ITALY: SANREMO 2020 ARTISTS ANNOUNCED JANUARY 6

Some details have been announced about the 70th festival della canzone italiana aka Sanremo 2020 (more news here). The  Big artists won't be announced during the Sanremo Giovani selection on December 17 but only on January 6, 2020. Amadeus has also stated he would like to have Monica Bellucci as his co-hostess, and dreams of bringing either Madonna or Lady Gaga to the festival as guest, but Tiziano Ferro is more likely.....

Meanwhile the rumours of possible artists are already started, as while the Italian Eurovision fans are afraid Amadeus will bring the festival back in time with likes of Albano and other oldies after baglioni's surprising fresh approach here are some names rumored and/or  who I would like to see in the festival..... Click for their latest or best videos.

Alexia

Tommaso Paradiso

Alberto Urso

Dolcenera

Malika Ayane

Elodie

Lorenzo Fragola

The Kolors

Pierdavide Carone

Loredana Berté

Modà

Irama

Lisa

Federica Carta

Marcella Bella

Giusy Ferreri

Annalisa

Briga

Giovanni Caccamo

Deborah Iurato

Diodato

Francesco Da Vinci

Pago

Paolo Vallesi

WHAT I LISTENED TO IN THE 80'S, vol 49 - ROXETTE

 

Like ABBA no one could have saved from hearing Roxette. Even if may have preferred the ballads like Crash boom bang I was onboard from the beginning. One of my most vivid and fond memories is a crispy sunny morning at Pier 17 in New York's Seaport, when the fog was fading away and It must have been love playing at the breakfast restaurant's loudspeakers outside....

WHAT I LISTENED TO IN THE 80'S, vol. 48 - MYLENE FARMER

 

I was in the Jeanne Mas team for a long time but Mylene Farmer came like a storm and kept releasing fantastic songs and amazing epic short historic film videos with Laurent Boutonnat, the most expensive ever in French language beating likes of Michael Jackson in budget. I became a huge fan in the 80's and 90's but since then I have lost a bit touch, but not the French audience: 15 #1s and 45 top-10 hits and counting. And I still keep eye on her new releases hoping she will reconquer me again. 

Check out also:

WHAT I LISTENED TO IN THE 80'S, vol. 47 - THE COMMUNARDS

 

First there was Bronski Beat and Jimmu Somerville's falsetto voice. Then it evolved into The Communards when he left and joined forces with Bronski's collaborator pianist Richard Coles. Two albums, a few singles most hits being covers. But they left a mark in my musical memory...

FINLAND: VAIN ELÄMÄÄ 10 - VESALA'S DAY

Day 2 of season 10 was dedicated to Paula Vesala and her solo songs and the songs of her ex-band PMMP.  Being a female writer with some very rough, meaningful and strong lyrics the male artists took the best out of them this time, even if Maija Vilkkumaa and Erin did a good h´job. My favorites were however again Lauri Tähkä and Samu Haber, with Antti Tuisku making his debut, a very strong one and Elastinen did a good job after last week's flop.

Check out the episode one, Antti Tuisku's Day here

Studio

Paula's original

Studio

PMMP's original

Studio

Paula's original

Studio

Paula's original

WHAT I LISTENED TO IN THE 80'S, vol. 46 - GEMINI

 

Musical Swedish family Glenmark has given several singers and various combinations but the one here is the duo of Anders and Karin. They first scored well in Melodifestivalen 1984 with Kall som is, before becoming the wannabe ABBA when ABBAs boys wrote material for them for the next two albums, and their debut single Just like that was even an unfinished, unreleased ABBA track . Anders also scored internationally with ABBA boys' Chess musical's hit single One night in Bangkok. His falsetto and her chrystal clear voice, what's there not to love? Shame it lasted only two albums (and occasional live returns). As a duo. Both have continued and done a lot of stuff ever since.

WHAT I LISTENED TO IN THE 80'S, vol. 45 - SADE

 

Fashion designer and part time model Sade brought the elegance and grace to pop music in the early 1980's and has continued ever since, maybe not celebrating in singles' charts anymore but selling and permorning to adoring audiences. I have a soft spot for those early hits, or should I say evergreens?

Check out also:

WHAT I LISTENED TO IN THE 80'S, vol. 44 - GIUNI RUSSO

 

Today it's 15 years since when one of the most amazing voices ever anywhere was lost forever. Her memory is kept alive by devoted fans and remembered regularly by her collaborators France Battiato and Alice, among others. Like Alice she left the easy pop in the 80's and dedicated for more challenging sounds and created something amazing along the way. However, her 80's pop hits are evergreens, with ot without Battiato's magic touch.

She is missed. A lot. That voice gives shivers and joy everytime I hear it.

Check out also:

ITALY: NEWCOMERS MAKE A COMEBACK TO THE FESTIVAL IN 2020

 

The Newcomers aka Giovani selection will make a welcome return to the festival next year. There will be eight in total in this category: two selected through Area Sanremo selection, one from Sanremo Young selection and five from Sanremo Giovani aired live on Raiuno in December 17, 2019. 

In February, during the 70th Sanremo festival the first two nights will have 10 Big and 4 Giovani performing, and two Giovani will be eliminated. Third night the 20 Big will be performing covers while the four Giovani will battle out for the two final spots. Fourth night there will be the Giovani final who then gets a chance to perform also on the final night, but outside competition.

In November 2018 Mahmood won one of the two tickets to compete among the Big in 2019 (gladly this nonsense selection is dropped now, despite Mahmood's success. I just think the categories work better separately, and the winner gets to compete among the Big the year after if worthy) and won it all and ended up Eurovision runner up. Previously he took part in the 2016 Giovani edition won by Francesco Gabbani who then went on to win 2017 Sanremo and finishing sixth in the Eurovision. In the same edition Ermal Meta came third, and went on to win Sanremo and finishing 5th in Eurovision 2018 with Fabrizio Moro.... That category is certainly something to keep eye on!

FINLAND: UMK2020 SUBMISSIONS IN NOVEMBER, FINAL WITH 4-10 ENTRIES

After two years of internal choices in search of "a jackpot" in vain Yle and UMK are returning to an open call. The song submission window is from November 1 to 8, 2019 and Yle is hoping to get a variety of entries from various genres and various artist categories from newcomers to veterans, stars of the moment and has-been in search for a comeback because "each and everyone can have a boost to their career with the participation, not only the winner". They also expect the entries being chosen already the next week.

 Their hopes seem to be high despite the fact some are still suspicious and not so trusting this will all go smoothly after their sudden change of plans three years ago when they just threw all the submissions to the rubbish bin and decided to go for Saara Aalto instead. 

The fact that they haven't published clear rules and information yet but only "we expect and wish to choose 4-10 entries for the one off final depending on the quality of the submissions" isn't making things any more trustful. So, one can make the conclusion if we get only 4-5 entries final they considered the rest crap. Also, there won't be semi-final but only the final but the plan is to showcase the entries in some kind of previews and play them on Yle's channels before the final, wherever that will be sometime in February-March 2020.

Below are some of my past UMK favorites, enjoy!