Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  First impressions and comments based on these short clips: Bulgaria ... what can I say? I can't stand the song and the staging, the bit we got to see, isn't anything special either. If I can choose this is a NQ. Azerbaijan has more Azeri in it? Not sure as I haven't listened it so much even if I think it's an ok song. I get more irritated by many others than this one, I kinda enjoy it. And more Azeri the better. Most likely NQ but I'd love to see it Q over Bulgaria or Cyprus or something just to see the chaos. :-) Romania has an idea, energy and potential to do well unless the angry aggressive woman syndrome hits again. Then this could even NQ. Or do nothing in the final. Or do Top-10. Hard to say. Luxemburg is just what it is. Not one of my favorites. NQ for me but most likely this will Q anyways.  Czechia uses long, loooong notes and mirrors. But is it still a bit dull? I certainly lose my attention somewhere half way of those long lines.... He's good tho...

Rai has announced that Gabriele Corsi will be the commentator of Eurovision song contest once again and next to him this time is bubbly Elettra Lamborghini straight from Sanremo 2026 and most every talk show in Italy ever since! She's really living her best life this season.  The spokesperson for Italy will be Neapolitan actress Maria Sole Pollio in honor to Sal Da Vinci's Naples. She was also one of the hosts for Sanremo 2025 pre-show. 

  Italy - Sal Da Vinci - Per sempre si ... and here's the Italian team on stage:  Germany - Saran Engels - Fire France - Monroe - Regarde! United Kingdom - Look Mum No Computer - Eins, Zwei, Drei Austria - Cosmo - Tanzschein

  My first look opinions, here they come! Belgium is looking very very nice I must say, still don't care for the song but I do like the visuals. Lithuania is another song I don't care for and the staging does nothing to me either.  San Marino . Colorful. That's all I can say. Even Senhit sounds off.  Poland has upped its game. Yet another song that does nothing to me but at least they have made an effort with the staging that looks pretty cool! Still all these four seem like NQs to me so far. Serbia . Whoever decided to put that bit of the song in this preview needs a raise immediately! The funniest preview clip I have seen in my Eurovision history - and that's a long one!

  The news we waited is here: Ebu has allowed Linda to play parts of her violin bits live on stage in Vienna 2026 Eurovision song contest. No instruments have been allowed live on stage since 1999. The first exception was last year's Lucio Corsi from Italy but he played his harmonica to his singing mic and there was no need for anything extra to do.  It's worth mentioning again that this Liekinheitin, Finland's entry, IS a Linda Lampenius song, not Pete Parkkonen's. Pete is just the vocalist on HER song. I want to underline that and press it as some fans tend to think she does nothing. Her violin IS the lead vocals just as Pete's. And now it goes live!

What can I say? Not much judging these short videos. But I say a few words anyways by the first impression that can be very misleading anyways. Moldova is a bit let down, not at all so powerful and energetic as I expected. Vocals seem to be off, too. Sweden . Same as Moldova. Which makes me think these vids are on purpose a mess. Croatia seems very busy and a bit too serious and angry. I have said before and I repeat myself: angry women don't do well in Eurovision . Greece .... Oh well, looks rather chaotic and his voice a bit weak. But then again it's a rehearsal. Need to see the whole package but doesn't look like a winner despite all. This said my favorite performance of them all is the Greek national final preview with only one hanging mic. That was fab and let Akylas show all his charm. Now he disappears into his visuals.  Portugal stands out with the pretty staging, calm song and good voices. They're so sailing to the final! Georgia was on my list to qualify b...

Jaana Pelkonen retuns to Eurovision bubble being the Finnish spokesperson 2026 nicely after 20 years when she was commenting the 2006 edition won by Lordi with Heikki Paasonen, and then hosting the show in Helsinki 2007 with Mikko Leppilampi.  But not only. She has hosted the Finnish national selection seven times, and has been the Finnish commentator also in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010.  After the national final in 2011 she left the bubble and went to the parliament instead after being selected in 2011 and again in 2015 when she was the 5th most voted MP in the whole country. After two rounds she stepped out of politics and returned to show biz in 2020.  Maybe, just maybe she'll repeat the magic..... 

  Norway - Jonas Lovv - Ya ya ya Malta - Aidan - Bella Albania - Alis - Nân Ukraine - Leléka - Ridnym Australia - Delta Goodrem - Eclipse Denmark - Søren Torpegaard Lund - Før Vi Går Hjem   Latvia - Atvara - Ēnā Cyprus - Antigoni - Jalla

  Armenia - Simón - Paloma rumba Switzerland - Veronica Fusaro - Alice Czechia - Daniel Žižka - Crossroads Luxembourg - Eva Marija - Mother nature Romania -Alexandra Căpitănescu - Choke me Azerbaijan - Jiva - Just go Bulgaria - Dara - Bangaranga All photos lovingly borrowed from Eurovision official media