O Julissi

"O Julissi"
Eurovision Song Contest 2008 entry
Country	Belgium
Artist(s)	Soetkin Baptist, Michel Vangheluwe, Ann Vandaele, Els Vandaele, Marleen Vandaele, Hans Vandaele
As	Ishtar
Language	Artificial
Composer(s)	Michel Vangheluwe
Lyricist(s)	Michel Vangheluwe
Finals performance
Semi-final result	17th
Semi-final points	16
Appearance chronology
◄ Love Power (2007)
Copycat (2009) ►

"O Julissi" also known as "O Julissi Na Jalini" is a song with lyrics in a constructed language by the Belgian six-piece band Ishtar. The swing influenced song represented Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 first semi-final in Belgrade, but failed to make it to the grand final.

This was the second Belgian entry to be sung in an entirely constructed language, in the 2003 Contest the country was represented by folk band Urban Trad with "Sanomi" which finished as the runner-up to Turkey's Sertab Erener singing "Everyway That I Can".

"O Julissi" was released as a single on 14 March 2008, and the song entered the Belgian Ultratop at #7. In its second week, "O Julissi" topped the list.

Ishtar's song was elected after they won the final of Eurosong 2008. Ishtar, until then an unknown band, defeated better known artists, like pop singers Sandrine and Brahim. The other contestants in the final were rock group Paranoiacs and Nelson, who had written a ballad.

Ishtar performed their song during the semi-finals on May 20, 2008 but were not selected to take part in the final of the competition.

Charts

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1

Sources and external links

• Official Eurovision Song Contest site, history by year, 2008.
• Detailed info and lyrics, The Diggiloo Thrush, "O Julissi Na Jalini".
• Ishtar official site (Dutch) (French)