Jaana Pelkonen and Peltsi Peltola are presenting live from Tampere Fair and Sports Center the Finnish final for Eurovision song contest 2009 in Moscow. Tonight's propably the coldest night of the year with temperatures around -20C in most parts of Finland but in the sold out hall it's hot with 1.800 people! Before the final there will be a second chance round for the songs that didn't qualify directly. The entry chosen tonight will be Finland's 43rd entry. Finland has had a very rocky past in the contest finishing usually in the last places until the monstreous victory of Lordi in 2006. Finland has now been present in the final ever since.The show has started with Teräsbetoni presenting a new version of their last year's winner Missä miehet ratsastaa.The stage looks pretty fantastic! Jaana looks very glamorous tonight and Peltsi, well... casual as always.
THE SECOND CHANCE ROUND:
01. Passionworks fr. Tony Turunen - Surrender
Passionworks is the big fan favourite and its elimination from qualifying directly was quite a shocker to many. Now she is trying to get to the final with high fever and against doctor's orders who forbid her singing for 8 days. Harriet sounds like Bonnie Tyler at times with the cold but the soul and the one that carry the song anyways is Tony. She has the snowflake in her back again and the performance is very similar to the semifinal one. Everybody says this will qualify for the final but I'm not sure...
02. Tiara - Manala
Another rocksong with female vocals follows. Like Harriet Tiara has a voice that I personally don't like and in my opinion this is the worst song this year. But she performed better than in semifinals, did she? Same performance and same dress otherwise.
03. Riikka - Meren
Riikka is also a fan favourite and it will be interesting if she can make it to the final. Or are her fans only foreign Eurofans? She sings very well tonight and provides the same choreography as before with her backing groups in all blue stage. Riikka herself is such a darling! She really took the points home in the after-performance interview that comes from the greenroom situated just off stage!
04. Vink - The greatest plan
Also Vink was given almost certain to make the final but here they are trying to reach it with a very energetic performance that is not so hysterical as the semifinal one = better. But is it enough? It's the lead singer's 21st birthday today so he is in good spirits!
05. Janita - Martian
If Janita makes the final that would be a big surprise. Not because she's not worth it, she is. I like the song and she is fab vocally and looks like a real glamour star from the past tonight with her black dress and feathers. The song is just very un-Eurovision somehow and not something that will set the televoters on fire. I would love this in Moscow but.... not a chance.Correction: no feathers but horse tail???
06. Sani - Doctor doctor
If you ask me Sani should be already in final so I keep my fingers crossed she would get there now. The 60's girls in psychedelic dresses are on her again and so is the ballchair. The song's catchy and poppy and Sani & girls perform and sing well. This would be good enough for Moscow....
Time for the recap. Considering performances and feelings they gave me tonight I would put Sani and Riikka to the final, but.... well, we will see in a bit! Meanwhile we have Scandinavian Hunks, Beatwarriors and Jouni Viitanen, world champion in aerobics, on stage for some interval entertainment.
Ok, all the ladies are out: Janita, Tiara, Sani and Riikka didn't make it so Vink and Passionworks ft Tony Turunen join the finalists and still have a chance for Moscow! And we go on with the final right away....
THE FINAL:
01. Kwan - 10.000 light years
Kwan gives a good solid performance of their song that was a pre-contest favourite but has been losing ground since and has not been considered a possible winner anymore for some time, but I think they still might have a chance! Pyros add to this otherwise very unchoreographed performance. There's also a "jury" commenting on the entries and they all agreed Kwan has a good song but may miss something in the performance.
02. Jari Sillanpää - Kirkas kipinä
Next on stage one of the favourites, in good and in bad. I personally think his song, a slavic ballad, misses something I can't quite put my finger on.In an interview today he confessed he has lost some faith in the song after he lost to Signmark in semifinal. Let's see what happens when grannies have to choose between him and Tapani Kansa! He performed very well, no doubt about that and got a big applause but who dressed the backing singers?? The jury love Jari but judged the song oldfashioned and staging boring.
03. Signmark ft Osmo Ikonen - Speakerbox
I may be partial but I want this to win. I love the Motown vibe in this song. It's rap and hip hop, a genre I don't usually care for but it's melodic and there's enough singing and vocals to get it. Plus the deaf rapper would surely create some media buzz in Moscow. The staging is what it is: a rap act jumping here and there in baggy jeans but this time Signmark himself takes more centre stage as in semi he got a bit lost in the middle. The audience seems to love it!
The jury agrees with me and loves it and wants it to Moscow as it is different & positive.
04. Tapani Kansa - Rakkautta on, rauhaa ei
The shocker winner of the first semifinal with his "Stop the music!" comes next. Let's see what he manages to do tonight.... If this wins, I will have very hard times to support Finland from tonight to Moscow... The song itself isn't bad, just dated and ... well. I think the package just is wrong in 2009. Overdramatic and depressing. Hmmm, the jury seems to agree with me again! Too tragic and sad for Moscow in May!
05. Waldo's People - Lose control
The superfavourite. Let's see if they can make it all the way. The song is already hit in Finland, the band has international experience and minor hits here and there and could appeal to those 30-40somethings in 90's nostalgia.Stage act is the same as in semifinal: fire acrobats, pyros in right places, rapping Waldo and shouty vocals by the ladies and it rocks! If this wins I'm happy.... The jury agrees. They said for example if this wins it will play non stop in EuroClub for two weeks, and we will show Swiss (DJ BoBo in Helsinki anymone?) how to make this kind of music! To Moscow!
06. Remu - Planeetta
Remu caused quite a controvery with his stage performance in semis, let's see if he has changed something.... Well no. He still avoid any eye contact with TV and the audience. All three backing ladies have now face paint and almost steal the show while Remu seems to be hard time remembering the lyrics he wrote himself! Shame, bacause I kinda like this one.The jury wasn't sure the Europe would get it. True.
07. Passionworks ft Tony Turunen - Surrender
So they did it. Let's see how Harriet's voice stands the second (and eventually third? and fourth?) performance.Actually I think Harriet sounds better with this Bonnie Tyler sound even if Tony is the real star. And I think why I don't like this so much: it's aggressive in a negative way. And that never works in Eurovision, just think Hanna Pakarinen, she would have done so much better if the song was a bit more happier in 2007. The jury isn't so sure about this either, and are not so sure Finns or Europeans will want to have hard rock again.... Ditto.
08. Vink - The greatest plan
I would have been perfectly happy not to hear this one again but here it is, and more I hear it less I like it. It was kinda nice for 1-2 times, more is just noise. The jury liked it though, more or less. For their energy and positivity.
Recap is on now and who do I want for superfinal? Signmark and Waldo's People for sure but the third one? It used to without doubt Kwan but.... Kwan or Remu? Tonight's performances changed the pack quite a lot I must admit. Northern Kings take the stage now with their symphonic heavy metal version of a-ha's Take on me, which sounds pretty fabulous! Here come the superfinalists:
SUPERFINAL:
01. Signmark ft Osmo Ikonen - Speakerbox
02. Waldo's People - Lose control
03. Passionworks ft Tony Turunen - Surrender
The superfinalists are now reperforming their songs and the voting is on. If this running order will be also the final ordder I will be very happy! :-) We have now a break and the voting goes on until 21 CET when the results programme starts.
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