| "Everyway That I Can" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bySertab Erener | ||||
| from the albumNo Boundaries | ||||
| Released | 23 April 2003 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:34 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Composers |
| |||
| Lyricist | Demir Demirkan | |||
| Producer | Ozan Çolakoğlu | |||
| Sertab Erener singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Everyway That I Can" onYouTube | ||||
| Eurovision Song Contest 2003 entry | ||||
| Country | ||||
| Artist | ||||
| Language | English | |||
| Composers |
| |||
| Lyricist | Demir Demirkan | |||
| Finals performance | ||||
| Final result | 1st | |||
| Final points | 167 | |||
| Entry chronology | ||||
| ◄ "Leylaklar Soldu Kalbinde" (2002) | ||||
| "For Real" (2004) ► | ||||
| Official performance video | ||||
| "Everyway That I Can" onYouTube | ||||
"Everyway That I Can" (also spelled as "Every Way That I Can") is a song by Turkish singerSertab Erener, with music composed by herself andDemir Demirkan, lyrics written by Demirkan, and production and arrangement byOzan Çolakoğlu. Itrepresented Turkey in theEurovision Song Contest 2003, held inRiga, winning the contest. It was the first entry from Turkey in the contest that did not feature any Turkish lyrics.
It went on to achieve commercial success throughout Europe, peaking at number one on singles charts ofGreece,Sweden, andTurkey, as well as attaining top-10 peaks inAustria,Belgium, theNetherlands,Romania, andSpain. It continues to be ranked among the best Eurovision entries.
"Everyway That I Can" was composed bySertab Erener andDemir Demirkan with lyrics by Demirkan.[1] Erener recorded it with production and arrangement byOzan Çolakoğlu, famous for his works with pop idolTarkan.[2] She recorded two versions of the song, one fully in English, and another with Turkish and English lyrics.[1]
TheTurkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT)internally selected Erener asits performer for the48th edition of theEurovision Song Contest. On 24 February 2003, TRT announced "Everyway That I Can" as theTurkish entry for the contest.[3] Initially the song caused controversy with the Turkish public, considered too racy by some and toopop-oriented by others. Criticism also arose by Erener's decision to perform it fully in English at Eurovision.[4]
A promo video was released with Erener in anOttoman style castle, its rose gardens,imperial harem (living quarters) andTurkish Bath (hamam). Roses carry a major symbolism throughout the video. Erener is dressed in traditional Turkish styles, and Turkish female dancers are also present.
With its selection of singer and song, Turkey was regarded as having "set out to win" the contest, but Erener was not widely regarded as a front-runner in the lead-up to the event; "Ne Ver', Ne Boysia" byt.A.T.u. forRussia was regarded as a favorite to win.[4][5][6]
On 24 May 2003, the Eurovision Song Contest was held in theSkonto Hall inRiga hosted byLatvian Television (LTV) and broadcast live throughout the continent.[7] Erener performed "Everyway That I Can" fourth on the evening, earning critical acclaim and becoming the only entry that received astanding ovation.[8] The song had been slightly arranged to include some high notes and abelly dancing routine was added. Erener sang counter to the rhythm in places and the backing vocals were synthesised with Turkishstringed instruments.
The voting on the night saw Russia, Turkey, andBelgium switch places at the top a number of times beforeSlovenia eventually gave Turkey the victory by two points; the song received the maximum 12 points from four countries, the second-highest number (following Russia).[9][10]
Erener was hailed in Turkey as a national hero by the public and the press and was congratulated by thePresidentAhmet Necdet Sezer andPrime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğan.[11] She was awarded theState Medal of Distinguished Service, among others.[12][13] Additionally, this success was celebrated as a step forward in theTurkey–European Union relations.[8]
As the winning broadcaster, theEuropean Broadcasting Union (EBU) gave TRT the responsibility to host thefollowing edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Erener performed "Everyway That I Can" with male dancers and the same choreography as part of a medley at the Eurovision final inIstanbul on 15 May 2004.[14] The single was also included in her first English albumNo Boundaries.[15]
The song continues to perform well in rankings of the all-time bestEurovision entries.[4] On 22 October 2005, the song competed inCongratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest as one of the fourteen best ever Eurovision entrants, and finished ninth. Erener herself appeared onstage to perform the final verse of the song.[16] In 2006, it was entered inDie Grand Prix Hitliste, a German version of the above, and beat off stiff competition from "Waterloo" byABBA and eleven others to finish second. "Wild Dances" byRuslana theUkrainian2004 winning entry, was first.
The song was also included in a compilation album of Erener's national and international hits released in 2007.[17]
On 9 May 2024, Erener performed the song as part of a sing-along interval act in the second semi-final of the2024 contest held inMalmö, Sweden.[a][19]
Following its win, "Everyway That I Can" was released throughout Europe and sold well.[4] It reached the top of the charts in Turkey, Greece, andEastern Europe, holding the number-one position in Sweden for three weeks, breaking the top ten in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Austria and charting within the top twenty in Germany and Switzerland. It received a platinum certification in Greece and a gold certification in Sweden.[20][21]
Remixes of the song were also released, including a Turkish version, a club remix, and aEuropean dance remix.[citation needed] A live version was brought out and also included on the original singleCD, along with twoGalleon club remixes. The track was included on the official Eurovision 2003 CD as the original version, however.[citation needed]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Greece (IFPI Greece)[20] | Platinum | 20,000^ |
| Sweden (GLF)[21] | Gold | 15,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
In 2010,Elhaida Dani performed the song live onE diela Shqiptare [sq], an Albanian variety show. Dani would later go on to representAlbania at theEurovision Song Contest 2015.[46]
| Preceded by | Eurovision Song Contest winners 2003 | Succeeded by "Wild Dances" byRuslana |
