Jendrik releases 'I Don't Feel Hate' - Germany's song for Eurovision 2021

Steven Garner

Feb 25, 20212 min read

The moment that "Jendrik stans" have been waiting for has finally arrived! Just minutes ago the audio version of the 26-year-old Hamburger's song was released across multiple platforms and will now receive radio airplay.

The music video is set to premiere on German broadcaster ARD's channel Das Erste at 17:50 CET in between coverage of the Nordic World Ski Championships, and just ten minutes later (18:00 CET) Eurovision fans will be available to watch it here on Jendrik's YouTube channel.

On Friday evening, Jendrik will then appear on the NDR Talk Show, which is co-hosted by a familiar face to the Contest's devotees: Barbara Schöneberger, Germany's Eurovision spokesperson since 2015 and host of several previous national finals.

'I Don't Feel Hate': a upbeat song with a thoughtful message

Germany's 2021 Eurovision entry is a real Ohrwurm (ear worm - yes, it's a German loan word!). The song's chipper, exuberant and energetic tone - a clear reflection of its co-writer and performer, Jendrik Sigwart, a self-confessed "optimist in training" - does, however, somewhat belie a positive but more thoughtful message: that haters should be pitied and not hated in return.

Complete with (rhinestone-encrusted) ukulele, a dancing brass/horn section, cheery whistling, electro drops and a "tap break", the song also embodies Jendrik's much-publicised motto: Wenn schon, denn schon (All or Nothing).

The road to Rotterdam

Jendrik has for months been charting his Eurovision journey so far via a series of videos shared on Instagram and TikTok focussing on his production of a music video (seemingly set in a launderette and starring Mittelfinger... sorry, the "peace sign") as well as the artist and song selection process.

The former musical theatre star and fan of seagulls (his spirit animal) explains that there were two juries, one consisting of 20 music professionals from around the world and the other made up of 100 German Eurovision fans who were closest to predicting the results of the 2019 Contest.

Once those juries had voted on the music videos submitted, the successful acts were invited to a song writing camp, after which over 300 songs were in the running. The juries then narrowed down the potentials to 15 songs, before a live performance saw Jendrik chosen as the next artist to carry German hopes of a Eurovision win.

Germany in Eurovision

Germany has 63 appearances at the Eurovision Song Contest to its name and competed in the inaugural edition back in 1956. It has been victorious on two occasions to date: in 1981 with Nicole's 'Ein bisschen Frieden' and then again eleven years ago in Oslo thanks to 'Satellite' by Lena.

Michael Schulte placed an impressive fourth with 'You Let Me Walk Alone' in Lisbon in 2018, but that success is sandwiched between two 25th placings for Levina ('Perfect Life', 2017) and S!sters ('Sister', 2019).

Fans will this year therefore surely be adopting Jendrik's positive mental attitude, a strategy that this writer wholly endorses. Viel Glück beim Eurovision Song Contest, Jendrik!