EUROVISION WISH LIST: MARGARET

Margaret is no stranger to Eurovision national finals having participated both in her native Poland and in Sweden's Melodifestivalen with In my Cabana. It's about the time she gets to do it and for Poland. She started as a fashion blogger, recorded soundtracks for television commercials and sung in underground bands. After given a chance her debut single Thank you very much was an international hit and she has delivered hit singles in Poland ever since and two of her three albums have sold platinum. She also collaborated with Canadian grooner Matt Dusk and recorded a cover album of standars like Just the two of us and 'deed I do. Check out also her latest Lollipop and What you do, Byle jak and Elephant. And of course Poland's missed opportunity, Cool me down below

EUROVISION WISH LIST: DARIN

Darin is no stranger to Eurovision having participated in Melodifestivalen 2010 with You're out of my life, six years after his breakthrough in Idols, and being part of the interval act in 2013 Eurovision semi final. He has become one of the most succesful if not the most succesful Idols born artist in Sweden despite being only runner up (to Daniel Lindström - who? and beating Loreen among others). He started in English but switched to Swedish (and more acoustic sound) in 2014 and it made him even more popular. Seven out of his 8 albums went to #1 so far, and he has also 10 top-10 singles to his credit. He has also written songs for other artists and was even asked to write a song for the Crown Princess Victoria's wedding, Can't stop love. Tvillingen was the most played song in Swedish radios in 2017. His career is also going strong in Asia. 

Check out also Nobody knows, Lovekiller, Mamma mia, Ta mig tillbaka and F your love. If only SVT could manage him get back to Melodifestival and he win it, he could well be the one to give Sweden yet another win with the right song. 

EUROVISION WISH LIST: SEREBRO/Серебро

I'm not usually so keen on Eurovision returns - especially those who try and try again after being there already once - but this is one group I'd love to see giving it another try. The line up may have changed so many times that no one can keep track but Olga stays from the original Helsinki 2007 formation and the other girls today are Katya (2016-) and Tatiana (2017-). Despite changing line up almost every year they have kept their hits coming (12 top-10 hits in Russia, 5 #1's) along with three albums and chart success also abroad, especially Italy. They've got their cheeky side and sexy poses and fun catchy songs along with some ballads. Should Russia send them again they would certainly create quite a stir and with some ear worm like Mama Lover or Mi mi mi they could even better their third place with Song #1. Check out also Malo tebya, Chocolate and СЛОМАНА

EUROVISION WISH LIST: IDAN RAICHEL

Israeli Idan Raichel would be an awesome Eurovision entry. Or at least interval act in Tel Aviv next year! Singer-songwriter and musician known internationally for his fusion of electronic and folk music, Hebrew, Arab and Ethiopian music and texts with some gypsy music, tango and jazz thrown in making a mix that is still easy to listen to, catchy and most of all very beautiful and melodic. Real music. He uses a lot of other vocalists on his songs making them all unique and bringing global success. As Israel is again using the talent show for their next entrant maybe he could at least the song for the winner...? After all he has written and collaborated with many other stars, including Italian superstars Mina and Adriano Celentano in Amami amami. 

Listen to Po co,  Chalomot shel acherim, Mon amour, Todas las palabras, and he also collaborated with Portuguese Eurovision opening act Ana Moura in Sabe Deus. 

ITALY: MARCO MENGONI IS BACK WITH #VOGLIO#BUONA VITA

 

Undoubtly one of the biggest stars in his native Italy Marco Mengoni has been having a break after his megasuccesses in recent years but now he's back with a new album due next month and today he has launched two new singles both in Italian and Spanish showcasing the stylistic sides of his new effort. Buona vita is Latin influenced number while Voglio is more electronic pop anthem. Listen in all digital forms (I'll add the vids as soon as available)

EUROVISION WISH LIST. TAMTA/თამთა/Τάμτα

Georgian Tamta placed 3rd in the Greek national final back in 2007 with With love following her 2nd place in Greek Idol 2004 (only a year after she moved to Greece) that gave her popularity in both Greece and Cyprus. She's been ever since on Eurovision fans radar for a suitable artist for either Greece or Georgia, where she has also been working lately as X Factor judge since 2014, with a one season switch to the Greek one. As Georgia is using Idol to select their entrant for 2019 we won't see her for them next year for sure, but who knows maybe for Greece?

Check out Unloved, Πες Μου Αν Τολμάς, Tag you in my sky, Ήλιους και Θάλασσες, More than summer love, 

EUROVISION WISH LIST: KENDJI GIRAC

Chances of getting Kendji Girac to do Eurovision anytime soon despite his minor flirting with the idea are rather slim now that France has gotten back to the national final system - unless the new man in charge decides to cancel it all and go internal after all (As Edoardo Grassi was axed in favor of Steven Clerima as HoD after all (and because of) that he has done in the past three years)

Kendji is still only 22 even if it feels like he's been around a lot longer already. He rose to the fame in 2014 when winning The Voice and has released three #1 albums with six top-10 hits. His mix of pop, folk and catchy gipsy music is a cocktail that should work everywhere in Europe. He has it all going and would be a perfect choice if France should go internal again. Just listen to Maria Maria, No me mires ma, Color gitano and Andalouse to gt the idea. 

EUROVISION WISH LIST: ALEYNA TIKLI

Turkey is not coming back anytime soon it seems but if they did, Aleyna Tikli should be a  top consideration. She's only 18 but can already put in her CV participation in the most watched Turkish video on Youtube (Cevapsız Çınlama), her debut solo single hitting #1 (below), and three other hits in 2018: Yalnız Çiçek, Dipsiz kuyum and Sevmek Yok. She is studying English in Los Angeles besides belting out hits in her native Turkey where she got noticed in a talent show, as it is these days. She sounds like a perfect match for eventual Eurovision comeback. Hopefully soon!

EUROVISION WISH LIST: MICHALIS HATZIGIANNIS/Μιχάλης Χατζηγιάννης

Μιχάλης Χατζηγιάννης has been around since being somewhat timid 19-year-old guy having a permission during his military service back in 1998 to do Eurovision with self written boombastic Genesis for Cyprus. He has become one of the top artists in the Greek language market in the 2000's delivering hit albums ever since and scoring hits. He's also one of the rare artists from the region I have followed more or less regularly ever since and usually always liked what I hear. Το καλοκαίρι μου has been my summer anthem ever since it was released. His one and only English album also has left an ever lasting mark with More than beautiful and Everyone dance. He has a back catalogue too long to mention filled with ballads and more uptempo songs with ethnic Greek sounds  and even a hint of Slavic melancholy filled with emotion and passion that come across the language barrier making his musical style a perfect mix for Eurovision song contest.

Should either Greece or Cyprus choose internally he should be number one priority to get onboard. Apparently he has been asked before and maybe he isn't so keen on the idea himself but one can dream. Right?

PS. He has also recorded Emma's Sanremo 2012 winner Non è l'inferno in Greek making it totally his own.....

FINLAND: KATRI HELENA INCLUDED IN THE FINNISH MUSIC HALL OF FAME

Helsinki and Finland will get its own museum celebrating Finnish music, a multimedia affair inspired by Stockholm's ABBA Museum among others. It will also include the Finnish Music Hall of Fame and the first ten names included have been revealed. The only living one among the legends is none other than the blue & white voice Katri Helena (73). Her career spans already six decades and she has released over 50 albums, recorded nearly 500 songs and sold over 1,5 million albums. On top of that several international festivals including Eurovision song contest. Twice. 

The museum will be opening in fall 2019 in Helsinki's Pasila district's new Tripla complex.

The other Fame names included are classical composer Jean Sibelius, opera singer and creator of Savonlinna opera festival in Olavinlinna castle Aino Ackté, dance orchestra Dallapé (still existing, since 1925!), singer, musician and composer Georg Malmsten, king of tango Olavi Virta, folk virtuoso Konsta Jylhä, composer, musician, producer, talent scout, arranger and pianist Toivo Kärki, author and composer, musician, singer, actor, writer Reino Helismaa and singer-songwriter, poet Juice Leskinen.  Kärki & Helismaa wrote the Finnish Eurovision entry 1965, Kärki also composed 1969 entry.