Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Bulgaria's October semifinals are now over and the results have been public. November and December will see the same process making it 3+3+3+wildcards for the final! Out of these three qualified lucky ones I tend to prefer the number two, but... Well, let's wait and see what else they have in store for the coming months! 1. Svetko Christov feat Magdalena Djanavarova - Lonely world 21,36% 2. Nikolai Manolov - Po-dobre 16,06% 3. Marijiana - Moonlight 10,87% 4.Denis Mahmud - Confession 5,74% 5.Tiramisu - Dali ye znak 5,59% 6.Krasimira Slavova - Iskam tvoyite usmivki 5,47% 7.Instinkt - Vei povei 5,45% 8.Dimitar Atanasov - Koy sam yaz 5,43% 9.Ivan and Stani - You are magic 5,38% 10.Sky - Samo teb obicham 5,28% 11.Lora Vladova - Dosega 5,11% 12.Monika Goranova - Ot Zvezdite 2,13% 13.Tatjana Velikova - Den 2,20% 14.Tihomir Nikolov - Byagam 2,08% 15.Stojan Chingov - Zvezden mig 0,84% 16.Monika Kirovska - Bring me back my freedom 0,67% 17.Begacha - Ne vyarvai 0,24%18.Dobromir Peev - Lib...

Lordi's 2nd leg of their American tour supporting Type O Negative nearly turned nasty last night in Louisville, Kentucky when 4-5 kids with guns attacked Mr Lordi, his tour manager and bodyguard and some of their fans. One fan got a gun aimed at her head and her goodies stolen, while the tour manager and bodyguard were shot at. Luckily no one got hurt. The attackers were drug addicts that had stolen the car ealier last night and had already police on their tail.... The tour will go on as planned, confirms Lordi's record company BMG from Finland. Tonight Lordi will perform in Irving Plaza, New York... (foto: Iltalehti)

The 4th Icelandic semifinal was won by song number one this time. David participated in the Icelandic national final already back in 2006 where he reached top-15 but not the top-7... 1. In your dreams - Davíð Þorsteinn Olgeirsson 2. Lífsins leið - Áslaug Hálfdánardóttir 3. The picture - Þóra Gísladóttir

Want to spend a different Halloween? Tune in into www.wwozyfly.com/lordi on October 31 and have a 24h Lordi extravaganza with interviews, videos and a world premiere of their concert shot live in New York City tomorrow Monday 29th!

I have another addition to the possible Euroviisut artists: Jippu! She has been around a year now and has got a good critic and six radiohits from her Emma (The Finnish Grammy) awarded debut album but somehow I have managed not to hear or see her until now. Anyways, last night she outsung most everyone (like Jari Sillanpää, Katri Helena and even Hanna Pakarinen - acoustic version of Leave me alone with a new short hairstyle!-.... She's got the style, the voice and several good songs that remind me a bit of Anna Eriksson, Kaija Koo, Anna Hanski, Maija Vilkkumaa or Janita at times. Like all the goodies in one with added soulful voice strong enough to get the gospel feeling right when needed... I want Jippu for Belgrad! :-) More of her here: http://www.myspace.com/jippumusic

Krisse Salminen, the self proclaimed princess of the republic who nearly stole the show in the Eurovision 2007 in Helsinki from the real hosts Jaana and Mikko is facing major drop in the viewing figures with her new "Krisse Road Show" where she travels and meets Finnish celebrities abroad in a true Krisse style. The prime time show has had only around 95.000 viewers compared to her last year's "Krisse show" that had around 250.000 and was in channel Nelonen's weekly top-10 every week, "Krisse Road Show" yet needs to make it into top-20...

Aqua is coming back :-) The Danish-Norvegian europop band of "Barbie Girl" fame is recording new material, will release a new album and hit the road next year! ... roses are red and violets are blue tra la laa... Oh yes, they also did the interval act in Copenhagen 2001 with the memorable "fuck you Ken!" besides selling over 28 million records and retired shortly after that.

Azerbaijan has confirmed its debut in the Eurovision in Belgrad 2008. They also have set their aim high: "Victory and nothing less, otherwise why participate?" I think they do have a point and quite a few countries in the west should rethink their strategies as well. The composers for the songs have been chosen and are Faig Sujaddinov, Eldar Mansurov, Ilham Abdullayev, Tunzala Agayeva and Govhar Hasanzada while the lucky singers to perform their creatures are Emil Aliyev, Sabina Babayeva, Elnur, Fuad Musayev, Aytaj and Jabrayil . Dima Bilan, the Russian Eurovision 2006 runner up to Lordi and a ex-Soviet area's supermegastar extraordinaire will be in the jury that picks up the eventual Eurovision 2008 winner.

Aftonbladet has published a list they think will be the line up for the Melodifestivalen 2008. As usual, expect changes, disqualifications and scandals before the final list will be confirmed by SVT next month... Former Eurovision winner Charlotte "Can I get a hit song please" Perrelli former Nilsson seems to be in, as is symphonic pretty boy Evan and BWO: Face 84 - Alla gamla x Velvet - Deja vû Alexander Schöld - Den första svalan Lasse Lindh - Du behöver aldrig mer vara rädd Sanna Nielsen - Empty room Charlotte Perrelli - Hero Linda Bengtzing - Hur svårt kan det va? Christer Sjögren - I love Europe Anette Ingemansson & Ida Segersten - I lågornas sken Calaisa - If I could Fronda - Ingen mår så bra som jag Mickey Huskic - Izdajice (Never fall in love) Ainbusk Singers - Jag saknar dig ibland Rongedal Brothers - Just a minute Andra Generationen - Kebabpizza, Slivovitza BWO - Lay your love on me Frida Muranius - Leva livet The Poodles - Line...

It looks like Pernilla Wahlgren isn't in Melodifestivalen this year either. No idea if she even submitted songs but my guess is she didn't... After all, how many slaps can a girl take in the face from Christer Björkman??

Today's Dutch media reports that Gerard Joling has turned down NOS offer to represant the country in the Eurovision 2008 due other engagements. He says he will stand by for 2009 instead. Apparently he had been offered the Edsilia kind of final with six songs to sing.... Hmm...

Anna Eriksson, runner up in Euroviisut 2000 and OGAE Second Chance winner with "Oot voimani mun" is releasing a new album shortly titled under her home village Ihode. She has co-written most of the album and the first promosingle "Huojuva talo" is on the radios. Check out more here: http://www.myspace.com/ihodeanna Anna has been since her debut in 1996 one of the best selling Finnish female artists and especially the radios like to play her songs; for example in 2004 her songs were played in radios for 17 682 times! Only Madonna was played more btw. All her albums so far - 7 of them - have sold platinum with the exception of her Christmas album that sold "only" gold. She has a very international childhood and lived in Saudi-Arabia, Tanzania and India.

Third song for the Icelandic final was chosen this weekend out of three hopefuls. Breaking the rule of the last offering qualifying the first one did this time! Lullaby to Peace - Ína Valgerður Pétursdóttir, Seth Sharp, Berglind Ósk Guðgeirsdóttir. Vocalise-Andrea Gylfadóttir Á ballið á- Böðvar Rafn Reynisson and Tinna Marína Jónsdóttir Only six songs were presented in Bulgaria this week as Plamen Penev didn't show up for unknown reasons. Next week we will know the qualifiers from all 3 semifinals. 1. Stoyan Chingov - Zvezden mig 2. Dennis Mahmud - Confession 3. Tihomir Nikolov - Byagam 4. Ivan and Stani - You are magic 5. Begacha - Ne vyarvay 6. Dobromir Peev - Libe

Gerard Joling returns to Eurovision after 20 years if we believe his own words as NOS doesn't confirm or deny yet. Gerard represanted the NL already back in 1988 with "Shangri-La", and has since remained rather popular performer on home ground sporting 9 top-10 hits between 1985 and 2007 including 3 number ones, and has widen his professional horizons to represanting TV. Fan of photoshopping (and botox it seems) he is at tender age of 47 one of the veterans of the contest if he indeed gets to travel to Belgrad!

Yesterday the Macedonian TV and radio stations stopped their usual programming to play Tose's music and the whole Balcan area seems to be under shock. Tose will be buried today at 13.00 in his native town of Krusevo. The parliament of FYR Macedonia has declared the today a Day of Mourning for the country. Read more here http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/9441

Tose Proeski, a real superstar in the ex-Yogoslavian countries and the Macedonian Eurovision entrant in Istanbul 2004 has died this morning in a car accident. His career started in 1996 and he was a veteran of most song contests in the region, usually placing on top places, so in 2004 the Macedonian TV picked him up for the Eurovision. His "Life" (Angel si ti) only finished 14th however. He had just released his latest album that is doing very well. He was also very active in humanitary causes, including Unicef. "Life is a book and you gotta read it life is a story,and you gotta tell it life is a song and you gotta sing it you've got to know how to live it"

Pálmi Gunnarsson, of ICY (Iceland 1986) fame went on to the final from the second Icelandic semifinal beating the two other hopefuls. Heiða - Ísinn Edgar - If I fall in love again Pálmi Gunnarsson - Leigubílar In Bulgaria another 6 songs were performed and we will know October 28th who will pass on to the finals.... Sky - Samo teb obicham Krasimira Slavova - Iskam tvoite usmivki Katrin - Tseluni noshtta Svetozar Hristov & Magdalena Dzhanavarova - Lonely world Dimitar Atanasov - Koj sam az Mariyana - Moonlight

Some artists I'd like to see but hardly will not see... Darude - he is about to release a new album and hoping to score another world hit like "Sandstorm" Anna Eriksson - about to release a new album next month. She has said she won't take part in Euroviisut again. She came 2nd in 2000 with "Oot voimani mun" and the song won the OGAE's Second Chance Contest Kaija Koo - also releasing a new album this month. Has great albums and good songs but seems not to be interested in Euroviisut as a solo artist (she was backing Kirka in 1984 amongst others) Tauski - Cat Cat Virpi's husband and Euroviisut veteran. After many silent years is back with new style singing techno!

Paula Koivuniemi - the gay icon number one and grand old lady that sings anything from disco to punk. Celebrated her 40th year in business last year and keeps touring all the time. Isn't it a time she finally wins Euroviisut?? I ndica - very popular girl group that is second only to PMMP now that Tik Tak and Nylon Beat are out of the picture (and both PMMP girls are pregnant so they won't be there!) Sani - of Aika/Aikakone fame. Just released her second solo album and needs maybe a bit boost for it. Maki Kolehmainen, write her a winner! Juha Tapio - popular middle of the road artist with several radiohits

Olavi Uusivirta - popular new artist with a couple of big radio hits and chart topping album Annika Eklund - would she return to Euroviisut? Came third with Shanghain valot in 2006 Lauri Tähkä & Elonkorjuu - Finnish pop rock with ostrobotnia dialect. Very popular, their latest release sold platinum within days Irina - a very popular rock artist in Finnish. Top selling artist with an endless string of radiohits

In a month YLE will announce the names of the 12 invited artists and even if I know already I will get it all wrong but here are some names I would like to see involved.... (clockwise): Anna Abreu - runner up from last year's Idols, platinum selling chart topping album and a lot more experience behind her she might be a good fresh choise. She sings r´n´b latin pop in english, spanish and portuguese Janita - she was a big star in her early teens and moved to New York when she was 16, where she lives now and records. Backed up by a big record deal now she would be a nice surprise come back to Euroviisut (she came 3rd in 1994) Antti Tuisku - a real Finnish megastar what comes to selling records and making tours. Came third in the first Idols won by Hanna Pakarinen. recently involved in Malawi affairs inspired by Madonna. He released two albums last year - one dance music oriented in english and poppier one in finnish - and they entered the charts at number 1 and 2. Refused to enter...

I feel a bit confused. It is only early October and we are having semifinals like it was January! What's up? Must we put the song deadline January 1 to prevent songs being selected before Christmas?? Of course I enjoy watching semifinals on internet as usual but... do I enjoy it still in March? Five months of this that usually was less than 3 months period? Not sure yet... Iceland did offer - as usual - 3 sleeping pills while Bulgaria seemed like a talent show for the talentless to put it nicely. A couple of songs were pretty good, now we only need a little work on production and arrangements, vocal lessons or better nerves to the performers (or a new one) and we might have something.... But hey, it's only 7 months Eurovision! Iceland: Hafdis Huld Prastardottir - Boys and perfume Margrét Kristin Sigurdardóttir - Game over Gudmundur Jonsson - Gef mér von (Give me hope) Bulgaria: Tiramisu - Dali ye znak (Is it a signal) Tatiana Velikoa - Den Nikolai Manolov - Po dobre (Better) I...

The annual contest with the runner ups or fan favourites from various countries' national finals was once again won by Sweden when Måns Zelmerlöf's Cara mia was a runaway winner. Måns only managed 3rd place in Sweden. He beat UK's runner up Cyndi with I'll leave my heart 252-180 points. Spanish Mirela and Reina de la noche came third with 172 points. Finland's Johanna Kurkela with Olet uneni kaunein was disqualified when the Finnish OGAE was fired from the club (yeah, right!). Full results here: http://www.viisukuppila.fi/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=501&Itemid=1

Cyprus will have a national final this year again, after Evridiki's unfortunate failure in Helsinki. The final will be already on January 12. Malta will have its final on February 23 followed by a eliminatory round on February 21 as usual. And the exciting news come from Azerbeijan , as esctoday.com reports. They have started selecting their first ever entry! Welcome!

The Baltic countries also are set for the 2008 season. Estonia will have its final on February 2. The same day Latvia will have its first semifinal followed by the seond one a week later, and the final on March 1, when also Lithuania will have its final.

The next season seems to be in full swing with almost daily updates of various national finals and as usual, all Nordic countries have been among the first ones to publish rules, dates and other info. All of them will go hunting for the right one with various semifinals stages, from Iceland's 11-12 to Denmark's only 2. Denmark is the first one out with 2 semifinals on January 12 and 19 and the final on February 2. Norway 's final is a week later, on February 9 following four semifinals on January 11, 18, 25 and Ferbuary 6. Iceland 's final is on next week, February 16, after a long process of choosing the finalists, starting off next Saturday! Total of 11 semifinals and one more "second chance" round is to be expected. The Finnish and Swedish semifinals will go neck to neck starting from February 8 in Finland for 3 weeks and February 9 in Sweden for 4 weeks. The Finnish "second chance" round and the final will be on March 1, and the Swedish ...

Serbian tv has just revealed the stage design and sub logo for the Eurovision 2008. Why?? Honestly I think it is ridiculous and prefer without a shahow of doubt the way YLE - and most other previous broadcasters - handled things! Where's the excitement and surprise when seeing the stage for the first time? The oohs and aahs? :-( Eurovision 2008 just lost something. Shame.