News: Five more countries announce their acts

Armenia, Iceland, Lithuania, Moldova and Poland acts unveiled

Five more acts are Moscow-bound...

Over the Valentine's Day weekend, five more countries announced the acts that will represent them at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow. None of these nations has won the contest so far, so how will they fare this year?

First (in alphabetical order) is Armenia, which is one of the newer countries to take part in Eurovision, having entered for the first time in 2006. Considering that they're such newbies, they've done quite well - having finished 8th, 8th and then a creditable 4th last year. Representing their country this year are sisters Inga and Anush Arshakyanner, with the song "Jan Jan" (which means 'New Dance'). Can our goth-tastic sisters claim Eurovision glory?

Also announcing their result this weekend was Iceland. They've been taking part in Eurovision since 1986, but they've yet to win the competition - their best result so far being 2nd place in 1999. Trying to break their duck is female soloist Jóhanna Gudrún Jonsdottir with the ballad "Is It True?".

Lithuania was the third country to pick their song for the Eurovision finals this last weekend. They've decided to send the group Sasha Son to Moscow, with a power-ballad called "Pasiklydes Zmogus". Lithuania have entered Eurovision nine times previously, and have sadly finished last twice. Their highest placing so far (6th) was in 2006 with the boldly-named song "We Are The Winners". Can Sasha Son go one better?

"Hora Din Moldova!" is translated as 'Dance of Moldova' and will be performed by female solo artist Nelly Ciobanu in Moscow. It's an upbeat track using a lot of ethnic instruments and melodies, so it'll be interesting to see how it's received with the international audience. This will be Moldova's fifth Eurovision, and their best result so far was a 6th placing in 2005.

The final country to announce their Eurovision song this weekend was Poland. Their representative is female solo singer Lidia Kopania, who will perform the ballad "I Don't Wanna Leave" in Moscow. Poland has been competing in Eurovision since 1994 - which was also the year when they had their highest placing, finishing in 2nd place behind Ireland.