I sing with another artist on stage with a completely different approach and a responsibility. The song is completely different compared to my earlier Eurovision entries.
Jimmie: It’s an international duet, Sammarinese meets an American. It’s high energy and it’s simply a FUN song!
What are the three most impressive facts about you?
Valentina: I see not colour but feel everything, I feel the pain of the world and the beauty with in, I respect all energies around me.
Jimmie: My voice, the value of friendships, my adventurous nature.
Do you have a (lucky) routine before you go on stage?
Valentina: I think how much I'm lucky and give all that is true of my heart.
Jimmie: I don’t have any rituals before going on stage. Just some vocal warm-up exercises and focusing on being a good entertainer for the audience. That’s what the audience is expecting and I want to deliver.
Why is the Eurovision Song Contest important for you?
Valentina: It is one of the biggest chances to show my talent, enjoying music, people and a professional environment.
Jimmie: Eurovision is important to me as a singer because you reach a multi-million international audience with ONE performance! Also Eurovision stands for diversity and inclusiveness which is so needed in the world today.
About the song writer & composers
Ralph Siegel was born in Munich in 1945. At 13, he started taking lessons in harmony and composition and studied various instruments such as the piano, accordion, guitar and drums. After graduation, he spent years in Paris, Nashville and New York and started his professional career at the age of 20, as composer, lyricist, producer and publisher.
Ralph wrote the Eurovision Song Contest winner in 1982, A Little Peace, performed by Nicole, and has participated in the competition 24 times. He wrote Theater, Johnny Blue, Journey to Jerusalem and We're Giving a Party, all of which reached the top three in the contest.
Ralph said; "Music is still my life and the Eurovision Song Contest is the most wonderful possibility to present a song as a composer, that millions of people around the world can hear and hopefully like. As a producer I love to help great artists to be able to show their talent and touch the hearts of the audience. This is my 25th participation in the contest and I want to thank all the artists and musicians that have joined me on this journey".
Jutta Staudenmayer is a German singer and lyricist who was many years of experience on stage. She specialises in lyrics in all genres of pop, classical music, TV Shows and children's songs. Lyrics on rockers like The Huguenots and Friedrich Rückert were characteristic in the early years. She has worked on many successful projects. The essence of the language and their emotion, and the craft of rhyme and metric is its unique selling point. She says about herself: a song can change your life in just one moment.
Steven Barnacle is an English musician, composer, lyricist, with extensive experience with many famous artists. He loves the challenge of working with different people from different backgrounds and countries to see if the mix works, always in search of magic! "For me the unique thing about a good song is, that you can take it with you, memorised, unlike a good book, film or painting you can re-create it yourself, alone or with other people, this makes it most interactive art form of all".