Always On The Run! It’s Isaak for Germany in Malmö

‘Eurovision Song Contest – Das Deutsche Finale’ has wrapped in Berlin, and now Germany has its Eurovision entry for May – Isaak with the song ‘Always On The Run’.

Many of us in Europe collectively beamed into Berlin on Friday 16 February as Germany held its pre-selection for the 68th Eurovision Song Contest – Das Deutsche Finale.

At the gala event, 9 songs were performed for our entertainment. But there was a more serious business at hand – as scores were being calculated by both an international jury and the German public watching at home.

In the end, 8 international juries submitted their points, as did German TV audiences, with both contributing 50% of the final score. Always On The Run was the winning song, performed by Isaak.

The song won both the public vote and the international jury vote, scoring a full ‘douze points’ from each. 

After initially embarking on a music career in a band, Isaak Guderian, who comes from a small town called Espelkamp, soon evolved into a promising singer-songwriter on his own. 

With prior experience in The X Factor Germany, Isaak later won the talent show Show Your Talent in 2021. His singing repertoire ranges from melancholic ballads to powerful arrangements challenging the entire vocal range.

Isaak’s song for Germany, Always On The Run, is a perfect example of how the emotional depths and exhilarating highs of a song can take listeners on a unique musical journey. 

According to the artist himself:

“Music is the only refuge where I can be who I am. Here, everything is allowed. No labels, no system, no order. Pure emotions, a playground not only for children. And everyone can understand it – whether it’s in their language or not.”

Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest

Germany was 1 of the founding countries of the Eurovision Song Contest and has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest every year since 1956 apart from 1996 when its entry failed to qualify from a pre-selection round.

Germany’s early decades at the Eurovision Song Contest were a mixed bag; a couple of Top 5 placings but finishing last with ‘nul points’ in 1964 and 1965. It would take Germany until 1970 to reach the Top 3 for the first time, when Katja Epstein represented the country in Amsterdam.

Germany’s most successful decade at the Eurovision Song Contest was the 1980s, where the country notched up 6 Top 5 placings, including 4 second-place finishes and its first victory in 1982, when Nicole won the contest in Harrogate with Ein bißchen Frieden. 

In 2010, Lena won the Eurovision Song Contest for Germany for the second time with the song Satellite. In 2018, the country made a return to the Top 5 of the competition thanks to Michael Schulte’s You Let Me Walk Alone.

The Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden on Tuesday 7 May (First Semi-Final), Thursday 9 May (Second Semi-Final) and Saturday 11 May (Grand Final) 2024.

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