ESC 2015: MEET IL VOLO (ITALY)

Who were the first Italian artists ever to be signed directly to an American label? Yes, Il Volo. Since then they have performed on the biggest and most important stages and shows in the world, with Barbra Streisand, Placido Domingo and Eros Ramazzotti just to name a few, topped Billboard charts, gathered Latin Grammy nominations and made it big in Americas. In Europe, and Italy it has been quieter. Until this year when they took Sanremo by storm and will now take Grande amore to Vienna. One of the biggest favorites to win, with over 20 milion Youtube views already, selling multiplatinum at home and for a change, a real eagerness to win it for Italy, and even RAI seems to ok with it this time. Are we off to Turin next year? For sure they will give us a full dose of something 100% Italian; melodic opera pop directly out of traditional Italian song book. A fact that bothers some Italian fans labelling it dated and kitchy. I say it's perfection.

It all started six years ago in the very same Teatro Ariston in Sanremo when Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble (aged between 14-16) separately took part in a talent show in Raiuno, Ti lascio una canzone (the very same that launched Michele Perniola, Gaia Gauchi and Vincenzo Cantiello btw). Andrea Bocelli's manager saw them, got the idea and soon enough he had signed them for American record label. A historic first for any Italian artist. The name changed from I Tre tenorini to The Tryo and finally Il Volo. Soon they were all over American television; performing at American Idol, The Tonight Show, Good morning America, visiting Ellen DeGeneres singing their cover of O sole mio, a Billboard Class #1 hit. Soon their success took over Latin America, they were nominated and performed at Latin Grammys... Singapore, Detroit, Barbra Streisand followed. In 2012 their Luna nascosta was considered an Oscar nomination for the best song but failed but it was soon forgotten when they headlined the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting and right after performed in the Nobel Peace prize concert in Oslo. In 2013 they debuted at #1 in the Billboard Latin albums with Más que amor and they perform in Emmy Awards. Their Christmas album also debuts at #1 in Billboard Holiday albums..... and the success continued.

By the end of 2014 they are back to Italy and concentrate on conquering it back. Before Christmas they performed in the Italian Senate and when their name came out in the list of the names for Sanremo 2015 most everyone was sure they will win it. And they did. And they didn't think half a second to answer Yes! for Eurovision as they see it an opportunity to relaunch in Europe befofe they go on tour later this year. They also released an EP Sanremo grande amore, incuding their entry and six covers from Sanremo's history. Some speculated they may well win the contest but won't sell. All this has been proved wrong; both the single and the EP have topped the charts, sold multiplatinum and outsold easily every other artists this year. They are also working on a new album with new songs to be released later this year. Their new single after Grande amore is Canzone per te.

This blogger fell in love with this song the very first time I heard it. I did know Il Volo beforehand (love We are love), and even if I'm not big on covers I liked their stuff. They have great voices that blend together in a magical way. Also I was pretty sure they would win Eurovision with it if they first win Sanremo, that seemed harder at that point, and get to Vienna. I still want to stay with this opinion. My ultimate favorite this year. By far. Let's see how it goes.....

Dimmi perché quando penso, penso solo a te

Dimmi perché quando vedo, vedo solo te

Dimmi perché quando credo, credo solo in te grande amore

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ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

Regina Lund - naked and censored

Regina Lund's new video Jag är osynlig was censored by Youtube only minutes after it had been uploaded. In the video she was playing a female Jesus who gets crusified in the end. "I was shocked!" she says. "There's nothing more naked in it as in every church! It's ok to have naked man hanging on the wall but my nakedness is too much on internet? ". Oh well, no comment. She's prepairing a new album Dare Regina Lund and we of course remember her from her Melodifestivalen 2007 adventure with Rainbow star .

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )

CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

Update! Another thing got Swedes talking last night: Carola's boobs when she was giving away an award. This is not the first time her boombs cause headlines; her misfortunate adventures in the 80's in Japan wer explained with her boobs being too big for Japanese market. Ok.... Or was it the song ? Anyways, Carola apologies and says she thinks the dress is stylish and elegant (even her friends said so) and she's a mature woman in her 40s, not a 16-year-old girl and looks like one. The Swedish Oscars, Guldbagge awards were given out last night. Carola was there as a guest star to sing Barbra Streisand's The way we were when honoring the movie stars who passed away during 2012. However, the cameras were too much on Carola, not on the stars showed in photos in the background and that upset many viewers as that part of the show was to celebrate them, not Carola. Oh well... The producer of the show tells in Aftonbladet the part of the show was made the sam

TIM SCHOU AND HIS NAKED GRAVITY

Tim Schou has a pretty good solo career going since he left his friends in London. He's travelling the world and relesing songs and videos. The latest one is a great track and comes with a steamy video that kinda takes away from the song really. But who's complaining. If you got it, flaunt it. Enjoy the video below. This post coming after the other Dane, Rasmus Seebach as wishlist for Eurovision. To think about it, Tim would do nicely, too. Maybe he should give it another go?

JEDWARD GETS NAKED FOR THE FANS

Well, almost. The boys celebrated their 650.000th follower on Twitter by being photographed fresh from shower as promised. It's not the first time they drop their clothes as you see here . Meanwhile their second album is nearly here and the title track Young love is hitting the charts....

GREECE: HELENA PAPARIZOU HITS AGAIN WITH HAIDE

Eurovision song contest 2005 winner Helena Paparizou has been enjoying Top-5 hits every year since 2003 with the exception of 2010 and 2014, this latest one being already her 27th! And Haide is charting also in Bulgaria and Finland, of all places. The catchiness of her hits has changed less over the years than her face.... Here's the English version , below the Greek version.

ITALY: ALICE 70 - PER ELISA

Alice's second Sanremo. No longer Alice Visconti, nor Carla Bissi but simply Alice. A song written by Alice herself with Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio. An usual song lacking a proper refrain, performed in an aggressive way by fierce looking Alice with wild hair. It was a real breakthrough. If the trio's first offering the year before for Italian hit waves was a hit this became a mega hit and international success that made her known not only in Italy but abroad as well. Such a shame Italy didn't participate in Eurovision that year (but her time would come) but then again, most likely they wouldn't have had sent Sanremo winner anyways. Number one hit in Italy, Top-5 in Austria and Switzerland, Top-20 in Germany. The song featured in her 4th album simply titled Alice, that was published abroad as Per Elisa with different styling. A new version of the song is included in Personal Jukebox album. Per Elisa Vuoi vedere che perderai anche me Per Elisa Non sai più distinguere

ITALY: ALICE 70 - NATA IERI

Alice - Nata ieri In 2012 Alice released her first studio album with new original songs in 14(fourteen!!!) years, Samsara . Among them a song Franco Battiato had written especially for her (Eri con me), a first since 1982!, a couple from Tiziano Ferro including this Nata ieri. The album included also three covers from Lucio Dalla, Giuni Russo and Califfi. Her fans had been waiting for this album and it entered the Italian charts straight at number 10. Se la vita è migliorata dopo ogni ferita, è grazie a te. Tra le grigie ceneri dei giorni neri, lì sono nata ieri. If life has improved after every wound, it is thanks to you. Among the gray ashes of the dark days, there I was born yesterday.

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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