Jon Lilygreen & the Islanders will represent Cyprus in Oslo with the song “Life Looks Better In Spring”, written by Nasos Lambrianides and Melis Konstantinou, with lyrics by Nasos Lambrianides. Cyprus was drawn to start from position #14 in the 2^nd Semi-Final on 27^th May. It’s the country’s 28^th entry at the Eurovision Song Contest.

In an exclusive interview with escradio.com, Jon Lilygreen talks about a Cypriot-British Eurovision venture, his view on the world’s biggest TV music competition, and a lot more. If you missed the broadcast at 15:00 CEST, you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:https://www.escradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Jon-Lilygreen-Cyprus-interviewed-by-Matthias-Petermann.mp3.mp3|titles=Jon Lilygreen (Cyprus) – interviewed by Matthias Petermann.mp3]

Read more and check out the video clip…

Jon Lilygreen & the Islanders will represent Cyprus in Oslo with the song “Life Looks Better In Spring”, written by Nasos Lambrianides and Melis Konstantinou, with lyrics by Nasos Lambrianides. Cyprus was drawn to start from position #14 in the 2^nd Semi-Final on 27^th May. It’s the country’s 28^th entry at the Eurovision Song Contest.

In an exclusive interview with escradio.com, Jon Lilygreen talks about a Cypriot-British Eurovision venture, his view on the world’s biggest TV music competition, and a lot more. If you missed the broadcast at 15:00 CEST, you can listen to the interview here:

[audio:https://www.escradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Jon-Lilygreen-Cyprus-interviewed-by-Matthias-Petermann.mp3.mp3|titles=Jon Lilygreen (Cyprus) – interviewed by Matthias Petermann.mp3]

For more info on Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders, see below please.

Check out the video clip:

About Jon Lilygreen & The Islanders

It is amazing what you can do over the internet these days and no one knows this better than Cypriot song writers Nasos Lambrianides and Melis Konstantinou. After penning a song called ‘Life Looks Better in Spring’ they decided to enter it in the Cyprus selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. But they had a problem – they didn’t have anyone produce it OR sing it.

So, like most people these days who are looking for something – they went online and hit the world-wide-web jackpot! Their surfing led them to Wales in the UK and to music producer Jon Gregory. Jon suggested that the song writers take a look at an online demo of musician Jon Lilygreen. They did, and they were blown away with his natural talent and invited him to sing for Cyprus. It was from there that Jon Lilygreen and the Islanders were born.

The band:

Jon Lilygreen is 22 year’s old and comes from Wales in the United Kingdom. He is a professional working musician who has been involved with many styles of old and contemporary music. As well singing, Jon composes his own songs and is a very talented guitar player. He is well known in his home town of Newport where he performs acoustic sets at local clubs.

At 15, his father bought him his first electric guitar, on which he would practice daily and regularly skipped school to stay home and play. After finishing school, Jon enrolled in ‘Crosskeys College’ to study music performance where he achieved 3 distinctions whilst still making a living as a session vocalist with Gold Disc productions and various function bands.

Jon describes himself as “a simple dude” and enjoys hanging out with his friends. Jon says “music takes up a lot of my life, which is the way I like it! I’m a bit of a technology geek, I love my Xbox, my camera, my mp3 player. I don’t like sea food…it’s a bit freaky for me 🙁 “

Jon continues to work as a session musician as well as touring locally with his own solo acoustic material. He likes people to get a ‘warm fuzzy feeling’ from his music. After Eurovision Jon will continue to perform in the local music scene as an acoustic singer / songwriter and hopes to enjoy a musical future.

And for those of you wondering why Jon’s guitar is covered in black tape Jon can explain. “I have a Seymour Duncan pickup attached to my acoustic, and I need the tape to hold the jack input in place. And I was bored in a studio in Cardiff with a bunch of black tape at my disposal:)”

Jonathan (Jon) Gregory is a music producer and drummer from Scotland. Along with his wife Sylvia, he runs a recording studio in Rhondda South Wales. Jon started out playing the trumpet as a child but soon realised his love for Drums. As a drummer Jon used to play in a 60’s cover band called ‘as ten bears’ gigging working men’s clubs and social clubs in south Wales. The band soon started to write their own material and changed the name to ‘City Arabs’. Although they didn’t get the big record deal they had lots of fun.

After the band, Jon travelled to the USA and worked as a special needs tour guide. Based in New York he would get $3000, a minibus, a map and two European helpers. He’d be given 12 adults with special needs that wanted a holiday, and his job was to drive across America and have as much fun as possible for 10 days at a time.

In 1997 Jon moved to Newcastle to study music production – after graduating with distinctions he set up his recording business Gold Disc Productions. He started making demo recordings for songwriters and the studio has gone from strength to strength. As well as music production Jon and Sylvia now regularly compose music for film and TV most notably the Award winning Norwegian TV series ‘Der Ingen Skulle Tru At Nokon Kunne Bu’.

Jon says “Eurovision is a fantastic opportunity and we’re looking forward to making much more music in the future”

Sylvia Strand (piano) spent her childhood on a small Island off the west coast of Norway, trying to find someone to harmonise with while sailing around in a small dinghy. Her quest was successful when she moved to Oslo and started a working with Margaret Bjerkvik and Cecilie Jørstad, a collaboration which culminated in the trio being awarded a £7500 song-writing grant. After gaining a degree in Musicology from the University in Oslo, as well as fronting several rock and jazz bands, Sylvia decided to change tack and moved to Wales to study opera at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama gaining a Master with distinction in performance in 2003. Since then she has been working as a freelance musician alongside running a music production studio with her husband Jonathan Gregory.

Sylvia’s classical career has seen her tour and perform with the likes of Bryn Terfel, Jose Carreras and Katherine Jenkins as well as appearing as a session singer for several record companies including Chandos and EMI. Her love for contemporary music has led her to work closely with the Guild of Welsh Composers premiering several new works especially commissioned for soprano. Sylvia has also lent her voice to several characters in the new BBC series ‘Zoofactor’ due to air in late 2010 and she was the voice of the 2009 Christmas advert for gaming giant Sega.

A seasoned session musician who loves nothing more than being allowed to express herself in the company of other musicians, Sylvia is very exited about the prospect of taking some of her best friends and favourite musicians to Oslo and introduce them to the city where she used to earn a living as a singing waitress on a Viking ship.

Katherine Squire (singer) began her Eurovision journey at the age of 15 when she was asked to perform in a school production of the musical ‘Happy End.’ After travelling through Canada and a stint as a photographer, she completed a classical vocal course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she met her long term friend and fellow band member Sylvia Strand.  Leaving with a Distinction, she embarked on a career as a freelance singer. A lover of many musical styles, her past engagements have included work on the concert platform as well as musical theatre and jazz related performances. Her solo engagements have included solos in Bach’s Magnificat, Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Vivaldi’s  Gloria for Sir Neville Marriner. Other choral work includes recordings with the BBC Chorus of Wales for the record label Chandos.  Recent television appearances include London ITV’s Popstar to Operastar.

Whether it be classical, opera, jazz or pop music, Katherine just has a great passion for live performance and feels most at home on the stage. Recent work has taken her to Mexico, Paris, Canada and now Cyprus! Katherine feels honoured to be representing Cyprus in Oslo.

Sean Watts (singer) is 20 years old and lives in Cymer, a small village in the Afan Valley in South Wales. Sean has had a strong passion for singing ever since he can remember – After leaving school (Cymyr Afan Comprehensive) Sean went on to study musical theatre for 3 years at Neath college (port Talbot).

Sean has always been a keen performer taking lead roles since the age of 13 including the artful Doger in ‘Oliver’ and Bugsy in ‘Bugsy Malone’ In 2009 Sean won a singing scholarship and was awarded £500 toward furthering his career – he has also achieved grade 8 in both Classical singing and musical theatre.

Sean now works full time as a freelance singer in Wales and subsidizes his income by working as a session singer. It was through his work with Jon Gregory and Sylvia Strand that Sean became involved in this years Eurovision entry for Cyprus. Sean can’t wait to represent Cyprus in Oslo this May and promises he’ll give it all he can.