Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Birgit Õigemeel has released a Spanish version of her Eurovision 2013 entry for Estonia.  Et uus saaks alguse turns into Volver a empezar and it sounds very nice indeed! Dare I say it sounds even better than the original? But what's it with these Estonians and Spanish? Last year also Ott Lepland released Escucha ..... Wait, there's more! Birgit has delivered also a Swedish version, Allting börjar om .And the English one, New way to go . And finally also the Russian one, Светлое начало .

YLE has announced that radio voices from YleX, Aino Töllinen and Juuso "Mäkkäri" Mäkilähde will be commentating all three Eurovision 2013 broadcasts live from Malmö Arena. Before that, on May 11, 2013 they will be also hosting the preview marathon (YLE2 19.30-23.30 local time).  They promise they will talk their mind, say what they think uncensored and without being polite, and the broadcasts won't be boring for sure if it's up to them. They will also shamelessly support Krista Siegfrids and Team Ding Dong. "For a change Finland has all it takes even to win the whole thing!" says Aino who confesses of being a real Eurovision fan. "I'm a huge fan and Mäkkäri is not so this combination will be a winning one!" YLE's team on spot will also include Anne Lainto (who also presented UMK 2012-2013) and producer Inari Fernandez who will also provide reports and news with a new fresh touch from Malmö 2013.  So, it seems UMK has taken over go...

Kolikkopelit.com has sponsored Krista Siegfrids wedding in Malmö 2013 with 20.000 euros worth of pyrotechnics, so get ready for some Krista's bombs on stage! You can also win prizes by participating here . Those include personal video greetings from Krista from Malmö, her brand new album Ding dong and giftcards to various shops and more.

Macedonia's saga with Eurovision 2013 continues. After changing song they have now apparently opted for changing the language as well, paying a penalty to EBU as this happens after the deadline. Or so the rumor is. However, the new video for If I could change the world is out, and Lozano sings mostly in English while Esma belts out her lines as they used to be. This song has become a real grower in my books, and even if I liked this better than Imperija to start with, now with English it really has got a hook, and ... my inside my poor head there's a battle between this and "oh oh h oh ding dong" that goes on for days already.... And there's no doubt Lozano has one of the finest voice in Eurovision 2013!

Marco Mengoni has released the second single/video from the #1 album #prontoacorrere. Following the ballad and Eurovision 2013 entry and Sanremo 2013 winner L'Essenziale it's the uptempo title track, Pronto a correre , co-written by Take That's Mark Owen. Enjoy! (There's also the English version Put the light on ....) Great stuff!

Roll over, One Direction. Just like Isac Elliot will kick some Bieber ass Satin Circus will take over the world with their Emma . Or so the Finnish record bosses seem to think. What do you think? Two French Eurovision veterans, Anggun and Natasha St-Pier have joined forces in Vivre d'amour.   Not bad but one would tthink these two ladies could do better? Sandoval has covered Arisa's fantastic Sanremo song La notte in Spanish as La noche . Somehow quite different from Arisa's fragile and emotional original, isn't it?  Pernilla Karlsson's brother's band Elokuu is having another hit in Finland with Tänään lähtee ....

Blue's Duncan James is showing his new polished muscles and inks in the cover and interview in GT. He also talks about Eurovision saying: "It was a good thing for us in Europe but a bad thing for us in the UK. We wanted to mark our tenth anniversary with something special and representing your country in the biggest music show in the world was pretty special but on the back of Eurovision we didn't even have a second single or album. It was like a big whoopie cusion that deflated. " Being GT, he also talks about sex:  “I still enjoy having sex with girls. I find women attractive. Over the years it’s been less and less relationships with girls. So I understand that saying, ‘Bi now, gay later.’ But it’s 2012 and there’s nothing wrong in being open with your sexuality." And yes, he's single again after two year relationship with a guy. Maybe Blue's most recent release Hurt lovers is inspired by that? Read the full story here . To see the pics w...

As written already ages ago it is now a deal, it seems: Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be in Eurovision 2013. Apparently he will open the final show by inviting the audience to his hometown Malmö. It seems he won't be there in person and a pre-recorded material will be used. It is believed to be incorporated with the Eurovision anthem performed by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Avicii. Christer Björkman has earlier said Zlatan is the biggest thing Malmö has but refuses to comment his part in coming Eurovision 2013 any further. We will see....

Namely, the Finnish fans will send her off to Malmö 2013 Eurovision with big style: a wedding convoy will take place at Senate Square in front of the cathedral in the heart of Helsinki on May 6, 2013 at 2pm. Everyone is welcome to wish her well and see her off to Malmö and wedding theme wardrobe is desirable. Join in the fun here . She will also have her album release gig in Apollo club on June 8, 2013. Join in that fun here . Yesterday she was performing at the season opening concert in Linnanmäki amusement park in Helsinki and obviously did Marry me . The day before she did an open air concert in honor to Justin Biener and tonight she will be in a live talk show on TV.... Busy Queen bee!

Birgit Õigemeel and her backing singers Lauri Pihlapit, Raimondo Laikret and Kaido Põldmad have presented their Eurovision 2013 look, by Antonio Baltman. Black and white for her, and elegant suits for the guys. Maybe those stripes will also hide Birgit's pregnancy.... For the rest of her Malmö 2013 trip she will be wearing Monton's bright and colorful spring fashion.  Meanwhile the Estonians seem to mentally prepaire for not making the final this year but Birgit herself is not very worried what the betting odds are at the moment, as the neighbouring Latvia and Lithuania are also not hot on those lists..... Birgit will sing her Et Uus Saaks Alguse as the feared number two spot in the first semifinal, where Finland and Latvia can't vote for them....

Agnetha Fältskog will released her new album A on May 10, 2013. It's her 5th post-ABBA solo album but the first since 2004. The first single When you really loved someone has been out already but now you can listen to snippets of all songs here . It is yet unknown if she will somehow be involved with Malmö 2013 Eurovision as it is rumored. It might be just whistful thinking by the fans but who knows? Agnetha's ex-husband Björn Ulvaeus stated in an interview he personally is more interested in the ABBA museum and it's opening than Eurovision, that he is not a fan of and won't be attending.

Justin Bieber was in Finland and resulted as fainting and screaming fans as everywhere. On Friday afternoon a warm-up concert was held in Kaisaniemi park with some 4.000 fans attending and the list of artists included Robin (not the Swedish one but the Finnish teenage sensation), Diandra, Mikael Gabriel, JVG and most of all Krista Siegfrids! She performed obviously her Marry me as well as the new single Amen . In true wedding tradtion to Krista's surprise a maiden heist was performed, and it was for a moment unclear if it was the beginning of her hen party or not? Later she went to Bieber's concert along with other 12.000 fans in sold out Hartwall Arena as well and commented that he's cute, and if he proposed she'd say yes! And she said she'd keep eye on the show to find possible new ideas... Today she'll be entertaining the crowds again in the Linnanmäki amusement park's opening party in a free open air affair. Another occasion to catch pheunomia as t...

Azerbaijan's Farid Mammadov has been already showing his muscles all over the place but now Ireland's Ryan Dolan strips off his shirt in Twitter and enters the competition of Mr Eurovision 2013.... Who do you prefer in that specific area?

A big welcome to Sint Maarten, the 213th country/territory to visit Blogilkar! Just when I thought it's pretty much done, three more flags have been collected the past week or so. Fantastic! 32 to go....

Alessandro Capicchioni, the Sammarinese Head of Delegation concludes the round of interviews with San Marino team. What kind of ideas San Marino has for hosting the contest should they win? Who he would like to represent them? Why they don't have a big Italian artists representing them? And who was the one who tried? What do Georgian drivers do with promo material? Read it all here: Alessandro, back in Eurovision again. With the same team but a completely different response by the fans. How does it feel? Well, it feels very good indeed. How scared are you that you will do very well this year? It's too early for real worries. I mean, if we win our semifinal and during the final we have 100 points more than the second and only three countries left to vote, well, then I would start to worry. But seriously, we're such a small country and everything is twice harder for us than for a regualar one. This success among fans may, and I say may, help us to get to the fi...

This week we kick off with the parody of the year; the Parody Guys are back and giving an equal marriage message treatment to the Finnish entry this year, Krista Siegfrids ' Marry me . Fabulous stuff! Sammarinese Eurovision veteran Senit is back with a groovy track One Stop shop . A total contast to her entry! Ex-pornstar Colton Ford continues with his dance track career and here comes Let me live again . His past is rather visible in his video... And finally the only real Finnish popster Antti Tuisku has made a comeback to the scene with Rakkaus on . The title translates to "Love is" and listening it links nicely to the equal marriage theme, "love has no limits, it's pure and innocent". Enjoy!

Every Eurovision fan knows by now Dekel and Bastien, the Parody Guys! This couple has provided as fun and joy already three years and this year they are back. And the chosen one is the Finnish entry Marry me (again) and the videos has been shot all around the world, from Helsinki to New York, from London to Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, Stockholm and all the other places! Are you ready to get married?! Here ! Can you tell us a bit about yourselves. Dekel from Tel Aviv, Bastien French living in Zurich. How do you do it? How do you manage with your international live style? We both travel a lot, either for business or pleasure, so we are often in each other's city, or meeting somewhere around the world! Where and how did you meet? We met in a bar in New York back in 2006. We were both airline crew members on a layover there. Dekel still is one, Bastien has changed his career since. Aha, we can blame it on Lordi then! How many Eurovisions have you done already? I suppose you wi...

Krista follows her path with determination. After Marry me her next single will be called Amen ! The video shoot has been finished and one can only hope she didn't catch pneumonia by walking the chilly streets wearing THAT (the pic above, from her Twitter) . If you don't know, the spring is really delayed up here this year, still below zero at night and some snow in the ground, too.... You can hear a bit of the song in her Marry me, Europe reality.

To his/her loved one that is. Krista Siegfrids, the Queen bee of the season gave a great interview to Viisukuppila's lovely Anna Muurinen, where she tells how two of her big dreams could come reality this spring. Here's the English edition of it. While at it, support also Tahdon2013 campaign for equal marriage. Why do you want to marry so bad? it's been a dream of mine since childhood. I want to be marred like my parents were. Somehow being married just seems like something more than just being together (and we know Krista's motto is More is more! Ed.note) You must really be of marrying kind as you have publicly also supported equal marriage right? Yes! I think it's wrong that all people can't marry.  Commitment brings security, love and the feeling of not being alone in this world. Each and everyone must have a right to feel that. I really hope that everyone could sing Marry me to her/his loved one... You are also a huge Eurovision fan.How one ...

Carola recently had a huge success in Eurovision in concert in Amsterdam and will be performing in a gay club, soon, namey Wonk in Malmö during Eurovision 2013 (other artists include Charlotte Perrelli and Loreen). She has always had a lot of gay fans but the things turned sour back in 2001 when she said in QX's interview homosexuality is unnatural. "Now the time has come we can but all that aside" she says "I felt such a love and support from my gay fans in Amsterdam. A new era has begun and I feel such unity." But the QX magazine hasn't yet forgotten. They say they should sit down with her and have another interview and talk about things before she could be invited to perform in Gaygalan or Pride. Even then part of the audience might be booing at her while most would cheer her. She will start from Wonk, maybe those two will follow..... and she can belt out her hits to gay crowd, like this . Or this . And even this . Carola's gay career: 1993...

Only hours after Curacao made its debut here's another one: Guinea! We are now up to 212! I don't know if it was a visit by a Fula, Mandingo, Susu or someone else but... bienvenue!

Cyprus - Despina Olympiou - An Me Thimáse First thunbs up for Cyprus for singing in Greek (especially when the English version sounds very bland, just like San Marino btw). The problem with this song for me is that I like it when I'm listening to it, but otherwise I don't remember it or rank it very high, unfortunately. I think Cyprus may have a hard struggle to get past the semifinal, and it's a shame considering they have an artist with a real career, a beautiful song and even sing it in original language. But the sparkle is missing.... Hungary - ByeAlex- Kedvesem A little bit the same goes for Hungary that has changed their original version to Zoohacker remix for Eurovision, even if there is even better remix yet around, namely  Lotfi Begi's Deep In The Forest Mix . I like it everytime I hear it, but tend to forget otherwise. The song has something irresistible about it though and even if I must admit I was very surprised it won in Hungary and I was wonde...

One more flag, another country. Caribian Curacao makes a visit to Blogilkar and gets the number 211. Welkom! (And now only 7% of the world missing!)

Loreen is still the reigning Eurovision winner but her fame and fortune in Sweden seems to be fading. She was to perform in a concert in Lidköping but it has been now cancelled. The capacity of the arena is around 3.000 but only 221 tickets were sold beforehand... not very euphoric, is it? She can have a tatste of that in a month in Malmö 2013 instead..... maybe.

Those wonderful Parody Guys are at it again and this year (again) the Finnish entry will have their treatment and make over. Interested? Watch the trailer here .

Israel- Moran Mazor - Rak bishvilo I have a problem with Israel. being a fan of Israeli ballads this should have all it takes. She's fine, the song's beautiful but the intensivity of the song kind of falls apart about half way of the song, and towards the end it turns into a mess. But I hope they can sort that out before Malmö 2013 and also find her a bit more flattering dress. I want to like this, but quite can't that much as it deserves as yet.... I'm not very confident about Israel making it to the final this time. Spain - ESDM - Contigo hasta el final (With you until the end) El sueño de morfeo quite cleverly changed their name to ESDM for Eurovision so if they fail no one will remember it was them in a year or two.... This is a bit like the Israeli entry; I should like it but I don't quite do that much. It promises a lot but quite never delivers I'm afraid. Shame. Estonia - Birgit Õigemeel - Et Uus Saaks Alguse And the third song in this lot co...

Krista Siegfrids and her Team Ding Dong were in last Saturday's Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam and surely wasn't left as wall flowers. She rocked the stage and got the audience wild, and shocked some, but pleased most with a Saphic kiss in the end of her performance with Reetta Korhonen. "It was all planned and yes, it was a statement for equal marriage right!" she says. "Everyone should have the right to marry whether it is two men or two women. If I can help with it great!" In Finland Tahdon2013 campaign has gathered already 148.000 signs this past few weeks and Krista is among the public supporters. "Audience went really wild in Amsterdam and in social medias I have only got positive comments about it. Some have been wondering how I dare as there are also conservative countries in Eurovision who won't understand it, but one needs to do something to make things happen. We plan to shook up Europe a little, and this was only a start!...

After the Sanmarine lyricist Mauro Balestri and the singer Valentina Monetta it's time to have a little chat with the art director Fabrizio Raggi. Read here what he had to say about the whole affair, how he was selected and what he thinks of Valentina and what he plans to do after Eurovision! Also, don't forget the Ralph Siegel interview from Baku 2012 here . This is the edited English one, read the original Italian one here . Fabrizio, first of all thanks for the interview. Tell us a little how did you get to the Sammarinese Eurovision team? Hello, thank you for the interview. I joined the team thanks to my professionalism and especially becouse Valentina wanted me. She proposed my name to San Marino RTV, and Alessandro Capicchioni and Ralf Siegel accepted. Before this you have done so many different things, television series, soap operas, theater, film ... actor, director .... What is the role that inspires you the most? When a man is born an actor you'...

After the Sanmarine lyricist Mauro Balestri and the singer Valentina Monetta it's time to have a little chat with the art director Fabrizio Raggi. Read here what he had to say about the whole affair, how he was selected and what he thinks of Valentina and what he plans to do after Eurovision! Also, don't forget the Ralph Siegel interview from Baku 2012 here . This is the original Italian interview, read the edited English one here . Fabrizio, anzitutto grazie per l'intervista. Raccontaci un po' come sei finito nel team Sammarinese eurovisivo? Ciao, grazie a te per l’intervista. Sono entrato nel team grazie al mio professionismo e soprattutto a Valentina che mi ha voluto e proposto, grazie poi a SMRTV, Alessandro Capicchioni, e a Ralf Siegel per avere accettato. Prima di questo hai fatto tante cose diverse; telefilm, soap opera, teatro, film... attore, regista.... Quale é il ruolo che ti inspira di più? Quando un uomo nasce attore lo sarà per tutta la vi...

It was big news when Emmelie De Forest claimed to be descendant of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and having family tree filled with Austrian princesses and British princes and only herself knows what. As you can read here by someone who knows the facts (Marlene Eilers Koenig, author of the book Queen Victoria's descendants , it's not true. In fact she has Swedish and Finnish (!!!) ancestry and her great-grandparents were Americans! And her family name was changed from Engström to Forest as late as the 1990's. So we can say all that is left of Emmelie's bubble of royal past is.... only teardrops ! But she can still dream of winning Eurovision next month.... let's see how that ends!

Namely the opening act of the final in Eurovision 2013 is a track called We write the story , composed by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and arranged by Avicii. This unision of the best selling Swedish musical exports of the past and present was on top of the wish list of SVT and all interested accepted the task immediately. Meanwhile Agnetha is rumored to participate this summer's Allsång, but concidering her last public performance was in 1987 it seems rather unlikely, as is her appearance in Eurovision 2013 as well, at least as a performer! Anyways, We write the story for the final, Northern light by Kleerup for the first semifinal. What will we have for the second one?

Latvia - PeR - Here we go These guys should sent some flowers to SVT as the opening act is clearly the best slot they could ever be. A perfect opener that will get the audience wild while waiting for their favorites, I think this would result a bit annoying placed anywhere else. And otherwise it works better as a video than straight live performance. A tricky one this is. It has some nice things, but it sounds a bit too familiar and rapping has never worked in Eurovision so far. Unfortunately this isn't my cup of tea but Latvia has done well, even won, when I haven't liked them at all, so.... But, a non qualifier for me but this said, I wouldn't be so surprised if it qualified after all.... but I doubt it! Serbia -Moje 3 - Ljubav je svuda I must admit being a big fan of Serbian Eurovision but it took me awhile to warm up to this. Maybe I was (like many others it seems now) too stuck on the Serbian ballad formula? Anyways, this is one of the songs that has been pla...

Italy gets to participate again in OGAE's Second Chance as the Italian entry comes from Sanremo this year. OGAE Italy run the voting in two phases; first picking up one song to each artist, and then the chosen ones were voted. You can see the results below with the videos of the songs. If nothing else an excellent excuse to wtach some great ones and listen again the pretty great songs from Sanremo 2013. Malika Ayane will do the honors with her very classy and beautiful E se poi .... And yes, she's following Krista's wedding theme in the video! 1 MALIKA AYANE E se poi 386 2 ILARIA PORCEDDU In equilibrio 341 3 RAPHAEL GUALAZZI Sai (ci basta un sogno) 333 4 ANTONIO MAGGIO Mi servirebbe sapere 330 5 MAX GAZZE’ Sotto casa 327 6 RENZO RUBINO Il postino (amami uomo) 322 7 SIMONA MOLINARI & PETER CINCOTTI La felicità 304 8 MARCO MENGONI Bellissimo 298 9 CHIARA Il futuro che sarà 291 10 ANNALISA Non so ballare 278 11 DANIELE SILVESTRI A bocca chiusa 252 12 MARIA NAZIO...