Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The semifinal of UMK 2013 finished moments ago and with the jury vote and televote combined Iina Salin and Rautakoura didn't make it. Once again the televote changed the result, or rather defined it as you can see from the juryvotes below: Great Wide North  40 (Toni 10, Aija 10, Tomi 10, Redrama 10) Elina orkoneva  32 (Toni 6, Aija 8, Tomi 9, Redrama 9) Last Panda  24 (Toni 6, Aija 6, Tomi 6, Redrama 6) Rautakoura  24 (Toni 6, Aija 6, Tomi 6, Redrama 6) Iina Salin  24 (Toni 5, Aija 7, Tomi 6, Redrama 6) Lucy Was Driving  22 (Toni 5, Aija 6, Tomi 5, Redrama 6) I wonder how the table would look if the jury had to really put the songs in order and give different votes to everyone? The grand final next week with Mikael Saari, Diandra Flores, Krista Siegfrids, Arion, Great Wide North, Elina Orkoneva, Last Panda and Lucy Was Driving from barona Arena in Espoo.

I will be once again live blogging the UMK live tonight. It's time for the semifinal and see who will be the two (or apparently it is four!?) lucky ones the jury and televoters send to next week's grand final with Mikael Saari, Diandra Flores, Krista Siegfrids and Arion. Like the previous weeks the show time is on YLE Areena with UMK+ 19.45 CET and the show itself starts at 20.00 CET,  also on YLE's website. Tonight's guest star is Elonkerjuu. Twitter #UMK13 19.45 UMK+ has started online and soon we will move to The Circus nightclub in Helsinki city center. One of the judges, Aija is interviewed and she tells how she has given advice to the vocalists in the early stages of UMK but now they are on their own and the judges only... judge. She also tells she wished there was more indie pop but apparently that's something missing in the Finnish scene at the moment... Next we talk with the hosts, Ile and Anne, and most of all their outfits for tonight. They remind ...

Christer Björkman and Martin Österdahl  have talked with media how SVT will make Eurovision 2013 a success. SVT's budget is 15,2 million euros, a lot less than in the previous years - Helsinki used some 18 million, Moscow nearly 35 million and Baku we won't even try to count!  SVT also downscale the technical side of the show and focus on artists and creating an intimate atmosphere. "We will make all that the artists will come across well on screen and make people want to vote for them"   he tells. "Also, the list of countries that could not host the show if they won is getting longer every year. We must come down with the costs and set a new trend. We must get back to basics and what this is allabout in the first place,  and having one presenter is a key factor in all this. We chose Petra Mede because she is perfect for the job: she can be funny but she can be serious as well. She can easily switch from one mood to another. She's got experience and can ho...

SVT is doing big variety shows with different artists (one of them being another Eurovision veteran Jill Johnson) under title "En helkväll med.../Whole evening with...." or 90 minutes of show, talk and some invited guests. Lena Philipsson got her show done earlier this month in Gothenburg's Stora teatern. This is actually the very first time these two schlager queens perform as a duet ever. In public that is. Carola tells in her blog that they did once Barbra Streisand's Enough is enough in a private birthday party in Mallorca. They have also been featured in a same MF number many years ago - and this is THE best interval act ever in any Eurovision related show. But I guess you have to speak Swedish to fully appreciate it - but as a duet, this is a first, after nearly 30 years both have been in the business! Apparently Lena plays piano besides singing and Carola seems very pleased and excited about the experience. And the song? It's this blogger's super...

Freshly officially divorced Lena Philipsson and late runner in the Eurovision 2013 presenter run (as we know now the job went to Petra Mede instead) are the guest stars in Karlskrona. Both have previous experience as MF-hosts and Lena of course also as an artist and the winner. They will provide the interval act number together with the hosts Gina Dirawi and Danny Saucedo. Maybe it will include some acting as Danny has recently announced he will step away from music and concentrare on acting instead. (Good luck on that direction then!) A lot of humor and new sides of both Gina and Danny promised by SVT...

Well, now this was a surprise! San Marino made it again. Valentina Monetta returns to Eurovision and again with a song written by Ralph Siegel! The song is called Crisalide or Chrysalis in English. The lyrics are by Mauro Balestri and indeed there's this Italian version as well. Hopefully they wil use at least the bilingual version in Eurovision! After last year's Eurovision with Facebook Siegel and Monetta have been working on an album and this song was selected among the songs on it. And this is Siegel's 21st Eurovision entry :-) And this blogger is just happy he's back, "alla faccia di tutti". I can't understand fans complaining about him and adoring various G:sons, Borgs and others who are there every year, year after year, in every possible national final. Get real! In the press conference they also talked about the marketing strategy and it looks like they will concentrate on internet again, plus Valentina will visit Amsterdam's Eurovis...

Lys Assia, Stephy Tang & Therese Fu, Albano, Monica Hill.... The gossiping has been running wild in San Marino also this year but today they will reveal the real name. And other details but the song apparently isn't yet ready to be presented so we won't hear it yet. Stay tuned....

It's over five years Toše Proeski was killed in the car crash but he is certainly not forgotten in the Balkan area. And even new songs emerge, like this Sve je ovo premalo za kraj , a song apprently found on his laptop and never released before until now.  He has topped the charts already twice after his death, with Jos uvijek sanjam da smo zajedno in 2010 and with The hardest thing in 2008. Recently another Eurovision veteran Fabrizio Faniello recorder The hardest thing as well....

Italian website Eurofestival reports that it's pretty certain it's going to be Malika Ayane (29), Marco Mengoni (24) or Annalisa Scarrone (27) for Italy in Eurovision 2013 in Malmö. Behind these three artists are various factors. Malika comes from the same label as Raphael Gualazzi and its boss Caterina Caselli might be ready to do it all again and lead Italy to success first in Eurovision, and then her artist worldwide. She has done also a star from Andrea Bocelli, among others so she's a tough one. Marco Mengoni is backed by Sony and looking for a relaunch for his a bit shaky career at the moment. Then we have Annalisa Scarrone, coming from Maria De Filippi's reality Amici and would benefit from the cross over to RAI's channels as well. De Filippi would surely use also Mediaset's channels to promote her et voilà, Annalisa would be soon in every TV-channel in Italy. A win-win situation for everyone. Even Eurovision itself.  It's worth remembering each...

Great to come to home to these wonderful news: Petra Mede! Did anyone ever mention her name? No. Somehow I knew SVT had something in their sleeve so I was pretty sure it wouldn't be Sarah Dawn Finer nor Måns Zelmerlöf or any of the other mentioned. I remember Petra from Melodifestivalen 2009 and I just adored her! She's the lovechild one Lena Philipsson and Christer Lindarw and surely will be having some surprises a la Lill Lindfors! I can't wait to see her in action! :-)

Israel participated in the Eurovision for the first time 40 years ago. Since then they have collected three wins, two second places and one third place. This year IBA organizes after a break again the national final Kdam and turns it into Melodifestivalen: three semifinals each with ten songs on Fenruary 24, 25 and 26 and top-3 qualifying for the final. The songs that places 4th and 5th will have a 2nd chance on March 3. Out of these six songs one will access the final. The final with ten songs wil take place on March 7. There will be 30/70 jury/televote. This blogger recognizes among the hopefuls Vladi Blayberg but also names Niki Goldstein, Liran Notik and Hila Ben David are known names in Eurovision circuit. Hila Ben David - Beautiful Julietta - Fantasia Lihi Griner & DJ Omri Segal - Just Like Me Vladi Blayberg - New Day Eric Forman - Livin' One Time Kathleen Reiter - Ad Elay Hen Cohen - Halev Mevakesh Moran Mazuz - Give Me A Sign Bezalel Raviv - No War Ortal ...

Namely first European to sing the lead role in The Phantom of the Opera ! This weekend Jöback was in New York to sing in the play as a special guest. "This is the musical world's biggest role for a male singer, and an absolute dream" he tells the media. Last spring he sung the role already in West End, London and it must have gone very well as Sir Andrey Lloyd Webber picked himself Jöback for Broadway. He will do it for four months from the end of April until August, eight performances a week. Peter says he's not sure yet if his husband Oskar will also move to New York. Anyways, he says he's going to enjoy the experience and find himself a new dream as his biggest dream ever comes reality at the age of 41....   The Phantom of the Opera premiered in London 1986 with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. It's the second longest running West End musical ever. Today it's the longest running show in Broadway's history and it hits 25 years there, too. T...

The Icelandic are full of surprises this year. Another favorite is out of the final, namely Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir !  But we have three more finalists selected by the 50-50 jury-televote and the jury's wild card went to Magni Ásgeirsson, so there is some justice left in Iceland, too. Also the two I wanted made it, namely Jógvan and Haraldur. Here are the qualified ones: Jógvan Hansen & Stefanía Svavarsdóttir – Til þín Unnur Eggertsdóttir – Ég syng! Haraldur Reynisson – Vinátta  + Magni Ásgeirsson – Ekki líta undan (wildcard)

Phew, something good. Emmelie De Forest won the Danish MGP and will go to Malmö 2013 with Only teardrops. A nice step away from Europop with disco beat, following the last year's trend. And beware Denmark, I like your entry so you are doomed! :-) My favorite Albin didn't make the top-3, nor Jack Rowan & Sam Gray or fan favorites Kate Hall and Frederikke . 1. Emmelie De Forest - Only teardrops   - 26 - 2. Mohamed Ali - Unbreakable   - 19 - 3. Simone - Stay awake  - 15 -

The second semifinal in Norway brought us three more finalists. As expected Annsofi went to the final with Alexander Rybak penned I'm with you . But only as third one, which means Norwegian are not so easily fooled by big name as the song is... well, how to put it? Not so extraordinary? Fjellfolk with Ulvetuva made it as well bringing some folk to the final line up. The surprise for this blogger is Margaret Berger with I feed you my love . Mind you I like it and its noisy arrangement I didn't quite believe it would get through. And win the semi! The Norwegians surely ate her love up and apparently a star was born tonight! It would be like fresh air in Malmö 2013 compared to these other two very traditional efforts. Martin Blomvik didn't make it with his dialect rap, that was rather enoyable in some weird way.

The Eurovision 2013 season is really taking off tonight when three events are taking place, and all in Nordic countries. If we also add Thursday's Finnish Heat 2 and Icelandic semifinal 1 yesterday this is a real Nordic weekend. Tonight the shows go on in Iceland and Norway, while Denmark has its grand final and we get another song for Malmö 2013. Here's your guide for tonight: 19.55 CET Norway - semifinal 2. Read more here . 20.30 CET Denmark - final. Read more here . 22.00 CET Iceland - semifinal 2. Read more here . All events will be streamed live on respective websites. This blogger takes a night out and won't be blogging live any of these events but will be posting the results and comments as soon as possible tonight. Have fun!

Besides Iceland also Norway has its second semifinal tonight. Just like last week three songs will qualify for the final and tonight's show comes from Florø. If last weeks semi was rather mediocre but the right songs qualified, let's see how it goes this week? One favorite is above all the rest, Annsofi with a song penned by Alexander Rybak. I haven't heard all the songs I won't even guess who other will qualify, but Martin has something interesting going on in his song... . The fun starts 19.55 CET and you can watch it on NRK's website. Martin Blomvik -  Det vakje mi tid   Annsofi -  I'm with you   Shackles -  On hold   Hank -  No one   Fjellfolk -  Ulvetuva   Haji -  Shine with me   Margaret Berger -  I feed you my love

Just like last night six songs in the running to reach the Febaruary 2, 2013 final. Three songs will qualify based on 50-50 jury-televote, among them Söngvakeppni veteran Jógvan Hansen and an early fan favorite Erna Hrönn Ólafdóttir. Let's see if the results are as crazy as last night. This blogger and Icelandic people really don't agree this year, that's for sure! I won't even try to pick up the qualifiers here... I wouldn't know anyways. Showtime as usual 22.00 CET and you can watch it on RÚV's website. Klara Ósk Elíasdóttir - Skuggamynd Jógvan Hansen & Stefanía Svavarsdóttir - Til þín Sylvía Erla Scheving - Stund með þér Haraldur Reynisson - Vinátta Unnur Eggertsdóttir - Ég syng! Erna Hrönn Ólafsdóttir - Augnablik

If you thought it's easy to just go and sing, in UMK or some other national final or something just have a look at Otso Koskelo's pulsemeter. He had it on all night last Thursday, when Lucy Was Driving made its way to the semifinal next Thursday with Dancing all around universe . The graphic clearly shows how his heartbeat went overdrive during the performance and peaked again during the results (tulokset).

Need a place? Ask Pia or Ilhan, mention Ilkar and you get the best deal!

Iceland started their search tonight with the first semifinal. Only six songs and unfortunately the level of the songs isn't as good as it has been, me think s. Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir kicked off the night with Þú . It was better than I expected, I have to say.  Magni Ásgeirsson followed with Ekki líta undan , this blogger's favorite by far. After that followed to completely uninteresting ones Svavar Knútur Kristinsson & Hreindís Ylva Garðarsdóttir Hólm with Lífið snýst and Edda Viðarsdóttir with Sá sem lætur hjartað ráða för even sporting someone doing the sigh language, already very worn off gimmick in thiese circuits.  Eyþór Ingi Gunnlaugsson and Ég á líf got us back to better things and the night ended with fan favorite Birgitta Haukdal  and her backing group in burqas (or something) and Meðal andanna .  Fan favorite or not, this blogger thinks it's boring, uninspired and did I say boring? If it was up to me Magni, Eyþór and after all...

Alexey Vorovyov aka Alex Sparrow, the Russian entrant in Eurovision 2011 was seriously hurt in a car crash in Los Angeles a few days ago. He has recorded numerous fractures and traumatic brain injury. He has now been moved from intense care to neurological department, the Russian media reports suggesting the news about his death in some media are false.  He had a brain hemorrhage due to severe brain injury. He was hit a large portion of the right lobe of the brain causing partial paralysis of the left side of his body. He can't eat and speak nor move his left hand. Alex has regained consciousness, but he does not remember anything that happened to him . Doctors do not give any guarantee that he will be able to fully recover and return to the profession. But there is hope as he is a young and very healthy in general.  His family has asked the media to give them space and peace. More information is given at due time. Alex was in Los Angeles recording new material and taki...

Expressen writes that Carola will be the interval act in Melodifestivalen final in Friends Arena in March. She will offer a medley of her hits including her Melodifestivalen and Eurovision entries. The negotiations with SVT have taken months and she seems to be very happy about the outcome. Christer Björkman on the other hand says he can't yet confirm anything, but "Carola is a dream artist for him and always on top of the list of artists to get involved". Let's rerun the MF/ESC career of this lady who brought wind machine to Eurovision: 1983 wins with Främling gaining maximum points from each and every jury. Comes 3rd in ESC 1990 2nd with Mitt i ett äventyr . During her performance half of Sweden (or was it Stockholm?) suffers a black out. A terror attack against her religion is suspected... 1991 wins with Fångad av en stormvind . Wins even ESC beating Amina to 2nd place even if with same points. 2000 Acts as a hostess and causes headlines with he...

No, she didn't just eat too much Christmas food or skip champagne on New Year's without a reason. Charlotte Perrelli, born Nilsson is happily pregnant. The baby is due this summer and she's relieved it's just one as they thought first she was with twins. She has just finished with the Evita musical (hmm, Madonna got pregnant while filming Evita ...). Charlotte has two sons from her ex-husband Nicola Ingrosso, later changed to Perrelli (whose brother Emilio Ingrosso was married to another songbird, Pernilla Wahlgren!), Angelo and Alessio. Now she's dating Anders Jensen who is, obviously the lucky father. And he has a daughter, Izabella.  Despite her pregnancy she plans to participate in this summer's Diggi-loo tour as usual! And did you know she, too, has her own perfume, The Girl ?

Hanna Pakarinen has released a new single off her worthcoming, second album in Finnish. Jokapäiväinen that loosely translates to every day or daily, has a stunning video as well. All is done in one shot showing a dramatic and very beautiful Hanna in close up most of the time. Awesome! The single is out digitally already and the new album will follow. Her website has a new look, too. Here . Next you can see Hanna in the UMK 2013 final live. The video is shot my Ville Juurikkala, who collaborated with Hanna already in her Black Ice video.

Six songs tonight, among them Eurovision veterans Jóhanna and Birgitta, and this blogger's favorites Magni and Eyþór. Three songs will qualify for the final on February 2, 2013 based on 50-50 jury-televote. Show start at 22.00 CET and you can watch it on RÚV's website. The second semifinal takes place tomorrow night. Jóhanna Guðrún Jónsdóttir - Þú Magni Ásgeirsson – Ekki líta undan Svavar Knútur Kristinsson & Hreindís Ylva Garðarsdóttir Hólm – Lífið snýst Edda Viðarsdóttir - Sá sem lætur hjartað ráða för Eyþór Ingi Gunnlaugsson - Ég á líf Birgitta Haukdal - Meðal andanna

It looked like the judges would turn the tables but in the end the televote turned them back and all ended as planned: Krista Siegfrids and Arion straight to the final and Atlérico Kumpula was kicked out. Here are the full jury votes (as usual the televotes were not announced): Great Wide North 36 (Toni 9, Aija 9, Tomi 9, Redrama 9) Arion 35 (Toni 9, Aija 9, Tomi 9, Redrama 8) Krista Siegfrids 34 (Toni 8, Aija 8, Tomi 9, Redrama 9) Atlético Kumpula  28 (Toni 7, Aija 6, Tomi 8, Redrama 7) Lucy Was Driving 26 (Toni 6, Aija 7, Tomi 7, Redrama 6) Elina Orkoneva 26 (Toni 6, Aija 7, Tomi 7, Redrama 6)

Join me again tonight at 20.00 CET for the second heat of UMK 2013. Two songs will send to the final directly with 50/50 jury/televote. One act will be send home, the others will get another chance next week. The Circus nightclub in Helsinki is once again sold out venue and you can follow it here. UMK+ will bring you backstage 19.45-20.00 here and during the break before the results part of the show.  Last week fan favorites Mikael Saari and Diandra made it to the final, this week we have Krista Siegfrids (who just today has signed her first recording deal with Universal, congrats!) and Arion as clear fan favorites and knowing the judges like them, too, anyone else qualifying would be a surprise. But who will be kicked out? That's the question tonight! And tonight's guest star is Jesse Kaikuranta! Don't forget to read these UMK artists exclusive interviews right here -> 19.45 Here we go again! The backstage UMK+ online has just started.The web presenters are t...

Heilsarmee, including 94-year-old Emil who was strongly against it, have agreed to accept the changes EBU demands before their participation for Switzerland in the Eurovision 2013 in Malmö tells Martin Künzi of Swiss Salvation Army. They will drop their Salvation Army uniforms and have come up with three different solutions that are being considered and decided upon at the moment. Also the name will change. They haven't yet decided the name for the band (that actually really had no name before!) and are toying with six different ones. One thing seems to be certain though: it will be in English. They have a meeting with SFR next week and will present their solution for both problems, that are then proposed to EBU. Then it is in EBU's hands, Heilsarmee won't agree to any other compromises, says Künzi. If not found suitable they just have to disqualify us. One thing remains unchanged, the song You and me . 

Today's news is Krista Siegfrids got a record deal with Universal just before she hits the stage in UMK's second heat tonight and hopes to take one of those two places in the final. But know Universal gave out an announcement saying it's a dream deal for her. The UMK participation and Marry me weren't the reason as they have had their eye on her for some time now. The label is ready to invest fully on her and make her a star not only in Finland but abroad as well. They say there hasn't been an artist like her in Finland and both parties are very happy about the deal. The biggest names in business have been gathered behind her and her debut album will be released in 2013, maybe even within months (especially if she wins UMK and goes to Eurovision) and it will be pop-rock in English, a genre were competition is very hard internationally.  Overjoyed Krista comments: "I have been waiting for this day for 27 years and been working very hard for it, now it final...