Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

An era ended in Hungary last night and hopefully that was a first of many changes to come in also some other parts of the world ! I don't get to politics usually but this one links to Eurovision as well as the new elected prime minister has stated in some interview that he wants to connect Hungary to Europe again in every way including the Eurovision song contest, that he didn't agree with the non participation, so... Welcome back Hungary in 2027? All these years Hungary have been missing from Eurovision they have still continued with their national competition  since 2012 A Dal that provided the entry for Eurovision as well. Below you can hear the entries we missed. However it's worth remembering the line up and therefor also the winner might have been different if there was the ticket to Eurovision in store for the winner. This said, I would have been quite ok with most every entry that won A Dal in between. Maybe not all so Eurovision friendly but then again the songs do...

  I have no idea what these (AI things) are but oh Lord do these versions work?  (This said I am still against Ai use) What a great song this is in the end and works in every way! Just like Hard rock hallelujah from swing to acoustic to choir and everything in between back in the day. 

  Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen - Liekinheitin (Orchestral Version)**** As usual acoustic version, remixed versions and all that jazz is being released of the Eurovision songs also this year. Here are some or most of them worth mentioning. Enjoy! Delta Goodrem - Eclipse (Steve Anderson Remix)*** Alis - Nân (Piano Version)**** Monroe - Regarde ! (Piano Version) *** JIVA - Just Go (Rock Version)*** (... but what an earth is that styling??!!) Satoshi - Viva Moldova! (Hardstyle Remix)** SENHIT - Superstar (Acoustic Version)** Atvara - Ēnā (Acoustic Version)**** Tamara Živković - Nova Zora (orchestral version) **  LELEK - Andromeda (Choral Version) Eva Marija - Mother Nature (Folk Version)** LELÉKA - Ridnym (Live with Strings & Bandura)*** FELICIA - My System (Acoustic Version)**** ESSYLA - Dancing on the Ice (Piano Version)* LAVINA - Kraj Mene (English Version) **

Akylas - Rise Like a Phoenix (Conchita Wurst cover)*** Once again the #EurovisionALBM series gives us cover versions of Eurovision classics by this year's artists. Here's a little collection (to be updated) Alexandra Căpitănescu - Fuego (Eleni Foureira Cover) *** Satoshi - Rim Tim Tagi Dim (Baby Lasagna Cover)** SENHIT - Occidentali's Karma (Francesco Gabbani Cover)*** JONAS LOVV - Arcade (Duncan Laurence Cover)**** Eva Marija - Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi (Céline Dion cover)** LELEK - Wild Dances (Ruslana Cover) | Croatia****w Atvara - Fly On The Wings Of Love (Olsen Brothers Cover)*** Tamara Živković - Euphoria (After Dark)  (Loreen cover) ***  JIVA - We Could Be The Same (maNga Cover)*** Little Antigoni - My Number One (Helena Paparizou Cover)** Delta Goodrem - Tattoo (Loreen Cover) *** Alis - The Code (Nemo Cover)*** Lion Ceccah - Congratulations (Cliff Richard Cover)** Sarah Engels - Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Domenico Modugno Cover)**

   I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  And I saved my beloved Italy and the my biggest surprise of the season to last. Enjoy! Italy - Sal Da Vinci - Per sempre si ***** Oh Sal. I'm so happy he's back on top, a Sanremo winner finally, having the success he merited already in the mid 1990's! Tjis song may be corny and old fashioned but there's the charm. This year especially with so many weird strange songs that aren't really songs in the true meaning of the word. This is. A proper melody, proper lyrics, performed with emotion and passion and flawless vocals. Could you ask for more? And yes, there is a remix coming ...

Here they are, a lot anticipated running orders. Finland gets the best there's to have after the allocation draw while Sweden... well, thrown under the bus . Considering Azerbaijan got the number 2 in the semi-final two switching Sweden and Portugal wouldn't hurt much in the first one. Except Portugal being the only slow tempo in the first half... Oh well. Nu gör ni! Finland comes after Italy and before Montenegro, it is what it is. And the fate in first semi-final is all the favorites are in the first half except Israel and after them we have only one in current odds among top-20 while the others are bottom-10 for the moment..... And they saved Serbia last not to scare the kids and the elderly..... The second semi-final two Top-10 favorites in the odds (Romania, France) are in the first half and then in the second one we have three in a row in the second one: Denmark, Australia and Ukraine and again we finish with three songs in Top-10 with one in the bottom-10. 

    I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Croatia - Lelek - Andromeda ** We have had similar entries in Eurovision before from Latvia and Poland with variable results. Great vocals and harmonies, good melody... but I am a bit tired of these. I would like to like this a lot more than I actually do. Right now I have it in final at the bottom five but we'll see.  Finland - Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen - Liekinheitin ***** I guess I have said all already in previous posts about them and UMK. Seeing them #1 in the odds with a huge margin week after week is quite incredible. I guess I just sit back and enjoy the ride. Itäs going t...

  I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Armenia - Simón - Paloma rumba ** Oh dear what is this? is this good or bad? Is this chaos? Yes it is. Remembering his last year's performance in the national final I'm a bit afraid. Very noisy. And did I say chaotic? For now I have this as NQ but I have no idea..... Azerbaijan - Jiva - Just go ** When this came out I was phew, finally a ballad among all these noisy acts. First hearing I kinda enjoyed this, maybe the mood was right. The second time little less. Now I don't know. She can sing but the whole production comes across very amateurish, almost demo like. For now I have this a...

  I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Cyprus - Antigoni - Jalla ** When this was released I was "on no another of those" but now that we have all the songs this is quite alone (with Germany) in the genre. Which makes it bop up a little. But she's no Eleni nor Chanel. But these always get some points so midtable result on higher part of the right hand scoreboard can be expected.  Denmark - Søren Torpegaard Lund - Før Vi Går Hjem ** This has went to #2 in odds when writing this and it's a mystery to me. For me this song is a bit mess and the staging a better and less horny version of Olly Alexander's. He does a gr...

    I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Czechia - Daniel Zizka - Crossroads ** I had high hopes before this was published but sadly it didn't deliver. He's good vocalist but the song would fit better some tv-series or movies main theme than Eurovision stage. As we haven't seen a live performance it could lift this though. But as it is ... juries might support this enough for the lower Top-10 but it could slip a lot lower as well. Let's think about this again in May after rehearsals..... Luxemburg - Eva Marija - Mother Nature ** Another song I don't get. It's not bad, she's great on stage but is this one of...

    I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Greece - Akylas - Ferto ***** Ok, this is this years Käärijä/Joost/Baby Lasagna/Tommy Cash but Akylas has what the others have missed since Käärijä: the cute bubbly personality that I can't not adore. The song's also fun, catchy but not studid. The arrangement throws in nice nuances and the ballad bit fits and is beautiful and very, very Greek. Great job. I hope this makes the Top-5. Should this win I wouldn't be too sad but this more of a tyoical runner up like song. Instead of the national final video I want to add here the preview video as it shows best his personality.  Moldova ...

  I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Israel - Noam Bettan - Michelle **** This is right my cup of tea of a song: typical French pop that could be for example Slimane's song, even vocally. As I adore Slimane what's there not to like? The French fits nicely and makes sense as he's French but the few lines in English are totally unnecessary and kind of break the magic. Leaving all political questions and voting patters aside this should make the lower Top-10 for its own merits only. .  Lithuania - Lion Ceccah - Sólo quero más * One of those songs this year that I don't get all all. Not the staging nor the melody - once ...

  I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Malta - Aiden - Bella **** Now this is a curious one: One of my favourites, reasonably high in odds yet I have a feeling this will place somewhere in 20s in the grand final. I hope not! Beautiful and old fashioned but in a good way (like Italy) and among all these weird puzzle songs this has a melody that starts, grows unlike most. Aiden finally made it and I'm happy it's with this kind of a song rather than those Ritmus and other "girl pops" with Latin thrown in. Secretly I wish and hope for a Top-10. Norway -  Jonas Lovv - Ya ya ya ** I didn't follow the Norwegian selectio...

  I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Poland - Alicja - Pray * Poland's Alicia has the voice but sadly the song is a mess. Not my cup of tea at all. For me she's a borderline qualifier probably thanks to juries and Polish diaspora. And it's nice she finally gets her chance even if the first time around she had a lot better song.  San Marino - Senhit feat. Boy George - Superstar * Oh dear lord not her again. Does she have a life outside the Eurovision bubble participating, hosting, attending every possible Eurovision event ever organized anywhere. If I had one would she come? Aren't we a bit tired already? Valentina at...

I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Sweden - Felicia - My system *** First of all it's refreshing to not see Sweden as #1 in the odds for a change. And for a change I kinda like the Swedish entry (KAJ and M&M don't count as they are not Swedish, lol) Felicia is likable, she's got the backstory, too. I like the verses, less the noisy bits. This kind of song didn't work for Belgium last year and I never liked it at all. This is less demanding and melodic  in every way. Sweden will be once again in Top-10 because it's Sweden but will they reach To-5? I'm not so sure. Belgium - Essyla - Dancing on the ice * I ...

  I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Switzerland - Veronica Fusaro - Alice ** Now this one's a tricky one. First listening (or rather just a bit of it when it was published) left me rather unimpressed but now listening it properly it's quite interesting. Different for sure, somewhat memorable. But then again we don't have any live performance (when writing this) so how this be staged; just simple rock act or a circus act with dancers and artsy nonsense? If the first option I'd say midtable at best, if the latter even NQ. But this is different, refreshing and a good choice no matter what.  Albania - Alis -  Nân **** T...

I wasn't planning on doing personal reviews this year either but here we go after all. Truth to be said I have listened the entries 0-2 times before sitting down now to comment them. Let's go! The usual Blogilkar's home jury will reunite later and the results revealed in due time. meanwhile, my thoughts and comments on the entries of Eurovision song contest series is right here.  Austria - Cosmò - Tanzschein ** Certainly different from last year's entry. I kinda like this but then in the end not so much. This starts well and makes me curious but then it gets quite repetitive and goes nowhere. He's doing vocally good enough live but not so sure about the performance and masks and stuff. Haven't we seen that quite a few times already? Not sure how this act will open up to those not understanding German though. I can't quite see neither juries nor televoters going wild for this. Final placing 20something? Or even dead last. Again. Austria knows something about ...

  From runner up in the national final last year to be chosen internally this year. That's Simón. Last year it was Ay paparey bye and this year it is Paloma rumba. In the music video a cameo by Iveta Mukuchuan (2016) and song co-written by Rosa Linn (2022)  Simon Hovhannisyan (Սիմոն Հովհաննիսյան) also known professionally as Simon, is an Armenian singer, dancer and showman.  Simon Hovhannisyan created his YouTube channel in 2021.Since then he made it to last year's selection and now to Eurovision. He is the last announced artist and his song almost the last. 

The Swiss television SRG SSR chose Veronica Fusaro internally and she was announced January 20, 2026. Today her entry was officially revealed: Alice, a song off her latest album.  Veronica Fusaro (28)a Swiss born to Italian parents . Her public musical career started in The Voice of Switzerland in 2014 where she reached the knock out stage where she was... well, knocked out. Next years she won an award for the Demo of the year and performed in Swiss Music Awards. She also did Glastonbury festival, opened for Mark Knopfler in Nimes festival.  Two albums todate, three Eps and 19 singles before Alice, chosen for Eurovision. 

ČT has internanly chosen Daniel Žižka and his song Crossroads (out of 260 submissions) for Eurovision song contest 2026 in Vienna. His song was revealed March 11, 2026. Daniel Žižka (23)  has been involved in music since childhood and composed his first songs at the age of 10. At 15 he recorded professionally his first self penned song. Naturally his studies are music: singing, composition and musicals. He has also starred in tv series as an actor, His stage name was Daniell before he decided to go on with his own name. Crossroads is his 9th single.  Listen to some of his previous songs below:

Poland staged the season's last national final Finał krajowych kwalifikacji for the Eurovision song contest 2026. It was won by Alicja. So she finally gets to Eurovision having lost her 2020 chance due to contest's cancellation.  Alicja Szemplinska (24) won The Voice of Poland in 2019 and the year after the national final for Eurovision with Empires . However she was not selected for 2021. She tried again in 2023 with New home but placed only 6th. Outside Eurovision bubble she has released her debut album in 2024 and singles in a steady flow, Pray is her 23rd already.  The whole Polish affair seems bit a strange. The final was recorded already March 1, aired on March 7 and the results announced the next morning on March 8 after a 100% televoting. The finalists were chosen among the 173 submissions, first 20 for the live auditions and then the ten final ones after that. At the time of announcement they had become nine and later eight when Karolina Czarnecka with...

Portugal's 60th Festival da Canção came to an end tonight and the winner is Bandidos do Cante.  Portugal's national selection for Eurovision song contest 2026 has been quite critical to the participation with most artists and/or songwriters declaring they won't go to Vienna should they win. In the end there are apparently only two artists who have declared they will go to Vienna, and one uncertain if they win. Let's see who eventually will go to Eurovision in the end.... Apparently Bandidos do Cante is one of those who have said yes. Read more here .  Bandidos de Cante was formed almost by accident by childhood friends singing Alentejo folk songs at dinner parties and such. The quintet is composed of Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Raposo, Luís Aleixo and Francisco Pestana, all natives of the municipality of Beja, except for Francisco Pestana, who is from Monte Trigo. After tone of those dinner gatherings they were invited to record vocals to D.A.M.A.'s Casa ...